J. Saul Kane

Real Name:Jonathan Saul Kane
Profile:Born in the last months of the 1960's, J. Saul Kane's colorful personality is a product of the life he has lived thus far.

After an itinerant early childhood spent in various locations around the UK and continental Europe, a seven year old J. Saul Kane found himself landing in West London's then derelict Powis Square. Within a week of arriving, he had witnessed the infamous Notting Hill Carnival riots of 1976, and had also been exposed to the music of black urban Britain, both formative experiences. Thirty years later, he is still based in the 'Harrow Road Bronx' and it is this area that has shaped his musical growth. Living in this predominantly Afro -Caribbean enclave of West London meant that Kane's early tastes were defined by the sound of dub reggae, soul and raw US funk, programming him in such a way that he perfectly attuned to take in the sounds of hip hop and electro that hit the UK in the early eighties. It's no coincidence that it was at this point that his path was set. Total immersion in hip hop culture meant that Kane's early teenage years were dominated by tapes of Afrika Islam's legendary WHBO Zulu Beats show, house parties, trips to the Electric Ballroom's Electro Roller Disco and live performances by visiting luminaries such as DJ Whizz Kid, Hashim and The Fearless Four. Indeed, it was a DJ Whizzkid show at Acklam Hall in 1983 that turned Kane onto both scratch deejaying and beat collecting. In turn, this led to his discovery of different musical genres and, importantly, also sparked his interest in obscure film soundtracks. Having discovered Kung Fu as both a sport and a film genre at around the same time (an interest that would later find its ultimate manifestation in his involvement with the Made In Hong Kong film company), the elements that would define his sound were falling into place.

By this time, London's pre-acid house club culture was at its peak, and Kane's growing reputation as a deejay was drawing him out to the West End to play at the Wag Club, the Mud Club and Metro Warehouse parties with deejays such as Mark Moore (later to form S' Express) and Renegade Soundwave's Danny Briottet and Carl Bonny. This was a London where maybe five to ten thousand people were dedicated to a scene that revolved around throwing events in off kilter venues ranging from disused warehouses to Circle Line train carriages, events which would involve hordes of revelers and assorted freaks taking over subway trains, removing the light bulbs and installing beat boxes in each carriage; wild times that seem unimaginable in an age of generic air conditioned commercial clubs.

By 1985, Kane had not only collated an enviable armory of breaks, but had also invested in a drum machine and was being asked to program beats for various. Increasingly interested in making his own music, Kane began to formulate ideas for two different projects, Depth Charge and Octogon Man, and by 1987, was ready to roll. Some six years before hip hop had been tripped out and de-vocalized by Bristol and Mo Wax, Kane was in a West London studio working on his vision of weird-ed out, instrumental-ized 'film genre' hip hop, something he describes as 'mono-syllabic club music', 'club' referring to the prehistoric era and cave men rather than to a disco dance party. He took the fruits of his labor to Vinyl Solution, a local record store and label, who subsequently released it as the Han Do Jin 12" in 1989. As the first Depth Charge release, Han Do Jin introduced the world to Kane's brand of stripped down, sonar blip hip hop; a unique take on of the genre instantly recognizable on account of his production style and use of esoteric kung fu dialogue samples. The record, frequently played at 45 rpm rather than the recorded speed of 33rpm, became an underground hit and Jonathan Saul Kane found his calling.

After a stint with acid house pranksters Bomb The Bass, Kane decided to focus on a number of solo projects, each of which was intended to fulfill a certain function. Depth Charge would be sample based lo-fi hip hop instrumentals. Octogon Man would be sample free, jagged edged electro jams. Tet would be house based 'devil's disco', and Alexander's Dark band, a later incarnation, would allow him to realize his most deranged oddball ideas.

Nearly twenty years on, these projects have developed and mutated, each one reflecting his love of not just early hip hop innovators, but also artists as diverse as Ennio Morricone, Lee Perry, Ryuchi Sakamoto, Brian Eno and Trouble Funk. Despite this, Kane has never lost sight of each incarnation's original function, and it's this level of dedication that has helped forge his reputation as a mold breaking producer, deejay and label boss.

