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{{Use American English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Short description|American record producer and DJ}}
{{BLP sources|date=May 2009}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Arthur Baker
| image = [[File:Arthur Baker producer (cropped).jpg|111px]]
| caption = Baker in 1984
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|4|22}}▼
|image_size =
|origin birth_place = [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], U.S.▼
|background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| genre = {{Hlist|[[Electro music|Electro]],<ref name=bakin>{{cite web|workpublisher=[[AllMusic]]|title=Arthur Baker|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/arthur-baker-mn0000507555|accessdateaccess-date=March 8, 2011}}</ref> |[[post-disco]],<ref name=bakin /> |[[dance music|club, dance]],<ref name=bakin /> |[[Freestyle music|freestyle]], |[[old school hip hop]]}}▼
▲|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|4|22}}
| years_active = 1982–1996, 2006–present▼
▲|origin = [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], U.S.
|instrument occupation = Vocals,Record synthesizerproducer, drumremixer, machineDJ
| label = [[A&M Records|A&M]]/[[PolyGram Records|PolyGram]], Criminal, Streetwise▼
▲|genre = [[Electro music|Electro]],<ref name=bakin>{{cite web|work=[[AllMusic]]|title=Arthur Baker|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/arthur-baker-mn0000507555|accessdate=March 8, 2011}}</ref> [[post-disco]],<ref name=bakin/> [[dance music|club, dance]],<ref name=bakin/> [[Freestyle music|freestyle]], [[old school hip hop]]
| website = ▼
▲|years_active = 1982–1996, 2006–present
▲|label = [[A&M Records|A&M]]/[[PolyGram Records|PolyGram]], Criminal, Streetwise
|associated_acts = [[North End (band)|North End]], [[Rockers Revenge]], [[Goon Squad (band)|Goon Squad]], [[Brooklyn Funk Essentials]], [[Afrika Bambaataa]], [[Freeez]], [[Hall & Oates]], [[Pet Shop Boys]]
▲|website =
}}
'''Arthur Baker''' (born April 22, 1955) is an [[United States|American]] [[record producer]]<ref>Arthur Baker Biography, ''[http://www.arthurbaker.net arthurbaker.net] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050305060421/http://www.arthurbaker.net/ |date=March 5, 2005 }}''. Retrieved June 13, 2005</ref><ref>[http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/lectures/arthur-baker--the-man-who-rocked-the-planet Arthur Baker RBMA lecture]</ref> and [[Disc jockey|DJ]] best known for his work with [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] artists like [[Afrika Bambaataa]], and [[Planet Patrol]], andas thewell [[Unitedas Kingdom|British]] [[musical ensemble|group]] [[New Order (band)|New Order]]. He is also known for remixing the [[Jill Jones]] song "Mia Bocca" on the 12" single, taken from her self-titled debut album ''[[Jill Jones (album)|Jill Jones]]'' (1987), released on Prince's [[Paisley Park Records]], as well as remixing the [[Pet Shop Boys]] song, "[[Disco (Pet Shop Boys album)|In Thethe Night]]". His remix of the song was used as the main theme for the [[BBC]] TV programme ''[[The Clothes Show]]'' between 1986 and 1994. He also remixed 'the "Massive Jungle Mix'" for [[Tina Turner]]'s [[UK top 40]] [[lead single]] from her 1996 album "[[WildestWhatever DreamsYou Want (Tina Turner albumsong)|Wildest Dreams]] '[[Whatever You Want]]'" (co-written by himself, [[Taylor Dayne]] and [[Fred Zarr]]).<ref>[{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-world-of-tina.com/whatever-you-want---single.html|title=Tina TheTurner World– ofWhatever TinaYou Website]Want – Single|website=The-world-of-tina.com}}</ref><ref>[{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/21088/tina-turner/|title=TINA TURNER Tina&#124; Turnerfull 'sOfficial UKChart History &#124; Official ChartCharts entries]Company|website=Officialcharts.com}}</ref> Arthur Baker's songs are represented by [[Downtown Music Publishing]].▼
 
