DirtyVegas

Agent : Simon Patterson
Links : Website | Myspace

Biography

In 2000, Paul Harris had chance meeting with old friend Ben Harris which led to ‘Hydrogen Rockers’ being formed – their first release ‘Musica’ was picked up by Plastica in London and Yoshitoshi in the US. Paul and Ben’s remixes proved their golden touch; with supporters including Sasha, John Digweed Pete Tong, and Deep-Dish– with dance floor fillers including ‘Sono – Keep Control’, ‘Lil Louis – Blackout’. Fate stepped in again when Paul bumped into Steve Smith in an airport – a crazy weekend in Switzerland later and Paul, Ben and Steve formed Dirty Vegas. The first track off the starting block was Days Go By, and with haunting lyrics and vocals set against a prog-electro riff it became an instant club classic. A major label deal was signed and a full band put together – just in time for the track to be picked up for a national US advertising campaign for Mitsubishi. In 2002, this ‘spot’ in the commercial helped the album rocket to No. 7 on The US Billboard 200 and No.1 on the Top Electronic Albums chart for 26 weeks.

Driven by the dazzling "Days Go By," DIRTY VEGAS" went on to sell close to a million records worldwide. "Days go by", scoring Dirty Vegas a 2003 Grammy Award for "Best Dance Single." Many other awards followed like Playboy Magazine’s “Electronic Artist of the Year’ and 3 Dancestar awards.

Dirty Vegas toured the four corners of the globe, developing a reputation as a powerful and entertaining live act. Over the course of 2002 and 2003, the band headlined their own worldwide tour, supported such like-minded artists as Moby and Groove Armada, and stole the show at a number of international festivals, including Coachella (USA), V (UK), Roskilde (Denmark) and Fuji Rock (Japan). The band also made a number of television appearances included acclaimed performances on The Jay Leno Show and Dave Letterman.

In 2004 the band released their second album "ONE" which marked a great artistic leap forward for Dirty Vegas. Recorded in London, Cornwall, and Scotland, the album features a richer, more organic approach than its technology-driven predecessor. "Walk Into The Sun" was a huge hit in clubland from the far-east to South Beach.

Dirty Vegas have rocked dancefloors all over the world, which has led to remixing such legendary artists as Madonna, Justin Timberlake and the Dandy Warhol’s. Dirty Vegas has continued to have their music used in major Film and TV shows such as ‘The Soprano’s’ ‘The O.C’, ’One Tree Hill’ and ‘Smallville’ and Films such as ‘Die Another Day’,’Running Scared’ and ‘Goal’. But in 2005, the weight of being in a full touring band and the beginnings of a very turbulent time in the Music Business, the boys started to have second thoughts on the whole machine.

Paul felt very frustrated with the handcuffs that come with being in a band and a major record deal, so he left the band to get back to his first love of making ‘House’ music. During the last few years Paul, has been asked to write and produce for artists such as Kylie, Ladyhawk and Sophie Ellis Baxtor, he has been the musical director for many fashion shows including Julien McDonald and BIBA. His DJ Diary has taken him all over the world, from Warrung in Brazil to ‘We Love’ in Sydney and has been a resident at Bungalow 8 in London.

Ben also felt the same restrictions from being in a touring band and took some time out from music altogether, before concentrating on honing his studio/writing skills in other areas of music. This break rekindled Ben's passion for electronic music and he started to write tracks that he felt we’re perfect for a new beginning with his old bandmates.

Steve, couldn’t let the whole thing die so he decided to keep Dirty Vegas alive and in 2006 composed the score to the ‘LA Film Awards-‘Best Indie Film’, ‘Boys and Girls Guide to Getting Down’ and wrote the main title theme to the Fox TV show ‘Standoff’ which was nominated for an ‘Emmy’ Award in 2007.

Most of 2007 saw Steve fulfil his dream of recording his debut solo album, and in Feb 2008 he released his debut solo album ‘This Town’ on his own label, G.A.S. Records (named for his late father, George Albert Smith). Performances at prestigious events such as Sundance Film Festival and SxSw, helped the album gain critical success from rock and dance music fans alike. But as mentioned before, Steve had always felt there was more to come from Dirty Vegas and he wasn’t alone.

Over a few beers in London, Steve, Ben and Paul all excitedly started to talk of writing new music and get back out there.

So in August 2008, the first sessions we’re booked in London and the results we’re very promising and held a re-visit to the sounds and styles from where ‘Dirty Vegas’ was born…….on the dancefloor!