B IS FOR BIZARRE INC.

A bit of early rave for you. Bizarre Inc. is a house/techno trio of British producers and DJs: Andrew Meecham, Dean Meredith and Carl Turner. In 1993 they went to number one on the United States Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart twice.

“I’m Gonna Get You” spent two weeks at number one in January (also hitting number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100) and was followed by “Took My Love,” which was number one for two weeks in late April. Both tracks featured lead vocals by female session singer Angie Brown. A third song (not featuring Brown), “Love In Motion,” hit # 4 on the dance chart in late 1993. However their most successful tune to date has remained “Playing With Knives” (a rejected remix of which which would later serve as the basis for rival act Blue Pearl’s track “Can You Feel The Passion” in 1992).All three of Bizarre Inc.’s big hit singles appeared on their first album, Energique, in 1992. They also released a second album, Surprise, in 1996.

Two-thirds of the original line-up are now putting out new music under the name Chicken Lips (I never knew they were connected). Signing to Kingsize Records in 1999, the home of Andy Meecham’s Sir Drew alias since the demise of Acid Jazz offshoot Athletico in the mid ‘90’s (where Meredith had also been recordings his Psychedelia Smith material) the lads were reunited and Chicken Lips was born.

In the UK, their biggest singles were “Playing with Knives” (#4) and I’m Gonna Get You (#3), the latter of which was a genuine cross over hit and was within the top 40 biggest sellers of the year. Meanwhile “Playing with Knives” is not too sure if it wants to be a out and out rave/house tune (with its uplifting piano and vocal line) or underground slammer (with its hardcore rave main riff). Either way, it never worked for me and I still have no time for it. But I’m far and away in the minority on this one:

Bizarre Inc. – Playing with Knives (Quadrant Mix)

Bizarre Inc. – Playing with Dub

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~ by acidted on June 10, 2008.