Unklejam

Drawing from an eclectic array of touchstones including Gary Numan, Sam Cooke, and Eurythmics, the transatlantic trio Unklejam fused cyber-soul, electro-pop, and synth-funk into a sound that resisted easy categorization. The group coalesced in 2006, its widely praised stylistic range shaped by the far-flung travels each member had undertaken. Tyson "Tendai" Speede was raised in Northolt, Middlesex, yet his father’s reggae group Misty in Roots took him across continents; Bobby Joel Stearns entered the world in London’s East End, relocated to Hawaii at age two, and later spent his teenage years between Bradford and Glasgow; Adonista, meanwhile, passed his early life on multiple U.S. Army bases run by his father in New York, L.A., and Germany. Stearns, at first a producer, was encouraged to take the microphone by Tyson once the pair began collaborating, and Unklejam came into being after the three met at a London club night. Taking its name from Funkadelic’s 1979 album Uncle Jam Wants You, the band promptly inked a contract with Virgin Records. Their opening release, “Luv Ya,” reached number 54 and invited parallels to Prince and OutKast, yet it was the follow-up, “What Am I Fighting For,” that secured broader attention by climbing into the Top 20 on both sales and airplay charts. The track’s success brought support dates alongside Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake plus festival slots at Wireless, Glastonbury, and T in the Park. A third single, “Stereo,” managed only a number-101 peak, however, and the self-titled album that followed was ultimately shelved.