Charles Webster (musician)

Charles Webster
Born c.1965[1]
Matlock, Derbyshire, England
Genres House music, downtempo, jazz
Occupation(s) DJ, producer
Years active Early 1980s–present
Labels Defected, Peacefrog, Remote, Love From San Francisco, Miso
Associated acts Presence
Website www.charleswebster.net

Charles Webster is a British electronic music producer and DJ who specialises in producing house music, amongst several other genres, including downtempo and jazz. He has recorded under his own name as well as under a series of aliases including Presence, Furry Phreaks, and Love From San Francisco, and in collaboration with several other artists.[2]

Webster ran the now-defunct record labels Remote and Love From San Francisco,[3] but currently owns and operates his Miso Records label.[4]

History

Born in Matlock, Derbyshire, Charles Webster grew up in the Peak District.[5] His father was an artist and his mother (in his own words) "just worked at whatever she felt like at the time", and his parents' record collection was an early influence, Webster stating that "it was when they got into Kraftwerk that I decided to become a musician".[1] He got his first instruments at age 13 (guitar, synthesizer, and drum machine). He studied art in Derby before moving to Nottingham where he began playing in electronic bands (including Mile High Club) and started working in a restaurant – the owner of which also just happened to own the city's 'Garage Club', where he began performing.[6]

Webster worked with US artists such as Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson through his job as a recording engineer at Square Dance studios in Derby, and moved to San Francisco in 1992 where he started the Love From San Francisco label.[5][7][8][9] This led to his music being released on other US labels.

Back in the UK in 1996, Webster started the Remote label. The All Systems Gone album, released in 1999 and credited to the ensemble Presence, which featured singers Shara Nelson, Sara Jay, and Steve Edwards, was described by Webster as "a collection of songs for the clubs and the home", and included the singles "Sense of Danger" (featuring Nelson), "Future Love", and "Better Day".[3][8][10][11] The album was well received by critics, garnering an 11/10 rating from DJ magazine, and described by Allmusic as "Probably the first classic record of the 21st century."[3][6][12]

Born on the 24th of July (Peacefrog Records) was recorded over an 18-month period between 1999 and 2000, and released in 2001, featuring contributions from Terra Deva, and Massive Attack vocalist Sara Jay.[4][13][14][15] A remixed version of Born on the 24th of July was released in late 2003, featuring mixes by several Peacefrog label artists.[16] After five years of touring and production, 2007 saw the release of a definitive three-disc Webster compilation project on Defected Records,[17] followed in 2008 by a Coast 2 Coast compilation for NRK Records and Strictly Rhythms Vol. 4.

2013 saw the release of two albums from Webster — a retrospective compilation on Defected called House Masters: Charles Webster,[2] and a modern big band jazz album with Pete Wraight (as the Wraight-Webster Ensemble), No Lucky Days.[17][18]

Discography

Albums

Compilations

Singles

Charles Webster
Presence
Furry Phreaks
DJ Profile
Sine
Hot Lizard
All with Gary Marsden and Paul Wain
Symetrics
All with Andrew Hulme and Roger Horberry
Other aliases

References

  1. 1 2 Verrico, Lisa (1999) "Touched by Your Presence", Scotland on Sunday, 21 February 1999. Retrieved 16 June 2014  – via HighBeam (subscription required)
  2. 1 2 Tantum, Bruce (2013) "Interview: Charles Webster", Time Out New York, 27 August 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  3. 1 2 3 "All Systems Gone", NME, 4 January 1999. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  4. 1 2 Paoletta, Michael (2001) "Webster Reinvents Under His 'Born' Name on Peacefrog", Billboard, 3 November 2001, p. 48. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  5. 1 2 Oliver, Scott (2013) "Charles Webster", Leftlion, 6 October 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  6. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (2000) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music, Virgin Books, ISBN 978-0753504277, p. 315
  7. ↑ Bush, John "Charles Webster Biography", Allmusic. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  8. 1 2 Paoletta, Michael (1999) "U.K.'s Charles Webster Maintains Unorthodox Presence", Billboard, 9 January 1999, p. 22. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  9. ↑ Levisman, Sean (2010) "UK House Legend Charles Webster Talks Three Decades of EDM and His Latest Projects", Miami New Times, 14 October 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  10. ↑ "Charles Webster – Remixed On The 24th Of July", Uncut. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  11. ↑ Paoletta, Michael (2000) "Presence All Systems Gone", Billboard, 22 January 2000, p. 30. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  12. ↑ Greenwald, Matthew "All Systems Gone", Allmusic. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  13. ↑ Glazer, Joshua "Born on the 24th of July Review", Allmusic. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  14. ↑ Orlov, Piotr (2001) "Charles Webster Born on the 24th of July", CMJ New Music Report, 5 November 2001. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  15. ↑ Paoletta, Michael (2001) "Charles Webster Born on the 24th of July", Billboard, 15 December 2001, p. 22. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  16. ↑ Theakston, Rob "Remixed on the 24th of July Review", Allmusic. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  17. 1 2 Nicholson, Peter (2008) "Charles Webster: Long Player", XLR8R, 12 May 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  18. ↑ Schubert, Carolina (2013) "Webster Wraight Ensemble", Mixmag Brasil, 14 May 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2014

External links

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