Biography

During the late '90s and early 2000s, the Artful Dodger represented the rising status of garage within the U.K. and its slow invasion across the world. A Southampton-based duo comprised of Mark Hill and Pete Devereux, Artful Dodger took a slightly different approach to garage than many of their peers. Along with Hill's R&B and jazz influences and Devereux's interest in hip-hop and house, the duo also took a more traditional approach to the genre. Unlike many of their fellow garage producers, Artful Dodger chose not to use vocals or time-stretching and prefers to re-record vocals when doing remixes. This approach won them respect within the garage community and garnered a substantial amount of hype for "Re-Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta)," a popular single in the U.K. that featured Craig David on vocals. In summer 2000, Republic Records brought the single to the U.S., hoping to score a club hit in the generally anti-garage country. The group also mixed the Ministry of Sound compilation Rewind: The Sound of UK Garage. Accompanied with extensive tour dates, the duo released the Re-Rewind mix album in late 2000. It's All About the Stragglers also appeared that same year. In July of 2001, the pair agreed to an amicable separation. Both members continued to work in the music industry following the split, with Hill writing, producing, and remixing, and Devereux DJing under his own name. ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi