Darren Emerson's role in Underworld

[Marr]

Hello,

I may be new to this fo.... but i'm certainly an old fan of the band.

Good to see that a great band deserves a great audience, something that i could see while seeing recent topics.

Anyway, i would like to know something that has always "bothered" me.

What was Darren Emerson's role in Underworld?

We all know the history, that Darren Emerson was introduced to the band and they shifted their sound to a more techno, electronic sound.

But was he solely responsible for that change? Or was Rick already experimenting with programming and mixing before Emerson's arrival?

I have seen an article where Rick states that he learnt a lot drom Darren in terms of the beats and the percussion... and Darren learnt the programming part from Rick.
So is it fair to say that, in "Dubnobasswithmyheadman", Rick was the man responsible for the programming and mixing, while Darren was responsible for the beats? And the other albums?

In the "Everything Everything" DVD, if you watch closely, their mixing desk is comprised by two parts. The biggest one is managed by Rick and the other one is managed by Darren. It seems Rick controls the most part of each song and is responsible for mixing the main parts into another, while Darren mixes "detailed" sounds or the secundary sounds and beats.

During the whole DVD, we clearly see that Rick has the most important and proeminent role. He is always concentrated and he doesnt stop, while Darren pauses quite heavily, like he is just helping Rick nothing more.

Maybe this was the reason Darren left. He just wanted a more proeminent role and Djing was what suited best his desire.

Anyway, "A Hundred Days Off" proved once more that Rick was the main master in creating and managing grooves and samples. He was the force behind the band.


So, what was in fact Darren Emerson's role while he was in Underworld?

Cheers guys. I am looking forward for the next album

[ndrwrld]

Originally Posted by Marr

Anyway, "A Hundred Days Off" proved once more that Rick was the main master in creating and managing grooves and samples. He was the force behind the band.

you must not forget Karls guitar and lyrics / voice.
they together are the driving force behind the band.
if either left, UW would cease to exist.

[dc_04]

darrens come and go, but rick and karl are forever.



- dc

[TheBang]

This is a good question, and one that I've wondered. I'd like an informed explanation. Does Pricey fill the exact role that Darren used to provide?

[King of Snake]

Marr, I think the way you describe it now is actually pretty accurate. Yes, Rick and Karl were already experimenting with electronic/techno sounds when Darren Emerson joined. I think it's impossible to say with which elements Darren Influenced Rick, but you can sort of tell from their backgrounds. Darren was a young DJ who knew what worked on the dancefloor, but he was not a musician (I vaguely recall an interview where it was mentioned that he didn't know one end of a keyboard from another), while Rick (and Karl) had been playing music for a long time already and could play their instruments (keyboards, guitar, vocals).

Rick was and is definitely the main production force behind the band, and it's quite understandable that Emerson at one point wanted to break away from this and do his own thing. With Price I guess it's a bit different because he's already a succesfull DJ and producer in his own right.

[Dirty0900]

Look at the credits for the Dubno album.

[Marr]

I know Karl is part of Underworld's trademark sound. I just wanted to make a parallel between Darren Emerson and Rick Smith.

Thanks King of Snake. I always had that impression too.

Originally Posted by Dirty0900

Look at the credits for the Dubno album.

Not the kind of input i was expecting to see. But thanks anyway.

[dubman]

Originally Posted by dc_04

darrens come and go, but rick and karl are forever.



- dc

let's not revise too much here, many many many of us were very very worried when we heard this, and we had to be comforted by looking at dubnobass liner notes.
THEN the current attitude above developed.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Marr

Not the kind of input i was expecting to see. But thanks anyway.

Matts response may have indeed been quite flippent, but one thing that was put to my attention once is that the only tracks to have Darren Emerson writing credits on the album are Surfboy & Skyscraper!