== Biography ==▼
▲'''Arthur Baker''' (born April 22, 1955) is an [[United States|American]] [[record producer]]<ref>Arthur Baker Biography, ''[http://www.arthurbaker.net arthurbaker.net] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050305060421/http://www.arthurbaker.net/ |date=March 5, 2005 }}''. Retrieved June 13, 2005</ref><ref>[http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/lectures/arthur-baker--the-man-who-rocked-the-planet Arthur Baker RBMA lecture]</ref> and [[Disc jockey|DJ]] best known for his work with [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] artists like [[Afrika Bambaataa]], [[Planet Patrol]], and the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[musical ensemble|group]] [[New Order (band)|New Order]]. He is also known for remixing the [[Jill Jones]] song "Mia Bocca" on the 12" single, taken from her self-titled debut album ''[[Jill Jones (album)|Jill Jones]]'' (1987), released on Prince's [[Paisley Park Records]], as well as remixing the [[Pet Shop Boys]] song, "[[Disco (Pet Shop Boys album)|In The Night]]". His remix of the song was used as the main theme for the [[BBC]] TV programme [[The Clothes Show]] between 1986 and 1994. He also remixed 'the Massive Jungle Mix' for [[Tina Turner]]'s [[UK top 40]] [[lead single]] from her 1996 album [[Wildest Dreams (Tina Turner album)|Wildest Dreams]] '[[Whatever You Want]]' (co-written by himself, [[Taylor Dayne]] and [[Fred Zarr]]).<ref>[https://www.the-world-of-tina.com/whatever-you-want---single.html The World of Tina Website]</ref><ref>[https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/21088/tina-turner/ Tina Turner 's UK Official Chart entries]</ref> Arthur Baker's songs are represented by [[Downtown Music Publishing]].
=== Early career ===▼
Born in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]],<ref name="djhistory.com">[{{cite web|url=http://www.djhistory.com/djhistory/archiveInterviewDisplay.php?interview_id=8 '|title=Interview: Arthur Baker', ''|publisher=DJ History''] {{webarchive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050301155437/http://www.djhistory.com/djhistory/archiveInterviewDisplay.php?interview_id=8 |archive-date=March 1, 2005 }}, |author=Bill Brewster & Frank Broughton. Retrieved |accessdate=June 13, 2005.}}</ref> on April 22, 1955, <ref name=bakin /> Baker began working as a club DJ in Boston in the early-1970s, where he was known for playing crowd-pleasing [[soul music|soul]] and [[Philly soul]]. Nonetheless, he had little patience for DJing, saying in an interview: "[If] I didn't get a good reaction on a record, I'd just rip it off, break it up and throw it on the dancefloor."<ref name="djhistory.com" />▼
 
Baker's production career started off with a few disco recording sessions in Boston. Legendary disco remixer [[Tom Moulton]], who was signed to Casablanca at the time, was required to release an album of his own as part of the deal for working for the label. Tom's brother Jerry came across the sessions written and recorded by Baker, Tony Carbone, and Larry Wedgeworth and bought them in a deal from Baker. Moulton then remixed[[remix]]ed the tracks and released them as his 1979 album "T.J.M" Baker talked about the album in an interview with [[Red Bull Music Academy]] in 2012.▼
▲==Biography==
▲===Early career===
▲Born in [[Boston, Massachusetts]],<ref name="djhistory.com">[http://www.djhistory.com/djhistory/archiveInterviewDisplay.php?interview_id=8 'Interview: Arthur Baker', ''DJ History''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050301155437/http://www.djhistory.com/djhistory/archiveInterviewDisplay.php?interview_id=8 |date=March 1, 2005 }}, Bill Brewster & Frank Broughton. Retrieved June 13, 2005.</ref> Baker began working as a club DJ in Boston in the early-1970s, where he was known for playing crowd-pleasing [[soul music|soul]] and [[Philly soul]]. Nonetheless, he had little patience for DJing, saying in an interview: "[If] I didn't get a good reaction on a record, I'd just rip it off, break it up and throw it on the dancefloor."<ref name="djhistory.com"/>
 
{{QuoteBlockquote|"Well, when I was in Boston, I went into a recording studio...Intermedia Studios ... the first [[Aerosmith]] album was recorded there. I took an engineering course there....from there I kept on doing things.... I went to my family and I borrowed like a thousand dollars, from my grandmother, my father, just about anyone. Got money from them and I decided to make an album. Something like a [[Gamble & Huff]] album. It was like doing a full album with strings on every track. I mean it was crazy, and I probably spent like 15 grand. And then Tom Moulton's brother heard it and said " Oh we love the songs, we'll buy it from you but we're going to re-record everything." So this was the first time I got f***ed in the record business. Listen up for this one! So, basically he said: "Here's the money, you'll get publishing." Because you know, I'd written all the songs. And he said : " We just want the tapes, we're not going to use them but we just want them so we can listen to them better." So of course, I gave him the multitracks, and a year later it came out as T.J.M. He'd used everything I'd done, and he sort of remixed it or mixed it.▼
▲Baker's production career started off with a few disco recording sessions in Boston. Legendary disco remixer [[Tom Moulton]], who was signed to Casablanca at the time, was required to release an album of his own as part of the deal for working for the label. Tom's brother Jerry came across the sessions written and recorded by Baker, Tony Carbone, and Larry Wedgeworth and bought them in a deal from Baker. Moulton then remixed the tracks and released them as his 1979 album "T.J.M" Baker talked about the album in an interview with Red Bull Music Academy in 2012.
 
▲{{Quote|"Well, when I was in Boston, I went into a recording studio...Intermedia Studios ... the first Aerosmith album was recorded there. I took an engineering course there....from there I kept on doing things.... I went to my family and I borrowed like a thousand dollars, from my grandmother, my father, just about anyone. Got money from them and I decided to make an album. Something like a Gamble & Huff album. It was like doing a full album with strings on every track. I mean it was crazy, and I probably spent like 15 grand. And then Tom Moulton's brother heard it and said " Oh we love the songs, we'll buy it from you but we're going to re-record everything." So this was the first time I got f***ed in the record business. Listen up for this one! So, basically he said: "Here's the money, you'll get publishing." Because you know, I'd written all the songs. And he said : " We just want the tapes, we're not going to use them but we just want them so we can listen to them better." So of course, I gave him the multitracks, and a year later it came out as T.J.M. He'd used everything I'd done, and he sort of remixed it or mixed it.
So, I got a bit screwed on that one."|Arthur Baker|}}
 
Baker also released a single under the moniker "North End" on [[West End Records]] in 1979, "Kind of Life (Kind of Love).".
 
