PRS for Music honours Faithless’ first live gig venue
On 19th September, Faithless, one of the UK’s most successful dance acts is to be reunited and honoured by a PRS for Music Heritage Award at the iconic Jazz Café in Camden.
A special plaque is to be erected on the venue where the legendary Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss and Rollo played their first full live gig in 1996.
We had some unforgettable nights in Camden, the local scene was always edgy and groundbreaking and we loved it. Electronic music was finally getting some broader recognition too and it was an exciting time for us. The Jazz Café is really important to our story and where our live career took off. We’re so honoured to be getting this Heritage award with them and celebrating where it all started. Can’t believe it’s been 15 years!
Prior to their big break at the Jazz Café in 1996, Faithless were an underground electronic outfit. As soon as promoters heard they could play live, bookings from across Europe saw them suddenly enjoying audiences of thousands. Within twelve months, Insomnia was #1 around the globe and Faithless went on to produce two UK #1 albums, six UK top 10 singles, achieving over 15 million global sales.
PRS for Music set up the Heritage Award in 2009 to recognise the unusual ‘performance birthplaces’ of famous bands and artists. Previous awardees include Blur, Elton John, Soul II Soul, UB40, Snow Patrol, James and Jethro Tull. Faithless and the Jazz Café have contributed significantly to shaping the British music landscape
We are pleased to be included in the history and achievements of Faithless. From their first gig at Jazz Cafe into sold out stadiums and countless record sales. We are honoured to erect the PRS for Music plaque to commemorate their achievement in the British music industry.
Having worked in the industry for many years, I am constantly impressed by the sheer dedication of artists and venues alike who continue to break in and promote outstanding music pioneers. It’s astonishing. Faithless went from virtual unknowns to championing a largely underground genre which we now all enjoy in everyday life – television, bars, advertising, you name it, dance music is there. The Jazz Café is a pillar of programming excellence and is well deserving of our prestigious PRS for Music Heritage Award.
About Jazz Café:
The Jazz Café was opened in December 1990 after being converted from the Camden Town Barclays Bank branch. With a format similar to Ronnie Scott's the venue played host to some of the biggest jazz acts ever. The Jazz Café is now a leading promoter of groundbreaking and emerging musicians of all genres and has hosted concerts for Amy Winehouse, Beverly Knight, Paloma Faith, Seth Lakeman, Labrinth, Rizzle Kicks, Tinie Tempah, Rita Ora, Courtney Pine and Omar.
About PRS for Music
PRS for Music is a world-leading music collective management organisation representing the rights of more than 165,000 talented songwriters, composers and music publishers around the globe. Headquartered in the UK, it works diligently on behalf of its members to grow and protect the value of their rights. With a focus on innovation and integrity, PRS for Music is redefining the global standard for music royalties to ensure creators are paid whenever their musical compositions and songs are streamed, downloaded, broadcast, performed and played in public. In 2022, PRS for Music collected £964m and paid out £836.2m in royalties. prsformusic.com
