Borough of Corby
—  Town & Borough  —
Corby town centre skyline, seen from Oakley Woods
Borough of Corby shown within Northamptonshire
Coordinates: 52°29′29″N 0°41′47″W / 52.4914°N 0.69645°W / 52.4914; -0.69645
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	East Midlands
Non-metropolitan county	Northamptonshire
Status	Non-metropolitan district
Admin HQ	Corby
Incorporated
Government
• Type	Non-metropolitan district council
• Borough council	Corby Borough Council (Labour)
• Mayor	Gail McDade
• MPs	Louise Mensch (Conservative)
Population (2010 est.)
• Total	55,800
• Rank	314th (of 326)
Time zone	GMT (UTC0)
• Summer (DST)	BST (UTC+1)
Postcodes	NN17-NN18
Area code(s)	01536
ONS code	34UB
OS grid reference	SP897887
Website	www.corby.gov.uk

Corby is borough located in the county of Northamptonshire. Corby Town is 23 miles north-east of the county town, Northampton. The borough had a population of 53,174 at the 2001 Census; the town on its own accounted for 49,222 of this figure. Figures released in March 2010 revealed that Corby has the fastest growing population in both Northamptonshire and the whole of England. The Borough of Corby borders onto the Borough of Kettering, the District of East Northamptonshire, the District of Harborough and the unitary authority county of Rutland. The town was at one time known locally as "Little Scotland" due to the large number of Scottish migrant workers who came to Corby for its steelworks.

Borough settlements[link]

The Borough of Corby consists of the town of Corby, as well as the villages of Weldon, Rockingham, Gretton, Cottingham, Middleton, East Carlton, Stanion, and Little Stanion.

History[link]

Early history[link]

Mesolithic and Neolithic artefacts have been found in the area surrounding Corby and human remains dating to the Bronze Age were found in 1970 at Cowthick.^[1] The first evidence of permanent settlement comes from the 8th century when Danish invaders arrived and the settlement became known as "Kori's by" – Kori's settlement. The settlement was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Corbei". Corby's emblem, the raven, derives from an alternative meaning of this word. These Danish roots were recognised in the naming of the most southern of the town's housing estates, Danesholme, around which one of the Danish settlements was located.

Corby was granted the right to hold two annual fairs and a market by Henry III in 1226. In 1568 Corby was granted a charter by Elizabeth I that exempted local landowners from tolls (the fee paid by travellers to use the long distance public roads), dues (an early form of income tax)^[2] and gave all men the right to refuse to serve in the local militia.^[3] A popular legend is that the Queen was hunting in Rockingham Forest when she (dependent on the legend) either fell from her horse or became trapped in a bog whilst riding. Upon being rescued by villagers from Corby she granted the charter in gratitude for her rescue. Another popular explanation is that it was granted as a favour to her alleged lover Sir Christopher Hatton.

The Corby Pole Fair is an event that has taken place every 20 years since 1862 in celebration of the charter. The next pole fair is to be held in 2022.

From rural village to industrial town[link]

The local area has been worked for iron ore since Roman times. An ironstone industry developed in the 19th century with the coming of the railways and the discovery of extensive ironstone beds. By 1910 an ironstone works had been established. In 1931 Corby was a small village with a population of around 1,500. It grew rapidly into a reasonably sized industrial town, when the owners of the ironstone works, the steel firm Stewarts & Lloyds, decided to build a large integrated ironstone and steel works on the site. The start of construction in 1934 drew workers from all over the country including many workers from the depressed West of Scotland and Irish labourers. The first steel was produced in October 1935 and for decades afterwards the steel works dominated the town. By 1939 the population had grown to around 12,000, at which time Corby was thought to be the largest "village" in the country, but it was at that point that Corby was re-designated an urban district (see the Local Government section below).

The 1940s and 1950s[link]

During World War II the Corby steelworks were expected to be a target for German bombers but in the event there were only a few bombs dropped by solitary planes and there were no casualties. This may be because the whole area was blanketed in huge dense black, low lying clouds created artificially by the intentional burning of oil and latex to hide the glowing Bessemer converter furnaces at the steelworks from German bomber crews.^[4] The only known remaining scars from German attacks can be found in the form of bullet holes visible on the front fascia of the old post office in Corby village (now known as Maddison's Bar and Storm nightclub). Nobody really knows the exact circumstances under which the attack occurred, but a local apocryphal tale tells of a lone pilot making his way back to Germany after a successful raid on Coventry who spotted some lights so decided to finish off his already depleted stock of bullets. Sadly, the authenticity of this romanticised tale can neither be verified or denied, but it is certainly the most popular theory among locals. The Corby steelworks made a notable contribution to the war effort by manufacturing the steel tubes used in Operation Pluto (Pipe Line Under the Ocean) to supply fuel to Allied forces on the European continent.

In 1950, with a population of 18,000, Corby was designated a New Town with William Holford as its architect. By 1951, he prepared the development plan with a car-friendly layout and many areas of open space and woodland. In 1952, Holford produced the town centre plan and in 1954 the layout for the first 500 houses.^[5] The town now underwent its second wave of expansion, mainly from Scotland.

The decline of the steel industry[link]

In 1967 the British steel industry was nationalised and the Stewarts & Lloyds steel tube works at Corby became part of British Steel. In 1973 the government approved a strategy of consolidating steel making in five main areas – South Wales, Sheffield, Scunthorpe, Teesside and Scotland – most of which are coastal sites with access to economic supplies of iron rich imported ores. Thus in 1975 the government agreed a programme that would lead to the phasing-out of steel making in Corby.^[6] In November 1979 the end of iron and steel making in Corby was formally announced. By the end of 1981 over 5,000 jobs had been lost from British Steel in Corby, and further cuts took the total loss to 11,000 jobs, leading to an unemployment rate of over 30%.^[7][8] Steel tube making continued, however, initially being supplied with steel by rail from Teesside and later from South Wales.

