Jimmy Cauty

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Jimmy Cauty


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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = James Cauty
Alias = Rockman Rock, Lord Rock, Space, Graybeard,
Scourge Of The Earth, Advanced Acoustic Armaments (AAA)
Born = birth date and age|1956|12|19
Died =
Origin = Totnes, Devon, England [Frame, P. "Rockin' Around Britain"; Omnibus 1999, p29]
Instrument = Guitar, synthesiser
Genre =
Occupation = Musician, record producer, artist
Years_active = 1981–present
Label = KLF Communications, Blast First
Associated_acts = Angels 1-5, Brilliant, The Justified Ancients of Mu-Mu, The Timelords, The KLF, The Orb, K Foundation, 2K, Blacksmoke, Solid Gold Chartbusters, Transit Kings
URL =
Notable_instruments =

James Cauty (commonly known as Jimmy or Jimi Cauty, also known as Rockman Rock) is a British artist and musician born in Totnes, Devon, England in 1956. Cauty is best known as one half of the hitmaking duo The KLF; as co-founder of The Orb and a leading innovator in the birth of the ambient house genre; and as the man who burnt one million pounds.

Cauty is married to Cressida (née Bowyer), with whom he has twins, Harold and Daisy.Sharkey, A., "Trash Art & Kreation", "The Guardian Weekend", 21 May 1994 ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=384 link] ).]

Early career

As a 17-year old artist, Cauty painted a popular "The Lord of the Rings" poster (and later, a counterpart based on "The Hobbit") for British retailer Athena. ["The KLF", "Western Mail" (Cardiff), 4 March 2005, p29.]

In 1981-2 Cauty was guitarist in a band called Angels 1-5, who recorded a Peel session on 1 July 1981. ["Keeping it Peel", BBC Peel Sessions catalogue, BBC Online ( [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/sessions/1980s/1981/Jul01angels15/ link] )] Lead vocalist was Cressida Bowyer, whom Cauty later married.

In 1984, Cauty took on guitarist duties with pop/rock group Brilliant, in collaboration with singer June Montana and bassist Youth. The group split in 1986 after a less than warm reception to their debut album, "Kiss the Lips of Life".Fact|date=January 2007

Artistic partnership with Bill Drummond, 1987–1995, 1997

Following Brilliant and a brief stint with Zodiac Mindwarp and The Love Reaction,Fact|date=January 2007 Cauty joined with Bill Drummond to form The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu (The JAMs), a Situationist-inspiredFact|date=January 2007 artistic collaboration that played out in various guises and media over much of the next decade.

As an A&R man, Drummond had signed Brilliant to WEA. [LeRoy, D., Brilliant biography, "Allmusic" ( [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:gx6atr39kl5x~T1 link] )] Concocting a scheme for a hip-hop record on New Year's Day 1987, Drummond needed a like-minded collaborator with expertise in current music technology. Jimmy Cauty instantly sprang to mind, so Drummond telephoned him. Cauty "knew exactly, to coin a phrase, 'where I was coming from'", said Drummond. A week later, The JAMs had recorded their debut single, "All You Need Is Love"; [BBC Radio 1 "Story Of Pop" documentary interview with Bill Drummond. First BBC broadcast believed to have been in [http://open.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/series/STORY+OF+POP late 1994] , and was transmitted by Australian national broadcaster ABC on [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/pop/default.htm January 1 2005] . Transcript taken from the [http://www.klf.de/faq/index.php?cate_id=1 KLF FAQ] .] Cauty taking the pseudonym "Rockman Rock" and Drummond becoming "King Boy D".Fact|date=January 2007 Several singles and three albums as The JAMs followed (their debut, "1987 (What the Fuck Is Going On?)"; the follow-up, "Who Killed The JAMs?"; and compilation "Shag Times") before a change of direction saw the duo mutate into dance and ambient music pioneers, The KLF. Along the way, the duo scored their first British number one hit single as The Timelords with the Gary Glitter/Dr. Who novelty-pop mash-up "Doctorin' the Tardis".

