Tim Hutton

"This article is about Tim Hutton, the musician. See Timothy Hutton for the Academy-award winning actor."

Tim Hutton’s musical career began in the early 80’s playing drums and bass for two bands, The Mob and Zounds, on the anarchist punk label Crass Records, and touring Europe and UK several times over.

A burgeoning fascination for funk led to him striking out on his own, which led to signing to EMI and recording an album as the Neighbourhood, which was a seven piece band (including Dexy’s original horn section) he subsequently put together. More touring followed, and a spot featuring as a singer on Afrika Bambaata’s album “The Light”.

Two more solo albums followed, and stints working with the Horny Horns, Lee Perry and reggae singer Bob Andy amongst others, before the Acid House boom took him, along with many others, in a different musical direction.

What followed was several albums, twelves and ep’s, under various guises on labels such as Reflex, Germany’s Source and San Francisco’s Reflective. This was purely electronic music, with no involvement of any instrumental playing or singing; as a long time singer and player of guitar, bass, drums, brass and keyboards, this was a period of stripping back, influenced by the “faceless techno bollocks” represented by artists and labels such as Aphex Twin and Basic Channel.

It was followed after a while by two albums of more pronounced musicality welded to the electronic and dance music values he had explored in the previous few years. These were his solo album “Everything” on PIAS Recordings(an album of songs taking in lo-fi, jazz standard and electronic-tinged folk influences) and “Variations” under the moniker Soul Ascendants (along with DJ Nick the Record) on Nuphonic. The latter was a mixture of house, jazz and afro-beat, featuring collaborations with Fela Kuti’s bandleader and drummer from the Africa 70, Tony Allen.

Both these albums were released in 2000, and it was at this time that he was asked to contribute as writer and vocalist to Groove Armada’s third album “Goodbye Country Hello Nightclub”. This preceded a period of touring with the band during 2001 – 2002 as vocalist, also helping on trumpet, guitar and keyboard duties, and featuring as vocalist on their next album “Lovebox”.

Moving on once again, at the end of 2002 he toured with Paul Oakenfold in the States as lead and bass guitarist and vocalist to promote the Oakenfold album “Bunkka”, and then as bass player with the breaks-based outfit Hybrid, providing live the bass parts Peter Hook had played on record.

In late 2003 he started working on remixes with Tom Findlay from Groove Armada, leading to an album project ( as yet un- named but due to be finished in autumn 2005) and in 2004 provided horns on several songs on Ian Brown’s album “Solarised”, one of which “Time Is My Everything” he co-wrote with Ian and also played guitars and bass.

At present, as well as touring with Ian Brown and working with Tom Findlay there is gradual work being done on solo material, possible involvement with a forthcoming Groove Armada album and plans to write for various other artistes. He has also been collaborating with Tim Deluxe as vocalist and writer on album tracks, and with Layo and Bushwacka as vocalist and brass player.