=== Remixer/producer ===
In 1981, Baker moved to [[New York City|New York]], where he continued to DJ whilstwhile pursuing a career as a producer. His first successful single was "[[Happy Days, (North End song)|Happy Days]]", which he released under the name North End on [[Emergency Records]] in 1981.
 
In the early 1980s, prior to digital recording equipment that would emerge a decade later, Baker and his contemporaries created remixes on analogueanalog tape. He worked closely with [[the Latin Rascals]], which were influenced by the earlier work of [[Tom Moulton]], John Morales (of [[Morales and Munzibai]]), and [[Walter Gibbons]], the creator of the first commercially available [[twelve-inch single]], a remix of [[Double Exposure (band)|Double Exposure]]'s "[[Ten Percent. (song)|Ten Percent]]". The Latin Rascals would eventually edit the work of every major United States dance-music producer active in the 1980s, but in the early days, the duo was part of Baker's circle.
 
Baker went on to work for [[hip-hop]] label [[Tommy Boy Records]], where he produced [[Afrika Bambaataa]] and the [[Soul Sonic Force]]'s "[[Planet Rock (song)|Planet Rock]]" single, which was a hit in the summer of 1982.<ref name="Larkin80">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=2003|edition=Third|isbn=1-85227-969-9|page=42}}</ref> The record combined elements from two [[Kraftwerk]] recordings, "Trans Europe Express" and "Numbers,", which were [[Interpolation (popular music)|interpolated]] by studio musicians, rather than [[sampling (music)|sampled]]. Later that year, using unused tracks from “Planet"Planet Rock", he later produced [[Planet Patrol]]'s "Play at Your Own Risk" single in 1982, another group with a hit album in 1983.
 
Also during 1982, he produced the single "Walking on Sunshine" by Rocker's Revenge featuring Donny Calvin which hit number one on the U.S.US Dance chart on September 18 that year.
 
In 1983, Baker found work doing dance remixes of pop and rock hits, first with [[Cyndi Lauper]]'s "[[Girls Just Wanna Have Fun]],", and [[Bruce Springsteen]]'s "[[Dancing in the Dark (Springsteen song)|Dancing in the Dark]],", "[[Cover Me (Bruce Springsteen song)|Cover Me]],", and "[[Born in the U.S.A. (song)|Born in the U.S.A.]]" from his ''[[Born in the U.S.A.]]'' album. Also during 1983, Baker produced the track "[[I.O.U. (Freeez song)|I.O.U.]]" by [[Freeez]], which was one of the biggest dance hits of the year in the UK. In 1984, Baker contributed his "Breakers' Revenge" to the ''[[Beat Street]]'' score and [[Beat Street (soundtrack)|movie soundtrack]], which he also helped produce. He is the remixer and additional producer for songs for [[Hall and Oates]] ("Out Ofof Touch", "Method Ofof Modern Love", "Possession Obsession", "Dance On Your Knees") and [[Diana Ross]] ("Swept Away", co-written and co-produced by Daryl Hall)). In 1985, he produced three songs on [[Jennifer Holliday]]'s album ''Say You Love Me'', the biggest hit being "No Frills Love", a song he co-wrote, co-produced, arranged and remixed. The infamous and much sought after Remixesremixes for [[Pet Shop Boys]]´' "Suburbia" followed in 1986.
 
Following these successes, Baker came to the attention of [[British people|Manchester]] [[alternative dance]] group [[New Order (band)|New Order]], who co-wrote "[[Confusion (New Order song)|Confusion]]" and "[[Thieves Like Us (song)|Thieves Like Us]]" with him (and Baker can be seen prominently in the music video of the former). The 12-inch single "Confusion" was a crossover hit on the [[United States|U.S.]]US dance charts, and established a relationship between Baker and the band that has continued for more than 20 yearssince.
 
Narrowly missing out on signing the [[Beastie Boys]] to his Streetwise Records label, Baker did manage to sign the group [[New Edition]], which had success with its single "[[Candy Girl (New Edition song)|Candy Girl]].".
 
=== Further collaborations ===
In 1984, Baker worked with [[Hall & Oates]] as mix consultant on their album ''[[Big Bam Boom]],'', and the result was a markedly urban and electronic sound for the duo. Baker co-wrote the opening instrumental, "Dance On Your Knees,", with Daryl Hall. He also remixed that song and the album's other three chart hits: "Out Of Touch", "Method Of Modern Love", and "Possession Obsession". Baker also contributed three remixes to "Tease Me", the lead-off track on (Ohio Players and Parliament Funkadelic alum) Walter "Junie" Morrison's "Evacuate Your Seats" Techno-Freqs EP.
 
