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Finger Lickin artists Lee Rous and Andy Gardner, better known as The Plump DJ´s, have caused some serious waves in the dance music over the past year. They are being tipped as the next Basement Jaxx/ Chemical Brothers and everyone seems to want a slice of the action.
Inspired by the title of a top shelf girlie mag entitled “Plumpers”, Lee Rous and Andy Gardner made friends and the Plump DJs were born. It would be nice to say that before making music, the Plump DJs had glamorous jobs - but we can´t. Before the duo met Andy worked in a cardboard box factory and Lee was a waiter at a Berni Inn. The music started as a hobby and after a number of excursions and collaborations, the two found their oats at the Finger Lickin´ stable.
Since releasing "A Plump Night Out" their success has soared. They have achieved Mixmag “Breaks compilation of the year”; Pete Tong's Essential compilation album; album of the Month in Wax and M8; they have been written about in literally every dance publication going.
Their DJ mix covermount CD on Mixmag sold over 140,000 copies and was their biggest selling issue ever. In 2001 they achieved Pete Tong´s "Essential Tune" with their remix of The Elektronauts “Bumper” on Lacerba.
This went on to be nominated for "Best Remix of 2001" at the annual Muzik awards. The Plumps were also nominated for Best breakthrogh DJÕ and narrowly missed a nomination for a Mercury music award
The first Plump DJs release was the almighty “Electric Disco/ Plumpy Chunks” in November 99, which paved the way for the massive follow up “The Push/You Will Remember My Name”, which made Muzik magazine´s “Vital Release of the month”, with only 20 copies in existence! In late 2000 the Plumps unleashed their “Plump Night Out” album samplers which went on to achieve No.1 in DJ magazines Breaks and Beats chart for an amazing three issues and won second place overall for the year 2000. In Wax and M8 they got “Single of the month” and in Seven magazine they made Essential Breaks tune for “Fever”. Their third single "Big Groovy Fucker/TB RealityÕ is released in March 2002 and is already single of the month in Muzik, number 1 in the DJ breaks and beats chart, Cool Cuts position.
Following a spate of remixes for everyone from BT, Orbital, The Freestylers, Mint Royale to the chart bound classic Stakker Humanoid and Judge Jules´ tune of the week JDS Nine Ways, the Plumps have been locked away at Laboratoire Plump, their Soho recording studio working on their artist album. Their productions are proving so popular that Phil Hartnoll of Orbital called the label to say it was the best mix they have ever had!
Subsequently they have been support DJs for both recent tours. They are now stopping remixes to concentrate on their eagerly awaited artist album, due for late 2002.
So popular is their sound that their music has been used on a Levis commercial in Asia for six months, three Sony Playstation games as well as providing backing music for Grandstand, Ski Sunday and Sky Sports. Support from radio has been overwhelming. They have achieved essential new tune on Pete Tong, had guest mixes on all Radio shows including the Essential Selection, Annie Nightingale, Marie Ann Hobbs “Breeze Block”, James Hyman on XFM, Capital Radio and have even hosted their own show on Kiss FM. The Plump DJs have supported Orbital on two of their UK tours, at the same time staying faithful to their other monthly residency at the U.K´s number one club Fabric. That´s as well as appearances at Friction, Funkt, (London), Blowpop (Bristol), Big Beat Boutique (Brighton); Bugged Out events around the country and guest spots around the world, including a tour of Australia and Singapore. Their crazy schedule of DJing worldwide has kept them very busy. Tours of Germany, New Zealand, Japan and Canada and the US are in the pipeline for 2002.