Ed Simons (musician)
Ed Simons | |
|---|---|
Simons together with Tom Rowlands in Barcelona, Spain in 2022 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Edmund John Simons |
| Born | 9 June 1970 Dulwich, London, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | Junior Boy's Own Astralwerks Freestyle Dust Virgin Ultra |
| Member of | |
Edmund John Simons (9 June 1970) is an English musician, disc jockey and composer of the electronic music duo The Chemical Brothers, along with Tom Rowlands. Together, they are considered pioneers of the big beat genre and one of the most influential groups in contemporary electronic music.[1]
Early life
Simons was born in Dulwich, South London, and attended Alleyn's School and Dulwich College. He went on to study history at the University of Manchester, where he met Tom Rowlands. The two shared an interest in hip hop, acid house, techno and other genres of electronic music, which led them to start playing together at local parties and small clubs.
In the early 1990s, they began producing music under the name The Dust Brothers, in homage to the American producer duo. However, after receiving a copyright lawsuit, they changed their name to The Chemical Brothers, taking the name of their song ‘Chemical Beats’.
Music career
The duo released their debut album, Exit Planet Dust, in 1995, which was enthusiastically received by critics and audiences alike. This was followed by several successful albums such as Dig Your Own Hole (1997) and Surrender (1999), consolidating their distinctive style that fuses heavy breakbeats, psychedelic samples and vocal collaborations with artists from various genres.
Ed Simons, as well as being actively involved in studio production, has been a key figure in the visual and conceptual development of the duo's live performances. In 2008, he announced a brief withdrawal from live performances for personal reasons, although he never disengaged from the project and subsequently returned to touring.[2]
Discography
With the Chemical Brothers
- Exit Planet Dust (1995)
- Dig Your Own Hole (1997)
- Surrender (1999)
- Come with Us (2002)
- Push the Button (2005)
- We Are the Night (2007)
- Further (2010)
- Born in the Echoes (2015)
- No Geography (2019)
- For That Beautiful Feeling (2023)
References
- ^ "Ed Simons | British musician | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "The Chemical Brothers' Ed Simons quits touring to focus on academic work". The Guardian. 23 June 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2025.