In 1985, Baker helped [[Bob Dylan]] complete his ''[[Empire Burlesque]]'' album as mixer and arranger, and with [[Steven Van Zandt | Little Steven Van Zandt]] organized and produced the anti-[[apartheid]] anthem "Sun City" by [[Artists United Against Apartheid]]. He was later honored by the [[United Nations]] Special Committee against Apartheid for "high valuable contribution to the international campaign for the elimination of apartheid and the establishment of a non-racial and democratic society in [[South Africa]]".{{Citation needed|date=October 2007}}.
 
In the late 1980s and later into the 1990s, Baker worked with soul star [[Al Green]], writing and producing the international hit "The Message is Love" and the anti-handgun song "Leave the Guns at Home". In 1989, he released the album ''Merge'' on [[A&M Records]] as '''Arthur Baker and the Backbeat Disciples''', and remixed [[Neneh Cherry]]'s debut single "[[Buffalo Stance]]". He was also the music supervisor of the films ''[[Fried Green Tomatoes (soundtrack)|Fried Green Tomatoes]]'' and ''Listen Up -– The Lives of [[Quincy Jones]]''. In 1991, he released a second album under Arthur Baker and the Backbeat Disciples, ''Give in to the Rhythm''.
 
=== 1990s–2000s ===
In the 1990s, following a break from production for some years, Baker moved to [[London]], and established a chain of successful bars&mdash;Thebars—The Elbow Rooms&mdash;acrossRooms—across the city. He also owns the [http://www.tnyrbt.com Tiny Robot] restaurant and [https://web.archive.org/web/20110210173857/http://www.strlnd.com/ The Starland Social Club] members bar in London, located in [[Notting Hill]]. He continues to work as a DJ and music producer and recently produced "Part-A" for the genre-busting London Electro Metal band Monsta.
 
The Arthur Baker remix of "[[Spaceman (Babylon Zoo song)|Spaceman]]" by [[Babylon Zoo]] was used in the 1995 [[Levi Strauss & Co.|Levi's]] commercial "Planet".
 
In 2006, the financial services company [[VISA (credit card)|Visa]] used a Baker-produced track from Afrika Bambaataa's "Looking For the Perfect Beat" as the backing music of a Visa Check Card commercial. In the ad, an animated worm drawn on the pages of a checkbook does the 1980s dance known as [[the worm (dance move)|the Worm]].
 
== Select discography ==
=== Wally Jump Jr. & Thethe Criminal Element ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
Line 64 ⟶ 65:
! colspan="4"| Peak positions
! rowspan="2"| Album
|-
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="35"| <small>[[Hot Dance Club Songs|US Dance]]</small><br /><ref>{{cite webmagazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/277801/wally-jump-jr-criminal-element/chart?f=359 |title=Wally Jump Jr & The Criminal Element -– US Dance Club Songs |publishermagazine=billboard.comBillboard |accessdateaccess-date=May 2, 2014|archive-05url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705022541/http://www.billboard.com/artist/277801/wally-02jump-jr-criminal-element/chart?f=359|archive-date=July 5, 2015}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[MegaCharts|NED]]</small>
! width="35"| <small>[[Ultratop|BEL<br />(FLA)]]</small>
! width="35"| <small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small><br /><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_23611/wally%20jump%20jr.%20%26%20the%20criminal%20element%20orchestra-jump-junior/|title=Official Charts Company: Wally Jump Jr & The Criminal Element |publisher=Official Charts Company |accessdateaccess-date=May 2, 2014-05-02}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3"|1986
! scope="row"| "Jummp-Back"
| 16 || — || — || —83
| align="left" rowspan="7"| ''Don't Push Your Luck''
|-
Line 89 ⟶ 90:
|-
| rowspan="2"|1988
! scope="row"| "Sworn Toto Fun" <small>(US only)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
Line 95 ⟶ 96:
| — || — || — || —
|-
| align="center" colspan="7" style="font-size:8pt9pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.
|}
 
=== Criminal Element Orchestra ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
Line 105 ⟶ 106:
! colspan="2"| Peak positions
! rowspan="2"| Album
|-
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="35"| <small>[[Hot Dance Club Songs|US Dance]]</small><br /><ref>{{cite webmagazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/299762/criminal-element-orchestra/chart?f=359 |title=Criminal Element Orchestra -– US Dance Club Songs |publishermagazine=billboard.comBillboard |accessdateaccess-date=May 2, 2014|archive-05url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607072729/https://www.billboard.com/artist/299762/criminal-02element-orchestra/chart?f=359|archive-date=June 7, 2015}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small><br /><ref>{{cite web|urlname=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/wally%20jump%20jr.%20%26%20the%20criminal%20element%20orchestra/|title=Official"auto" Charts Company: Wally Jump Jr & The Criminal Element |publisher=Official Charts Company |accessdate=2014-05-02}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="1"|1987
! scope="row"| "Put Thethe Needle Toto Thethe Record"
| 10 || 63
| align="left" rowspan="3"| ''Locked Up''
|-
| rowspan="1"|1989
! scope="row"| "When Thethe Funk Hits Thethe Fan"
| — || —
|-
Line 124 ⟶ 125:
! scope="row"| "Everybody (Rap)" <small>(feat. Wendell Williams)</small> <small>(Criminal Element Orchestra credited on UK releases only)</small>
| — || 30
| align="left" rowspan="4"| ''The Best Ofof Criminal Element Orchestra''
|-
! scope="row"| "Could It Be I'm Falling Inin Love" <small>(with Tkeylow)</small> <small>(US only)</small>
| — || —
|-
| rowspan="1"|1991
! scope="row"| "What Is Thethe Criminal Element? (La Da Dee La Da Daa)" <small>(feat. [[Princessa (singer)|Princessa]])</small> <small>(US only)</small>
| — || —
|-
Line 140 ⟶ 141:
! scope="row"| "Go Around" <small>(UK only)</small>
| — || 89
| align="left" rowspan="1"| ''singleSingle only''
|-
| align="center" colspan="13" style="font-size:8pt9pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.
|}
 
