
The Prodigy are an English electronic music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers and The Crystal Method, as well as other acts they are pioneers of the big beat electronic dance genre which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s, and are known for high-quality live performances. They have sold over 20 million records worldwide which is unequalled in dance music history.
Background information
Origin Braintree, Essex, England, United Kingdom
Genres Big beat
Synthpunk
Rave
Hardcore techno
Dance punk
Breakbeat
Drum and bass
Years active 1990–present
Labels Take Me to the Hospital, Ragged Flag, Cooking Vinyl, XL, Beggars Banquet, Mute, Maverick, Warner Bros., Elektra, SHOCK Records
Members
Liam Howlett
Keith Flint
Maxim Reality
Former members
Leeroy Thornhill
Sharky
\\\"Voodoo People\\\" is a song by The Prodigy, released as their eighth single in 12 September 1994. It was the third single from the album Music For the Jilted Generation and was released as a 12\\\" single and its own EP in the United States through Mute Records.
The British release included a remix by the The Chemical Brothers who at that time called themselves \\\"The Dust Brothers\\\" in honour of an American producer duo of the same name. When \\\"Voodoo People\\\" was to be released in the States, and due to the British Dust Brothers\\\' rising popularity, the American Dust Brothers threatened a lawsuit if they didn\\\'t change their name. The British duo changed their name to \\\"The Chemical Brothers\\\", and the remix on the American Mute release was renamed in accordance. A small sample in the remix was also reversed on the American release due to copyright issues.
The original video was directed by Walter Stern and Russell Curtis. It was filmed on location in Saint Lucia and it showed Leeroy Thornhill as a voodoo priest. This version included scenes featuring real witch Doctors, but these were cut because of problems with television censorship. A number of other more graphic versions of the video are available, one of them appearing in the Prodigy\\\'s Electronic Punks documentary.[citation needed]
The spoken parts (\\\"... the voodoo who do what you don\\\'t dare do people...\\\") are taken from \\\"The Shalimar,\\\" written and performed by Gylan Kain, one of The Last Poets.
The main riff in the song is based on a sample of the Nirvana song \\\"Very Ape\\\" from their third studio album In Utero.
The song has been covered by Refused and British funk band 6ix Toys as well remixed by Pendulum (see Voodoo People (Pendulum Remix)).
Single by The Prodigy
from the album Music For the Jilted Generation
Released 12 September 1994
Format 12 inch vinyl record
CD single
Recorded Essex, England
Genre Hardcore Techno
Length 4:05 (Edit)
Label XL Recordings
Writer(s) Liam Howlett
Producer Liam Howlett
Certification None