SL2 (musical group)
{{other uses|SL2 (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Refimprove|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = SL2
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| background = group_or_band
| birth_name =
| alias = Slipmatt & Lime, THC
| origin = London, England
| instrument =
| genre = Breakbeat hardcore
| years_active = 1985–1993, 1998–present
| label = XL Recordings, American Recordings, B-Ware
| associated_acts =
| website =
| current_members = Matt "Slipmatt" Nelson
John "Lime" Fernandez
Jay-J (vocals, rap)
| past_members = Jo Millet
Kelly Overett
Devious D
Ronan Fitzgerald
}}
SL2 is an English breakbeat hardcore group from London, England. They also recorded, remixed or produced under the names Slipmatt & Lime and T.H.C.
Background
Starting out as a group of three, SL2 was originally a coming together of DJs Matt "Slipmatt" Nelson and John "Lime" Fernandez, and rap vocalist Jason "Jay-J" James.{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1998|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0252-6|page=311}} The SL2 name came from the founders' initials: Slipmatt (S) and Lime (L), and the fact that they were a duo, hence "SL2".
=Underground=
As youngsters in 1980s Britain, they were into hip-hop, before having their heads turned by the growing rave scene.
Their big break came in 1989 through Slipmatt's older brother, Paul Nelson, who was running the party-promoting organisation Raindance; they became the enterprise's resident DJs, playing parties all over the United Kingdom.
A year into touring with Raindance, SL2 released their debut single, "Do That Dance", through B-Ware Records. Subsequently, SL2 set up their own Awesome Records label, through which they first released another single, "DJs Take Control". The record sold 3500 copies, attracting the attention of new dance label XL Recordings.
=Mainstream=
XL Recordings catapulted SL2 into the mainstream charts by re-releasing "DJs Take Control" which became a number 11 hit in the UK Singles Chart.{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/27246/sl2/|title=SL2 | full Official Chart History |website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=27 June 2021}} More success followed accompanied by two female rave/breakbeat dancers, Jo Millett (who later produced her own music) and Kelly Overett (who would later go on to be a member of the Italian Eurodance act Cappella). The latter two appeared with Nelson, Fernandez and James in live shows and their videos.
"On a Ragga Tip" was released in 1992 through XL Recordings, and became their biggest hit to date, spending 11 weeks in the UK chart. It peaked at number two, and was their first song to chart across Europe. With the new hit "Way in My Brain" charting later that year, disagreements within the group saw SL2 split up by the end of 1993.The outfit sampled the bassline and vocal refrain for their track "Way in My Brain" from Wayne Smith (musician)’s breakthrough digital reggae discomix tune, Sleng Teng.Colin Larkin: Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Volume 7. Oxford University Press, USA, Nov 20, 2006, [https://books.google.com/books?id=-A0KAQAAMAAJ&q=sleng+teng+brain p. 515] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628092531/http://books.google.com/books?id=-A0KAQAAMAAJ&q=sleng+teng+brain |date=2014-06-28 }} ("The b-side 'Way In My Brain' employed the reggae bass line of 'Under Me[sic] Sleng Teng'...")
=Reformation=
In 1997, a remix of their biggest hit, "On a Ragga Tip" re-entered the chart, leading Slipmatt and Lime to reconvene. Although no new material was ever released, they still continue to DJ on a semi-regular basis.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/sl2-mn0000830260 |title=SL2 Biography |website=AllMusic |date= |access-date=2013-11-13}}{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/SL2 |title=SL2 Biography/Discography |website=Discogs.com|date= |access-date=2013-11-13}} "On a Ragga Tip", was used in the opening ceremony,{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpzuG3X9q7w |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/rpzuG3X9q7w |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=SL2 - On A Ragga Tip @ The Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony with Trinidad & Tobago|access-date=27 June 2021|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
On 21 July 2015, The SL2 EP was released containing digitally remastered recordings of "On a Ragga Tip", "Way in My Brain", "DJs Take Control" and "The Noise".
Cover versions
South African band Dr Victor and the Rasta Rebels covered "On a Ragga Tip".{{cite web |url=http://www.shazam.com/music/web/album?id=48527608 |title=Dr Victor & the Rasta Rebels: Greatest Hits |access-date=2018-01-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107103043/http://www.shazam.com/music/web/album?id=48527608 |archive-date=7 January 2014 |df=dmy-all }} Retrieved 7 January 2014
In 2015, the British electronic/house duo, My Digital Enemy, released an EDM remake of "On a Ragga Tip" which sampled the SL2 original version.
Discography
=Singles and EPs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2" style="width:3em;"| Year
! rowspan="2" style="width:22em;"| Single ! colspan="4" style="width:12em;"| Peak chart positions |
|---|
| style="font-size:small;"
!style="width:3em;font-size:90%"| UK !style="width:3em;font-size:90%"|BEL !style="width:3em;font-size:90%"| IRE !style="width:3em;font-size:90%"| NED |
| rowspan="1"| 1989
! scope="row"| "Do That Dance"/"It Ain't Nothing" | — | — | — | — |
| rowspan="2"| 1991
! scope="row"| "The Noise"/"Bassquake" | — | — | — | — |
| scope="row"| "DJs Take Control"/"Way in My Brain"
| 11 | — | — | — |
| rowspan="2"| 1992
! scope="row"| "On a Ragga Tip" | 2 | 42 | 3 | 2 |
| scope="row"| "Way in My Brain (Remix)"/"Drumbeats"
| 26 | — | 23 | 27 |
| rowspan="1"| 1997
! scope="row"| "On a Ragga Tip '97 (Remix)" | 31 | — | — | — |
| rowspan="1"| 2003
! scope="row"| On a Ragga Tip (EP) | 97 | — | — | — |
| rowspan="1"| 2015
! scope="row"| The SL2 EP | — | — | — | — |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.myspace.com/thesl2 SL2]'s Myspace page
- [http://www.slipmatt.net/ Slipmatt's official homepage]
- [http://www.fantazia.org.uk/DJs/slipmatt.htm DJ Slipmatt at Fantazia.org]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070202175208/http://backtotheoldskool.co.uk/dj_slipmatt.htm DJ Slipmatt - Back to the Old Skool]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060104202013/http://e.discogs.com/artist/SL2 SL2 discography at e.discogs]
- [http://www.canyoufeelitmedia.com Can You Feel It Media]
{{Authority control}}
Category:English dance music groups
Category:English techno music groups
Category:Hardcore techno music groups
Category:Breakbeat hardcore music groups
Category:English electronic music groups