One of the most engaging and accessible of the so-called big beat electronic sub genre, the Birmingham duo Bentley Rhythm Ace are made up of ex-Pop Will Eat Itself bassist Richard March and DJ and keyboard player Mike Stokes. After forming in 1995 when the duo discovered a mutual interest in cheap vinyl and trashy novelty records the group released their debut self-titled album in 1997.
Their name originates from a brand of analogue drum machines used by the band although for live sets the duo have been known to call upon the drumming services of Fuzz Townsend, also ex Pop Will Eat Itself and latterly of The Beat, or session drummer Keith York. The band's debut album was very well received by music critics and the group soon built up an underground following of loyal fans. The debut single taken from the album titled 'Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out' was popular on the club scene and the band soon found their music in demand for soundtracks and advertising and the resulting exposure helped the album to go gold.
Their follow up album 'For Your Ears Only' released in 2000 didn't achieve the same positive impact as their debut release and the band split shortly afterwards. In 2016 they reformed and have been making appearances across the UK at festivals and also supported The Wonder Stuff on a recent tour.