The KLF released two ground breaking albums - "Chill Out" and "The White Room" - and a string of top 5 singles, becoming the biggest selling singles act in the world for 1991. [Bush, J., KLF biography, "Allmusic" ( [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:2tkku3y5anok~T1 link] )] In 1992, suddenly and very publicly, however, The KLF "retired" from the music industry and deleted their entire back catalogue. [KLF Communications advertisement in "New Musical Express", 16 May 1992.] "Who Killed The KLF?", "Select", July 1992 ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=315 link] ).] ["Timelords gentlemen, please!", "New Musical Express", 16 May 1992 ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=309 link] )]

Drummond and Cauty re-emerged in 1993 as the K Foundation, releasing one limited edition single ("K Cera Cera") ["Yasser, they can boogie!", "New Musical Express", 13 November 1993 ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=356 link] ).] and awarding the £40,000 K Foundation art award for the "worst artist of the year". [Dawson Scott, Robert, "K Foundation tries to turn the art world on its head", "Scotland on Sunday", 28 November 1993 ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=364 link] )] In 1994, the duo courted infamy by setting fire to one million pounds in cash on the Scottish island of Jura.Reid, J., "Money to burn", "The Observer", 25 September 1994 ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=387 link] )] In 1995, they undertook a screening tour of a film of the burning, [Banks-Smith, Nancy, "From cash to ash", "The Guardian" (Manchester), 30 August 1995, page T.009] [Harris, John, "Who wants to be a millionaire?", "Q Magazine", November 1995 ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=400 link] )] before signing a moratorium on K Foundation activities. [K Foundation advertisement ("Cape Wrath"), "The Guardian (G2)", 8 December 1995 ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=519 link] ).]

Cauty worked with Drummond again in 1997 with a campaign to "Fuck the Millennium", the highlight of which was a 23-minute live performance satirising the "pop comeback" - in which Cauty and Drummond appeared as grey-haired pensioners and wheeled around the stage in electric wheelchairs. ["Justified and (Very) Ancient?", "Melody Maker", 20 August 1997 ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=439 link] )]

Throughout The KLF's career, Drummond was most often the mouthpiece of the group and is often viewed as their chief protagonist. "NME", for example, wrote: "One suspects that the real boiling genius of the duo is initiated by Drummond. The elements of the K Foundation affair are classic Drummond - honesty mixed with deranged publicity-seeking, pop terrorism ideas mixed with utter strangeness and mysticism..., and a sense that the things pop groups do should be visionary and above all should not be mundane.""Tate tat and arty", "New Musical Express", 20 November 1993 ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=359 link] )] Perhaps a little ironically, then, the initial "idea" for the K Foundation's one million incineration was actually Cauty's, although he was beginning to express regret in 1995 at which time Drummond remained resolute. ["Torch Songs", "The List", 3 November 1995 ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=401 link] )]

Contrasting with Drummond's image, Jimmy Cauty was perceived - or presented - as "Rockman Rock - cool dude "; ["Sounds", 6 February 1988] the "quiet", enigmatic one, a "long-haired and quietly spoken chain-smoker: a leather-jacketed misfit [who] has carried his adolescent rock obsession into adulthood"."Special K", "GQ" magazine (April 1995) ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=397 link] )] However, as the previously quoted "NME" piece cautioned, "We can't underestimate the importance of Jimmy Cauty". Cauty was the musical bedrock of The KLF, whether laying down the starting track for "Doctorin' the Tardis",Bill Drummond interviewed by Richard Skinner on "Saturday Sequence", BBC Radio 1, December 1990 ( [http://www.brandnew.co.uk/klf/billdrummond/Bill%20Drummond%20Interview_Radio1%20Dec90.mp3 MP3] )] or playing electric guitar, bass, drums and keyboard on ""As credited on the sleevenotes.] . He and his wife, Cressida, were at the centre of KLF operations, living and working at Trancentral (actually the Cauty's squat in Stockwell, London) and driving the "JAMsmobile" (Cauty's 1968 Ford Galaxie American police car) as their regular, everyday vehicle. Cressida, too, helped out, taking on an organisational role for KLF Communications, [Cauty, C., "KLF Info Sheet 6", KLF Communications, August 1989 ( [http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=506 link] ).] in addition to design and choreography work for The KLF, and her own work as an artist.

