Jasongeek: Created page with "{{Infobox musical artist | name = Sub Sub | image = | caption = | origin = Handforth, Cheshire, England | genre = {{hlist|House|Acid house|Alternative dance|Rave|Ambient}} | years_active = 1991–1998 | label = {{hlist|Ten Records|Rob's Records|Cortex}} | associated_acts = {{hlist|Doves|Melanie Williams|Tri..."

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Created page with "{{Infobox musical artist | name = Sub Sub | image = | caption = | origin = Handforth, Cheshire, England | genre = {{hlist|House|Acid house|Alternative dance|Rave|Ambient}} | years_active = 1991–1998 | label = {{hlist|Ten Records|Rob's Records|Cortex}} | associated_acts = {{hlist|Doves|Melanie Williams|Tri..."

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{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Sub Sub
| image =
| caption =
| origin = [[Handforth]], [[Cheshire]], England
| genre = {{hlist|[[House music|House]]|[[Acid house]]|[[Alternative dance]]|[[Rave music|Rave]]|[[Ambient music|Ambient]]}}
| years_active = 1991–1998
| label = {{hlist|[[Ten Records]]|[[Rob's Records]]|Cortex}}
| associated_acts = {{hlist|[[Doves (band)|Doves]]|[[Melanie Williams]]|[[Tricky]]|[[Electronic (band)|Electronic]]}}
| past_members = Jimi Goodwin<br />Andy Williams<br />Jez Williams
}}

'''Sub Sub''' were an [[England|English]] [[electronic music|electronic dance]] act from [[Handforth]], [[Cheshire]], active during the early 1990s. The group consisted of Jimi Goodwin and twin brothers Andy and Jez Williams. Emerging from the Manchester [[rave]] scene, they achieved mainstream recognition with the 1993 single "Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)", which reached number three on the [[UK Singles Chart]]. After a studio fire in 1996 effectively ended the band, the three members regrouped as the [[indie rock]] act [[Doves (band)|Doves]] in 1998.

==History==

===Formation and early years (1986–1991)===
Jimi Goodwin first met Andy and Jez Williams while attending [[Wilmslow]] Comprehensive School around 1986. The members had previously been involved in separate local acts: Goodwin played guitar in a band called The Risk, while the Williams twins performed in a group named Static Mist (originally called Open View), who made a television appearance on the children's programme ''[[Saturday Superstore]]''. Jez Williams also played in a band called Metro Trinity alongside Johnny Male, later of [[Republica (band)|Republica]].

The three reconnected at [[The Haçienda]] in Manchester around 1988, by which time Goodwin was playing with the Joe Roberts band. It was through this connection that they met Dave Rofe, who would become their manager. The Williams twins had already prepared a track called "Spaceface" as the basis for a debut release.

In early 1991, "Spaceface" was independently released as a 12-inch single, backed with "EktoJam-Sub", the first track co-written with Goodwin. An initial pressing of 500 copies sold out quickly; further pressings brought total sales to around 2,000 copies, sold through record shops and from the back of the band's cars. Club play of the record attracted wider attention.

===Signing and breakthrough (1992–1993)===
On the strength of "Spaceface"'s underground success, Sub Sub signed with [[Virgin Records]]' [[Ten Records]] subsidiary, which re-released the single in January 1992 to moderate success. Virgin declined to commission further material after hearing the band's proposed follow-up, and the group began looking for a new deal.

Through manager Dave Rofe, Sub Sub were introduced to [[Rob Gretton]] at the Dry Bar on Oldham Street, Manchester. Gretton agreed to release Sub Sub material on his [[Rob's Records]] imprint on a 50/50 financial basis. Their debut release on the label was the ''Coast'' EP in June 1992.

In April 1993, Sub Sub released "Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)", featuring guest vocalist [[Melanie Williams]], a singer known for her work with [[Temper Temper]]. The track sampled "Good Morning Starshine" by Revelation, which had appeared on a 1979 disco compilation. The single became a surprise commercial hit, selling over 750,000 copies and spending eleven weeks on the [[UK Singles Chart]], peaking at number three. The success earned the band an appearance on ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' and a performance at an awards ceremony in Paris.

