UNKLE splits up after 10 years :: Music News :: Articles

A little part of the trip-hop died last Friday when UNKLE announced it was officially calling it quits. The band announced the split via its website, stating:

"After 10 years as musical collaborators in UNKLE, James Lavelle and Richard File are going their separate ways - a decision that is mutual and amicable. Rich will be concentrating on his new band We Fell To Earth, who are currently in the studio working on their debut album."

This announcement follows the band’s first-ever U.S. tour, which saw the duo score high-profile spots at the 2007 CMJ Music Marathon Conference and the Vegoose Music Festival in Las Vegas. The U.S. trek was in support of band's most recent studio album, War Stories, which received mixed reviews. (However, this Paste newsman still touts the merits of War Stories. Full disclosure: I also prefer ripped flannel to American Apparel, like 3rd Rock from the Sun better than 30 Rock, and use a beeper.)

The band rose to popularity in 1998 as one of the leaders of the legendary (and sadly defunct) Mo’ Wax Records U.K. record label. Its debut LP, Psyence Fiction, was hugely successful, at least in part because of the duo’s high-profile collaborations with Thom Yorke and Richard Ashcroft. UNKLE also remixed a ridiculous amount of other artists’ songs over the years, ranging from Beck’s “Where It’s At” to Beethoven's 9th Symphony (!). No word yet on File's We Fell to Earth, though the band does have a pretty cryptic website up and sorta-kinda running.

UNKLE, we hardly knew ye. Enjoy the big rave in the sky, buddies.

Got news tips for Paste? E-mail news@pastemagazine.com.