The Singles (Basement Jaxx album) explained

The Singles
Type:	greatest
Artist:	Basement Jaxx
Cover:	Basement Jaxx - The Singles album cover.png
Recorded:	1996–2004
Genre:	House dance
Label:	XL
Prev Title:	Kish Kash
Prev Year:	2003
Next Title:	Crazy Itch Radio
Next Year:	2006

The Singles is the first greatest hits album by English electronic music duo Basement Jaxx, released on 21 March 2005 via XL. The album contains two new songs, "Oh My Gosh" and "U Don't Know Me", which were both released as singles. "Do Your Thing" was previously included on the 2001 Rooty album, but with the release of this compilation album, the single was re-released in the UK after the two aforementioned singles.

Later editions of The Singles included the "JaxxHouz" radio edit of "U Don't Know Me" in place of the original album version. A special edition of the release included a second disc of previously unreleased material.

Background and release

Talking about the compilation, Buxton told Canadian music magazine The Record:

"Oh My Gosh" was the first single from the album. Released simultaneously with the album was The Videos, a video album containing the group's music videos, several live tracks, and four extra video clips.

Critical reception

Andy Kellman from AllMusic gave the album a very positive review, calling it "a timely and nearly faultless stop-gap compilation."

PopMatters ranked the album the 19th-best reissue of 2005.^[1]

Promotion

Basement Jaxx embarked on the Live 2006 tour of the UK in support of the album, which began on 28 November 2006 in Plymouth, England and ended on 8 December 2006 in Glasgow, Scotland. In total there were eight shows.^[2]

Glastonbury Festival headlining

On 6 June 2005, it was announced last-minute that the duo would replace Kylie Minogue as headliners for the 2005 Glastonbury Festival, due to Minogue being diagnosed with breast cancer.^[3] According to The Guardian, the reactions to this news were "muted". Basement Jaxx' headlining was said to be a departure from the usual rock bands that used to headline the festival, as was Minogue's planned appearance.^[3]

While performing onstage, Scottish musician Bobby Gillespie called the band "Cocksuckers – no offence to cocksuckers," before slating everyone from Minogue to the crowd itself and eventually getting booed off stage. Basement Jaxx's vocalist Vula Malinga recalls: "I remember us girls were like 'WHAT? Shut Up! Come on let's take him! Warrrgh', but the guys were just like 'Everyone's entitled to their opinion.' In the end I think the crowd spoke for itself."^[4]

Despite heavy rainfall during the year's festival, the duo's performance was well received.^[5] They also included a carnival version of Motörhead's "Ace of Spades" in their set.

Personnel

Basement Jaxx

• Felix Buxton – production, mixing, lead vocals (on "Rendez-Vu" and "Jus 1 Kiss")
• Simon Ratcliffe – production, mixing

Additional musicians

• 2 Many DJ's – remixing (on "Magnificent Romeo")
• Quentin Collins – trumpet (on "Mere Pass", "Broken Dreams (Acoustic)" and "Romeo (Acoustic)")
• Nathan "Tugg" Curran – drums (on "Good Luck", "Good Luck (Live)"
• Ugo Delmirani – keyboards (on "Bingo Bango"), piano (on "Broken Dreams (Acoustic)" and "Romeo (Acoustic)")
• The London Session Orchestra – strings (on "Good Luck" and "Good Luck (Live)")
• Wil Malone – string arrangement and conducting (on "Good Luck" and "Good Luck (Live)")
• Onyx – electric horn (on "Lucky Star")
• Roberto Pla And His Band – instrumentation, backing vocals (on "Rendez-Vu (Latin Version)")
• Oli Savill – percussion (on "Broken Dreams (Acoustic)" and "Romeo (Acoustic)")
• Icarus Wilson-Wright – percussion (on "Good Luck (Live)")
• Gavyn Wright – string conducting (on "Good Luck" and "Good Luck (Live)")

Production

• Patrick Duffy – art direction, design
• Martin Hildred – live engineer (on "Good Luck (Live)")
• Andy Hughes – mixing (on "Good Luck (Live)")
• Geoff Pesche – mastering

