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Todd Edwards

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This article is about the American garage house record producer. For the film writer, see Todd Edwards (screenwriter).

Todd Edwards
Edwards DJing in 2012
Edwards DJing in 2012
Background information
Birth nameTodd Edward Imperatrice
Also known as
  • The Messenger
  • The Sample Choir
  • Sunshine Bros.
Born (1972-12-09) December 9, 1972 (age 51)
Bloomfield, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Record producer
  • DJ
  • singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
Years active1992–present
LabelsNervous, i!, Defected
Websitetoddedwardsmusic.com

Todd Edward Imperatrice (born December 9, 1972[1]), known professionally as Todd Edwards, is an American garage house record producer, DJ and singer. His work has been recognized as a chief inspiration for the UK garage scene that developed in the late 1990s.[2][3] He is known for his "innovative blend of rhythmic, cut-and-paste vocal samples, rubbery basslines, and slapping percussion,"[1] which showcased an intensive sampling and remixing technique in which vocals are chopped into micro-sized sections.[4]

Edwards began his career producing primarily for New York's Nervous Records in the 1990s, including under aliases such as the Messenger and the Sample Choir.[1] Beginning with his 1993 single "Guide My Soul," Edwards helped pioneer the speed garage genre.[1] His 1994 single "Saved My Life" became a club hit in the UK.[1] In 1999, Nervous collected several of his productions on the compilation Todd Edwards' Nervous Tracks and i! Records released the LP Prima Edizione, collecting several more tracks from this era.[1]

Edwards has remixed hundreds of artists, including Wildchild, St. Germain, Benjamin Diamond, Justice, Klaxons and Dimitri from Paris. Edwards has also collaborated with Daft Punk, co-producing and contributing vocals on the songs "Face to Face" (2001) and "Fragments of Time" (2013); the latter won him a Grammy Award for its inclusion on that year's winning album Random Access Memories.

Early life and career

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Todd Edwards grew up in Bloomfield, New Jersey. His father was a carpet salesman while his mother was a receptionist at Lincoln Technical Institute. He started playing the piano at around 3 years old. Amongst his biggest influences were Prince, Neil Diamond, and Peter Brown.[5]

Edwards began his musical career around 1992. He employs vocal reconstruction techniques to his songs, creating a unique vocal collage set to a four-on-the-floor beat. Marc "MK" Kinchen, who is primarily responsible for pioneering this technique, is one of Edwards's influences.[6]

Edwards became a committed Christian in the 1990s after having negative experiences with religion in his youth.[7] This is evident by recurring hidden messages found in his compositions, which often contain religious phrases.[8]

Beginnings

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In his early records, Todd Edwards was influenced by house music and grew into the UK garage and 2-step garage scene. Inspired by Todd Terry, MK, and experiences from his own trials and errors, Todd Edwards developed his style of vocal sampling in place of musical instrument sampling on his tracks.[8] By 1995, there some talk had begun to develop about Edwards. His manager was approached by St. Germain, who asked Edwards to remix his song "Alabama Blues". Although Edwards had produced and remixed some notable remixes by this time, he had not begun to DJ until the early 2000s.[9] He went out gradually landing more gigs in the UK, hoping to land a bigger one than the next.[8] For an American native, Edwards quickly gained underground popularity in Europe.[10]

2001–present

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Edwards co-produced and performed vocals on the Daft Punk song "Face to Face" from the album Discovery. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Club chart in 2004. In 2006, Edwards sang on each track of the LP Odyssey, using multiple aliases on the album.[9]

In 2012, Edwards released the EP I Want You Back made in collaboration with French producer Surkin.[11] In April 2013, Edwards revealed that he had contributed to Daft Punk's album Random Access Memories; he expressed that it was difficult keeping his involvement a secret.[12] He provided vocals for and co-wrote the song "Fragments of Time", as well as providing additional production.[13] Edwards went on to describe the sessions as life-changing, providing the final push for him to move from New Jersey to California.[12][14]

In 2013, Edwards appeared alongside many other garage pioneers in a documentary exploring the legacy of UK garage, Rewind 4Ever: The History of UK Garage.[15]

At the 2014 Grammy Awards, Random Access Memories won awards for Best Dance/Electronica Album as well as Album of the Year; Edward's contributions to "Fragments of Time" thus earned him his first Grammy.[16][17]

