finetune artist: Mr. Scruff

b. Andrew Michael Carthy, 10 February 1972, Stockport, Cheshire, England. Mr. Scruff's name is down to his neatly trimmed beard, and when you learn that his first record was Shakin' Stevens' "Green Door", you get an idea of the refreshingly quirky nature of the man. A self-confessed vinyl spotter, Carthy got into music at the age of 14. His first prominent release, "Sea Mammal", was issued by Rob's Records in 1995 and marked the start of an obsession with marine life. Following this with the Frolic EP on the Pleasure label, Mr. Scruff was soon courting remix offers from artists such as Lamb and DJ Food. The 1997 EP Large Pies found him on a third label, Cup Of Tea, before the release of his self-titled debut album on Pleasure. Keep It Unreal followed in 1999, and proved more successful in capturing the irreverent, frivolous (although by no means lightweight) sound that Carthy had created. Among the musical styles he threw into the melting pot were dub, funk, hip-hop, soundtracks, northern soul, disco, and deep house, with the single "Honeydew" particularly notable for its contrast of vocal style and bigger beats.

Listen to Mr. Scruff at Finetune.

(1999) Keep It Unreal
(1999) Honeydew

Get a Move On
Fish
Honeydew
Cheeky
Spandex Man