Raised on a diet of electronic music and melodic classical composers including Jean Michel Jarre, Bracegirdle learned to play both the piano an guitar before he reached his teens. By the age of 12, determined to pursue melodic electronic dance music, the musician was crafting demos in recording studios to subsequently send to labels. Initially garnering attention under the moniker Disco Citizens in 1995, Bracegirdle released the Top 40 hit “Right Here Right Now”. In 1996 the name was changed to Chicane and the musician issued the four-track EP “Cyanide Music Volume One”, drawing influence from Deep house, new disco and Big Beat. A year later the EP “Offshore” was released catapulting Bracegirdle to notoriety and spawning the Top 20 UK single of the same name. The single “Offshore” also charted well across Europe, at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music Charts, and featured on a number of club-themed compilation albums.
Bracegirdle’s subsequent single “Sunstroke” also proved a popular release, after which Chicane issued his debut full-length “Far from the Maddening Crowds” in September 1997. Considered a highly influential album in the Trance music community, the record charted at No. 47 on the UK Albums Chart and spawned a number of dance hits. The producer subsequently issued the single “Saltwater” featuring Clannad’s vocalist Máire Brennan, which marked his highest charting single to date at No. 6 on the UK pop charts. A radio friendly remix of Bryan Adams’ “Cloud No. 9” was subsequently released after which Adams contributed heavily vocoded vocals to Bracegirdle’s next single “Don’t Give Up”. Debuting at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart as well as the Australian and Russian Singles Chart, the single represented his biggest hit to date.
The full-length “Behind the Sun” arrived in March 2000 led by the singles “Saltwater”, “Don’t Give Up”, “No Ordinary Morning” and “Autumn Tactics”. The record charted well in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, however was unable to match the success of its predecessor. Following a lawsuit with label Xtravaganza from 2002 to 2004, Bracegirdle left the label and moved to WEA in an attempt to release his third full-length “Easy to Assemble”, which was ultimately leaked online.
After signing with Universal Music Group, Chicane issued the single “Stoned in Love” featuring singer Tom Jones. Ahead of his third studio album, Bracegirdle promoted “Stoned in Love” with appearances on "Friday Night with Jonathan Ross", "Top of the Pops", "The New Paul O’Grady Show". The full-length “Somersault” was released in July 2007 on Chicane’s own Modena label. Earning mixed reviews the album featured the singles “Stoned in Love” and “Come Tomorrow”. The EP “Re-Work” appeared in the summer of 2009, after which Bracegirdle issued his fourth studio album “Giants”, dubbed as a return to form for the artist. The record was succeeded by “Thousand Mile Stare” in 2012, and “The Sum of Its Parts” in 2015.
...as a DJ, producer, promoter, A&R, radio presenter, taste-maker and, more recently, a music specialist lawyer.
Widley recognised for influencing an entire generation with residencies on both Kiss FM and BBC Radio 1, to this day the Judge continues to be on the playlists of millions with his weekly radio show The Global Warm Up, which notches up 750,000 downloads every week via his podcast and is broadcast on over 80 stations around the world.
As a pioneer of the club scene, his passion and persona behind the decks coupled with crowd connection and unrivalled track selection has earned Judge Jules a hardcore fanbase and unforgettable sets week-in week-out at the world’s most iconic clubs and festivals, including the UK’s Gatecrasher, Ministry of Sound, Global Gathering and Creamfields, as well as in countless overseas countries.
In 2019 Jules embarked on a brand-new project with his first live show accompanied by musicians. Judge Jules: Live sees Jules joined by a full 10-piece band, reimagining and reinventing a selection of poignant classic tracks from his career, delivered in intimate venues up and down the UK.
In the studio, Judge Jules has released over 200 tracks, including 15 UK top 40 national charts hits, with countless more gracing the upper reaches of the dance charts. In the last three years alone, he’s had over 12 releases on iconic labels like Coldharbour, Sirup, Armada and his own imprint, Judgement. As a respected taste-maker, he’s also mixed now-legendary compilations for Ministry of Sound, Universal and Warner Bros, racking up over 3 million sales between them. Compilations considered timeless snapshots of the scene.
It’s obvious even to a newcomer or trance enthusiast that John O’Callaghan’s talents far exceed that of just an uplifting producer or Trance remix master. He is an artist, producer, DJ and an internationally respected name in the world of Electronic music. He is known for pushing the boundaries of musical genres in ways that have earned him a stellar reputation across the dance music industry. John O’Callaghan always showcases true diversity in his sound, and has emerged as a leader of the trance movement – a path which all of his fans have loyally followed. Being one of the few that helped shape the genre into all it is now, no one can doubt the influence of a man this versatile.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen major resurgences in both popularity and fashionability when it comes to both house music and EDM, so you do have to wonder if and when the same will be true of trance. The day that happens, Chicane will be first in line for a return to prominence of his own; he’s one of the genre’s godfathers, with his debut record, 1997’s Far from the Maddening Crowds, helping to shape the style as its recognised today. He topped the charts in his native UK in 2000 with ‘Don’t Give Up’; the track, which featured guest vocals from Bryan Adams, proved he was capable of succeeding in the mainstream as well as within the confines of his own scene. He hasn’t been put off by trance’s fall in popularity, either; whilst he hasn’t seen a single chart in the UK top 100 since 2009, he continues to record and release albums, with his most recent, Thousand Mile Stare, dropping two years ago. His live shows, too, continue to evolve apace, incorporating aspects of house and electro as well as making frequent, subtle nods to the more ambient side of Chicane’s recorded output. The size of the crowds, too, prove that he retains a significant cult fanbase; don’t be surprised to see him back in the public eye once it’s trance’s turn for a resurrection.
John O'Callaghan is a DJ and Irish musician, mainly working on producing electronic dance music. He has collaborated with several ‘Discover’ artists such as Bryan Kearney, Neal Scarborough and Greg Downey and many more. He is best known for his track called 'Big Sky' that he made alongside a vocalist. A lot of his work has been released by a British record label and been promoted by Armada Music. A remix of his song 'Big Sky' was even voted tune of the year by the State of Trance radio show in 2007, which is quite impressive I'd say. He's picked up several British and Irish awards during his career and performed at many events with different vocalists. His live performances include a lot of fireworks, strobe lights and impressive sets; I think it's hard for a DJ just to be on stage alone and to capture the audience’s attention so it’s clear that they need loads of these additional extras. The vibe he creates whilst on stage is electric and gave me an unexpected appreciation for DJ's and what they do, he brings more life to music and although he doesn't appear to do or say much whilst he's on stage, he works hard to create some amazing sounds, which is evident.