Despite enjoying widespread international acclaim, Kane's remaining aspirations range from the humble to the outlandish. With ambitions to release a composition of 'A-side rather than B-side' quality, and plans to take over a Kilburn bingo hall bubbling away, he never ceases to amaze. Add to all of this his extra curricular pastimes (pursuits as varied as dedication to world football, kung fu fanaticism, film collecting, bubble gum card hording and pathological loitering), and you begin to get a picture of a genuine 'one off', an underground original and a true British eccentric. It's a complex picture that might leave you scratching your head, but that's because you're attempting to make sense of J. Saul Kane, which is perhaps an attempt to fathom the un-fathomable.
URLs:http://www.phinnweb.org/jsk/
Aliases:Alexanders Dark Band, Block Ink, Depth Charge, Grimm Death, Mr. Selfish, Octagon Man, The, Spider, The (2), T.E.T.
In Groups:Formula, The (2)
Name Variations: All | J. Saul Kane | J Saul Kane | J.Saul Kane
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Remixes:
Into The Dragon (Album) ◄ (14 versions) Beat Dat (Freestyle Sc... Rhythm King Records ... 1988
Learn (12")   Vinyl Solution 1989
Deep Heat 8 - The Hand Of Fate (2xCD) Nothing To Lose (Remix) Telstar 1990
Nothing To Lose ◄ (3 versions) Nothing To Lose (UK 12... Sire Records Company ... 1990
Spice (12") Spice (J. Saul Kane Ve... Vinyl Solution 1990
Always (Maxi, Single) ◄ (2 versions) Always (Club Vocal Edi... Vinyl Solution 1991
Aquarius (12") Aquarius (London - New... Vinyl Solution 1991
Love So True (12") Love So True (Depth Ch... Sire Records Company 1991
Love So True / You See Me In 3D (12") Love So True (The Dept... Rhythm King Records 1991
Unknown Territory (Album) ◄ (2 versions) You See Me In 3D Remix Rhythm King Records 1991
Fire (12") Fire (Inferno Mix) Vinyl Solution 1993
Ti Amo Semprini (12") Ti Amo Semprini (Ritmo... Vinyl Solution 1993
Wave Angel (12") Wave Angel V 1.2 (Mr. ... Electron Industries 1995
Acid Again (CD, Maxi) Acid Again (Depth Char... Nothing Records 1998
Back To Mine (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Spice (J. Saul Kane Ve... DMC Publishing ... 2002
Dream On (CD, Maxi) Dream On (Octagon Man ... Mute Records Ltd. 2004
My Parade (CD) Always (Vocal Club Mix) BPitch Control 2004
Singles Box 6 (Maxi) ◄ (2 versions) Dream On (Octagon Man ... Mute Records Ltd. ... 2004
The Complete Depeche Mode (12xFile, AAC, Album, RM + 10xFile, AAC, Album, RM ) Dream On (Octagon Man ... Mute Records Ltd. 2006
Milk Recordings - A Sampler (Cass, Promo) Jesus (Hip Priest Mix) Milk Recordings  
The Herb (12") Jesus (Hip Priest Mix) Milk Recordings  
Production:
Block (12")   Flying Records 1988
Light Color Sound (12")   Vinyl Solution 1988
Give It Up (12")   Vinyl Solution 1989
Infinity ◄ (2 versions) Infinity (Mystic Mix) Vinyl Solution ... 1989
Battle Creek Brawl (12")   Vinyl Solution 1990
Eternity ◄ (2 versions)   Vinyl Solution 1990
The Crack Train (12")   Vinyl Solution 1990
Music Factory Mastermix - Issue 54 (2x12") Eternity Music Factory 1991
