Rollo Armstrong

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Rollo Armstrong


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Birth_name = Rowland Constantine O'Malley Armstrong
Alias = Rollo
Born = 1966 in London, England
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Occupation = Producer
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Label = Cheeky Records/BMG
Associated_acts = Faithless Dusted Dido Sister Bliss Maxi Jazz
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Rollo Armstrong (born Rowland Constantine O'Malley Armstrong,cite web|url=http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?page=1&blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&fromrow=1&torow=25&affiliation=PRS&cae=247809931&keyID=583864&keyname=ARMSTRONG%20ROWLAND%20CONSTANTINE%20O%20MALLEY&querytype=WriterID|title=Songwriter/Composer: ARMSTRONG ROWLAND CONSTANTINE O MALLEY|work=BMI Repertoire|publisher=Broadcast Music Incorporated|accessdate=2008-09-29] 1966 in Kensington, London) [cite web|url=http://content.ancestry.co.uk/Browse/View.aspx?dbid=8964&path=1966.Q2-Apr-May-Jun.A.32
title=ARMSTRONG ROWLAND CONSTANTINE O'M.|work=Births Registered in April, May, and June 1966|pages=(page J66B0032B)|publisher=General Register Office|location=London|accessdate=2008-10-07 Scanned image of the original document. Restricted access.] is one half of the music producers/remixers team Rollo and Sister Bliss, and is older brother to Dido, with whom he helped to write and produce the multi-million selling albums "No Angel" and "Life For Rent". He is also a member of the electronic music group Faithless, which he formed in 1995 with Sister Bliss, Jamie Catto and Maxi Jazz. In the United States, Rollo is best known for his production work on Dido's albums as well as singer/songwriter Kristine W's debut album, "Land of the Living".

He studied at the University of York and was an active member of the student radio station, URY.

He has many musical accomplishments both within groups and solo, using various monikers: Faithless, Rollo Goes ..., Felix, Our Tribe (with Rob Dougan), and Dusted.

In 1991, Rollo founded Cheeky Records and released two records before it folded a year later. Champion Records then stepped in to help with funding and advice enabling Cheeky to re-launch in 1994 (it has since been bought out by BMG). In 1992 a single was issued, named "Don't You Want Me?" (not to be confused with the 1981 song with the same name by Human League), played in heavy rotation by club DJs around the world, soon becoming a reliable floor filler. The video for the track had a fairly psychedelic feel; it consisted solely of animated graphics whose "pulsating" movement was perfectly synchronized to the beat, which made it resemble a scene demo on the classic home computers. At that time, no one had any idea about the man hiding behind the Felix handle. It was not until several months later that it was revealed that it was Rollo who had produced this track. Later in 2006, in a BBC Radio 1 interview with Pete Tong, Rollo revealed that he was paid only 300 pounds to do the track. Rollo also co-wrote the song "Who Are You?" by Australian musician Katie Noonan, appearing on her album "Skin".

More recently, Rollo composed the official melody of the 2008 UEFA European Football Championship. [cite web |url=http://www.euro2008.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/PressConference/Competitions/MediaServices/66/52/88/665288_DOWNLOAD.pdf |title=The official UEFA EURO 2008™ music |work=UEFA EURO 2008™: 100 days to go |pages=(page 5) |date=2008-02-28 |publisher=UEFA| accessdate=2008-10-07 |quote=For the first time ever, the European Championship has an official melody...composed by Rollo Armstrong of Faithless on behalf of UEFA.]

Discography

Felix

*"Don't You Want Me" (Single) (1992)
*"It Will Make Me Crazy" (Single) (1992)
*"Stars" (Single) (1993)
*"Fastslow" / "It's Me" (Promo) (1993)
*"Get Down" (Promo) (1993)
*"#1" (1993)

Our Tribe

*"I Believe in You" (Single) (1993)
*"Love Come Home" (Single) (1994)

The O.T. Quartet

*"Hold That Sucker Down" (Single) (1994)

Rollo Goes Camping

*"Get Off Your High Horse" (Single) (1994)

Rollo Goes Mystic

*"Love, Love, Love - Here I Come" (Single) (1995)

Rollo Goes Spiritual

*"Let This Be a Prayer" (Single) (1996)

Dusted

*"Swollen" (Dusted Vocal Mix)– Bent feat. Zoë Johnston (1999)
*"When We Were Young" (2001)
*"Always Remember to Respect and Honor Your Mother" (Single) (2001)
*"Angel" (Dusted remix) – Sarah McLachlan (2001)
*"The Dusted Variations", a set of covers included in Enigma's "15 Years After" box set.

On 28 September 2005, Rollo Armstrong has released a completely re-worked version of the 2000 Dusted "When We Were Young" album named "Safe From Harm", accompanied by an illustrated 80 pages hardcover book with the same name. (ISBN 0-283-07031-5)

References

External links

* [http://arts.enotes.com/contemporary-musicians/faithless-biography Faithless] at eNotes.
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMpUASh56U&feature=related UEFA EURO 2008 full Trailer Intro Theme Jingle] on YouTube. This is the long version of the trailer with the full soundtrack, composed by Rollo.