Biography
A little-known UK indie pop outfit gained its primary distinction through the presence of Carl Hyde (later Karl Hyde; born 10 May 1957 in Worcester, Worcestershire, England) and Rick Smith (born Richard Smith, 25 May 1959 in Ammanford, Wales), the pair who would later issue some of the era’s most influential dance recordings under the name Underworld. Hyde and Smith first collaborated in the early 1980s under the moniker Screen Gemz after meeting during their college years in Cardiff, Wales. Together with guitarist Alfie Thomas they established Freur, whose name appeared in print as an indecipherable hieroglyphic symbol that puzzled journalists and chart compilers alike, though the intended phonetic reading remained “Freur.” The group then augmented its ranks by recruiting drummer Bryn Burrows, formerly of Fabulous Poodles, and keyboardist/video specialist John Warwicker. In 1983 the five-piece secured a deal with CBS Records and achieved modest UK chart placement with the single “Doot Doot.” That track’s unexpected reach was rendered even more improbable when the label opted to release the band’s original demo rather than the version produced with Conny Plank and Holger Czukay in Cologne. The song nevertheless enjoyed widespread European success, reaching the top of the Italian charts. CBS declined to issue the follow-up album Get Us Out Of Here in the UK, after which Warwicker departed and was succeeded by Baz Allen. The revised lineup resurfaced in 1988 under a fresh recording agreement and the new name Underworld.
Albums