Redevelopment[link]

Corby's CCGT power station

New industry was subsequently attracted to the town and by 1991 unemployment had returned to the national average.^[9] The recovery of Corby was explained in 1990 by John Redwood, then a junior minister in the Department of Trade and Industry, as being a result of the establishment of an Enterprise Zone, the promotion of Corby by the government, the work of private investors and the skills of the work force. Others believe the town's recovery was significantly assisted by its central location and substantial grants from the EU.^{[citation needed][10]}

To the north of Corby, on the industrial estates, is a 350MW power station built in 1994; and the Rockingham Motor Speedway built in 2001.

Politics[link]

Corby constituency

The Corby constituency contains parts of traditionally Conservative East Northamptonshire that balance the traditionally Labour town of Corby leading to a marginal constituency that has gone to the party forming the national government in every general election since the creation of the constituency in 1983. In the 2005 General Election, Labour won Corby by a majority of just over 1,000. At the 2010 General Election, the sitting Labour MP Phil Hope lost this seat to Louise Bagshawe, the Conservative Party candidate, who is now Louise Mensch after her marriage. Corby Borough Council has been controlled by the Labour party since 1979. In 2007 the council had 16 Labour representatives, eight Conservatives and five Liberal Democrats.

Elections[link]

Borough of Corby

This section requires expansion.

• Corby Borough Council Elections 2007
• European Parliament Elections 2004 (East Midlands Constituency)
• United Kingdom General Election 2005 (Corby Constituency)

Society and culture[link]

Scottish migration to Corby has created a unique population in the borough, evidenced most clearly in the 'Corby accent', referred to as 'Corbyite', which is often described as sounding Glaswegian. The link with Scotland is a strong feature of the area: according to the 2001 Census, there were 10,063 Scottish-born in the Corby Urban Area – 18.9% of the population. A further 1.3 per cent were born in Northern Ireland. It has been estimated that a further third of the population are Scottish or of Scottish descent.^[11]

The Scottish heritage is cherished by many inhabitants. There are Scottish social and sporting clubs and there are many fervent supporters of the Rangers and Celtic football clubs (indeed, Corby is home to the largest Rangers Supporters' Club outside of Glasgow and Northern Ireland). Many shops sell Scottish foods and a supermarket even introduced Gaelic signs^[12] to their Corby store (but they have since removed them). An annual Highland Gathering featuring traditional Scottish music and dancing is held in the town. Corby is the only town in England apart from London with two Church of Scotland churches.^[13]

Corby's boating lake

The song Steeltown by Big Country (title track of the album) was written about the town of Corby, telling how many Scots went to work there, but found themselves unemployed when the steelworks declined. (Source: Melody Maker, 1984)

According to the 2001 Census 1.7% of the population are non-white and the average age of the population (37.2) is slightly lower than the average for England and Wales (38.6).

November 2010 saw the opening of the Corby Cube, a major development in the town centre. As well as new council chamber, registrar office, and public library, the Cube is home to a 450 seat theatre and 100 capacity studio theatre. A programme of live theatre, dance, music and standup comedy is complemented by a participation programme encouraging all parts of Corby community to get involved. Recently the theatre started screening films, twice a week and including current mainstream releases and the best in world, independent and art house cinema.

The Corby Crater

A crater on Mars discovered in the late 1970's was named after Corby, in reference to a famous transcript of a conversation in June 1969 between the crew of the Apollo 11 mission and mission control, whereby world news was relayed to the crew, amongst it was the news that "in Corby, an Irishman named John Coil won the World's Porridge Eating Championship by consuming 23 bowls of instant oatmeal in 10 minutes".The reply from Apollo 11 "I'd like to enter Aldrin in the porridge eating contest next time; he's on the 19th bowl. Rodger."

Sport & Leisure[link]

Corby has two Non-League football teams Corby Town F.C. who play at Steel Park and Stewarts & Lloyds Corby F.C. who play at Recreation Ground on Occupation Road.

Transport[link]

Roads

The town is located along the A43, A427, A6003 and is six miles from the A14 at Kettering. Corby lies within two hours’ drive of four international airports: Birmingham, Luton, Stansted and East Midlands. Being a new town, Corby's road network is different to that of older towns. There are several dual carriageways, most of the principal roads have wide reservations and high speed limits and pedestrian crossings over them are often underpasses. However, Corby is only connected by dual carriageway to one neighbouring town, Kettering (the A6003). All other roads into the town are single carriageways.

Buses

Corby rail-link bus

Corby is served by six bus routes under the Corby Star brand name.^[14] The route X4 connects the town with Northampton, Milton Keynes, Peterborough and is also operated by Stagecoach^[15] and Glasgow by National Express. Plans to build a new bus station in Corby are being considered by the council following the closure of the old bus station in August 2002.

Rail

Corby used to be described as the largest town in the UK not to have a railway station, or access within five miles of one - many other towns and localities claim this dubious honour (e.g. Gosport, Dudley, Newcastle under Lyme) but all of these places have locally available railway stations in adjacent suburban areas. Previously the nearest station was seven miles south in Kettering since the closure of the original station under the Beeching Axe in April 1966. The Kettering-Corby-Melton Mowbray section remained open for freight and through passenger trains, passing through the 1,920 yard (1,756 metre) Corby Tunnel and crossing the River Welland on the colossal 82-arch Welland Viaduct.