===''Full Fathom Five'' and later singles (1994–1997)===
With income from "Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)", the group established their own recording studio on Blossom Street in the [[Ancoats]] area of Manchester.

Sub Sub's only studio album, ''[[Full Fathom Five (Sub Sub album)|Full Fathom Five]]'', was released in September 1994 on Rob's Records. The record blended house, downtempo, and ambient elements. Notable tracks included "Respect", a funky house number with soulful vocals, and "Angel", which combined ethereal ambient textures with deep house rhythms.

Following the album, the band released two further singles. "Smoking Beagles" (December 1996) was co-written and featured [[Tricky]]. "This Time I'm Not Wrong" (August 1997) followed as their final release on Rob's Records, with B-sides including an early version of "Firesuite", a song that would later be reworked by Doves. During this period, Goodwin also played bass with [[Electronic (band)|Electronic]], the alternative dance project formed by [[New Order]]'s [[Bernard Sumner]] and ex-[[The Smiths|Smiths]] guitarist [[Johnny Marr]].

===Studio fire and dissolution (1996–1998)===
On 18 February 1996 — the Williams twins' birthday — a fire destroyed the band's Ancoats recording studio. Nearly all equipment and unreleased recordings were lost, though some DAT tapes survived. Insurance payouts were credited by the band as essential to their ability to continue.

In 1998, an archival collection of unreleased material from sessions spanning 1991 to 1996 was issued as ''Delta Tapes'' on the Cortex and Rob's Records labels. The nine-track compilation included early demos and recovered material, among them a version of "This Time I'm Not Wrong" featuring [[Bernard Sumner]].

===Reformation as Doves (1998–present)===
After the studio fire, the three members stepped back from Sub Sub's electronic sound. In 1998 they reconvened as '''[[Doves (band)|Doves]]''', pursuing a more guitar-oriented [[indie rock]] direction. Doves went on to considerable critical and commercial success, releasing five studio albums between 2000 and 2022, and winning the [[Mercury Prize]] in 2002 for ''[[The Last Broadcast]]''.

==Musical style==
Sub Sub's sound emerged from the early 1990s Manchester rave scene, rooted in [[house music]] while incorporating elements of [[acid house]], [[ambient music]], and [[alternative dance]]. Their production relied on hardware [[synthesizer]]s, [[drum machine]]s, and [[sampler (musical instrument)|samplers]] to build layered electronic textures suited to club environments. The band is frequently associated with the [[Madchester]] movement, which combined acid house rhythms with indie and psychedelic influences centred on venues such as The Haçienda.

==Members==
* '''Jimi Goodwin''' – programming, production, bass
* '''Andy Williams''' – programming, production
* '''Jez Williams''' – programming, production

==Discography==

===Studio albums===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Label !! Notes
|-
| 1994 || ''Full Fathom Five'' || Rob's Records ||
|-
| 1998 || ''Delta Tapes'' || Cortex / Rob's Records || Compilation of unreleased material; released posthumously
|}

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Label !! Chart position (UK)
|-
| 1991 || "Spaceface" (independent) || – || –
|-
| 1992 || "Spaceface" (re-release) || Ten Records || –
|-
| 1992 || ''Coast'' EP || Rob's Records || –
|-
| 1993 || "Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)" (feat. [[Melanie Williams]]) || Rob's Records || 3
|-
| 1996 || "Smoking Beagles" (feat. [[Tricky]]) || Rob's Records || –
|-
| 1997 || "This Time I'm Not Wrong" || Rob's Records || –
|}

==See also==
* [[Doves (band)]]
* [[Madchester]]
* [[The Haçienda]]
* [[Rob Gretton]]
* [[Rob's Records]]

==External links==
* [https://www.dovesmusicblog.com/sub-sub/ Sub Sub history] at Doves Music Blog
* {{Discogs artist|26531|Sub Sub}}

[[Category:English electronic music groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Cheshire]]
[[Category:House music groups]]
[[Category:Alternative dance music groups]]
[[Category:Rob's Records artists]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1991]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1998]]
[[Category:Doves (band)]]

Sub Sub - Revision history