LCD Soundsystem / Battles February 2, 2008

James Murphy
James Murphy is a musician, producer, DJ, and co-founder of dance-punk label DFA Records. His most well-known musical project is LCD Soundsystem, which first gained attention with debut single, Losing My Edge in 2002 before releasing a self-titled album in February 2005 to critical acclaim and top 20 success in the UK.

Pat Mahoney and James Murphy
Starting in 1993, Murphy used the name Death from Above when DJing, a nickname that was given to his signature PA set-up while he was the sound tech for Six Finger Satellite. The original name of Murphy's and co-owner Tim Goldsworthy's DFA Records was Death from Above Records (though this name was deemed inappropriate for a New York City-based label after the September 11, 2001 attacks).

Murphy was a member of Falling Man from 1988 to 1989, Pixies-soundalikes Pony from 1992 to 1994 and Speedking from 1995 to 1997. He was also the sound engineer for Sub Pop band Six Finger Satellite. Former Six Finger Satellite member John Maclean is now on DFA records as The Juan Maclean. In 1999 he formed DFA with Tim Goldsworthy (formerly of UNKLE). At age 22, Murphy was offered a job writing for what was then a little-known sitcom named Seinfeld. He did not expect the show to be successful and chose to continue with music instead.

Murphy's second LCD Soundsystem album, entitled Sound of Silver, was released on March 12, 2007. He also has a CD in the Fabriclive CD series, Fabric Live 36, made in collaboration with LCD Soundsystem drummer Pat Mahoney, released in October, 2007.

John Stanier
John Stanier (born 2 August 1968 in Baltimore, Maryland) first came into the spotlight in 1989 as the drummer for the band Helmet.
Stanier grew up in Florida and is a veteran of the local hardcore music scene. He is known for having a drum corps background, but never actually marched a summer season. He played tenor drums for the Florida Wave through a few years of their winter/spring camps. He studied orchestral percussion at the University of South Florida, but has never taken any formal drumset lessons. Stanier cites Neil Peart as his biggest influence, though he hates double bass drumming. He has also been influenced by drummers such as John Bonham, Billy Cobham, Bill Bruford, Terry Bozzio, Carl Palmer, and Lenny White. Stanier's drumming with Helmet has been cited as a big influence on a new generation of rock drummers.

The break up of Helmet in 1998 was very bitter, and Stanier dislikes speaking about it or any activity involving Helmet's founder Page Hamilton since that time. Hamilton claims that Stanier has ignored any attempts to communicate or reconcile. Stanier wanted to get involved with another band after taking some time off, although he "accidentally" became a professional DJ for a year and a half. His period of drumming inactivity was in part due to a broken wrist, as well as because he simply could not find a band he wanted to play with. Eventually he found work collaborating with Pitchshifter on their album Deviant and since 2000, Stanier has been a much more active drummer. He is currently a member of three bands: Battles, Tomahawk, and The Mark of Cain and also played drums on Melissa Auf der Maur's 2004 self-titled solo album.

Midnight Juggernauts

This indie-electro-synth group from Melbourne, have fast become favourites with Audiences and critics all over the world.
Their debut album, Dystopia, released in Australia on August 4, 2007, (with an international release to follow at a later date) was previewed by radio station Triple J as "Feature Album" of the week. The band cites Electric Light Orchestra as one of their main influences, inspiring the key sound in many of their tracks, particularly Into the Galaxy.
Singles released by the group include Raised By Wolves, Shadows, 45 & Rising, Road to Recovery, 20,000 Leagues and Into the Galaxy. They also have an EP entitled Secrets of the Universe and numerous songs on various compilations including Modular’s Leave Them All Behind, FBI's Kill Your Idols, Kitsune Maison 4, !K7's Tsubi DJ Kicks disk, Cutcopy's Fabric release, Ministry of Sounds Mashed 3, Ajax's Spin City, and more.

The Juggernauts have remixed tracks for !!! (chk chk chk), The Presets, Dragonette, Electric Six and Damn Arms and the list of artists to remix their work includes Cut Copy, Spod, The Presets, Ajax, and members of Wolfmother.

Throughout their ever-blossoming career they have performed with Scissor Sisters, Bloc Party, Mstrkrft, Har Mar Superstar, Annie, Death from Above 1979, Justice, and Electric Six.

In September 2007 they were nominated for the J Award by youth radio station Triple J for the Australian album of the year.