Corby railway station opened on 23 February 2009

The newly built station opened on 23 February 2009. East Midlands Trains runs hourly services to London St Pancras via Kettering and Wellingborough. There is also a limited peak time service running north to Oakham and Melton Mowbray.^[16] It was later agreed that the 'Corby Rail Bus', the X1 service between Corby and Kettering operated by Stagecoach, would be kept running after the opening of the new station – though passenger numbers will be monitored and if they fall off significantly then the service may be reduced or terminated. Train services had been due to start on 14 December 2008, but EMT admitted that it failed to secure the four new trains it needed. An article in Corby's local newspaper stated that the service would be starting on 23 February 2009.^[17][18]

Employment and education[link]

Employment[link]

Since the 1980s the unemployment rate has returned to a level closer to the national average (2.7% in October 2005).^[19] Employment is biased towards manufacturing (36.8% compared with a regional average of 18.5%) and against public administration, health and education (10.0% compared with the regional average of 25.9%).^[20] Much of industry is concentrated in purpose-built industrial estates on the outskirts of the town. Fairline Boats are manufactured here. Weetabix Limited make Weetos in the north of the town. RS Components are based near Rockingham Speedway.

Demographics[link]

According to the 2001 Census the proportion of the working age population with degree-level qualifications (8.5%) is the lowest of all areas in England and Wales. 39.3% have no GCSE-equivalent qualifications at all.^[21] The borough of Corby has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the East Midlands, outside of the metropolitan boroughs (unitary authorities), although Lincoln is very similar.

Schools[link]

Brooke Weston Academy

The Corby campus of Tresham Institute of Further and Higher Education provides a range of vocational courses for post-16 students and adult learners. The nearest universities are the University of Northampton, 37 km (23 mi) to the south and both the University of Leicester and De Montfort University in Leicester, 40 km (25 mi) to the west.

Brooke Weston College, was one of only fifteen CTCs in England, opened in 1990. Brooke Weston CTC consistently achieved examination results in the top 5% of English state schools, and has been a City Academy since September 2008^[22] after which it continued with those good results.

Since 1990 several of Corby's other secondary schools have fared less well with a series of poor examination results and critical inspection reports leading to mergers and closures, the most recent being the closure of Our Lady and Pope John School in 2005. Currently there are four secondary schools in Corby: Brooke Weston Academy, Lodge Park Technology College, Corby Business Academy (formerly Corby Community College) and The Kingswood School (A Specialist Arts College). Corby Community College has a special unit for children with severe special educational needs. All four schools have sixth forms for post-16 students.

Corby has 17 primary schools, of which two are Church of England schools, three are Roman Catholic and one for children with severe behavioural and emotional difficulties.

Regeneration and redevelopment[link]

Corby has an Urban Regeneration Company - North Northants Development Company, which now covers the whole of North Northamptonshire rather than just Corby (it was previously known as Catalyst Corby). The company is working closely with Corby Borough Council, Land Securities (town centre owners), the East Midlands Development Agency and the Homes and Communities Agency to regenerate the town centre as part of the masterplan for the whole town. The population of Corby town is expected to double in the next 30 years through housing on large estates such as Prior's Hall, Little Stanion, Oakley Vale and Great Oakley.

In October 2007 Corby's new shopping precinct, Willow Place, opened.^[23] In addition Parkland Gateway, the Borough's £50m investment situated adjacent to Willow Place and including a new Olympic-sized swimming pool and civic hub (due for completion in November 2010), is being built following its approval in January 2007. Work began on the project in October 2007 and the Corby East Midlands International Pool was officially opened by Olympian Mark Foster in July 2009. Although the Evolution Corby project is currently on hold, limited aesthetic augmentation work within the town centre continues.

Stephen Fry has previously been employed to do the voice-over work for a campaign running in London to entice people to move to Corby. The campaign is centred around advertisements in newspapers, on the London Underground and on local radio. An example of one of the posters in the 'More for your Money' campaign (photographed on the London Underground). A new campaign to persuade Londoners to move to North Northamptonshire, dubbed 'North Londonshire', is due to launch in the coming weeks.

Toxic waste contamination[link]

In July 2009 Corby Borough Council was found liable for negligently exposing pregnant women to toxic waste during the reclamation of the former British Steel steelworks, causing birth defects to their children.^[24] The judge found in favour of 16 of the 18 claimants, the oldest of whom was 22 at the time of the ruling. The ruling was significant as it was the first in the world to find that airborne pollution could cause such birth defects==Geography==

Destinations from Corby

	Leicester, Melton Mowbray, Nottingham	Oakham, Grantham	Stamford, Spalding
	Market Harborough, Rugby, Coventry		Oundle, Peterborough
		Corby    East
	Northampton, Oxford	Kettering, Wellingborough, Milton Keynes, London	Huntingdon, St Neots, Cambridge

Climate[link]

As with the rest of the British Isles and Northamptonshire, Corby experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest official Metoffice weather station for which online records are available is Caldecott, about 3 miles north-north west of Corby town centre and in the Welland valley on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border. Observations have now ceased, and the nearest operational weather station is Wittering, some 13 miles to the north east. The exact situation of the weather station at Caldecott is at 53m and in a valley location, meaning generally higher daytime temperatures than Corby itself (at 100-130m altitude) but also higher frost averages. Caldecott is in fact frostier than the frost hollow at Shawbury (70.2 frost days vs. 64 frost days at Shawbury), where England's lowest December temperature was recorded. However, given temperatures between the 1961-90 period (displayed below) and 1971-2000 period have typically increased by 0.5 to 0.7 Celsius, offset by the fall in temperature of a similar value between the 53m of the weather station and the 120 metres or so of Corby town centre, the figures should provide accurate representation (in daytime values at least) of the town proper for the 1971-2000 period.

