In 1994, I was in an abandoned apartment in Copenhagen, one of those very large
apartments with 2 living rooms and 800 rooms incapsulated by concrete, an
ugly, empty place. A slummy pseudo-high-rise.
Well, now it wasn’t empty anymore. 200 people were listening to some VERY loud
techno, dancing, drinking, smoking, dancing, dancing, DANCING!
I was like: What’s going on here, man!? Around me people were half naked, sweaty
and smelly … And the music? The bass drum was … Umpf, Umpf, Umpf, Umpf!
Some crazy guy recited: Skyscraper I love you. And I was just Wowed!
I tapped a girl on her shoulder and yelled: “WHO’S THE BAND? … THE MUSIC …
WHAT IS IT?!!!” She turned to me, her lips moved and the only thing I could hear was
Umpf, Umpf, Umpf, Umpf! from the enormous speakers.
1996:
I’m in the movie theatre. Watching Danny Boyles Trainspotting. And then …
UNDERWORLD goes crazy:
“Drive boy dive boy. Dirty numb angel boy, Yeaah!”
This is a great movie, but when I hear that track by UNDERWORLD, it’s impossible to sit
in this chair and behave like a civilized man. My legs are moving like two pistons:
Umpf, Umpf, Umpf, Umpf! I’m dancing in the chair! I don’t give a F.
Just want to dance my ass off!
When the movie is over, I am going to party. And oh boy, did I party! I went to some
stupid club. And I waited … and then they played Born Slippy.
I haven’t got the slightest idea, how I got home that morning.
That’s what UNDERWORLD does to me: They make me happy, silly, a dancing freak.
They just make me forget what’s going on outside that moment when the music plays.
No other band does it better! 30 years later, I am going to see Karl Hyde and Rick Smith
perform live. For the first time. Ever (2024). And I think the night will be dark, beautiful …
and very noisy!
I am not going to lie to you. If you don’t like repetitive electronic music,
UNDERWORD is not for you! If you like your music and textual universe simple,
don’t listen to this.
But IF you want to escape and forget the world for a moment or two,
UNDERWORLD is going to entertain you in a sharp, witty and very danceable way.
As you’d know by now, I love this outfit – and I don’t give a damn if my mum says it’s
a bunch of crap.
Where to begin:
1. 1992-2012 (anthology)
2. Dubnobasswithmyheadman (1994)
3. Beaucoup Fish (1999)
4. Oblivion with bells (2007)
5. Barking (2010)
The DRIFT SERIES (2019)
This is a masterpiece! One song a week for a year – and you’ve got an album full of
creativity.
Not at 100 % one week? Then have a go the next week. Actually it works! 6 hours,
it works! 6 hours of UNDERWORLD, what could possibly go wrong?
Nothing!