Utah Saints

Blazing a trail for the electro-rock crossover acts of today, rave-pop DJs Jez Willis and Tim Garbutt made a big impact in the early 1990s, mixing dancefloor beats with an endless barrage of eclectic samples. Going on to influence the likes of The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers and Underworld, Utah Saints were one of the early electronic acts to cross into the rock arena, playing on the European festival circuit and supporting U2. Debut album Utah Saints (1993) brought worldwide acclaim with the singles "What Can You Do For Me?" and "Believe In Me" becoming huge club anthems, but it was the Kate Bush-sampling "Something Good" that stands as their biggest hit reaching Number 4 in the UK. Amidst legal disputes and a falling out with their record company, the lads turned to DJing and producing, remixing tracks for artists diverse as Blondie, Hawkwind and later Girls Aloud. Seven years after their first album, Utah Saints returned with follow-up Two (2000), featuring Edwin Starr, Chrissie Hynde and Chuck D and samples from Metallica, Average White Band and Jocelyn Brown. They have continued to produce—dropping the "I Got 5 on It" with Rory Lyons in 2013—DJ and remix and have also set up club nights under the name BeatVandals. In 2024, the duo reissued their debut album in celebration of National Album Day in the UK.