The lowest temperature recorded was −23.3 °C (−9.9 °F) during January 1987,^[25] the highest temperature of 35.0 °C (95.0 °F) was recorded in August 1990.^[26]

Twin towns[link]

Corby is twinned with:

• Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China

References[link]

Rockingham Motor Speedway

External links[link]

Phoenix Parkway with the power station in the distance

• Corby Local Shops News & Events
• More in Corby - place marketing site
• Corby Borough Council
• North Northants Development Company
• Local news
• Corby Radio
• BBC website about Corby
• The English town that's truly Scottish (Scotsman.com)
• WonderWorld, Corby, UK on h2g2
• Corby Crater website
• Corby Satellite map and weather
• Rockingham Racetrack
• Corby Skyscrapers!
• Corby pictures and information
• Corby Northern Orbital Road

Northamptonshire portal

Music career[link]

Matt Corby began his music career at age 16 on the reality TV talent show series Australian Idol in 2007, which ultimately saw him place as the season's runner-up to Natalie Gauci. In 2009, he independently released his debut EP Song For... before relocating to London and signing with renowned UK indie label Communion after capturing the attention of the label's owner, Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons fame. Corby has previously been compared to legendary artists such as Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley. After recording with Ian Grimble (The Libertines, Seasick Steve) and releasing his third EP, Transition to Colour in late 2010, Matt busied himself playing numerous live shows. Matt spent the earlier part of 2011 playing sold out shows in London and showcasing at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas in February before coming back to Australia to play a string of intimate 'Secret Garden' shows in fans' backyards throughout Australia. He soon after joined legendary UK band Elbow as the main support on their sold out national tour of Splendour sideshows in July.

Made of Stone was featured on an episode of Underbelly: Razor in 2011 and Brothers and Sisters. Lighthome was also used in an episode of Home and Away in 2011, as well as Song For... in 2012. He has since recorded a cover version of iconic Australian band INXS's "By My Side" for their Original Sin album (bonus track on the iTunes edition) and featured on a track on Julia Stone's debut album The Memory Machine and on UK singer-songwriter Passengers' title track "Golden Thread". After spending a few months writing, Matt spent most of September 2011 recording his latest EP, Into the Flame, with producer Tim Carr (Ernest Ellis). The EP "Into the Flame" showcases a new direction for Corby, including soul-influenced growling vocals along with a bluesy melody, coupled with Corby's signature folk style. The song has been called "lyrically raw and endearingly honest". The EP also features a duet with keyboardist Bree Tranter, previously of Australian band The Middle East. The EP is his first entry on the ARIA Charts when it reached number 46 on the ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart on 4 December 2011. It has since peaked at #3.^[1] On its release date, Corby posted on his website and Facebook page:

"After 12 months of lots of ups and downs, I'm so excited to share this EP with you. I honestly felt like giving up music back in April but all of you inspired me again. It's been an incredible few months re-connecting with all of you in gardens around Australia. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your support. It's been said by others before… but you guys really are the best fans ever. Let's stay close on this journey."

"Into The Flame" has since reached 3x platinum status in Australia, making it Corby's most successful release to date.^[2] Matt is to support the release of his EP and single 'Brother' with a national 'Into the Flame' tour around Australia, many of which have already sold out, along with a mini 'Secret Garden' Summer Tour around NSW. In January 2012, Matt was named the 'Next Big Thing' and won 'Song of the Year' for Brother at FBi Radio's annual SMAC Awards in Darlinghurst, Sydney. He soon after premiered his own take of The Black Keys' song "Lonely Boy" on Triple J's Like a Version show with Tom & Alex, along with an acoustic rendition of his own song Brother. Both have since received significant attention online. Corby secured a support slot with Feist in Adelaide on her 2012 Australian tour. He is to tour throughout the U.S. and U.K. in the early part of 2012. He will also be writing and recording his debut album, which is due to be released later in the year. Corby's song "Brother" was voted into the #3 position for the Triple J Hottest 100, 2011.

Discography[link]

Extended plays[link]

Singles[link]

Music videos[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website: http://www.mattcorby.com.au
• Official MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/mattcorbyau
• Official Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/mattcorbyau
• Official YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/mattcorbyau
• Official Twitter Page: http://www.twitter.com/matt_corby
• Official Fansite: http://www.mattcorby.org/
• Label Website: http://www.communionmusic.co.uk/

References[link]

James Blunt
James Blunt in January 2008
Background information
Birth name	James Hillier Blount
Born	(1974-02-22) 22 February 1974 (age 38) Tidworth, Wiltshire, England
Genres	Pop rock, soft rock, folk rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, violin, percusion
Years active	2004-present
Labels	Warner Bros. Records, Atlantic, Custard
Website	jamesblunt.com
Notable instruments
Seagull acoustic guitars

James Hillier Blount (born 22 February 1974),^[1][2] better known by his stage name James Blunt, is an English singer-songwriter and former army officer, whose debut album, Back to Bedlam and single releases, including "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", brought him to fame in 2005. His repertoire can be best described as a mix of acoustic-tinged pop, rock and folk. After recording on the independent American label Custard Records, Blunt won two Brit Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, two Ivor Novello Awards, and by 2006 was nominated for five Grammy Awards. The following year, he released his second album All the Lost Souls (2007). Blunt's third studio album, Some Kind of Trouble, was released in November 2010. Worldwide, Blunt has sold over 18 million albums,^[3] and his debut album, Back to Bedlam, is the best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK.^[4]

Blunt was an officer in the Life Guards, a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and served under NATO in Kosovo during the conflict there in 1999. While posted to Kosovo, Blunt was introduced to the work of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF or "Doctors Without Borders"). Since then, Blunt has supported MSF by holding meet-and-greet auctions at many of his concerts.^[5]

Early life[link]

James Blunt was born at an army hospital in Tidworth, Wiltshire, England;^[6] the first child born to Jane A.F. (née Amos) and Charles Blount. James spent his early childhood living in England, Cyprus, and Germany, where his father, a colonel in the British Army Air Corps,^[7] and military helicopter pilot, was posted at various times.^[8]