=== Arthur Baker & Thethe Backbeat Disciples ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
Line 152 ⟶ 153:
! colspan="10"| Peak positions
! rowspan="2"| Album
|-
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="35"| <small>[[Billboard Hot 100|US]]</small><br /><ref>{{cite webmagazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/279993/arthur-baker/chart?f=379 |title=Arthur Baker And The Backbeat Disciples -– US Hot 100 |publishermagazine=billboard.comBillboard |accessdateaccess-date=May 2, 2014|archive-05url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150606153249/https://www.billboard.com/artist/279993/arthur-02baker/chart?f=379|archive-date=June 6, 2015}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US R&B]]</small><br /><ref>{{cite webmagazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/279993/arthur-baker/chart?f=367 |title=Arthur Baker And The Backbeat Disciples -– US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |publishermagazine=billboard.comBillboard |accessdateaccess-date=May 2, 2014|archive-05url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705040111/https://www.billboard.com/artist/279993/arthur-02baker/chart?f=367|archive-date=July 5, 2015}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[Hot Dance Club Songs|US Dance]]</small><br /><ref>{{cite webmagazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/279993/arthur-baker/chart?f=359 |title=Arthur Baker And The Backbeat Disciples -– US Dance Club Songs |publishermagazine=billboard.comBillboard |accessdateaccess-date=May 2, 2014|archive-05url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607071203/https://www.billboard.com/artist/279993/arthur-02baker/chart?f=359|archive-date=June 7, 2015}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[ARIA Charts|AUS]]</small><br /><ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia|edition=pdf|pages=23}}</ref>
! width="35"| <small>[[ARIA Charts|AUS]]</small>
! width="35"| <small>[[Official New Zealand Music Chart|NZ]]</small>
! width="35"| <small>[[MegaCharts|NED]]</small>
! width="35"| <small>[[Ultratop|BEL<br />(FLA)]]</small>
! width="35"| <small>[[Media Control Charts|GER]]</small>
! width="35"| <small>[[Ö3 Austria Top 40|AUT]]</small>
! width="35"| <small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small><br /><ref>{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_28457/arthur%20baker%20vs%20new%20order-baker/|title=Official Charts Company: Arthur Baker And The Backbeat Disciples |publisher=Official Charts Company |accessdateaccess-date=May 2, 2014-05-02}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3"|1989
Line 176 ⟶ 177:
|-
| rowspan="1"|1990
! scope="row"| "Last Thing Onon My Mind" <small>(feat. John Warren)</small>
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
Line 182 ⟶ 183:
! scope="row"| "Let There Be Love"
| — || — || 14 || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="4"| ''Give In Toto Thethe Rhythm''
|-
! scope="row"| "Leave Thethe Guns Atat Home" <small>(feat. [[Al Green]])</small>
| — || 69 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "Kiss Thethe Ground (You Walk On)" <small>(feat. [[Adele Bertei]])</small>
| — || — || 47 || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
Line 194 ⟶ 195:
| 93 || — || 19 || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|-
| align="center" colspan="13" style="font-size:8pt9pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.
|}
 
