>> Speedometer
bio: Speedometer, the UK's premier funk band started out as a quartet gigging in small clubs in the Southeast of England in 1999, playing classic funk tunes by artists such as The Meters and The JB's. As the gigs got bigger, so did the band and they were soon complemented with the now renowned Speedo Horns and the all-girl soul vocalists The Speedettes.
In 2000, the first single "Soul Safari" was released on the seminal New York based label Soul Fire and was soon followed with a slew of fine releases on other labels such as Timmion and Kennel Klub. Each single was released on 7" only and limited to 500 copies. The emerging modern funk boom of the mid 90s, aided by magazines such as Big Daddy and DJs Keb Darge, Snowboy and Jazzman Gerald, lapped up the authentic sounds and tight arrangements. These early singles sold out immediately and not surprisingly now fetch a handsome price on various on-line auction sites.
It is these early groundbreaking singles that this compilation is dedicated. None of the 12 tracks have been released on CD before, with 3 of the tracks being previously unreleased. From the firing opener of “Speedometer Parts 1 & 2” through to the heavy funk workout of “Hold The Bus” it is easy to see this bands influence on the style of artists such as The Quantic Soul Orchestra, Breakestra and any other band in the modern funk scene.
Over the years, Speedometer have worked with many of the US funk legends includingJoe Quarterman, Eddie Bo, Marva Whitney, Sharon Jones, James Bell (Highlighters),Lee Fields, and Billy Wooten. All the artists were blown away by Speedometer's authenticity and dedication to faithfully creating the original soul-funk sound. We hope you are too!
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