Unknown Territory (CD, Album) Love So True (Depth Ch... Rhythm King Records, Rhythm King Records, Rhythm King Records 1991
Basket Case ◄ (2 versions) Basket Case (Mr Raucou... Vinyl Solution ... 1992
Compilation (Cass)   Independance 1992
Void Dweller (CD, Album)   Columbia 1992
Worlds Beyond (12")   Vinyl Solution 1993
Colour Code - Remixes (12") Colour Code (Third Ven... Vinyl Solution 1994
United Flava Of British Rap (CD) Colour Code (Remix) China Records 1995
Blue Lipps (CD, Single)   D.C. Recordings 1998
Lust (CD, Album)   D.C. Recordings 1999
Dream On (Single, Maxi) ◄ (5 versions) Dream On (Octagon Man ... Reprise Records ... 2001
Toxic (3xLP) Elff Because Music 2005
Co-production:
Fear : The Mindkiller (Maxi) ◄ (2 versions)   Vinyl Solution 1991
Void Dweller (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Columbia 1992
Colour Code Remixes (CD, Maxi)   Move (2) 1994
Mix:
Light Color Sound (12") Light Color Sound (Dub... Vinyl Solution 1988
Enter (12") Iron Orbit Flesh Alloy 1989
Give It Up (12")   Vinyl Solution 1989
Infinity ◄ (2 versions) Infinity (Mystic Mix),... Vinyl Solution ... 1989
Pitter Patter Biscuit (12") Pitter Patter Biscuit ... Vinyl Solution 1989
We Want Funk (12") Happy Magic (Xtramenta... XL Recordings 1989
We Want Funk (12") Happy Magic (Xtramenta... Real Wild Records 1989
Inner Mind (Single) ◄ (4 versions)   Vinyl Solution 1990
Always ◄ (5 versions) Always (Club Vocal Mix... Vinyl Solution ... 1991
Eyes (CD, Maxi) Eyes (The Radio Mix) Vinyl Solution 1991
Fear : The Mindkiller (Maxi) ◄ (2 versions) Fear (Prologue), Fear ... Vinyl Solution 1991
Unknown Territory (Album) ◄ (2 versions) Liquid Metal Rhythm King Records 1991
Winter In July ◄ (3 versions) You See Me In 3D (Remix) Rhythm King Records ... 1991
Basket Case (Maxi) ◄ (3 versions)   Vinyl Solution ... 1992
Compilation (Cass)   Independance 1992
Mr Gonzalez (12")   Silver Fox Records 1992
Shine (12") Shine (Square Button Mix) Vinyl Solution 1992
Vinyl Solution Sampler (CD)   Columbia 1992
Void Dweller (Album) ◄ (3 versions) Inner Mind (Deep Thoug... Vinyl Solution ... 1992
Worlds Beyond ◄ (2 versions) Worlds Beyond (Mr. Rau... Vinyl Solution 1993
Cybertone EP (2x12", Promo, EP) Cybertone (Mr. Raucous... Vinyl Solution 1994
One (Album) ◄ (4 versions)   Vinyl Solution ... 1994
Higamos Hogamos (CD, Album) Infinity Plus One D.C. Recordings 2009
Appears On:
Bounty Killers (12") , Bounty Killers Vinyl Solution 1989
Depth Charge (12")   Vinyl Solution 1989
Infinity ◄ (2 versions) Infinity (Space/Time Mix) Vinyl Solution ... 1989
Dead By Dawn (12")   Vinyl Solution 1990
Spice (12")   Vinyl Solution 1990
The Demented Spirit ◄ (2 versions)   Vinyl Solution 1990
Depth Charge Vs. Silver Fox (12")   Silver Fox Records, Silver Fox Records 1991
Exploded (12")   Vinyl Solution 1991
Help (12")   Vinyl Solution 1991
Love So True (12") You See Me In 3D (Remix) Sire Records Company 1991
Unknown Territory (Album) ◄ (2 versions) You See Me In 3D Remix... Rhythm King Records 1991
Basket Case (CD, Maxi) Basket Case (Mr Raucou... Vinyl Solution 1992
