history / edit

Artist

Shortcut Code: [a661]
Data Quality Rating: Needs Vote
312 submissions pending
Add to List

Shopping

Search for this:
 eBay .uk
 Amazon .uk .de
X 4,872 For Sale

Jump To

B. Laswell

Real Name:
Bill Laswell
Profile:
Bill Laswell (b. February 12, 1955 in Salem, Illinois and raised in Albion, Michigan) is an American bassist, producer and record label owner. He is married to Ethiopian singer Gigi.

Laswell ranks among the most prolific of musicians, being involved in hundreds of recordings with many musicians from all over the world. Laswell's music draws upon many different genres, most notably funk, various world music, jazz, dub and ambient styles. He has also played or produced music from the noisier, more aggressive end of the rock spectrum, like hardcore punk and metal.
Sites:
Aliases:
In Groups:
Variations:
edit genres sort

Discography

Releases:
Axiom Ambient - Lost In The Translation (Album) (2 versions)   Axiom 1994
Radioaxiom – A Dub Transmission (CD)   Palm Pictures, Axiom 2001
Lodge (CD, Album, Dig)   Ohm Resistance 2008
No Matter (CD, Album)   Meta Records 2008
Remixes:
Axiom Ambient - Lost In The Translation (12", Promo) Eternal Drift (Constru... Axiom 1994
Buddha Bar Presents: Amnesty International 40th Anniversary (2xCD, Comp) Maid Aiggot Muimma Eallin George V Records, Wagram 2001
Production:
Sound-System (Album) (3 versions)   Columbia ... 1984
World Destruction (Single) (3 versions)   Virgin ... 1984
Down By Law (LP, Album)   Celluloid 1985
Electric Africa (LP, Album)   Celluloid, Celluloid 1985
Language Barrier (Album) (2 versions)   Island Records 1985
Make 'Em Move (2 versions)   Island Records 1985
Good To Go - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (LP, Album) Make Em' Move (The Wre... Island Records 1986
Boops (Here To Go) (2 versions) Boops (Here To Go), Bo... 4th & Broadway 1987
Fire (2 versions)   4th & Broadway 1987
Rhythm Killers (Album) (2 versions)   Island Records 1987
What's Bootsy Doin' ? (Album) (2 versions) Shock-It-To-Me Columbia 1988
Middle Passage (CD, Album)   Axiom 1990
The Third Power (Album) (3 versions)   Axiom 1991
Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis) (CD, Album)   Nippon Phonogram 1992
Twist And Shout (Single) (2 versions) Rhythm Killer Mango 1993
Hallucination Engine (Album) (2 versions)   Axiom 1994
Akasha (2xCD, Album)   Subharmonic 1995
South Delta Space Age (Album) (2 versions)   Antilles 1995
Axiom Dub - Mysteries Of Creation (2xCD, Comp)   Axiom 1996
Nagual Site (CD, Album)   Wicklow 1998
Intonarumori (CD, Album)   Palm Pictures 1999
Indestructible Asian Beats (CD, Album) Magnetic Manteca 2001
Mix:
Memory Serves (Album) (2 versions)   Restless Records ... 1992
Appears On:
Bustin' Out (2 versions)   Celluloid ... 1981
Memory Serves (Album) (4 versions)   Celluloid ... 1981
Celluloid Presents (LP) Upriver Celluloid 1982
I'm The One / Don't Lose Control (Maxi) (4 versions)   Celluloid ... 1982
Jungle Windo(w) (10") Much Too Old, Materialism Charly Records Ltd. 1982
The Musicians Guide Volume 1 (LP, Comp) Upriver Elektra Musician 1982
Autodrive (7", Promo) Autodrive CBS 1983
Disco Inverno 1984 (12", Promo) Rockit (Long Album Ver... CBS 1983
Future Shock (Album) (7 versions)   CBS ... 1983
Italo Boot Mix Vol. 1 (12", Mixed) Take A Chance ZYX Records 1983
Rockit (Single, Maxi) (9 versions)   Columbia ... 1983
Rockit (S-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d Version) / You Bet Your Love / I Thought It Was You (12") Rockit (Long Version),... CBS 1983
Strong Me Strong / Disco Reggae (12")   Greensleeves Records 1983
Take A Chance (2 versions)   Squish ... 1983
Colour Me - Margaret Astor Seventeen (LP, Comp, Pic) Hardrock CBS Special Products 1984
Electric Boogie (LP) Rockit M.C.R. Productions 1984
Flying Mix 4 (LP, Mixed) Scratchin' Superstition Zanza Records 1984
Heat (LP, Comp, Mixed) Rockit, Autodrive, TFS... JCI Records 1984
King Yellowman (LP, Album) Strong Me Strong, Disc... CBS 1984
Mega-Mix (2 versions) Mega Mix, TFS, Earth Beat Columbia 1984
New York Hip Hop (Best Of Celluloid) (CD, Comp) Time Out, Shango Message CBS/Sony 1984
Smash Hits - Brandaktuelles Aus Den Hitparaden (LP, Comp) Autodrive CBS Schallplatten GmbH 1984
Sound-System (Album) (3 versions) Hardrock, Metal Beat, ... Columbia ... 1984
Strong Me Strong (2 versions)   Columbia 1984
World Destruction (Single) (3 versions)   Virgin ... 1984
Down By Law (LP, Album) Afro Beat, Boat People... Celluloid 1985
Electric Africa (LP, Album) Pata Piya, Electric Af... Celluloid, Celluloid 1985
Italo Boot Mix Vol. 3 (12", Mixed) Take A Chance ZYX Records 1985
Language Barrier (Album) (2 versions) Make 'Em Move, Miles (... Island Records 1985
