BIOGRAPHY
Eliot was born in Australia and was brought up in Belgium, which left a mark on the music of Skeewiff in the form of loungecore-elements. Refusing the career of a lawyer (Eliot was one of the most prominent lawyer graduates of Harvard), he traveled the world and the road led him to Alex's studio, where together they decided to slightly stir up the dance scene stagnating with their funky melodies.
As a result, in the late 90's on the music label FSUK, owned by Ministry of Sound, the Skeewiff group was formed. The partnership between the band and the label was short and unpleasant, which forced the guys to leave FSUK, taking their recordings with them, and immediately write the thunderous hit "Mucho Mambo", which Skeewiff released under his pseudonym Shaft. Having a sad experience of stringent restrictions when working with music labels, Alex and Elliot organized their own label - Jalapeno.
HISTORY
Skeewiff are a funky breaks act started by Producer/Composer/Remixer Alex Rizzo and Jalapeno Records Label Founder Elliot Ireland way back in 1998.
The first release of the label was EP, ironically named in memory of the unsuccessful collaboration with FSUK "The Label will not Touch This E.P.", which excited the fans of funk music. Later, a further twelve EPs were released. The public demanded a full-fledged album, which resulted in the appearance in 1999 of the album "It's All Gone", which included songs from the previously released EP and who tossed Skeewiff to the top of the Olympus of funk music.
Later Skeewiff will release two more albums, which will only strengthen the position of the band, constantly changing the composition for the sake of a new sound. A lot of musicians will pass through Skeewiff, and each of them will leave the band, as if shining from within and repeating the same phrase: "Damn that was funky !!!"
After a few years spent releasing seminal Breaks Eps such AWOL and Quattro stagioni on Ministry of sound offshoot FSUK, Skeewiff went on to release their first three albums – Its all gone, Cruise Control & Private Funktion on their own home grown vinyl crazed Jalapeno Records.
They are also no stranger to hits, having had 5 worldwide number ones with alter egos such as Shaft (Mucho Mambo & Mambo Italiano) and later with their collaborative super group, Ikon.
Over the years, they have collaborated with many diverse acts. From hip hop heroes like Young MC & The Jungle Brothers to Lounge legends Alan Hawkshaw, Keith Mansfield & Syd Dale. Not to mention top flight remixes of artists like Amy Winehouse, Eminem and The Sugababes.
A decade later in 2008 and Alex & Elliot decided It was time to start yet another label – Pedigree Cuts & this time in the ethers of the digital cloud… Skeewiff’s fourth album “Breaks of the unexpected” was released in 2010.
DISCOGRAPHY
Albums:
It's All Gone... 2000
Miniskirt 2002
Cruise Control 2003
Nu-Directions 2005
Private Funktion 2006
The Fabulous Funky Remixes 2007
Remix Boutique 2008
Funky Breakbeat 2008
Breaks Of The Unexpected 2010
Skeewiff & Lemon - Funky Breakbeat Vol.2 2011
The Skeewiff Disco 2012
Electro-Swing & Gospel-Breaks 2012
Vintage Remix Boutique 2012
Man Turns Animal! (For The Erotic Pleasures Of Women...And Men) 2013
Skeewiff Vs. Amphonic 2013
Skeewiff's Funky Shizzle 2015
MORE INFO https://www.discogs.com/artist/17525-Skeewiff