Red Bull Music Academy teamed up with director Ralf Schmerberg to produce What Difference Does It Make: A Film About Making Music for its fifteenth anniversary. The film features Edwards sharing his thoughts and beliefs on the music industry.[18] Edwards continues to produce and remix tracks today, with planned tours for the future. One project of his was a vocal album featuring his own singing and co-produced by engineer Peter Franco. Edwards noted that Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk convinced him to pursue such a project, and may have overseen it. However, as of now no update on this project has been given.[19]

In May 2021, Edwards's back catalogue was released on streaming services through Defected Records.[20][21]

Personal life

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Edwards currently resides in Los Angeles, where he moved in 2013 after his work on Random Access Memories.[13][14] He began a romantic relationship with singer-songwriter Mystic Aytch[22] in 2014 after he attended Daft Punk's Grammy party with him.[14]

Edwards stated in a 2021 interview for The Guardian that he had been in a crisis of faith, admitting "Me and God are seeing other people right now, that’s what I say, I just try to practise the good things from Christianity. [...] I have to confess: sorry, I’m struggling with it".[3]

Discography

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Albums

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  • Todd Edwards' Nervous Tracks (1999)
  • Prima Edizione (1999)
  • Nervous Innovator Series Vol 4/5 (2000)
  • Full On (Volume 1) (2001)
  • Full On (Volume 2) (2003)
  • New Trend Sounds (2004)
  • New Trend Sounds (Classics, Remixes & Beyond) (2004)
  • Odyssey (2006)
  • Full On (Volume 3) (2007)

Singles and EPs

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  • The Todd Edwards Project (as The Todd Edwards Project) (1992)
  • Todd Edwards Part 2 (1993)
  • The Messenger EP (as The Messenger) (1993)
  • The Sample Choir EP (as The Sample Choir) (1994)
  • F.O.T. (featuring Nicole P) (1994)
  • Underground People (collab. DJ Shorty) (1995)
  • Dancing for Heaven (1995)
  • Stronger (1995)
  • New Trend's Sound (1995)
  • Saved My Life (1995)
  • Saved My Life (Remixes) (1995) - UK #69
  • Fly Away (One) (1996)
  • Push The Love (1997)
  • Never Far From You (1998)
  • 41:13 (1998)
  • The Prima EP (1998)
  • Sunshine Brothers vs. MC Ward EP (as The Sunshine Brothers and MC Ward) (1998)
  • Wanting Jesus/Share Your Love/One Day (collab. Tuff Jam) (1999)
  • Look Out (1999)
  • Incidental EP (2000)
  • Serie Uno EP (2000) (as The Sunshine Brothers)
  • Show Me A Sign (2000)
  • Saved My Life (Reissue) (2000)
  • 2 EP (2001)
  • Restless Soul (2001)
  • Shut The Door (featuring Laurie Chatelain-Dodard) (2001)
  • Full On: Volume 1 (Mixed) (2001)
  • Full On: Volume 1 (Unmixed) (2001)
  • Shut The Door (Remixes) (featuring Laurie Chatelain-Dodard) (2002)
  • New Trends 2002 (2002)
  • New Trends 1995 (2002)
  • You Came To Me (2002)
  • You're The One (2003)
  • Beckon Call (2003)
  • Face To Face (collab. Daft Punk) (2003)
  • Full On: Volume 2 (Unmixed) (2003)
  • Full On: Volume 2 (Remixes) (2003)
  • Are You There (2003)
  • Never Far From You (2003 Remixes) (2003)
  • Stop the Fighting (2003)
  • Can't Live Without You (Reissue) (2003)
  • Stormy Day (collab. Filthy Rich and Damon Trueitt) (2004)
  • Stormy Day (collab. Filthy Rich and Damon Trueitt) (Remixes) (2004)
  • Hold On to Me (2004)
  • Winter Behaviour 2004 (2004)
  • Who You Are (2004)
  • When Your Alone (2004)
  • New Trends Sounds 2004 (Part 1) (2004)
  • New Trends Sounds 2004 (Part 2) (2004)
  • New Trends Sounds 2004 (Part 3) (2004)
  • Mystery (2005)
  • Like a Fire (featuring Jade Ella Rose) (2005)
  • Heaven (2005)
  • The Journey, Part 1 (2006)
  • No Scrubs (featuring Nicole P) (2006)
  • Love Is The Message (as Pierre RS) (2006)
  • Run It By Me (collab. Damon Trueitt) (2006)
  • Far Away (featuring Jade Ella Rose) (2006)
  • Next to You (featuring Arianna Umit) (2007)
  • Full On: Volume 3 (Mixed) (2007)
  • Black Edition #1 (2008)
  • Black Edition #2 (2008)
  • I Might Be (2010)
  • I Doubted You (2010)
  • Stand Right Now (2010)
  • Head Held High (2011)
  • Shall Go EP (2012)
  • Love Inside (2012)
  • Searching EP (2012)
  • No Place Like London EP (2012)
  • Javid Khan (2013)
  • I've Still Got Sunshine (collab. Robert Lux) (2014)
  • I Want To Be In Fabric (2016)
  • Come Together (collab. Golf Clap) (2017)
  • Catch My Breath (featuring Tashi Condelee) (2017)
  • Is It Wrong (collab. Billon) (2017)
  • You're Sorry (featuring Roxanne Cifford) (2019)[23] - U.S. Dance #1
  • Deeper (collab. Sinden) (2019)
  • Getting There From Here (collab. Poolside and Turbotito) (2020)
  • Lover 4 Now (collab. Groove Armada) (2020)
  • Inspire Me (2020)
  • The Chant (featuring Tourist) (2021)[24]
  • My Angel (featuring Electric Enemy) (2021)
  • Think I'm In Love (collab. Vantage) (2021)[25]
  • Done With You (2022)
  • Rain (collab. Shermanology and Rudimental) (2024)