Make 'Em Move (2 versions)   Island Records 1985
Good To Go - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (LP, Album) Make Em' Move (The Wre... Island Records 1986
Konton (LP, Album) Sundown, YoYoYo Epic 1986
Boops (Here To Go) (2 versions)   4th & Broadway 1987
Fire (2 versions)   4th & Broadway 1987
Rhythm Killers (Album) (2 versions) Boops (Here To Go), Le... Island Records 1987
The Noise Of Trouble (Live In Tokyo) (CD, Album) Base Metal, Help Me Mo... Enemy Records, Intercord Record Service 1987
Mixed Masters Maxi Length Dance Mixes (CD, Mini, Maxi) Rockit (Long / Album V... CBS 1988
What's Bootsy Doin' ? (Album) (2 versions) Shock-It-To-Me Columbia 1988
Seven Souls (Album) (3 versions) The Western Land (A Da... Triloka Records ... 1989
Live At The Knitting Factory · Volume 4 (CD, Comp) The Sprawl, The Sprawl Enemy Records 1990
Middle Passage (CD, Album) Mektoub, Under Black S... Axiom 1990
Super Synthesizer Hits (CD, Comp) Rockit Fortune 1990
The Third Power (Album) (3 versions) Reality, Playin' With ... Axiom 1991
Good 4 We (LP, Album) I'm The One EastWest Records America 1992
One Down (CD, Album) Take A Chance, I'm The... Restless Records 1992
Temporary Music (1979-1981) (CD, Comp, RE) O.A.O., White Man, On ... Restless Records 1992
Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis) (CD, Album)   Nippon Phonogram 1992
New Technoline (CD, Comp) Rock It Ariola Express, Ariola Express, Ariola Express 1993
Twist And Shout (Single) (2 versions) Rhythm Killer Mango 1993
Axiom Ambient - Lost In The Translation (12", Promo)   Axiom 1994
Hallucination Engine (Album) (2 versions) Black Light, Mantra, R... Axiom 1994
Synthesizer Greatest Hits (3xCD, Comp, Car) Rock It Disky 1994
Akasha (2xCD, Album)   Subharmonic 1995
South Delta Space Age (Album) (2 versions) Dusted, Grounded Antilles 1995
Axiom Dub - Mysteries Of Creation (2xCD, Comp) Maroon Rebellion, Maro... Axiom 1996
Off World One (CD) Echo, Rainfall, Shadow... Sub Meta 1996
XXL - Maxis & Mixes (3xCD, Comp) Rockit, Autodrive, TFS... Columbia, Columbia, Sony Music Entertainment (Germany) 1996
Back To The D.I.S.C.O Vol. 1 (CD, Comp) Rock It Versailles, Sony Music Entertainment (France) 1997
Kraut 2000 - In Search Of A New Planet (2xCD, Comp) Psychedelic Brunch Par... Polymedia Marketing Group GmbH 1997
Angels Of Life In A Psychic Wasteland (CD, Comp) No Regrets Eerie Materials 1998
Celluloid - The Electro Years - Why Is It Fresh? (CD, Comp) Crazy Cuts (Long Versi... Distance 1998
Nagual Site (CD, Album) Black Lotus, X-Zibit-i... Wicklow 1998
The Remixes (12", EP) Rockit (Environmental ... Related 1998
Dance To The Beat (Best Of 80's New Beat / Dance) (2xCD, Comp) Boops (Here To Go) Universal TV 1999
Intonarumori (CD, Album) Intime, Conspiracies, ... Palm Pictures 1999
Auntie Aubrey's Excursions Beyond The Call Of Duty: The Orb Remix Project (2xCD, Mixed, Comp) Praying Mantra Ultra Records 2001
Indestructible Asian Beats (CD, Album) Magnetic Manteca 2001
Give Space A Chance (CD, Comp, Mixed) Rockit Sputnik Records (3) 2003
Talisman (CD) Orion Interchill Records 2003
Pinacolada 4 (2xCD, Comp) Rock It Universal Music Polska, STX Records (2) 2006
Rudebox (CD, Album, Enh) Rudebox EMI Music (Canada) 2006
The Essential (2xCD, Comp) Rockit, Rockit Legacy, Columbia, Sony BMG Music Entertainment 2006
Tennessee 2004 (CD, Album, Dig) Vertebrae, Spun, Haunt... ROIR (Reachout International Records) 2007
Nihon (CD, Album + DVD) Method Plan One, Black... RareNoise Records 2009
Tam Tam Pour L'Afrique Vol. 2 (LP) Makossa Rock Not On Label  
Tracks Appear On:
Axiom Dub - Mysteries Of Creation (2xCD, Comp) Maroon Rebellion Axiom 1996
Talisman (CD) Orion Interchill Records 2003
Unofficial Releases:
Radioaxiom – A Dub Transmission (CD, Album, Unofficial, Ltd)   The Theory Is Sound Project 2001
Version 2 Version: A Dub Transmission (CD)   Par Media Music 2004
edit

YouTube Videos

Bill Laswell/Tetsu Inoue - Ruins
▸ show all 1 review

Reviews & Discussion

Review by jaxxalude Nov 30, 2003
Strange that no comment is still done about such an important figure in music. Not just electronic. In music, period. Bill Laswell's music is not one to be tagged, simply because this man has travelled so many musical roads. His discography is almost impossible to be updated, given his almost inhuman work rate. But wherever he is, his influence is felt. One thing is for sure: as a bass player, it is hard to beat this man's abilities. And as a producer, he is simply one of the most creative and groundbreaking people ever to walk this planet. He may not hit the mark all the time (and given his work rate, that is impossible). But when he hits the mark... boy, we can almost say he hits the jackpot!