James Blunt has two younger siblings. The Blount family has a long history of military service, dating from the 10th century.^[6] His father inculcated in him a love of flying, and he earned his pilot's licence at age 16.^[8] He has a keen interest in motorcycles after learning to ride when he was 16.^[9]

Education[link]

Blunt was enrolled at Elstree School in Woolhampton in Berkshire, before continuing to Harrow School in Harrow on the Hill in north-west London (Elmfield House) on an army bursary. From Harrow School he gained an army-sponsored place at the University of Bristol, where he first studied aerospace manufacturing engineering and then subsequently moved on to the study of sociology.^[8] He graduated with a BSc in sociology in 1996.^[10]

Military service[link]

Because the British Army sponsored his university education, Blunt was obliged to serve a minimum of four years in the armed forces. He stated on an interview in his Back to Bedlam sessions that he chose to join the military as "his father was pushing for it, so that Blunt could obtain a secure work placement and income". Blunt trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.^[8][11] He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Life Guards, a unit of the Household Cavalry, where he rose to the rank of captain.^[11][12] One of his first assignments was to British Army Training Unit Suffield in Alberta, Canada, where his battalion was posted for six months in 1998 to act as the opposing army in combat training exercises.^[13]

In 1999, he served as an armoured reconnaissance officer in the NATO deployment in Kosovo. Initially assigned to reconnaissance of the Macedonia-Yugoslavia border, Blunt and his unit worked ahead of the front lines directing forces and targeting Serb positions for the NATO bombing campaign. His unit was given the assignment of securing the Pristina International Airport in advance of the 30,000-strong peacekeeping force; the Russian army had moved in and taken control of the airport before his unit's arrival. According to Blunt's own account of the incident he refused to follow orders from NATO command to attack the Russians.^[14] There were less intense moments during Blunt's Kosovo assignment. Blunt had brought along his guitar, strapped to the outside of his tank. At some places, the peacekeepers would share a meal with hospitable locals, and Blunt would perform. It was while on duty there that he wrote the song "No Bravery".^[15]

A keen skier, Blunt captained the Household Cavalry alpine ski team in Verbier, Switzerland, eventually becoming champion skier of the entire Royal Armoured Corps. He had extended his military service in November 2000,^[16] and after an intensive six-month army riding course was posted to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in London, England.^[6] During this posting, Blunt was interviewed about his responsibilities on the television programme "Girls on Top", a series highlighting unusual career choices.^[17][18] He stood guard at the coffin of the Queen Mother during the days of her lying in State and was part of the funeral procession on 9 April 2002.^[19] Blunt left the army on 1 October 2002 having served six years.^[20]

Music career[link]

Early career[link]

Blunt took piano and violin lessons as a child, but his first significant exposure to popular music was at Harrow School. There, he was introduced to the guitar by a fellow student, and started playing the instrument and writing songs at age 14.^[6][21] At University of Bristol, his undergraduate thesis was The Commodification of Image – Production of a Pop Idol; one of his main references for the thesis was Simon Frith, a sociologist and rock critic, and current chair of the Mercury Music Prize.^[22]

Blunt left the British Army in 2002 so that he could pursue his musical career.^[15] It was at that period that he started using the stage name "Blunt", in part to make it easier for others to spell; "Blount" is pronounced the same way, and remains his legal surname.^[23] Shortly after leaving the army, he was signed to EMI music publishers, and to Twenty-First Artists management.^[24] A record contract remained elusive, with recording label executives pointing to Blunt's posh speaking voice as a barrier in class-divided Britain.^[21] Linda Perry, who was just launching her own Custard Records label in early 2003, heard Blunt's promotional tape when visiting London, and soon after heard him perform live at the South by Southwest Music Festival. She made an offer to him the same night^[25] and within a few days, Blunt signed a recording contract with Perry, and one month later he was in Los Angeles working with producer Tom Rothrock.^[24][26]

[edit] Back to Bedlam (2003–2006)

Blunt performing in the United States, 2008

Blunt recorded Back to Bedlam in 2003 with producer Tom Rothrock at Rothrock's home studio, using session musicians and performing on many different instruments himself.^[21][27] While in Los Angeles, he lodged with actress Carrie Fisher, whom he had met through the family of a former girlfriend. Fisher was very supportive of Blunt's aspirations, suggesting the name of the album and providing use of a bathroom in her home for Blunt to record the song "Goodbye My Lover".^[6] Back to Bedlam was finally released in the UK in October 2004. Blunt's debut single in the UK was "High" (co-written with Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue). This song initially peaked below the Top 100 of the UK Singles Chart, however after the subsequent success of "You're Beautiful" it finally made the Top 75 before eventually being re-released.^[28] However, the song was chosen to appear in a Vodafone commercial in Italy, and was a Top 10 hit in that country.^[24]

The debut album from the unknown Blunt initially attracted little critical attention, and there were no published reviews from major UK music journals. His live performances, mainly in support of better known musicians, received somewhat mixed but generally favourable reviews. Blunt's lack of performing experience and inconsistent approach with audiences was commented upon, while his music was likened to that of Damien Rice and David Gray.^[29][30] In March 2004, with Blunt performing in the support role for Katie Melua in Manchester, Alex McCann of Designer Magazine wrote, "Blunt's ascendance is a dead cert and this time next year it isn't that far removed from reality to suggest that a number 1 album, Brit Award and countless accolade's [sic] will be his for the taking."^[31] After release of the album, concert support slots for Elton John and Lloyd Cole and the Commotions in late 2004 and early 2005 followed, as did a band residency at London club 93 Feet East.^[32] In March 2005, his second single, "Wisemen," was released.