=== Other projects ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
Line 204 ⟶ 205:
! colspan="4"| Peak positions
! rowspan="2"| Album
|-
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="35"| <small>[[Hot Dance Club Songs|US Dance]]</small>
! width="35"| <small>[[MegaCharts|NED]]</small>
! width="35"| <small>[[Ultratop|BEL<br />(FLA)]]</small>
! width="35"| <small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small>
|-
| rowspan="2"|1984
! scope="row"| "Breaker's Revenge"
| 19 || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="1"| ''[[Beat Street (soundtrack)|Beat Street OST]]''
|-
! scope="row"| "Who You Stealin' From" <small>(by Guru)</small> <small>(US only)</small>
| — || — || — || —
| align="left" rowspan="21"| ''singlesSingles only''
|-
| rowspan="1"|1986
! scope="row"| "(I Want Toto Go To) Chicago" <small>(by R.T. & Thethe Rockmen Unlimited)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="1"|1987
! scope="row"| "The Opera House" <small>(by Jack E Makossa)</small>
| 6 || 21 || 10 || 48
|-
| rowspan="2"|1991
! scope="row"| "Over & Over" <small>(by Pleasure Pump)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "Why Can't We See" <small>(by Blind Truth feat. [[Táta Vega]] & [[Toney Lee]])</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="1"|1993
! scope="row"| "Love Is Thethe Key" <small>(by Blind Truth feat. [[Táta Vega]])</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="1"|1994
! scope="row"| "Boombaata" <small>(by Blind Truth)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="3"|1996
! scope="row"| "It's So Hard" <small>([[Angel Moraes]] re-presents Blind Truth)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "You're Mine" <small>(Arthur Baker presents Blow Out Express)</small> <small>(UK only)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "Down Thethe Pub" <small>(Blowout Express presents Norman & Christopher)</small> <small>(UK only)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="2"|1997
! scope="row"| "Blowout Expressions" <small>(by Arthur Baker presents Blowout Express)</small> <small>(UK only)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "Stop! Love Patrol" <small>(by Baker/Robie Project)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="1"|1998
! scope="row"| "The Break '98"
| — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="1"|1999
! scope="row"| "Breaker's Revenge '99" <small>(UK only)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="1"|2002
! scope="row"| "Hold Your Head Up" <small>(by Arthur Argent)</small> <small>(UK only)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="3"|2003
! scope="row"| "Real Fookin' Noise" <small>(by Arthur Argent)</small> <small>(UK only)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "Return Toto New York" <small>(feat. [[Princess Superstar]])</small> <small>(UK only)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
! scope="row"| "1000 Years" <small>(feat. [[Astrid Williamson]])</small> <small>(US only)</small>
| 22 || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="1"|2004
! scope="row"| "This Feelin'" <small>(by AB/DC)</small> <small>(UK only)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
| rowspan="1"|2006
Line 290 ⟶ 291:
|-
| rowspan="1"|2009
! scope="row"| "Tear Down Thethe Walls" <small>(feat. [[Nona Hendryx]] & Ladonna)</small> <small>(UK only)</small>
| — || — || — || —
|-
| align="center" colspan="7" style="font-size:8pt9pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.
|}
 
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
 
== External links ==
*{{allmusic}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100420104338/http://www.djhistory.com/interviews/arthur-baker Interview] on DJ History
*[https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2007/apr/07/features.weekend5 ''The Guardian'' interview]
*[http://quotesbox.org/authors/arthur-baker-797/ Arthur Baker's quotes]
 
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:A&M Records artists]]
[[Category:American rockhip hop musicians]]
[[Category:American recordRecord producers from Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Post-disco musicians]]
[[Category:American freestyle musicians]]
[[Category:Musicians from Boston]]
[[Category:American electro musicians]]
[[Category:InternationalAmerican opponents of apartheid in South AfricaDJs]]
[[Category:American expatriates in England]]

Revision as of 11:46, 1 July 2024

Arthur Baker
Baker in 1984
Background information
Born (1955-04-22) April 22, 1955 (age 69)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Record producer, remixer, DJ
Years active1982–1996, 2006–present
LabelsA&M/PolyGram, Criminal, Streetwise

Arthur Baker (born April 22, 1955) is an American record producer and DJ best known for his work with hip hop artists like Afrika Bambaataa and Planet Patrol, as well as British group New Order. He is also known for remixing the Jill Jones song "Mia Bocca" on the 12" single, taken from her self-titled debut album Jill Jones (1987), released on Prince's Paisley Park Records, as well as remixing the Pet Shop Boys song, "In the Night". His remix of the song was used as the main theme for the BBC TV programme The Clothes Show between 1986 and 1994. He also remixed the "Massive Jungle Mix" for Tina Turner's UK top 40 single "Whatever You Want" (co-written by himself, Taylor Dayne and Fred Zarr).[2][3] Arthur Baker's songs are represented by Downtown Music Publishing.

Biography

Early career

Born in Boston, Massachusetts,[4] on April 22, 1955, [1] Baker began working as a club DJ in Boston in the early-1970s, where he was known for playing crowd-pleasing soul and Philly soul. Nonetheless, he had little patience for DJing, saying in an interview: "[If] I didn't get a good reaction on a record, I'd just rip it off, break it up and throw it on the dancefloor."[4]

Baker's production career started off with a few disco recording sessions in Boston. Legendary disco remixer Tom Moulton, who was signed to Casablanca at the time, was required to release an album of his own as part of the deal for working for the label. Tom's brother Jerry came across the sessions written and recorded by Baker, Tony Carbone, and Larry Wedgeworth and bought them in a deal from Baker. Moulton then remixed the tracks and released them as his 1979 album "T.J.M" Baker talked about the album in an interview with Red Bull Music Academy in 2012.

"Well, when I was in Boston, I went into a recording studio...Intermedia Studios ... the first Aerosmith album was recorded there. I took an engineering course there....from there I kept on doing things.... I went to my family and I borrowed like a thousand dollars, from my grandmother, my father, just about anyone. Got money from them and I decided to make an album. Something like a Gamble & Huff album. It was like doing a full album with strings on every track. I mean it was crazy, and I probably spent like 15 grand. And then Tom Moulton's brother heard it and said "Oh we love the songs, we'll buy it from you but we're going to re-record everything." So this was the first time I got f***ed in the record business. Listen up for this one! So, basically he said: "Here's the money, you'll get publishing." Because you know, I'd written all the songs. And he said : " We just want the tapes, we're not going to use them but we just want them so we can listen to them better." So of course, I gave him the multitracks, and a year later it came out as T.J.M. He'd used everything I'd done, and he sort of remixed it or mixed it. So, I got a bit screwed on that one."

