The Cut Up Boys are one of those rare acts that can safely claim to have the midas touch. "Mash Up Mix - Bass", released 2nd May 2011 is their 10th album for Ministry of Sound, the previous 9 dominating the compilation charts with 4 of them hitting the number 1 slot, cementing their position as one of the hottest production teams in the music industry. The Mash Up Mix series, produced by The Cut Up Boys for Ministry of Sound, is one of the most innovative and commercially successful new musical franchises of recent times. Blending together a myriad of musical genres such as House, Drum n Bass, Trance, Electro, Breakbeat, Hip Hop, Indie, R+B, Hardcore and Dubstep into intricate, free flowing mash-ups, these iconic albums have been a bona fide sensation. Without exception all 9 albums released so far have gone gold and stuck to the top of the compilation charts like leeches. Having been commissioned for and produced over 200 pioneering mixes for BBC Radio 1 and performed in front of countless huge, adoring crowds at clubs and festivals, The Cut Up Boys have developed a large and growing cult following. Their reputation as "Kings of the Mash Up" is indisputible. Utterly committed to delivering the highest levels of creativity, originality and professionalism in everything they do, The Cut Up Boys are currently about as hot as it's possible to get.
The Cut Up Boys are Nick Barnes and Matt Brooks, two DJ/producers from Dorset who earnt their stripes in the music industry during the halcyon days of British dance music. Already well known in the industry, they really started being noticed by the public when they were commissioned by BBC Radio 1 to produce a 30 minute "Cut Up Mix" for Dave Pearces drivetime show. The Cut Up Mix was broadcast every thursday from 7.30 to 8 pm and was infamous at BBC Radio 1 HQ for consistently sending the text system into meltdown as requests for information about their unique mash-ups poured in. A truly legendary series of broadcasts, over 50 Cut Up Mixes were broadcast by BBC Radio 1 and are now recognised as being seminal by music historians in terms of introducing the sound of the mash-up to the mainstream. Judge Jules was quick to recognise that a very special buzz was growing around Nick and Matts productions and, in an unprecedented move, enlisted The Cut Up Boys to produce the first 10 minutes of his massive Friday Radio 1 show. These wild "Cut Up Cuts" were an instant smash and are still spoken about in tones of hushed reverence by the dance music cognescenti. Such was the massive popular appeal of these radio broadcasts that The Cut Up Boys soon had the entire record industry on their case to make an album. Ministry of Sound were one of the very few labels to actually understand the true nature and potential of the mash-up concept and so the Mash Up Mix series was born in 2005. The rest, as they say, is Geography.
Throughout the nineties Nick and Matt were amongst the first people labels would turn to for production, remixing and A+R. The range of their production skills is almost without parallel within dance music having performed production duties for artists as diverse as LTJ Bukem, Liberty X, Jamelia, Global Communication, Beverly Knight and Har Mar Superstar to name just a few. They tasted chart success as early as 1994 with piano house classic "You Sexy Dancer" by The Rockford Files and provided a steady stream of innovative drum'n'bass for labels such as Good Looking and Precious Materials, many of which are now regarded as bona fide classics ("Small Adventures" by Nautilus, "Night Train" by Appaloosa etc.) Label clients included Universal, Sony/ BMG, Virgin, Ministry of Sound… basically anyone in the music industry who knew what was up!
At the turn of the millennium the boys were to be found as fundamental elements of the stellar success of Slinky, the Bournemouth nightclub that turned into a global dance brand. Matt ran the Slinky record label, which was responsible for a string of massive dance hits, the million selling "Operation Blade" by Public Domain and "Fire Wire" by Cosmic Gate being just two of them. Nick ran the Slinky recording studios which was the source of an incredible series of compilations which not only sold by the bucketload worldwide but also massively raised the bar in terms of innovative mixing techniques for dance compilations, an evolution that is still ongoing with the pioneering Mash Up Mix series. Slinky provided an excellent environment for Matt and Nick to hone their almost impossibly wide range of skills by allowing them to work or perform alongside a who's who of dance music including Paul Van Dyk, Judge Jules, Pete Tong, Tiesto, Paul Oakenfold and many many more. The relationships they forged then have continued through their recent career including the 150 "Cut-Up-Cuts" they produced for Judge Jules BBC Radio 1 show. As if such gold standard success in terms of music and radio production were not enough, The Cut Up Boys have also become one of the hottest live acts in the UK. Their unique mixing techniques and legendary commitment to the art of partying ensure that they are constantly flooded with requests to perform at clubs and festivals. The rammed, euphoric club nights and bouncing, whooping fields of festival goers have put The Cut Up Boys very much at the top of the list for promoters who want to draw a big crowd and see that crowd getting absolutely rocked. Today we find The Cut Up Boys at the very top of their game and ready to push their mind-blowing skills into new and uncharted territory.
