Beats International

Beats International were a British electronic music band, formed in the late 1980s by Norman Cook (later in his career known as Fatboy Slim) based in Brighton, East Sussex, England, after his departure from The Housemartins.[1]

Beats International
Beats International, 1990. From L to R: Lester Noel, Norman Cook, Lindy Layton, Andy Boucher
Background information
OriginBrighton, England
GenresElectronica
Years active1989–1992
LabelsElektra Records
Telstar Records
Go! Beat
MembersNorman Cook
Lindy Layton
Lester Noel
David John-Baptiste
MC Wildski
Andy Boucher

A loose confederation of musicians, the line-up also included vocalist Lindy Layton, former North of Cornwallis vocalist Lester Noel, rappers DJ Baptiste (The Crazy MC), MC Wildski and keyboardist Andy Boucher.[1] Unusually, the band's live line-up also incorporated a graffiti artist, REQ, who would paint designs on a backdrop while the musicians played.

Biography

Their debut studio album, Let Them Eat Bingo, spawned the UK number-one single "Dub Be Good to Me", a re-working of The SOS Band's chart-topper "Just Be Good to Me", based on a sample of the bassline from The Clash's "Guns of Brixton" and featuring Layton on vocals.[1]

The second Beats International album was 1991's Excursion on the Version, which featured a greater use of dub and reggae sounds, but failed to repeat the success of its predecessor. This was the final Beats International recording, with Cook next going on to form Freak Power.[1]

Discography

Albums
Year Album UK
[2][3]		 AUS
[4]		 US
[5]
1990 Let Them Eat Bingo
17
63
162
1991 Excursion on the Version
-
-
-

Singles
Year Single Peak positions Album
UK
[2]		 IRE NED BEL
(FLA)		 FRA GER
[6]		 AUT SWI SWE NOR AUS
[4]		 NZ US
[7]		 US Dance
1990 "Dub Be Good to Me" 1 4 2 5 19 4 2 6 10 10 12 6 76 1 Let Them Eat Bingo
"Won't Talk About It" 9 12 28 — — 26 27 24 — — 70 20 76 4
"Burundi Blues" 51 — 70 — — — — — — — — — — —
"For Spacious Lies" (France only) — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
1991 "Echo Chamber" 60 — — — — — — — — — — 49 — — Excursion on the Version
"The Sun Doesn't Shine" 66 — — — — 87 — — — — — — — —
"In the Ghetto" 44 — — — — 89 — — — — 142 7 — —
1992 "Change Your Mind" (US only) — — — — — — — — — — — — — 28
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Samples list
Let Them Eat Bingo
  • "Burundi Dub"
    • "Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa" by Sly & The Family Stone / bassline
  • "Dub Be Good to Me"
    • "Just Be Good to Me" by The SOS Band
    • "The Guns of Brixton" by The Clash / bassline
  • "Blame It on the Bassline"
    • "Get into Something" by Isley Brothers / phrase "Come on now / give the drummer some"
  • "Won't Talk About It"
  • "Dance to the Drummer's Beat"
    • "Dance to the Drummer's Beat" by Herman Kelly & Life
  • "Tribute to King Tubby"
Excursion on the Version
  • "Echo Chamber"
    • "Could You Be Loved" by Bob Marley & The Wailers

See also
  • List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States)
  • List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References
  1. Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 37. ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
  2. "Official Charts > Beats International". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  3. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 50. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. Australian (ARIA Chart) peaks:
  5. "Beats International Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  6. "Beats International – German Chart". Charts.de. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  7. Beats International chart history Billboard.com

Further reading
  • "Beats International". Music Technology. Vol. 4 no. 6. May 1990. p. 40. ISSN 0957-6606. OCLC 24835173.
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