— Arthur Baker

Baker also released a single under the moniker "North End" on West End Records in 1979, "Kind of Life (Kind of Love)".

Remixer/producer

In 1981, Baker moved to New York, where he continued to DJ while pursuing a career as a producer. His first successful single was "Happy Days", which he released under the name North End on Emergency Records in 1981.

In the early 1980s, prior to digital recording equipment that would emerge a decade later, Baker and his contemporaries created remixes on analog tape. He worked closely with the Latin Rascals, which were influenced by the earlier work of Tom Moulton, John Morales (of Morales and Munzibai), and Walter Gibbons, the creator of the first commercially available twelve-inch single, a remix of Double Exposure's "Ten Percent". The Latin Rascals would eventually edit the work of every major United States dance-music producer active in the 1980s, but in the early days, the duo was part of Baker's circle.

Baker went on to work for hip-hop label Tommy Boy Records, where he produced Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force's "Planet Rock" single, which was a hit in the summer of 1982.[5] The record combined elements from two Kraftwerk recordings, "Trans Europe Express" and "Numbers", which were interpolated by studio musicians, rather than sampled. Later that year, using unused tracks from "Planet Rock", he later produced Planet Patrol's "Play at Your Own Risk" single in 1982, another group with a hit album in 1983.

Also during 1982, he produced the single "Walking on Sunshine" by Rocker's Revenge featuring Donny Calvin which hit number one on the US Dance chart on September 18 that year.

In 1983, Baker found work doing dance remixes of pop and rock hits, first with Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", and Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark", "Cover Me", and "Born in the U.S.A." from his Born in the U.S.A. album. Also during 1983, Baker produced the track "I.O.U." by Freeez, which was one of the biggest dance hits of the year in the UK. In 1984, Baker contributed his "Breakers' Revenge" to the Beat Street score and movie soundtrack, which he also helped produce. He is the remixer and additional producer for songs for Hall and Oates ("Out of Touch", "Method of Modern Love", "Possession Obsession", "Dance On Your Knees") and Diana Ross ("Swept Away", co-written and co-produced by Daryl Hall). In 1985, he produced three songs on Jennifer Holliday's album Say You Love Me, the biggest hit being "No Frills Love", a song he co-wrote, co-produced, arranged and remixed. The remixes for Pet Shop Boys' "Suburbia" followed in 1986.

Following these successes, Baker came to the attention of Manchester alternative dance group New Order, who co-wrote "Confusion" with him (and Baker can be seen prominently in the music video of the former). The 12-inch single "Confusion" was a crossover hit on the US dance charts, and established a relationship between Baker and the band that has continued since.

Narrowly missing out on signing the Beastie Boys to his Streetwise Records label, Baker did manage to sign the group New Edition, which had success with its single "Candy Girl".

Further collaborations

In 1984, Baker worked with Hall & Oates as mix consultant on their album Big Bam Boom, and the result was a markedly urban and electronic sound for the duo. Baker co-wrote the opening instrumental, "Dance On Your Knees", with Daryl Hall. He also remixed that song and the album's other three chart hits: "Out Of Touch", "Method Of Modern Love", and "Possession Obsession". Baker also contributed three remixes to "Tease Me", the lead-off track on (Ohio Players and Parliament Funkadelic alum) Walter "Junie" Morrison's "Evacuate Your Seats" Techno-Freqs EP.

In 1985, Baker helped Bob Dylan complete his Empire Burlesque album as mixer and arranger, and with Little Steven Van Zandt organized and produced the anti-apartheid anthem "Sun City" by Artists United Against Apartheid. He was later honored by the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid for "high valuable contribution to the international campaign for the elimination of apartheid and the establishment of a non-racial and democratic society in South Africa".[citation needed]

In the late 1980s and later into the 1990s, Baker worked with soul star Al Green, writing and producing the international hit "The Message is Love" and the anti-handgun song "Leave the Guns at Home". In 1989, he released the album Merge on A&M Records as Arthur Baker and the Backbeat Disciples, and remixed Neneh Cherry's debut single "Buffalo Stance". He was also the music supervisor of the films Fried Green Tomatoes and Listen Up – The Lives of Quincy Jones. In 1991, he released a second album under Arthur Baker and the Backbeat Disciples, Give in to the Rhythm.

1990s–2000s

In the 1990s, following a break from production for some years, Baker moved to London, and established a chain of successful bars—The Elbow Rooms—across the city. He also owns the Tiny Robot restaurant and The Starland Social Club members bar in London, located in Notting Hill. He continues to work as a DJ and music producer and recently produced "Part-A" for the genre-busting London Electro Metal band Monsta.

The Arthur Baker remix of "Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo was used in the 1995 Levi's commercial "Planet".