Remixes

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  • Fatboy Slim – "Rockafeller Skank" (Todd Edwards Remix) (2021)
  • Four of Diamonds – "Blind" (Todd Edwards Remix) (2019)
  • Disclosure – "White Noise" (Todd Edwards Edit) (2015)
  • LION BABE featuring Childish Gambino – "Jump Hi (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2014)
  • Netsky featuring Beth Ditto – "Running Low (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2014)
  • Sam Smith – "Lay Me Down (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2014)
  • Chase & Status featuring Jacob Banks – "Alive (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2014)
  • Rudimental – "Waiting All Night (Todd Edwards Vocal Mix)" (2013)
  • Phoenix – "Entertainment (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2013)
  • Bo Saris – "The Addict (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2013)
  • Jessie Ware – "No To Love (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2012)
  • Toxic Avenger – "Toxic Is Dead (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2012)
  • One Dark Martian – "Falling (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2012)
  • Infinity Ink – "Infinity (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2012)
  • LOL Boys – "Changes (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2012)
  • Modestep – "Show Me A Sign (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2012)
  • Kastle – "Time Traveler (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2011)
  • Matthew Dear – "Slowdance (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2011)
  • Wretch 32 – "Forgiveness (Todd Edwards Take Me To Church Dub)" (2011)
  • Hot Chip – "Hand Me Down Your Love (Todd Edward Micro Chip Remix)" (2010)
  • Kingdom featuring Shyvonne – "Mind Reader (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2010)
  • Spank Rock – "What It Look Like (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2010)
  • Appaloosa – "The Day (We Feel In Love) [Todd Edwards Liturgical Mix]" (2009)
  • Surkin – "Next Of Kin (Todd Edwards Re-Kindled Mix)" (2008)
  • Justice – "DVNO (Todd Edwards' Sunshine Brothers Remix)" (2008)
  • Klaxons – "Gravity's Rainbow (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2007)
  • TLC – "No Scrubs (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2006)
  • Beyoncé – "Crazy In Love (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2005)
  • Paul Johnson – "She Got Me On (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2005)
  • Zoot Woman – "Taken It All (Todd Edwards 'Soul Line' Remix)" (2004)
  • Space Cowboy – "Crazy Talk (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2003)
  • Nio – "Do You Think You're Special? (Todd Edwards So Special UK Remix)" (2003)
  • Boniface – "Cheeky (Todd Edwards 'Time Like No Other' Remix)" (2002)
  • Craig David – "What's Your Flava? (Todd Edwards Underground Flava Mix)" (2002)
  • Daniel Bedingfield – "James Dean (I Wanna Know) [Todd Edwards Life Line Vocal Remix)" (2002)
  • St. Germain – "Sure Thing (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2001)
  • Phoenix – "If I Ever Feel Better (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2000)
  • Moloko – "Pure Pleasure Seeker (Todd Edwards Mix)" (2000)
  • MJ Cole – "Crazy Love (Todd Edwards Save Your Crys Dub)" (2000)
  • Lonyo - "In Ayia Napa (Todd Edwards Perfect Dub)"
  • Benjamin Diamond – "Little Scare (Todd Edwards Remix)" (2000)
  • Kevin Yost – "If She Only Knew (Todd Edward's She Only Knew Disco Remix)" (1999)
  • Ultymate featuring Jacquee Bennett – Vybe (Todd Edwards Remix)" (1998)
  • Mad Moses - Panther Party (Todd Edwards Remix) (1997)
  • Kristine Blond – "Love Shy (Todd Edwards Remix)" (1997)
  • Robin S. – "Show Me Love (Todd Edwards Remix)" (1997)
  • Da Mob featuring Jocelyn Brown – "Fun (Todd Edwards Remix)" (1997)
  • Indo – "R U Sleeping (Todd Edwards Remix)" (1996)
  • The Ride Committee featuring Roxy – Accident (Todd Edwards Dub) (1995)
  • Veda Simpson – "Oohhh Baby (Todd Edwards Remix)" (1994)

