Audioweb

Let's start the story with the Jamaican lead singer, Martin. The former reggae DJ and frontman of the Saxon Sound System first met Sean. Sean knew Robin. (Both of them moved up from Dover to North.) The last person to join them was Maxi, who used to play with Robin.
However, years before Audioweb got together, there already existed a band called Sugar Merchant - a sextet from Manchester named after singer Martin 'Sugar' Merchant. The band had even got signed to Elektra but after a period of four years (and only a dozen concerts) the label decided to part with them. It seems that all future members of Audioweb were playing here by this time, so it was just a step away to start again (or continue) as a quartet.
At the beginning of 1995 - now under the name of Audioweb - Martin, Sean, Robin and Maxi recorded a demo with 3 tracks. The demo, including the song Sleeper, was sent to three labels whose reaction was prompt and positive: before even playing their first concert, the band got signed to U2's Mother Records. Sleeper became the debut single: it was released in the autumn of 1995 and was followed by Yeah? and Into My World next year. Audioweb's first self-titled album, produced by Jonathan Quarmby and Kevin Bacon, came out in October 1996. Although Audioweb's unique way of fusing rock, dub, soul, ragga and hip hop soon made them a favourite with lots of people, including well known musicians, the debut album didn't really get the attention it deserved. This situation changed in February 1997 with the release of a speedy cover version of the Clash's Bankrobber. This single finally brought the band their first top 20 hit and, of course, made the album itself more successful.
In the summer of 1998 Audioweb returned with the powerful Policeman Skank, a song about being wrongly accused of crime.
Fireworks City, the second album followed in October - this time produced by Stephen Lironi, who has previously worked with bands like Space, Black Grape and Hanson. Audioweb continued its way between genres, but as a new feature, strings appeared in most of the songs - creating a soulful, rich sound.