Additional vocalists

• Najma Akhtar – vocals (on "Mere Pass")
• Natasha Awuku – backing vocals (on "Good Luck")
• Jasette Barrett – backing vocals (on "Oh My Gosh")
• JC Chasez – lead vocals (on "Plug It In")
• Cherokee – backing vocals (on "Plug It In")
• Nadia Cielto-Steele – backing vocals (on "Good Luck")
• Roland Clarke – vocals (on "I Beg U")
• Claudia Cum Dominguez – vocals (on "I Beg U")
• Alma Duah – backing vocals (on "Oh My Gosh")
• Corryne Dwyer – backing vocals (on "Romeo" and "Magnificent Romeo")
• Shaun Escoffery – lead vocals (on "Rendez-Vu (Latin Version"), backing vocals (on "U Don't Know Me")
• Sharlene Hector – backing vocals (on "Good Luck")
• Charlotte Hodson – vocals (on "U Don't Know Me")
• Blue James – lead vocals (on "Red Alert" and "Miracles Keep on Playin' (Red Alert Mix)")
• Slarta John – lead vocals (on "Jump N' Shout" and "Bongoloid")
• Neil Jommot – vocals (on "Bongoloid")
• Jorges – "word bitz" (on "Bingo Bango")
• Corrina Joseph – vocals (on "Fly Life")
• KDL Allstars – backing vocals (on "Red Alert")
• Lisa Kekaula – lead vocals (on "Good Luck", "U Don't Know Me" and "Good Luck (Live)")
• Killa Kela – backing vocals (on "Oh My Gosh")
• Glamma Kid – vocals (on "Fly Life")
• Francine Kufonji – backing vocals (on "Good Luck")
• Vula Malinga – lead vocals (on "Oh My Gosh"), backing vocals (on "U Don't Know Me" and "Good Luck (Live)")
• Elliot May – lead vocals (on "Do Your Thing")
• Mona – vocals (on "Lucky Star")
• Michael Moog – backing vocals (on "Where's Your Head At")
• Erick Morillo – vocals (on "I Beg U"), backing vocals (on "Where's Your Head At")
• Nyna – "word bitz" (on "Bingo Bango")
• Damien Peachey – lead vocals (on "Where's Your Head At")
• Daniel Pearce – backing vocals (on "Oh My Gosh" and "U Don't Know Me")
• Dizzee Rascal – lead vocals (on "Lucky Star")
• Ronald Regan – vocals (on "Bongoloid")
• Kele Le Roc – lead vocals (on "Romeo", "Magnificent Romeo", "Broken Dreams (Acoustic)" and "Romeo (Acoustic)"), backing vocals (on "Good Luck")
• Junior Sanchez – backing vocals (on "Where's Your Head At")
• Mandy Senior – backing vocals (on "Plug It In")
• Skillah – rapping (on "Oh My Gosh")
• Slarta's Crew – shouts (on "Jump N' Shout")
• Marsha "Marshmello" Smith – backing vocals (on "Lucky Star")
• Sharon Stone – vocals (on "Bongoloid")
• Madman Swyli – shouts (on "Jump N' Shout")
• Ty – backing vocals (on "Plug It In")
• Cassie Watson – lead vocals (on "Bingo Bango")

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2005)! scope="col"

Peak position
Irish Albums (IRMA)^[6]	2

Year-end charts

Chart (2005)! scope="col"

Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[7]	98
UK Albums (OCC)^[8]	24
Chart (2006)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)^[9]	144

The Videos

The Videos
Type:	video
Artist:	Basement Jaxx
Released:	2005
Recorded:	1997–2005
Genre:	Electronica
Label:	XL

The Videos is a DVD by Basement Jaxx containing all official music videos, several live tracks, and four extra video clips.

It was released at the same time as The Singles.

Track listing

The Videos

1. "Red Alert"
2. "Rendez-Vu"
3. "Jump N' Shout"
4. "Bingo Bango"
5. "Romeo"
6. "Jus 1 Kiss"
7. "Where's Your Head At"
8. "Lucky Star"
9. "Good Luck"
10. "Plug It In"
11. "Cish Cash"
12. "Oh My Gosh"
13. "Flylife"

Live Traxx

1. "Red Alert" (Glastonbury 2000)
2. "Jump N' Shout" (Glastonbury 2000)
3. "Do Your Thing" (V2002)
4. "Cish Cash" (Werchter 2004)
5. "Lucky Star" (Fuji Rock 2004)
6. "Good Luck" (Glastonbury 2004)
7. "Supersonic" (Glastonbury 2004)
8. "Where's Your Head At" (Glastonbury 2004)

Extras

1. "The Road to Coachella"
2. "Jaxx TV"
3. "Tokyo Stench"
4. "Bongaloid"

See also

• List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 2000s

Notes and References

1. Web site: Best Reissues of 2005. PopMatters staff(s). 19 December 2005. 12 June 2016. PopMatters. 23 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160423144648/http://www.popmatters.com/feature/best2005-reissues1/. live.
2. Web site: Basement Jaxx announces biggest UK tour. Basement Jaxx's official website . 22 July 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060522064450/http://www.basementjaxx.co.uk/singles_tour.htm. May 22, 2006. dead.
3. News: Jaxx replace Kylie at Glastonbury. 6 June 2005. 13 July 2016. BBC News. 17 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160917040716/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4614145.stm. live.
4. Web site: Lucas. Becky. Basement Jaxx singer in Dubai. 3 March 2008. 17 August 2016. Time Out Dubai. 26 August 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160826175134/http://www.timeoutdubai.com/nightlife/features/3120-basement-jaxx-singer-in-dubai. live.
5. Web site: The 100 best Glastonbury performances ever. 5 April 2018. 19 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180819011012/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/glastonbury/10912208/The-100-best-Glastonbury-performances-ever.html. live.
6. Web site: Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending May 12, 2005. chart-track.co.uk. Irish Recorded Music Association. 14 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20120524054857/http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240002&arch=t&lyr=2005&year=2005&week=19. 24 May 2012. dead.
7. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2005. Ultratop. 13 September 2020. 29 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180729092935/http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2005&cat=a. live.
8. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2005. Official Charts Company. 13 September 2020. 29 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191129105457/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-artist-albums-chart/20050109/37502/. live.
9. Web site: 2006 UK Albums Chart. ChartsPlus. 13 September 2020. 9 October 2022. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2006.pdf. live.