Collaborations

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  • Daft Punk – "Face to Face" (2001) - U.S. Dance #1
  • "I Want You Back" (with Surkin) (2012)
  • Daft Punk – "Fragments of Time" (2013)
  • "I've Still Got Sunshine" (with Robert Lux) (2014)
  • "Jaco" (with Nick Hook & Kilo Kish) (2014)
  • "Go Crazy" (Pete Tong and Her-o featuring Todd Edwards) (2019)[26]
  • "Getting There from Here" (with Poolside) (2020)
  • "Lover 4 Now" (Groove Armada featuring Todd Edwards) (2020)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Bush, John. "Todd Edwards - Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  2. ^ Gill, Chris (May 1, 2001). "ROBOPOP – An Interview with Daft Punk". Remix. Archived from the original on May 3, 2008. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  3. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (July 29, 2021). "'I've ridden the storm': Todd Edwards, the inspiring force for Daft Punk and UK garage". The Guardian. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  4. ^ Reynolds, Simon. "The Wire 300: Simon Reynolds on the Hardcore Continuum Series #6: Two-Step Garage (1999) – The Wire". The Wire Magazine – Adventures In Modern Music. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  5. ^ Fitzmaurice, Larry (November 6, 2014). "Todd Edwards". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  6. ^ DuttyArtz.com
  7. ^ Warren, Emma. "Todd Edwards". Red Bull Music Academy. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c "Todd Edwards - The Stylus Interview". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on February 29, 2008. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Little White Earbuds Interviews Todd Edwards". Little White Earbuds. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  10. ^ "Born Again: After Years Toiling in Relative Obscurity, US Garage Producer Todd Edwards Gets His Come-Uppance". www.xlr8r.com. Archived from the original on March 25, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  11. ^ Discogs, I want You Back[dead link]
  12. ^ a b Daft Punk | Random Access Memories | The Collaborators: Todd Edwards. YouTube. Retrieved on April 8, 2013.
  13. ^ a b Hawgood, Alex (May 14, 2013). "Q + A | Daft Punk's Secret Weapon: Producer Todd Edwards". T. New York Times Company. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  14. ^ a b c Daft Punk - Memory Tapes - Episode 5 - Todd Edwards (Official Video). YouTube. Retrieved on September 6, 2023.
  15. ^ "Todd Edwards, Wookie and more to appear in documentary exploring the legacy of UK garage – FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music". Factmag.com. June 27, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  16. ^ "Daft Punk and Todd Edwards Win Best Dance Electronic Album and Album of the Year at Grammys". Los Angeles, California, U.S. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  17. ^ "Grammy Awards 2014: The Complete Winners List". Rolling Stone. Los Angeles, California, U.S. January 27, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  18. ^ "Global Premiere Events: What Difference Does It Make? A Film About Making Music". Los Angeles, California, U.S. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  19. ^ McGrath, Alan. Gods of Garage. DJ Magazine. Retrieved on January 28, 2014.
  20. ^ "TODD EDWARDS' BACK CATALOGUE TO HIT STREAMING SERVICES FOR THE FIRST TIME". DJ Mag. April 30, 2021.
  21. ^ Edrich, Paddy (May 4, 2021). "TODD EDWARDS' BACK CATALOGUE TO BE RELEASED ON DIGITAL FOR THE FIRST TIME". Mixmag.
  22. ^ Edwards, Todd [@toddedwards3000] (August 5, 2024). "Happy Birthday". Retrieved September 13, 2024 – via Instagram.
  23. ^ "You're Sorry – Single by Todd Edwards". iTunes Store. January 25, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  24. ^ Burr, Jessica (March 29, 2021). "Todd Edwards delivers new single "The Chant"". Earmilk.
  25. ^ Farmer, Grahame (May 21, 2021). "Vantage & Todd Edwards collab on 'Think I'm In Love'". Data Transmission.
  26. ^ "Go Crazy by Pete Tong on Spotify". iTunes Store. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
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