1200 Techniques

1200 Techniques
Origin Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres Hip hop Funk
Years active 1997–2005, 2014-
Labels Rubber/Sony
Members DJ Peril: Founder, producer, turntablist, percussionist
Nfamas (N'Fa Forster-Jones) : vocals
Kemstar: guitar

1200 Techniques is an Australian hip hop group consisting of the old school 80's Aerosol Artist & Founder Dj Peril (producer/percussionist/dj) and N'fa Forster-Jones Vocalist (under the name Nfamas), Kemstar (Guitarist. They formed in 1997, initially with N'fa's brother, Kabba, who moved to London in 1998.[1][2]

Their first album, Choose One (2002), was a crossover success which debuted at #20 in the Australian music charts,[1] leading to an ARIA award nomination for "breakthrough artist"[3] and winning "best debut artist" and "best hip-hop act" awards at the Dance Music Awards.[1][2] The album included the single "Karma," which also charted in the Australian top 40 and won ARIA awards for "best independent release" and "best video".[1][2][3] The group also played a support slot on a Linkin Park tour that year and went on their own tour supported by American rapper Princess Superstar.[1] Following the release of their second album, Consistency Theory (2004) and subsequent touring, the group went on hiatus in 2005 to allow the individual members to pursue solo work.[2]

In late 2014, the group broke nearly a decade of silence by announcing the release of a new EP.[4] After a successful fundraising campaign on PledgeMusic, the band released Time Has Come in January 2015.[5]

The group have been described as "an important part" of the mainstream recognition of hip-hop in Australia,[6] whilst drawing influences from other genres including rock, funk, soul, electro, drum and bass, electro jazz and breakbeat.[7][8]

Biography

Brothers DJ Peril and Kemstar were involved in the hip-hop scene since the early 1980s as pre-teens.[9] DJ Peril started with one of Melbourne's first ever hip hop crews, The Island Boys,[10] and DJ'd in a number of different bands.[9]

Together with brothers Nfamas and Kabba, Peril formed 1200 Techniques in 1997, and Kemstar joined soon after.[2] In 1998, Kabba moved to London, England,[1][2] although his vocals can still be heard on some tracks.[11] 1200 Techniques continued with the three remaining core members, recruiting a drummer for live shows.

Their debut single, "Hard as Hell", released in 1998, received airplay on Triple J,[12] but it was not until 2001 that the group released its first EP, Infinite Styles.

Their debut album, Choose One, was released in 2002 on Rubber Records, distributed by Sony Records, and became a hit on radio.[13] The first single from this album, "Karma", peaked at #36 on the ARIAnet singles chart[14] and took the 2002 ARIA Awards for Best Video and Best Independent Release.[2][15] Choose One peaked at #20 on the Australian album chart.[16]

Their 2004 album, Consistency Theory, included the singles "Eye of the Storm" and "Where Ur At?". The latter reached the top 40 singles chart, peaking at #35.[17] Following the album's release, the group appeared at the Big Day Out festival in early 2004. Consistency Theory peaked at #38 on the album chart.[18]

Solo careers

DJ Peril released a solo album, King of the Beats, which includes the single It's About to Blow and Rock Ya Baby, the latter featuring singer Rahsaan Patterson. DJ Peril signed to the Street Elite record label. as well as being a very accomplished name in the Aerosol Art at street Art scene since 1983 as well as running many club institutions over the years.

Nfamas also released a solo album, as N'fa, called Cause An Effect in 2006.[19] Both of the album's video clips—the title track Cause An Effect and Seduction is Evil (She's Hot)—were directed by his friend, actor Heath Ledger.[20]

Kemstar played guitar with his band Quarter 2 nine circa 1990 as well with the Australian supergroup The Jack (with members of You Am I, Grinspoon, The Living End, Spiderbait, and Sender) for the Thunderstruck soundtrack, performing on the songs "Crash & Burn" and "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)".

Discography

Albums

Singles and EPs

DVDs

External links

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "1200 Techniques". Discogs. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "1200 Techniques Biography". ARTISTdirect. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  3. 1 2 "2002 ARIA Award Winners". ARIA Awards website. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  4. ↑ 1200 Techniques Announce PledgeMusic Campaign And New EP Time Has Come
  5. ↑ 1200 Techniques: Time Has Come on PledgeMusic
  6. ↑ "1200 Techniques Biography". ARTISTdirect. Retrieved 24 April 2013. Although Australia had an underground hip-hop scene starting in the late '80s, it wasn't until 2001 that it began to be recognized by the mainstream of Australian music. 1200 Techniques were an important part of that moment, with charting singles, appearances on TV shows like John Safran's Music Jamboree, and a sound that contained an eclectic blend of rock, dance, and funk influences to win over those Australians unconvinced their country had a place as a producer of quality hip-hop music.
  7. ↑ "1200 Techniques Biography". Take40.com. Retrieved 25 April 2013. 1200 techniques also have influences from a wide variety of music styles, including 70's rock, funk, electro, drum and bass.
  8. ↑ "1200 Techniques". Discogs. Retrieved 25 April 2013. Blending eclectric tastes ranging from: hip hop, rock, soul, funk, electro jazz and breakbeat, 1200 Techniques are a hard band to classify.
  9. 1 2 "1200 Techniques". Waterfront Records. Retrieved 25 April 2013. You can trace DJ Peril & Kemstar's involvement in the hip hop scene right back to the early 1980's as pre-teens. With the distinction of being a founding member of one of Melbourne's first ever hip hop crews The Island Boys, Peril also DJ'd in bands such as Big Pacific, Rollercoaster, Dub & Reggae Band Blow Sound Unit.
  10. ↑ "DJ Peril w/ Suburban Intellect". International Music Concepts. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  11. ↑ "1200 Techniques". International Music Concepts. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  12. ↑ "1200 Techniques". Waterfront Records. Retrieved 25 April 2013. …1200 TECHNIQUES debuted as a threesome with the Triple J favourite 'Hard As Hell'.
  13. ↑ "1200 Techniques". International Music Concepts. Retrieved 25 April 2013. Choose One was released June 2002 on Rubber, with distribution through Sony Music, and became an instant radio hit.
  14. ↑ "Karma" at Australian-charts.com
  15. ↑ 1200 Techniques at the ARIA Music Awards website
  16. ↑ Choose One at Australian-charts.com
  17. ↑ "Where Ur At" at Australian-charts.com
  18. ↑ Consistency Theory at Australian-charts.com
  19. ↑ inthemix.com.au Album Review: N'fa: Cause An Effect
  20. ↑ Cause an Effect Songfacts
  21. ↑ The ARIA Report, 28 July 2003.
  22. ↑ The ARIA Report, 16 August 2004.
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