Shaft (British electronic duo)

{{Short description|English electronic music production duo}} {{About|the UK electronic group|the UK rave act from the early 1990s|Shaft (rave group)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = Shaft | image = | image_size = 210  | background = group_or_band | origin = Brighton, England | genre = Electronic, house, Latin house, big beat | years_active = 1997–2001; 2015–present | label = Wonderboy Records, Universal, Nitelite Records, Jellybean Recordings, Urban | website = [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Shaft Discogs.com] | past_members = Alex Rizzo Elliot Ireland }}

'''Shaft''' are an English electronic music production duo, known for their covers and remixes of "(Mucho Mambo) Sway" and "Mambo Italiano". The former entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart in August 1999, then reached number one on New Zealand's Recorded Music NZ chart in December. They followed this with the release of "Mambo Italiano" (vocal by Donna Canale), which peaked at number twelve on the UK Singles Chart but ultimately did not replicate the success of the previous single. They went on to tour the world and win a gold disc for best performing group.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}} Since then, they have recorded more songs such as "Kiri Riri Boom" and "Shake Seniora".

==History== Rizzo and Ireland operated, as did many dance record producers, under various guises. Before Shaft was Skeewiff. Their formative period in the music industry came with a spell working at the Power Studios in Acton. They undertook remixes for Björk and produced tracks for Alison Limerick and Schooly D, then began work on the first Skeewiff album, released on their own label, Jalapeño Records (teaming up with Ministry of Sound's FSUK label). As Skeewiff, their mix of "Man of Constant Sorrow" was ranked 96 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2003, released on Volume 11, disc 1 track 20.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100_07/history/vol11.htm|title=Hottest 100 | History | 2003|website=Abc.net.au|accessdate=17 May 2020}}</ref> After changing their name to Shaft, they signed to Wonderboy Records in 1999. The year after, they joined Head On Management, where Phil Nicholas, together with Head On directors Guy Trezise and Steve Baker, currently represent them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hitquarters.com/index.php3?page=success/2001/April23_14_59_37.html |title=A&R, Record Label / Company, Music Publishing, Artist Manager and Music Industry Directory |publisher=Hitquarters.com |date= |accessdate=2012-04-24}}</ref>

Having acquired a home-based recording studio, the duo compiled a database of samples and sound clips. Their biggest hit originated there with a sample of the Perez Prado song "Sway", which became "(Mucho Mambo) Sway". The original version featured a vocal sample of Rosemary Clooney, but Rizzo and Ireland were unable to clear the sample{{clarify|date=October 2019|reason= unclear what is meant by "clear the sample", jargon?}}, therefore, the vocals on the final track were sung by session singer Donna Canale.<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=(Mucho Mambo) Sway |others=Shaft |year=1999 |author=Wonderboy Records |publisher=Wonderboy Records |id=WBOYD 015}}</ref> "(Mucho Mambo) Sway" reached number 2 in the UK in August, kept off the number-one spot by Lou Bega's version of "Mambo No. 5",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19990829/7501/|title=Official Singles Chart Top 100 29 August 1999 - 04 September 1999|publisher=Official Charts Company|accessdate=23 March 2018}}</ref> also based on a Prado song. Outside the UK, the song was also a top 10 hit in Ireland,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement|title=The Irish Charts - All there is to know|accessdate=23 March 2018}}</ref> Sweden and Norway, as well as reaching number 15 in Finland and number 28 in Australia.<ref name="charts">{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Shaft&titel=%28Mucho+Mambo%29+Sway&cat=s|title=Shaft – (Mucho Mambo) Sway|accessdate=23 March 2018}}</ref> Its most successful performance on the music charts, however, occurred in New Zealand, where the song reached the top spot on 12 December 1999, becoming one of the last number-one singles of the 1990s and the 20th century.<ref name="charts"/> Despite its charting at the end of the year, it still managed to become New Zealand's 29th best-selling single of 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1999-12-31|title=End Of Year Charts 1999|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=23 March 2018}}</ref> Shaft's next single, "Mambo Italiano", was less successful, charting at number 12 in the United Kingdom,<ref name="shaftpeaks">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/49647/shaft/|title=SHAFT Singles|publisher=The Official UK Charts Company|accessdate=23 March 2018}}</ref> number 17 in Australia (becoming Shaft's most successful single there), and number 22 in Sweden.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Shaft&titel=Mambo+Italiano&cat=s|title=Shaft – Mambo Italiano|accessdate=23 March 2018}}</ref> It did not chart in New Zealand. They had one more chart hit in the UK, "Kiri Riri Boom", which peaked at number 62 in July 2001.<ref name="shaftpeaks"/>

"Wassuup!", a collage of the Budweiser advertisement catchphrase and the Rick James track "Super Freak", used by MC Hammer on "U Can't Touch This", was then released under the Da Muttz moniker.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 491}}</ref>

==Discography== ===Albums=== * ''Da Album'' (2001) – as Da Muttz<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/da-album-mw0001903541|title=Da Muttz – Da Album Album Reviews, Songs & More|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=3 September 2022}}</ref> * ''Pick Up on This'' (2001)

===Singles=== {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! rowspan="2" style="width:2em;"| Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:22em;"| Title ! colspan="10"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Certifications ! rowspan="2" style="width:8em;"| Album |- ! style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| UK <ref name="UK">UK chart peaks: * {{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/49647/shaft/ |title=UK chart peaks |publisher=Official Charts Company |accessdate=17 October 2020}} * {{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/9927/da-muttz/ |title=Da Muttz |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=3 September 2022}} * {{cite book |title= British Hit Singles & Albums |first=David |last=Roberts |year=2006| edition=19th |publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |location=London |isbn=9781904994107}} * {{cite web|url=http://zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_S.HTM |title=Chart Log UK 1994–2010 |publisher=zobbel - Dipl.-Bibl.(FH) Tobias Zywietz |accessdate=17 October 2020}}</ref>