Blunt's third single "You're Beautiful" was his break-out hit. The song debuted at number 12 in the UK, and rose all the way to the number one position six weeks after its debut.^[24] The song also received massive airplay in the UK, which helped propel Back to Bedlam to number one on the UK Albums Chart.^[24] The extensive airplay ultimately led to Blunt and his co-writers being awarded the Ivor Novello Award for Most Performed Work.^[33] After the success of "You're Beautiful" in the UK, the song crossed over to mainland Europe, becoming one of the biggest hits of summer 2005 across the continent. In the US, "You're Beautiful" made its debut in the summer of 2005 on WPLJ, a prominent radio station in New York City, despite not having been released to radio yet. Once the song was released to radio stations in the fall of 2005, the song climbed into the Top 10 in three radio formats: Adult Contemporary Music, Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks, and Adult album alternative.^[24] Blunt became the first British artist to top the American singles chart in nearly a decade when his song "You're Beautiful" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2006; the last British artist to do so had been Elton John in 1997 with the song "Candle in the Wind 1997".^[24] "Goodbye My Lover" was released as the fourth UK single from the album in December 2005, and was later the second US single. The songs "High" and "Wisemen" were subsequently re-released in 2006. Blunt started off 2006 celebrating five Brit Award nominations, going on to win Best British male solo artist and Best pop act categories, having already started an 11-month tour that would take him around the world.^[34] On 31 August, Blunt won two awards at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, with "You're Beautiful" winning the award for Best Male Video.^[35]

There was extensive promotion in the United States starting in late 2005, with Blunt making appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live. Eight of the songs on the album were featured in television shows (The O.C., Grey's Anatomy and many more), films (Undiscovered), and advertising campaigns (Hilton Hotels, Sprint telecommunications) throughout 2005 and 2006.^[24] Blunt performed "You're Beautiful" at the 49th Grammy Awards in February 2007, dedicating the song to the late Ahmet Ertegün of Atlantic Records, but he did not win in any of the five categories for which he had received nominations (includes one for Best New Artist Grammy, but lost to Carrie Underwood).^[36]

The album eventually sold 11 million copies^[37] and topped the album charts in 16 territories worldwide.^[24] It sold 2.6 million in the U.S.^[37] and was certified 2x platinum.^[38] In Britain the album was certified 10× platinum, sold over three million copies, and entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the fastest selling album in one year.^[39]

In 2005, Blunt performed in 90 live shows, mainly across the UK and Europe, ending the year supporting Jason Mraz in a North American tour. The "Back to Bedlam World Tour" started off in January 2006, covering cities in Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, as well as three separate headline tours in North America, ending in November of that year.^[32] Not including promotional appearances, Blunt performed over 140 live shows in 2006. He enjoys the touring experience, saying in July 2006 that he and his band were having the time of their lives going to new places every day.^[14]

	"You're Beautiful" noicon "You're Beautiful," Blunt's break-out hit was the third UK single and first US single from Back to Bedlam.
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

The videos for all of Blunt's singles from Back To Bedlam feature symbolism and dark imagery. In the first video for "High", he is buried in a desert. In the first video for "Wisemen", he is kidnapped and taken hostage. In the video for "You're Beautiful", he alludes to suicide by jumping off a cliff into the sea. In the "Goodbye My Lover" video, he is the outsider in a love triangle, imagining the couple, a man and woman (played by Matt Dallas of Kyle XY and Mischa Barton of The O.C.) together. The re-release video for "High" features Blunt running in a forest. The re-release video for "Wisemen" has Blunt burning identification papers, and then walking through a forest while he is on fire.

Blunt appeared on an episode of Sesame Street which aired on 14 November 2007, singing about triangles to the tune of "You're Beautiful".^[40]

A parody of "You're Beautiful" titled "You're Pitiful" was recorded by Weird Al Yankovic.^[41] Blunt gave personal permission for this parody to be included on a Weird Al album, but Atlantic Records, Blunt's label, stepped in to forbid the commercial release of the song. Weird Al has since made the song available as a free MP3 download on his website. In a request by Yankovic to include the song on an upcoming compilation CD, Blunt's manager replied via email, "Thanks for your email, but both James and I will never approve this parody to be released on any label."^[42]

On 28 December 2009, BBC Radio 1 announced that Back to Bedlam was the biggest selling album of the noughties decade in the United Kingdom.^[43]

[edit] All the Lost Souls (2007–2008)

Blunt's second studio album, All the Lost Souls, was released on 17 September 2007 in the United Kingdom and one day later in North America. It sold 65,000 units in its first week, and was certified gold in the UK after only four days.^[44] By the end of January 2008, the album had sold 600,000 copies in the UK, and 4.5 million copies internationally.^[45] Blunt completed the album's songs at his home in Ibiza in the winter of 2006–2007. He performed five of the ten album tracks during his 2005–2006 tours; lyrics, melodies, and harmonies were refined for the studio recording, on which his touring band played and Tom Rothrock worked as producer.^[21]

James Blunt at a concert in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, 2007

While Blunt’s first album received little critical attention, critics from every major music publication, and newspapers around the world, weighed in on All the Lost Souls.^[46] The album was met with generally mixed to positive reviews, and maintains a 53/100 rating at Metacritic."^[46] Eric Danton, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Hartford Courant wrote that the album is "a collection so bland, it makes hardtack seem sumptuous". Yet, in her review of the album, Kerri Mason of Billboard said Blunt "shows the abandon and confidence of a long-term artist, not just a one-hit wonder". And of the album, Mason wrote, "there is not a misstep throughout".^[47] Equally effusive, Liz Hoggard of The Observer wrote that "it’s impossible to resist Blunt’s troubadour yearning."^[48]

The first single from All the Lost Souls, "1973", was inspired by Blunt's nights out at Pacha, an Ibiza club, which opened in that year. The song became another hit for Blunt reaching number one the Billboard European Hot 100 Singles chart.^[49] D.J. Pete Tong remixed "1973" and played the track during his set at Pacha over the summer of 2007.^[22] The second single, "Same Mistake", was released in early December 2007 but did not fare well in the UK charts, peaking at number 57. It was Number 1 in Brazil and a hit in many South American countries.^[50] The third single from the album was "Carry You Home", released in March 2008, peaking at number 20 in the U.K charts and bringing the album back into the Top 10, six months after its release.^[45] The fourth and final single from the original "All The Lost Souls" album was "I Really Want You".