Void Dweller (CD, Album) Final Warning (Raucous... Columbia 1992
Volume Three (CD, Comp) Daughters Of Darkness Volume 1992
What Is Music (Maxi) ◄ (3 versions) What Is Music (Origina... Vinyl Solution ... 1992
Fire (Maxi) ◄ (3 versions) Fire (Inferno Mix) Vinyl Solution ... 1993
Shine (Maxi, Single) ◄ (2 versions) Shine (Square Button Mix) Columbia 1993
Colour Code Remixes (CD, Maxi)   Move (2) 1994
Nine Deadly Venoms (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Vinyl Solution 1994
Xmas Dust Up (Cass) Shaolin Buddah Finger New Musical Express 1994
Biting The Dragon's Tail ◄ (2 versions)   Electron Industries 1995
Jan. 1995 (CD) Ear Power Music Records 1995
Queen Of The Scorpion (10")   D.C. Recordings 1995
The Exciting World Of… (CD, Album)   Electron Industries 1995
Trance Europe Express 4 (2xCD, Comp + Box) Sex, Sluts & Heaven Volume 1995
DJ-Kicks (CD, Comp, Mixed) Teasing The Dragon's Tail Studio !K7 1996
Phaze Test ◄ (2 versions)   Electron Industries 1996
Sex Sluts & Heaven (10")   R & S Records 1996
The Rimm / Phonic Maze ◄ (2 versions)   Electron Industries 1996
10 FT Flowers (2x10")   Electron Industries 1997
Beat Classics (3xLP, Promo, W/Lbl)   D.C. Recordings 1997
Disko Alien (10", Ltd)   D.C. Recordings 1997
Electrophunk Two (CD) Phase Test (30 Beat Cy... Adrenalin Records 1997
Beat Vortex (2x12", Album)   D.C. Recordings, D.C. Recordings 1998
Blue Lipps (CD, Single)   D.C. Recordings 1998
Chemical Reaction (CD, Comp) Shaolin Buddha Finger Mercury, One Records 1998
DJ-Kicks (CD) Sex, Sluts & Heaven (B... Studio !K7 1998
Romario (12")   D.C. Recordings 1998
Technoir (CD, Comp, Mixed)   Ifach 1998
Vidd (12")   Electron Industries 1998
Electro Boogie - Shape Generator (Comp) ◄ (3 versions)   Studio !K7 ... 1999
Lust (CD, Album)   D.C. Recordings 1999
Lust 2 (CD, Album, Dig)   D.C. Recordings 1999
Eskimo: Various Artists And Many Others (CD, Sli) Disco Drunkard Eskimo Recordings 2000
Nine Deadly Venoms (CD, Album, Promo)   Vinyl Solution 2000
Stone.Scissors.Paper. 01.Stone (CD) Akira Play Label 2000
The Goblin (10")   D.C. Recordings 2000
The Toy Boxx (10")   D.C. Recordings 2000
Puppet On A Chain (LP)   D.C. Recordings 2001
Back To Mine (CD, Mixed, Comp) Spice (J. Saul Kane Ve... DMC Publishing 2002
Robotomo (12")   D.C. Recordings 2002
Spill (Rare & Unreleased Tracks 1993-1998) (2xLP, Comp)   D.C. Recordings 2002
The Mongo Hotline CD (CD, Comp) Sex Sluts N Heaven Mixmag 2002
I Dream (12")   D.C. Recordings 2003
Lektrokuted (CD, Mixed, Comp, Dig) Genotype X 541 2003
Hi Voltage Man (12")   D.C. Recordings 2004
Dobutsu Bancho (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   D.C. Recordings 2005
Toxic (CD, Comp) Elff Because Music 2005
DC Recordings Presents Death Before Distemper (CD, Album, Comp) Supersonic Monsters, T... D.C. Recordings 2006
DC Recordings Presents Death Before Distemper 2: Revenge Of The Iron Ferret (CD, Comp) Castle Of Doom D.C. Recordings 2008
Unofficial Releases:
Goal (12", W/Lbl)   Not On Label  
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