! style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| AUS <ref name="AUS">{{cite web|url=https://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Shaft |title=Australian chart peaks |publisher=australian-charts.com |accessdate=17 October 2020}} * {{cite web|url=https://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Da+Muttz |title=Discography Da Muttz |website=australian-charts.com |access-date=3 September 2022}}</ref>

! style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| EUR <ref>European singles chart peaks: * {{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/90s/99/MM-1999-09-11-OCR-Page-0012.pdf |title=(Mucho Mambo) Sway |publisher=Music & Media |accessdate=17 October 2020}} * {{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/00s/00/MM-2000-05-27-OCR-Page-0015.pdf |title=Mambo Italiano |publisher=Music & Media |accessdate=17 October 2020}} </ref>

! style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| FIN <ref name="FIN">{{cite web|url=https://finnishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Shaft |title=Finnish chart peaks |publisher=finnishcharts.com |accessdate=17 October 2020}} * {{cite web|url=https://finnishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Da+Muttz |title=Discography Da Muttz |website=finnishcharts.com |access-date=3 September 2022}}</ref>

! style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| FRA <ref name="FRA">{{cite web|url=https://lescharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Shaft |title=French chart peaks |publisher=lescharts.com |accessdate=17 October 2020}} * {{cite web|url=https://lescharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Da+Muttz |title=Discographie Da Muttz |website=lescharts.com |language=fr |access-date=3 September 2022}}</ref>

! style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| IRE <ref name="IRE">Irish chart peaks: * {{cite web|url=http://irish-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=shaft |title=Irish chart peaks |publisher=irish-charts.com |accessdate=17 October 2020}} * {{cite web|url=http://irish-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Da+Muttz |title=Discography Da Muttz |website=irish-charts.com |access-date=3 September 2022}} * {{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/90s/99/MM-1999-10-16-OCR-Page-0011.pdf |title=(Mucho Mambo) Sway |publisher=Music & Media |accessdate=17 October 2020}}</ref>

! style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| NED <ref name="NED">{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Shaft |title=Dutch chart peaks |website=dutchcharts.nl |accessdate=17 October 2020}}</ref>

! style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| NZ <ref name="NZ">{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Shaft |title=New Zealand chart peaks |publisher=charts.nz |accessdate=17 October 2020}}</ref>

! style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| SCO <ref>Scottish singles chart peaks: * {{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/19990829/41/ |title=(Mucho Mambo) Sway |publisher=Official Charts Company |accessdate=17 October 2020}} * {{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/20000514/41/ |title=Mambo Italiano |publisher=Official Charts Company |accessdate=17 October 2020}} * {{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/20001203/41/ |title=Wassuup! |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=3 September 2022}} * {{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/20010715/41/ |title=Kiki Riri Boom |publisher=Official Charts Company |accessdate=17 October 2020}} </ref>

! style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| SWE <ref name="SWE">{{cite web|url=https://swedishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Shaft |title=Swedish chart peaks |publisher=swedishcharts.com |accessdate=17 October 2020}} * {{cite web|url=https://swedishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Da+Muttz |title=Discography Da Muttz |website=swedishcharts.com |access-date=3 September 2022}}</ref> |- | 1999 | style="text-align:left;"| "(Mucho Mambo) Sway" | 2 || 28 || 12 || 15 || 79 || 8 || 13 || 1 || 2 || 6 | * BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI">"[https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/ Certified Awards Search] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20181021092428/https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/ |date=21 October 2018 }}". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved on 17 October 2020. Note: User needs to enter "Shaft" in the "Search BPI Awards" field and press Enter</ref> * RMNZ: Platinum<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/singles/2000-02-11 |title=New Zealand Certification - Shaft (Mucho Mambo) Sway |publisher=RMNZ |access-date=17 October 2020}}</ref> | rowspan="2"| ''Pick Up on This'' |- | rowspan="2"| 2000 | style="text-align:left;"| "Mambo Italiano" | 12 || 17 || 41 || — || — || 33 || — || — || 14 || 22 | * ARIA: Gold<ref name="ARIA Singles 2000">{{cite certification|region=Australia|certyear=2000|artist=Shaft|type=single|accessdate=29 June 2018}}</ref> |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Wassuup!" {{small|(as Da Muttz)}} | 11 || 12 || — || 11 || 2 || 20 || — || — || 14 || 17 | * ARIA: Gold<ref>{{cite Ryan|page=73}}</ref> | ''Da Album'' |- | rowspan="2"| 2001 | style="text-align:left;"| "Kiki Riri Boom" | 62 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 81 || — | | rowspan="2"| ''Pick Up on This'' |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Shake Seníora" | — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — | |- | 2009 | style="text-align:left;"| "(Mucho Mambo) Sway 2009" | — || — || — || — || — || — || 51 || — || — || — | | rowspan="2" {{n/a|Non-album singles}} |- | 2017 | style="text-align:left;"| "Mambo Italiano" (DJ Sunny 2K17 Mash Up) | — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — | |- | colspan="15" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.discogs.com/artist/Shaft Discogs.com]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaft (British band)}} Category:English electronic music duos Category:English dance music groups Category:Musical groups established in 1997 Category:Musical groups from Brighton and Hove Category:Record production duos Category:British record production teams Category:British electronic dance music duos Category:Universal Music Group artists