In 2006, the financial services company Visa used a Baker-produced track from Afrika Bambaataa's "Looking For the Perfect Beat" as the backing music of a Visa Check Card commercial. In the ad, an animated worm drawn on the pages of a checkbook does the 1980s dance known as the Worm.

Select discography

Wally Jump Jr. & the Criminal Element

Year Single Peak positions Album
US Dance
[6] 		NED BEL
(FLA) 		UK
[7]
1986 "Jummp-Back" 16 — — 83 Don't Push Your Luck
"Ain't Gonna Pay One Red Cent" — — — —
"Turn Me Loose" 5 — — 60
1987 "Private Party" 39 — — 57
"Tighten Up (I Just Can't Stop Dancin')" 23 13 11 24
1988 "Sworn to Fun" (US only) — — — —
"Thieves" (UK only) — — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Criminal Element Orchestra

Year Single Peak positions Album
US Dance
[8] 		UK
[7]
1987 "Put the Needle to the Record" 10 63 Locked Up
1989 "When the Funk Hits the Fan" — —
1990 "House Time, Anytime" (US only) — —
"Everybody (Rap)" (feat. Wendell Williams) (Criminal Element Orchestra credited on UK releases only) — 30 The Best of Criminal Element Orchestra
"Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" (with Tkeylow) (US only) — —
1991 "What Is the Criminal Element? (La Da Dee La Da Daa)" (feat. Princessa) (US only) — —
1992 "ABC/OPP" (feat. Tim Bryant) (US only) — —
1996 "Go Around" (UK only) — 89 Single only
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Arthur Baker & the Backbeat Disciples

Year Single Peak positions Album
US
[9] 		US R&B
[10] 		US Dance
[11] 		AUS
[12] 		NZ NED BEL
(FLA) 		GER AUT UK
[13]
1989 "It's Your Time" (feat. Shirley Lewis) — — — — — — — — — 64 Merge
"Talk It Over" (feat. John Warren) — — — — — — — — — —
"The Message Is Love" (feat. Al Green) — 84 39 46 10 12 9 6 4 38
1990 "Last Thing on My Mind" (feat. John Warren) — — — — — — — — — —
1991 "Let There Be Love" — — 14 — — — — — — — Give In to the Rhythm
"Leave the Guns at Home" (feat. Al Green) — 69 — — — — — — — —
"Kiss the Ground (You Walk On)" (feat. Adele Bertei) — — 47 — — — — — — —
1992 "I O U" (feat. Nikeeta) 93 — 19 — — — — — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Other projects

Year Single Peak positions Album
US Dance NED BEL
(FLA) 		UK
1984 "Breaker's Revenge" 19 — — — Beat Street OST
"Who You Stealin' From" (by Guru) (US only) — — — — Singles only
1986 "(I Want to Go To) Chicago" (by R.T. & the Rockmen Unlimited) — — — —
1987 "The Opera House" (by Jack E Makossa) 6 21 10 48
1991 "Over & Over" (by Pleasure Pump) — — — —
"Why Can't We See" (by Blind Truth feat. Táta Vega & Toney Lee) — — — —
1993 "Love Is the Key" (by Blind Truth feat. Táta Vega) — — — —
1994 "Boombaata" (by Blind Truth) — — — —
1996 "It's So Hard" (Angel Moraes re-presents Blind Truth) — — — —
"You're Mine" (Arthur Baker presents Blow Out Express) (UK only) — — — —
"Down the Pub" (Blowout Express presents Norman & Christopher) (UK only) — — — —
1997 "Blowout Expressions" (by Arthur Baker presents Blowout Express) (UK only) — — — —
"Stop! Love Patrol" (by Baker/Robie Project) — — — —
1998 "The Break '98" — — — —
1999 "Breaker's Revenge '99" (UK only) — — — —
2002 "Hold Your Head Up" (by Arthur Argent) (UK only) — — — —
2003 "Real Fookin' Noise" (by Arthur Argent) (UK only) — — — —
"Return to New York" (feat. Princess Superstar) (UK only) — — — —
"1000 Years" (feat. Astrid Williamson) (US only) 22 — — —
2004 "This Feelin'" (by AB/DC) (UK only) — — — —
2006 "Glow" (feat. Tim Wheeler) (UK only) — — — 82
2009 "Tear Down the Walls" (feat. Nona Hendryx & Ladonna) (UK only) — — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Arthur Baker". AllMusic. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  2. ^ "Tina Turner – Whatever You Want – Single". The-world-of-tina.com.
  3. ^ "TINA TURNER | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
  4. ^ a b Bill Brewster & Frank Broughton. "Interview: Arthur Baker". DJ History. Archived from the original on March 1, 2005. Retrieved June 13, 2005.
  5. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 42. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.
  6. ^ "Wally Jump Jr & The Criminal Element – US Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 5, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Official Charts Company: Wally Jump Jr & The Criminal Element". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  8. ^ "Criminal Element Orchestra – US Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  9. ^ "Arthur Baker And The Backbeat Disciples – US Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 6, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  10. ^ "Arthur Baker And The Backbeat Disciples – US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 5, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  11. ^ "Arthur Baker And The Backbeat Disciples – US Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  12. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 23.
  13. ^ "Official Charts Company: Arthur Baker And The Backbeat Disciples". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
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