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Sneaker Pimps are a British trip hop band formed in Hartlepool, England, in 1994. They are best known for their first album, ''Becoming X'' (1996), and the singles "6 Underground" and "Spin Spin Sugar". They took their name from an article the Beastie Boys published in their ''Grand Royal'' magazine about a man they hired to track down classic sneakers. The band's founding members were Liam Howe and Chris Corner, who then recruited Kelli Dayton (formerly of Lumieres, now recording under the name Kelli Ali) for vocal duties and long-time friend Ian Pickering to provide lyrics. After the first album, the band felt that demos for the second album (on which Corner provided the guide vocals) better suited his voice, especially in regard to the more raw, personal quality of the lyrics. Following the promotional tour for ''Becoming X'', Kelli was dismissed from the group, and Corner became the singer. In May of 2015, founding member Liam Howe hinted via Twitter that Sneaker Pimps would return to release their 4th album.〔https://twitter.com/SneakerPimpsNow〕 It is unknown whether Chris Corner, co-founder and current frontman of IAMX, will feature on the new album. ==History== Chris Corner and Liam Howe met as teenagers in the eighties, both taking an interest in recording and studio experimentation. They banded together under the name F.R.I.S.K. and produced the "Soul of Indiscretion" EP, an early example of what became known as trip-hop. The mix of beats and acoustic folk sounds was further explored on two more instrumental EPs: "F.R.I.S.K." and "World as a Cone". They were signed to Clean Up Records.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Biography )〕 The duo's early DJ and production efforts took the alias Line of Flight. As their music evolved, Howe and Corner began to tire of the non-vocal format, and wanted to explore making music with more pop leanings. They drafted school friend Ian Pickering to assist in writing lyrics for what would eventually become the album ''Becoming X''. Chris Corner recorded vocals for several demo tracks, but the band decided the kind of music they were writing better suited a female vocal. At their manager's suggestion, they saw Kelli Dayton performing in a pub and recruited her to join on vocals.〔 Finally the band came together with friends Joe Wilson on bass and Dave Westlake on drums and percussion, and began recording under the Sneaker Pimps name. The 1996 debut album Becoming X was a runaway success, released during the peak popularity of the trip-hop genre. The album got them signed to Virgin America, and sold over a million copies.〔 They toured the album for two years, including gigs alongside Aphex Twin.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.pollstar.com/hotstar_article.aspx?ID=13374 )〕 A 1998 remix album, Becoming Remixed, also followed. Upon return from the tour, the band began writing their follow-up album. Chris Corner again laid down the initial vocal demos, at which point it became clear to the band that his vocal style fit better with the direction their music was turning.〔 At this time, Kelli was asked to leave the band, also in part due to the stress of the preceding tour. The band's lineup change led them to be dropped from Virgin, and the sophomore album ''Splinter'' was instead released in the UK on Clean Up Records in 1999. ''Splinter'' featured more traditional instrumentation, acoustic guitars, and downbeat tempos. With the band's change in direction, ''Splinter'' did not match the commercial success of ''Becoming X'', but solidified a cult fanbase. Their third album ''Bloodsport'' was released on Tommy Boy Records in 2002. Songs from the album were previewed during in a 2001 European tour opening for Placebo.〔 A more dance-oriented album than its predecessor, ''Bloodsport'' contains influences of new wave, pop, funk, and alternative combined with a residue of trip-hop. Cynical takes on fame and celebrity are a recurring lyrical theme throughout the album.〔 In 2003, the band's website stated they had "decided to undergo a mutation" and announced the launch of Chris Corner's new project, IAMX.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030812003638/http://www.sneakerpimps.com/news.html )〕 A fourth Sneaker Pimps album was demoed but shelved, and is referred to in fan circles as SP4. Many of the songs would be finalized and recorded by Corner on the first two IAMX albums. Although the band's website hinted through 2005 that new Sneaker Pimps material and 5.1 Surround Sound re-releases of the first two albums were on the way, these plans never materialized and band members focused instead on varying side projects. In May of 2015, founding member Liam Howe hinted that Sneaker Pimps would return to officially release a fourth album. He later reinforced this on a new Sneaker Pimps Twitter account.〔https://twitter.com/SneakerPimpsNow〕 Corner has commented that he would like to be involved in future Sneaker Pimps projects if other band members are equally interested. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sneaker Pimps」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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