Throwback: A Guy Called Gerald-Blow Your House Down

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Gerald Simpson aka A Guy Called Gerald starting recording dance music in the ’80s as a member of the UK electronic bands Scratchbeat Masters and then with 808 State. He left both groups and scored solo success with “Voodoo Ray” in 1988. Gerald later took 808 State to court for co-producing and writing credit on their biggest song “Pacific State” and they settled out of court. “Voodoo Ray” put Gerald on the map because the song was the best-selling independent single of 1989 in the UK and lead the way for Acid House outside the United States. “Blow Your House Down” is from the Voodoo Ray EP and Gerald’s influence from Detroit Techno went full circle when Detroit made the song a permanent part of its house canon. Gerald started Juice Box records in 1992 after Sony released his Automanikk album. His 28 Gun Bad Boy album is considered the early beginning of jungle and drum and bass. Black Secret Technology followed in 1995 and gets credit for being the first full-length drum and bass album. Juice Box was shut down in 1998 and Gerald did not release another album until 2000’s Essence. These days Gerald is more focused on DJing with his last release being the 2010 Tronic Jazz Berlin sessions. Gerald recently participated in MoMA’s PS1 Warm Up event and provided them with a mix co-sponsored by The Fader.

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