finetune artist: Bentley Rhythm Ace

Richard March (b. 4 March 1965, York, Yorkshire, England; ex-Pop Will Eat Itself) and Mike Stokes began recording together in the mid-90s. In 1996, the pair sent a four-track demo of their work to Skint Records and consequently signed to that label as Bentley Rhythm Ace, taking the name from an old drum machine. Later that year the band gained widespread attention when they released a demo, which included the track "Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out!", as the EP This Is Carbootechnodisco. This was followed by the Last Train To Bentley On C EP (1996) and the single "Midlander" (1997), which prompted attention from the major labels. With the addition of Fuzz Towshend they eventually signed to Parlophone Records and released the album Bentley Rhythm Ace in 1997. During the same period the pair toured around the UK, played at various festivals around Europe, and visited the USA at the end of the year. Their sound combines a variety of prominent sampled beats with bass guitar, synth patterns and riffs. However, unlike much of the big beat movement, with which they have often been associated, Bentley Rhythm Ace have a unique style on account of the range of influences that can be heard in the music, and the notoriously bizarre samples that highlight their eccentric sense of humour. The pair subsequently built their own studio and spent two years working on the follow-up, For Your Ears Only, which featured the inimitable vocals of ex-Black Grape rapper Kermit on two tracks.

Listen to Bentley Rhythm Ace at Finetune.

(2000) For Your Ears Only
(1997) Bentley Rhythm Ace

Bentleys Gonna Sort You Out!
This Is Carbootechnoodiscotechnobooto
Who Put the Dom In the Dom Dom Diddleye Dom
Run On the Spot
On Her Majesty's Secret Whistle