Ambient house, 1988–1992

In the late 1980s, Cauty met Alex Paterson and the duo began DJ-ing and producing together as The Orb. Paterson and Cauty's first release was a 1988 acid house anthem track, "Tripping on Sunshine" released on the German record compilation "Eternity Project One".cite book|last=Shapiro |first=Peter |title =The Rough Guide to Drum 'n' Bass| authorlink=Peter Shapiro |year=1999 |id=ISBN 1-85828-433-3 |publisher= Rough Guides |pages=pp. 327-329] "Eternity Project One" also featured a collaborative track between Cauty and future Orb member Kris Weston. The following year, The Orb released the "Kiss EP", a four-track EP based on samples from New York City's KISS FM. It was released on Paterson and Glover's new record label WAU/Mr. Modo Records, which Paterson and Glover created out of a desire to maintain financial independence from larger record labels.cite book|last=Prendergast |first=Mark |title=The Ambient Century: From Mahler to Moby-The Evolution of Sound in the Electronic Age |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |year=2003 |id= ISBN 1-58234-323-3 |pages = pp. 407-412] After spending a weekend of making what Paterson described as "really shit drum sounds", the duo decided to abandon beat-heavy music and instead work on music for after-hours listening by "taking the bloody drums away".cite news|last=Doerschuck |first=Robert |work = Keyboard Magazine |month=June |year=1995 |title=Inside the Ambient Techno Ultraworld] Paterson and Cauty began DJ-ing in London and landed a deal for The Orb to play the chill out room at London nightclub Heaven. Resident DJ Paul Oakenfold brought in the duo specifically as ambient DJs for his "The Land of Oz" event at Heaven.cite news|work=The Irish Times |last=Boyd |first=Brian |date=1998-10-23 |page=12 |title=Unidentified Flying Orb] Though initially The Orb's Monday night performances had only several "hard-core" followers, their "Chill Out Room" act grew popular over the course of their six month stay at Heaven to the point that the small room was often packed with around 100 people.cite book|last = Toop|first = David|authorlink = David Toop|title=Ocean of Sound|publisher=Serpent's Tail|pages=pp. 59-62|year=2001|id = ISBN 1-85242-743-4] The Orb's performances became especially popular among weary DJs and clubbers who sought solace from the loud, rhythmic music of the dancefloor.cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:r69gs35ba3rg~T1 |title=The Orb Biography |accessdate=2006-10-09 |last = Bush |first = John |publisher = Allmusic] The Orb would build up melodies using multitrack recordings linked to multiple record decks and a mixer. They incorporated many CDs, cassettes, and BBC sound effects into their act, often accompanied with pieces of popular dance tracks such as "Sueño Latino". Most often, they played dub reggae and other chill out music which they described as "Ambient house for the E generation."cite web|last = Crispy |first = Don |url= http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/590/clubs.asp |title = Alex Paterson |publisher = "Metropolis" |accessdate = 2007-01-14 |year = ]

Throughout 1989, Paterson, Cauty, and Martin Glover developed the musical genre of ambient house through the use of a diverse array of samples and recordings. The culmination of their musical work came towards the end of the year when The Orb recorded a session for John Peel on BBC Radio 1. The track, then known as "Loving You", was largely improvisational and featured a wealth of sound effects and samples from science fiction radio plays, nature sounds, and Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You".cite web|work=Allmusic |last=Thompson |first=Dave |accessdate=2006-11-06 |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rh90s34ba39g |title=Peel Sessions Review] For its release as a single on record label Big Life, The Orb changed the title to "A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules from the Centre of the Ultraworld". In 1990, Paterson and Cauty held several recording sessions at Cauty's studio, Trancentral. Out of these sessions came The KLF album "Chill Out", on which Paterson appeared in an uncredited role.cite book|last = Reynolds |first = Simon |year = 1999 |id = ISBN 0-415-92373-5 |publisher = Routledge |title = Generation Ecstasy: Into the World of Techno and Rave Culture |pages=p. 191] The "Grove Dictionary" suggests "Chill Out" to be the first ambient house album.GroveOnline|Ambient house|Fulford-Jones, Will|4 October|2006] When offered an album deal by Big Life, The Orb found themselves at a crossroads. Cauty preferred that albums by The Orb were released on his KLF Communications label, whereas Paterson wanted to ensure The Orb did not become an offshoot of The KLF.cite news |title=Don't make negative waves |last=Toop |first=David |authorlink=David Toop |date=1994-06-03 |work=The Times] Due to these issues, Cauty and Paterson split in April 1990, with Paterson keeping the name "The Orb". Cauty removed Paterson's contributions from the recordings in progress and released the album as "Space" on KLF Communications.cite press release | title =KLF Communications Info Sheet Nine | publisher = KLF Communications| date = 1990| url =http://www.libraryofmu.org/display-resource.php?id=509 | accessdate =2006-10-09]