Blunt collaborated twice during this album cycle. In late 2007, he worked with French rapper Sinik. They released "Je Réalise", which took elements of Blunt's song "I'll Take Everything", which hit the top 3 in France. On 14 November 2008, "Primavera in anticipo", Laura Pausini new album, was released. The title track is a duet with Blunt. The album reached the Number 1 in Italy.

Throughout 2007 and 2008, Blunt went on his second world tour, including a performance in London's O2 Arena.

On 24 November 2008, All The Lost Souls was re-released as a deluxe edition, with new album artwork, new single "Love, Love, Love" and the documentary James Blunt: Return to Kosovo.

[edit] Some Kind of Trouble (2010)

James Blunt's third studio album titled Some Kind of Trouble, was released on 8 November 2010. The album debuted at number 4 in the UK with over 100,000 copies sold in the first week. The album's first single "Stay the Night" was released on 27 October 2010. The single charted in the UK top 40 at number 37, and sat at number 2 on the European Airplay Chart for five consecutive weeks. The second single from the album, "So Far Gone" was for released on the UK on 3 January 2011. Overall critical reception has been mixed, with Allmusic saying, in a positive review, that "Some Kind of Trouble is a step in the right direction for Blunt, a move toward love songs free of pretension"^[51] whilst BBC felt "When all's said, Some Kind of Trouble is not a terrible record by any means, but there's little sense that Blunt has advanced--and equally little sense that it'll make any difference to his bottom line.^[52]

As of February 2011, worldwide sales stood at over one million copies.^[53] The third single from the album, "If Time Is All I Have" was released in the UK on 4 April 2011.

Personal life[link]

James Blunt in Cannes, at the NRJ Music Awards 2011.

Blunt says that he has become closer to his family since his musical success. His father manages his finances^[54] and his mother arranged the purchase of his principal residence in Ibiza, where Blunt has holidayed since he was a teenager.^[22] Blunt also owns a châlet in the Swiss town of Verbier, which he purchased in February 2007, and he was named "godfather" of one of the town's new ski lifts.^[22]

Blunt was instrumental in introducing his sister to her eventual husband after offering her for "sale" on eBay. She was having difficulty obtaining transport to a funeral in Ireland, and Blunt listed her as a "damsel in distress". A person responded saying his friend had a helicopter his sister could charter, but it turned out he was in Sweden and she did not attend the funeral. The respondent suggested she still meet up with the helicopter owner, Guy Harrison, and they began a relationship and eventually married.^[55][56]

The musician's private life has been the subject of significant commentary, particularly in the tabloid press. Blunt himself has found the degree of interest in his personal life to be bizarre, stating that "fame and celebrity is something that other people have constructed that I'm not really party to".^[57]

On 8 February 2012, Hugh Tomlinson QC, representing a number of victims of the News International phone hacking affair, informed the High Court that Blunt was one of six alleged victims who had filed for damages in new civil cases.^[58]

Charitable and environmental causes[link]

Blunt has raised funds for the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières through benefit concerts and by auctioning opportunities to meet him at his own shows. He first encountered MSF medical care workers during his tour of duty in Kosovo, and was impressed with the work they did under conditions of minimal support and limited security.^[21]

He also supports environmental causes. He screened the trailer for An Inconvenient Truth at his concerts, and for each advance sales concert ticket purchased through his designated website a tree is planted.^[59] On 7 July 2007, Blunt performed at the Live Earth concert at Wembley Stadium, London, and is the owner of one of two prototype electric cars made by Hybrid Technologies under a Space Act partnership with NASA.

Blunt is a patron of Help for Heroes,^[60] a charity aiming to raise money to provide better facilities for wounded British servicemen, and has also held benefit concerts for this charity.

Blunt has also contributed with his vocals for the charity single, "Everybody Hurts" in aid of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake Appeal.

Discography[link]

• Back to Bedlam (2004)
• All the Lost Souls (2007)
• Some Kind of Trouble (2010)

Awards[link]

Grammy Awards[link]

2005[link]

• MTV Europe Music Awards – Best New Act
• Q Awards – Best New Act
• Digital Music Awards – Best Pop Act

2006[link]

• NRJ Music Awards (France) – Best International Newcomer
• BRIT Awards – Best pop act and Best Male Vocalist
• ECHO Awards (Germany) – Best International Newcomer
• NME Awards – Worst Album
• MTV Australia Video Music Awards – Song of the Year for You're Beautiful
• Ivor Novello Awards – Most Performed Work and International Hit of the Year
• MTV Video Music Awards – Best Male Video and Best Cinematography
• World Music Awards – Best New Artist in the World and Biggest Selling British Artist in the World
• Teen Choice Awards (United States) – Choice Music Male Artist

2008[link]

• ECHO Awards (Germany) – Best International Male Artist

2010[link]

• Virgin Media Music Awards – The Hottest Male

2011[link]

• Regenbogen Awards (Germany) – Best International Male Artist

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• TV interview with The Hour on CBC
• James Blunt interview and video on and POP

