The name MECK is everywhere - it started with the UK number 1 hit single Thunder In My Heart Again, continues with a collaboration with MADONNA on her Sticky & Sweet tour using FEELS LIKE HOME in a mashup with Like A Prayer and sees even elements from The Windmills Of Your Mind being used on current single WINDMILLS. And let's not forget SO STRONG. Nothing ever follows a formula you'll notice!
As people have subsequently found out, Meck is the DJ and recording alias of Craig Dimech, the former head of free2air recordings and now head honcho at Frenetic Music which he's firmly placed in the epicentre of cool, clubbing culture.
Craig started his career as a DJ in the early 90s and was club resident at one of Londons most loved nights Peach which ran for a staggering 10 years, leading to guest appearances worldwide and a position in DJ Mags Top 100 DJs in 1999.
The natural process to Craig was to then develop a keen interest in the A&R process of making and developing records, no longer content with just playing them. He soon became A&R manager for Ministry Of Sound affiliate label Incentive Music in 1999, where he went on to become Head of A&R, signing and developing such diverse acts such as Mario Piu, Matt Darey, Santos, Dino Lenny & The Genius Cru, all major hits in their own right.
After 3 very successful years there he was then asked by Edel Records to start his own label. free2air was born in January 2003 and the rest is history as they say, scoring hit after hit at a time when most imprints were being forced to close. With the view that the best form of defence is attack, Craig scored Top ..10 success with Jason Nevins, Narcotic Thrust & Mousse T before producing (with Marc JB & Lee Dagger) and delivering the no.1 smash Thunder In My Heart Again.
SO WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?:
How do you follow up the only dance record to be the UK no.1 for 2 weeks in 2006? Well, for Meck it wasn't about resting on his laurels and going down the same musical path again. 'FEELS LIKE HOME' (describee as Faithless meets Kasabian) utilises the classic, unmistakable riff from Felix's 'Don't You Want Me' but is light years away from what you maybe expecting. With vocals written & sung by the much-underrated Dino and now a main stay on the current MADONNA STICKY & SWEET TOUR in a mash up with the classic LIKE A PRAYER. Some say it's THE highlight of the show...Check it out in a city near you soon...or dvd!
If that wasn’t enough Meck & Dino’s collaborated again - on the the Buzz Chart no.1 ‘So Strong’ (dipping into The OT Quartet’s Hold That Sucker Down’) and featured heavily in sets the world over from the likes of David Guetta/Axwell/Tiesto/Steve Angello/Armin/Pete Tong.
As Monty Python use to say: 'Now For Something Completely Different!' WINDMILLS sees Meck take a slightly different musical direction here but no less dancefloor friendly. Utlising elements of THE WINDMILLS OF YOUR MIND (best remembered by Dusty Springfield), this goes all progressive before the haunting vocals and melody come in. Check out the remix package too - Dabruck & Klein and Sundan.
Discography:
Meck ‘ Freakism’ (boot of Missy Elliott’s Get UR Freak On & X-Press 2’s ‘Muzikism’)
Meck ‘Now I Can See’
Meck ft Leo Sayer ‘Thunder In My Heart Again’
Meck ft Dino ‘Feels Like Home’
Meck ft Dino ‘So Strong’
Meck ‘Windmills’
Remixes:
Ghosts ‘The World Is Outside’ (Atlantic)
The Wideboys ‘Bomb The Secret’ (AATW)
Johnny Depth ‘Magnificent Feelin’ (Frenetic)
Azzido Da Bass ‘Dooms Night’ (Frenetic)
Out Of Office 'Insatiable' (Frenetic)