Post-KLF

As "Advanced Acoustic Armaments" (aka Triple-A, Advanced Acoustic Armourments) his "Squawk-EP" was already listed by Blast First Records but like a lot of his projects this album was never released.Fact|date=January 2007

In 1999 Cauty produced several remixes under the alias The Scourge Of The Earth for artists such as Placebo, Marilyn Manson, Hawkwind, Ian Brown, The Orb etc. In December 1999 he joined with Guy Pratt to record and release a cellphone-themed novelty-pop record "I Wanna 1-2-1 With You" under the name Solid Gold Chartbusters. [ [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Solid+Gold+Chartbusters Solid Gold Chartbusters ] ] It was released as competition for the Christmas Number One but only got to 62. [http://www.polyhex.com]

In 2000 Cauty worked on several new tracks for his new record company Crapola Records. Fact|date=January 2007

In 2001, Cauty joined with former collaborators Alex Paterson and Guy Pratt in a London recording studio, together with Dom Beken, an associate of Pratt.Transit Kings' official biography, "passim" ( [http://www.transitkings.com/TransitKings/WaitingRoom.html link] )] Recording later continued in Cauty's Brighton studio. In 2003, the group released their first single, "Boom Bang Bombay", under the name Custerd. [Custerd entry at discogs.com ( [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Custerd link] )] Subsequently, they settled on the name "Transit Kings". Cauty left the band in 2004 to work on other projects. In 2006, the Transit Kings released their debut album, "Living in a Giant Candle Winking at God"; Cauty is listed as a composer on 7 of the album's 12 tracks. ["Living in a Giant Candle Winking at God" entry at discogs.com ( [http://www.discogs.com/release/763820 link] )]

Until mid-2005, together with James Fogarty and Keir Jens-Smith, he was part of art/music collective Blacksmoke.

Art

Cauty exhibits art work at the The Aquarium L-13 gallery, London. He has worked in conjunction with the gallery on the Cautese Nationál Postal Disservice: he designs stamps and the gallery sells them as stamps, first day covers and limited edition prints.

In 2004, Cauty installed a gift shop, "Blackoff", at the Aquarium Gallery, based on the government's "Preparing for Emergencies" leaflet. The installation included "terror aware" items, such as "terror tea towels", "attack hankies" and "bunker-buster jigsaw puzzles" (missing one piece). He commented, "The gift shop becomes the place we can explore our branding ideas, Cash for trash — it represents the futility and the glory of it all." [Arendt, Paul. [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1353862,00.html "The art that stole Christmas"] , "The Guardian", 18 November 2004. Retrieved 1 September 2007.]

In October 2008, Cauty opened an exhibit at the Aquarium entitled "jCauty&Son" which, in collaboration with his teenage son, Cauty produced work across a range of media that highighted the violence present in cartoons. 25% of proceeds go to Amnesty International. [ [http://www.spoonfed.co.uk/london/event/jcautyson-170987/ jCauty&Son at the Aquarium] ]

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.cnpdonline.com Cautese Nationál Postal Disservice]
* [http://www.jamescauty.co.uk James Cauty CNPD Fans Forum]