Leeroy Thornhill's solo projects
Prodigy dancer Leeroy Thornhill had enough of staying in the background, and being prominent only on stage, so he started to work on his own and record some solo material. Later he also decided to leave the Prodigy.
I have been a full member of Prodigy for a brilliant nine years but I wish to concentrte fully on my own music as Flightcrank and I wish the band all the best for the future"
- Leeroy Thornhill 4th April 2000 -
Longman era
His first solo project was originally called "The Longman" (referring to his height of about 2 meters). He released his first solo record back in 1996, 'The Longman EP'. The single contained the following tracks: Dreamers, The Suspect, The Smoker, Rock It. He also provided a track for Kris Needs' 'Needs Must' compilation and laid down a remix for fellow Essex ravers Shades of Rhythm.
Flightcrank era
In 1999, Leeroy changed his nickname to Flightcrank, and started to release records under that nick. First, he made a remix of Dr. Dooom's (aka Kool Keith) rap track Leave Me Alone and then several other remixes for Psycho Base, Runaways and David Gray. He has signed a deal with Copasetic Records and in 2000, he released his second solo EP titled Flightcrank EP. It contained 3 original songs (Twisted , Drifter and Masterplan) and a remix by Lee Scratch Perry. In 2001 he released his first solo album called Beyond All Reasonable Doubt.
Present
Longman and Flightcrank projects never saw any substantial success. He now DJs at large venues and is still in touch with The Prodigy. During The Prodigy's 'Their Law' tour Thornhill was the DJ support act at several venues. He also works as a regular DJ. He also remixed tracks for other artists, such as the Italian Subsonica's Nuvole Rapide.
Thornhill is currently working with Hyper and appears on their live shows. He appeared at the V Festival in 2007 in Chelmsford, Essex.
His latest project is the creation of Nu skool breaks record label Electric Tastebuds. He has recently signed breakbeat act The Wrongstar Society to the label.
In October 2008, a music video was created for "Everything U Need", a track by Thornhill's Smash Hi-Fi project. The video was Directed by Philip Carrer and Bleeding Apple.
Copasetik recordings Flightcrank artist bio
When it comes to the matter of having to describe or pin-down
the Flightcrank sound then, to be perfectly honest with
you, preparing to expect the unexpected really does seem
like the best option available.
You see, Leeroy Thornhill (who IS Flightcrank) pretty much
defiles all pre-set conformities...and rightly so as, though
being one of four founder members of the now world-famous
The Prodigy since their conception way at the turn of 1990,
this Essex-born-and-bred navigator in advanced sound manipulation
now finds himself in the newly-acquired position of being
in full control of his own musical operations.
We're about to enter to the next chapter...
But..hey, kids!, before we move forth and into the present
and future we need to touch back and into past, just so
that you're all clear...
Rewinding around ten years or so and whilst The Prodigy
(after unleashing 'Experience') were fast gaining a reputation
throughout the early peripherals of what would later become
the fully-fledged U.K hardcore movement by performing live
P.A.'s at clubs and warehouse events from one end of the
country to another, Leeroy had already made his initial
forays into acquiring the relevant studio equipment, subsequently
leading on to the man then arranging and writing his first
few excursions into track construction.
Though becoming a slow process at first, this would take
full form around three years down the line in '93 as, after
Leeroy taking up the ubiquitous skills of the wheels of
steel a year previous to this a more breakbeat / hardcore-based
influence, the debut vinyl releases from his very self,
albeit as a limited white-label-only and under the guise
of Lowrise, would surface, and to much critical acclaim.
As you can guess, this was the start of good things for
Mr Thornhill as, whilst Prodigy commitments were taking
greater precedence by the day and worldwide tours and dates
for the band would soon be arriving in their droves, his
own unique studio methods were gradually being honed up
to the point of being commissioned to remix none other than
Moby's 'Come On Baby' for Mute in 1994 and though the overhaul
never quite managed to see the light of day - release-wise,
it had still put the man in good stead for further work
that would soon be coming through on the production tip.
By the arrival of the following year, and whilst Leeroy's
DJ'ing sound had now started to incorporate a more trance
/ techno type of edge, remixes of Shades Of Rhythm's 'Psycho
Bass' came next on the agenda and were soon to be proceeded
by his sophomore white label releases, this time being put
under the working moniker of 'The Longman E.P' - that caused
more than yer' average stir throughout key circles and even
found it's way onto Kris Need's ...Must' compilation after
much rotation from said Jock.
So, what with the release of The Prodigy's third long-player,
'Fat Of The Land', and it's extra topping-up on the success
that had been so evident throughout the previous two, 'Experience'
and 'Music For The Jilted Generation', the next two years
(from around 1996 to 1998) were probably Leeroy's busiest
yet as whilst world tours came into play once again (resulting
in a huge one-off bash playing to over 300,000 people in
Red Square, Moscow) and yet further turntables stints were
to take place in destinations as varied as the UK, Ireland,
Germany and Greece, to name but a small few, any spare time
left available was immediately spent adding new parts and
gadgets to the studio set-up and, of course, getting to
work on new tracks.
Leading on to 1999 and, in essence, this was where it would
all really kick off for Mr. Thornhill...
Indeed, as after successfully being brought in to remix
London Records' up-and-coming artists, Southern Fly, and
their two key singles 'Maybe It's The Right Time' and 'For
Real'. The re-routing in Leeroy's direction that lay ahead
would now take on new meaning...
The reason why?
Well, due to a certain link with Copasetik Recordings a
certain overhaul on Dr. Dooom's (a.k.a none other than Kool
'Smack My Bitch Up' Keith) modern day hip hop classic 'Leave
Me Alone', was to come into the picture and, so pleased
was Leeroy on subsequent feedback and acclaim gained on
just that one remix alone (this time under guise of Fightcrank,
plans were drafted, a mutual vibe became apparent and so
by the year's close of play, Leeroy had signed to the label.
Which kind of smoothly brings us up to the present day...
Having structured his studio, situated slap-bang in the
centre of his own Windmill, deep in the outback of Essex
country, to ideal specifications and been putting together
more brand new cuts than you could even dare to shake a
stick at, it looks as if this year really is to be Leeroy's
time to shine after what could be described as ten years
of very fruitful experience already in the bag. Leeroy did
remixes for the likes of Masta Ace & Runaways for Ultimate
Dilemma, Moby and top Irish artist of the moment, David
Gray. The debut Flightcrank E.P., called appropriately enough,
'The Twisted EP' (featuring Lee 'Scratch' Perry), was released
last July and met with universal praise for its "twisted
beats and wonky reggae vibes".
The musical style of the album ranges from break beat folk to lo-fi soul and indie with contributions from 'Scratch' Perry and 'The Very' Mad Professor.
» Flightcrank discography
Any suggestions,
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[ juge@theprodigy.info
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