The Groove Corporation (G. Corp) first appeared in the public eye as Electribe 101. Hailed by the N.M.E. as the forefront of the British house movement, at a time when house was experimental and only heard on pirate radio or in underground, mainly illegal clubs. They managed to achieve 3 top 40 singles and a top 20 album, but soon became disillusioned with the business, finding out that it was more about celebrity than music. They subsequently parted company with vocalist Billie Ray Martin and headed back to the studio for more musical experiments. G. Corp were always given production credits on Electribe 101 records and on mixes done for, amongst others the house legend Kevin Saunderson. When Electribe 101 split they chose to work under this moniker. They formed their own label, the 'Cake' Label along with fellow Birmingham dubsters Rockers Hi Fi, and were credited with mixing the ground breaking Rockers Hi Fi track "Push Push".
A few EP's were released including the legendary "Summer Of Dub" EP and the "Stoned" EP, a joint release with label partners Rockers Hi Fi then known as Original Rockers. They also contributed some tracks to compilations such as the Ambient Dub volumes on Beyond Records. On the strength of this they secured a deal with the then independent Network Records and a new album "Co-Operation" was commissioned. No one had any idea what the album would be, the idea was just to make music on their own and with guest vocalists. G.Corp would write music to inspire vocalists in the hope that they would come back with lyrics to inspire them. Co-operation shows the results of these collaborations, not just one direction but a mixture of hip-hop, dub, and deep house with various vocals from the likes of local rap crew Night Time Crew, beat poet MC 90% Water, through to reggae legend Bim Sherman, all like minded people leaving their egos on the coat-hooks and making music. Just prior to the release of Co-Operation, Network Records were bought out by Sony and G.Corp found themselves once again in the grip of a major label. The first 10,000 LPs were pressed and sold, G.Corp were summoned to a meeting with the head of their label section, only to be told that because his boss did not feel involved they should kill this LP and record a new one. The answer was a less than polite No and G.Corp headed back to their studio The Elephant House confining Co-Operation to rare groove status.
A dub of Co-Operation was released on German label Echo Beach - this was to cement a style and also earn them a deluge of remix offers. As well as this G Corp were working on their second dub album 'Dub Plates From The Elephant House Vol. 1'. The album, described by the press as "King Tubby meets The Chemical Brothers" was released on the visionary indie label Different Drummer. Remixes were also completed for Bob Marley, Bobby Womack, Sly and Robbie, Dillinger (the anthem "Cocaine In My Brain"), Ennio Morricone, Maxi Priest, Yabby U and Luciano. What a perfect situation the autonomy of their own studio, making the music they wanted to make with no interference from major labels and a collection of their heroes on the mixing desk to be reworked! A vital selection of these remixes were put together on one album 'Remixes From The Elephant House' released on the ever cool Chicago based Guidance label.
The Book in L.A. describes the album as follows: 'In the increasingly popular format of the remix album, "Elephant House" deserves a space on the CD shelve next to its' other proven peers Thievery Corporation, Kruder and Dorfmeister, and Jazzanova. As one of the currently most sought after remixing team, Groove Corporation, a duo out of Birmingham, flex their shred-cut-reconstruct muscle over classic tracks by Bob Marley, Dillinger, UB40, Luciano, Rae and Christian, Bobby Womack and Ennio Morricone to name only half the roster of talent on this cd.' Shamelessly mixing soul, funk, roots into unavoidable bass powered dance grooves where the beats dig deep but never overwhelm, the versatility of the original tracks creates great variety, and the remixes never feel like a "one size fits all" recipe. To the contrary, each piece finds itself re-vamped into a seemingly new timeless classic.
G. Corp followed with "Dub Plates From The Elephant House -Volume Two" ( released November 2002) You will also find G.Corp on tour as part of the Overproof Soundsystem, a sound system that evolved from a club night in Birmingham called "Overproof" run by the Different Drummer crew. The sound features live keyboards, melodica, two sets of percusion and the vocals of Juggla and Messenger Douglas, the selectors started by spinning anything from sixties and seventies roots and dub to modern dub and remixes.After some time on the road this developed into all their own material and became more of a total live show.The first Overproof Sound System album "Nothing to proove" was recorded, this included the now legendary "whatch what you put inna", a tune that has become a worldwide club anthem for the crew. After spending so much time in the studio, for G.Corp the sound system is about all out partying- a way of letting rip and collecting fresh inspiration for the return to the studio.
Following the success of "Dubplates From The Elephant house" volumes one and two, G. Corp felt volume three of the dub plates series had to be really special. They needed to do something different to keep the series vibrant and to keep themselves fresh musically. As with most things they do the new direction they needed, presented itself organically. Whilst working on another project the buzzer at the studio sounded and in walked Conrad Kelly. Conrad as well as being a close friend since they were all knee high to a grasshopper is also one of the best reggae drummers in the world. At that point in time he had spent 11 years drumming live for Steele pulse as well as touring with Ijahman Levi, UB40, Freddie McGreggor and many other top reggae artistes.
In a conversation with Conrad, Gcorp once again as they had done over an over before stated how great it would be to set some time aside and work on some material together. This time it clicked Dub plates 3 could be a live album, old school live rhythm tracks pushed into a modern dub arena. All they needed now was a great bass player and a great rhythm guitarist. Fortunately having spent most of their musical life in and around the reggae community there were a few to choose from. They had to be world class, so in the end the choice was clear, bass was to be supplied by Jaffa (Geoffrey Wright). G. Corp had always loved his rolling bass lines and his locked tight simplicity. Guitar had to be Moses (Robert Mullins) the two of them had worked together for years in an underground reggae crew know as "Crucial Music".
After a few phone calls and meetings G. Corp were working with a rhythm section that was up there with Sly and Robbie, the Wailers and any other greats you care to mention. At the start of the project it became obvious that this was not going to be a case of hiring in people and then getting on with it themselves. From the minute the microphones were set up around the kit and everyone else was plugged in, they started jamming and writing new material. This rhythm section needed a name and equal billing hence. G. Corp meets the Mighty Tree. Originally this was going to be an instrumental dub LP, but as more and more people passed through the studio and felt what was going on, they would hear that old familiar line "I've got something that would work great on that". So there they were with a couple of classic covers, vocals from Jnr Sam, Messenger Douglas, Ninety, Juggla, Flash and Selwyn brown from Steele Pulse and a full blown album on their hands.
As well as completing Dubplates 3 the crew have been hard at it. Producing an EP for Pama International, and producing an Album for "Dub Specimen" a Project created by Jimmy Brown and Earl Faulkner, (UB40's drum and bass team. G. Corp have also just finished mixing an LP for soul diva Rosie Gaines. Check out the reggae mixes of 'Sun Moon'. G. Corp have now also finshed the second 'Overproof Soundsytem' album, "Pull It Up". The first release from which is a classic reggae reworking of Kraftwerk's 'The Model'
The G. Corp are Roberto Cimarosti and Brian Nordhoff.
