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Beedle

Real Name:
Ashley Beedle
Profile:
Ashley Beedle became one of the U.K.'s most celebrated house producers in the late '90s as Black Science Orchestra. In addition, Beedle also produced tracks as the Black Jazz Chronicles, the Rising Sunz, the Ballistic Brothers, and X-Press 2.
Born in Hemel Hempstead, England, in 1962, Beedle began DJing during the acid house explosion of the late '80s, but was turned on to disco as well when he heard Norman Jay DJing obscure tracks on the pirate station KISS FM. After he joined long-time friend Rob Mello and John Howard as Black Science Orchestra, the trio reworked the Trammps' "Where Were You (When the Lights Went Out)?" into their debut single "Where Were You," released on Junior Boy's Own. House godfather Frankie Knuckles began spinning the record, as well as the second BSO offering, "Strong" (recorded with Linsey Edwards replacing Mello). Beedle recruited engineer Marc Woolford and keyboard player Uschi Classen for a third single, "New Jersey Deep," and watched the record become a classic, selected by Knuckles and the Masters at Work team for use in their DJ sets.

Though Beedle teamed up with David Hill and Rocky & Diesel to form the Ballistic Brothers and release one of 1994's hottest LPs, London Hooligan Soul, he was back with Black Science Orchestra that same year, now just Beedle and Woolford. Though troubles with sample clearance delayed their album almost two years (the duo eventually drafted session musicians and vocalists instead), Beedle kept busy with the formation of the disco-rave project X-Press 2, this time including him and Rocky & Diesel. The trio released singles for Radikal-Q and Junior Boy's Own, but hit the jackpot with a track called "The Sound." It spent weeks at the top of the American dance charts. Later that year, the debut Black Science Orchestra LP, Walter's Room, was released on Junior Boy's Own.

Instead of continuing with Black Science Orchestra, Ashley Beedle reunited with Hill and Rocky & Diesel for a second Ballistic Brothers LP, Rude System. Beedle also released two proper solo EPs during 1997, both recorded as Black Jazz Chronicles. The following year brought a BJC album, Future Ju-Ju, the most well-integrated fusion of disco, jazz, and techno of his varied career. Beedle is an in-demand DJ and also runs three labels: Soundboy Entertainment, Afroart, and Ill Sun.
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Discography

Releases:
Ride This Train (12")   Out Hear Audio 2007
Made Of Stars (12")   Out Hear Audio 2009
Remixes:
The Sea And The Sky (Maxi) (2 versions) The Sea And The Sky (B... Louisiana Recordings 2007
Walter's Room (2xCD, Album, RE, Ltd) Save Us (Ashley Beedle... Junior Boy's Own 2008
Production:
Deconstruction Presents (CD) Love Me Now RCA, BMG Direct Marketing, Inc. (Canada) 1997
Sunshine (Farley & Heller Remix) (12")   Afro Art 1999
Back To Mine (Comp) (2 versions) New Jersey Deep DMC Publishing 2004
Walter's Room (2xCD, Album, RE, Ltd)   Junior Boy's Own 2008
Mix:
Walter's Room (2xCD, Album, RE, Ltd)   Junior Boy's Own 2008
Appears On:
De Niro (Maxi) (2 versions)   Black Sunshine Productions ... 1993
Strong (12")   Junior Boy's Own 1993
Trancesylvania 4 (3xCD, Comp) Hip Housin (Felix Da H... 23 Frankfurt 1994
City Of Brotherly Love / Heavy Gospel Morning (12")   Junior Boy's Own 1995
Jan. 1995 (CD) New Jersey Deep Power Music Records 1995
Peckings / Come On (12")   Junior Boy's Own 1995
Warehouse Grooves (Volume 3) (2xCD, Comp) New Jersey Deep SPG Music Productions Ltd. 1995
Where Were You? (12")   Junior Boy's Own 1995
Artcore 2 - The Art Of Drum & Bass (CD, Comp, Mixed) I'll Fly Away React 1996
Give'em Enough Dope Volume 3 (CD, Comp) Perfect Day Play It Again Sam [PIAS], Wall Of Sound 1996
Tranz Euro Xpress (CD, Maxi)   DanceNet 1996
Walters Room (3x12")   Junior Boy's Own 1996
Abduction V:02 (2xCD, Comp, Mixed) De Niro Solid State Records 1997
Deconstruction Presents (CD) Love Me Now RCA, BMG Direct Marketing, Inc. (Canada) 1997
The Essential Vibes Of Drum'n'Bass (Cass, Comp) I'll Fly Away Koja Records 1997
Sunshine (2 versions)   Afro Art 1999
Cafe D'Anvers (10 Years) - Current & Past Tunes (2xCD, Mixed, Dig) Feel Alright (Disco Mix) Discomatic 2000
Robodisco (CD, Comp, Mixed) Odyssey (Unreleased Ph... Papercuts 2000
Back To Mine (Comp) (2 versions) New Jersey Deep DMC Publishing 2004
Back In The Box (2xCD, Sli) Where Were You? Back In The Box 2007
Hear The Music / Where Were You (12") Where Were You Back In The Box 2007
Walter's Room (2xCD, Album, RE, Ltd)   Junior Boy's Own 2008
A Boy's Own Odyssey; Acid House Scrapes & Capers (2xCD, Comp) Say What! (London Unde... Junior Boy's Own 2009
Go Clubbing 4 - The Club DJs Spring Edition (2xCD, Comp) Save Us (Mark Knight's... Kaos Records, Vidisco 2009
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Reviews & Discussion

Review by jaxxalude Dec 23, 2003
Just like any other genre, dance and electronic music have their indisputable heroes. And Ashley Beedle is, without any doubt, one of them. When house music seemed to be content with repeating its winning formulas ad nauseaum, out comes Ashley's Black Science Orchestra and their truly classic "Ladyland EP", a record that set the standard for the so-called nu-skool/brit house movement of the mid-90's. And of course, there was Ballistic Brothers, with whom he made three absolutely stunning albums: "Vs. The Eccentric Afros", "London Hooligan Soul" and "Rude System". The first one, in many ways, are sort of Future/Nu-Jazz a bit before the term was born. Then came Black Jazz Chronicles. The records made under this guise previewed the afrobeat craze that swept the dancefloors in the late 90s and still sound as if they were made just yesterday. And, of course, there are always the true dancefloor bombs he made as X-Press 2.
In short: Ashley Beedle was, at some periods, a true visionary!

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