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: James Blunt

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: James Blunt

• JamesBlunt.com Official James Blunt website
• James Blunt at the Internet Movie Database
• James Blunt on Twitter

Matt and Chris Stafford
Stafford Brothers at Summafieldaze, 2011.
Background information
Origin	Gold Coast, Australia
Genres	House, Progressive House
Occupations	DJ, Producer, Entrepreneur
Years active	2000 – present
Labels	Ministry of Sound Australia, Toolroom Records, Defected, Stealth
Website	www.staffordbrothers.com

Stafford Brothers are the house music DJ and Production duo of Matt Stafford and Chris Stafford based on the Gold Coast, Australia. They are the first Australian DJ’s to get their own reality TV show on a major network.^[1] Both brothers perform at all DJ shows and are sometimes accompanied by instrumentalists and vocalists. They are currently the #1 ranked DJs in Australia according to the 2011 inthemix DJ Awards.^[2]

Music[link]

The first Stafford Brothers single was a cover version of ‘More Than a Feeling’ originally performed and written by Grammy Nominated band Boston. The track was released in 2006.^[3] In the same year they signed a record deal with Australian dance music label Central Station Records, (now owned by Ministry of Sound Australia ^[4]). They later signed a record deal directly with Hussle Recordings and MoSA, which produced five compilations mixed by the Stafford Brothers and five single releases. The highest charting single was ‘Wherever’, a collaboration with UK producers the Hoxton Whores featuring Frank Stafford on vocals, released in March 2009. The track reached #2 on the Aria Club Chart. It was also featured in the end of year Aria Club Chart Top 50 tracks of 2009 coming in at #17.^[5]

The Stafford Brothers began to work with International record labels in late 2009. ‘Come My Way’, a collaboration with UK producer Tom Neville (also featuring Frank Stafford on vocals), was released by Toolroom Records.^[6] Toolroom Records is a UK based underground house label owned by Mark Knight. Most recently the Stafford Brothers collaborated with Dubruck & Klein featuring Ollie James on vocals. ‘Get Away’ was released on Armin Van Buuren’s record label Armada Music.^[7] The Stafford Brothers have remixed Boogie Pimps, Kaz James and Macy Gray, Freeform Five, Robbie Rivera, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, Princess Superstar, and Dirty Funker among others.

TV Appearances[link]

On 21 January 2011 Fox8 premiered The Stafford Brothers^[8] a reality TV series following the lives of Matt and Chris on tour across Europe, produced by TV host Wesley Denning.^[9] The first season featured 6 episodes. Matt’s long time girlfriend and cover model Brooke Evers is one of the shows leading characters. In 2010, the Stafford Brothers appeared on the Season Finale of Australia’s Next Top Model hosted by Sarah Murdoch. The episode became famous when the host announced an incorrect winner having to recall the real winner moments later while still on air.^[10]

The second season of their reality TV show will premiere on Fox 8 on 23 January 2012.

Major Performances[link]

In 2010 it was announced that the Stafford Brothers would support The Prodigy on their stadium tour of Australia.^[11] In the same year Future Entertainment announced them as main-stage headlining acts on the 2011 Future Music Festival Tour alongside The Chemical Brothers and Ke$ha.^[12] On 23 February 2011 the Stafford Brothers commenced their first official World Tour, with 35 shows scheduled within a period of 90 days.^[13] The tour covers Australia, Asia, The Americas and Europe.

Management[link]

The Stafford Brothers employ multiple companies working in separate departments in all aspects of their businesses. Current departments include Platform Artists (Worldwide Bookings),^[14] Chic Management (Talent Management),^[15] 3sixzero (Brand Management) ^[16] and WD Entertainment (TV Production).

Discography[link]

Originals[link]

• ‘FALLING’ Stafford Brothers ft Ollie James [MOS] 2012
• ‘DANCER’ Stafford Brothers [Recovery House] 2011
• ‘GET AWAY’ Stafford Brothers vs Dabruck & Klein ft Ollie James [Armada] 2011
• ‘CHAMPAGNE NIGHTS’ Stafford Brothers ft Jamie Lee Wilson [Hussle] 2011
• ‘CAN’T STOP WHAT WE STARTED’ Stafford Brothers & Jason Herd ft Ollie James [Hussle] 2010
• ‘SING FOR ME’ Stafford Brothers vs Jean Elan [We Play] 2010
• ‘SPEAKER FREAKERS’ Stafford Brothers ft Seany B [Hussle] 2010
• ‘GOING DOWN’ Stafford Brothers [Hussle] 2010
• ‘WASTED (BABA O’RILEY)’ Stafford Brothers [Asterix Music] 2010
• ‘I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING’ Stafford Brothers & Juan Kidd ft Rae [Defected] 2010
• ‘COME MY WAY’ Tom Neville & Stafford Brothers ft Frank Stafford [Toolroom] 2009
• ‘WHEREVER’ Stafford Brothers vs Huxton Whores ft Frank Stafford [Hussle] 2009
• ‘I’M FEELING’ Stafford Brothers & Oliver Lang ft Towera [We Play] 2009
• ‘OPEN UP YOUR ARMS’ Stafford Brothers vs Dabruck & Klein [We Play] 2009
• ‘OM BAH’ Stafford Brothers [Central Station] 2008
• ‘PALACE CITY’ Stafford Brothers [Central Station] 2008
• ‘THE HEARING TEST’ Stafford Brothers [Tinted] 2008 {EP}
• ‘DARKNESS FALLS’ Stafford Brothers [Tinted] 2008 {EP}
• ‘ZORRO’ Stafford Brothers [Tinted Records] 2008 {EP}
• ‘BASS POP’ Stafford Brothers [Central Station] 2008 {EP}
• ‘ACID MONSTA’ Stafford Brothers [JFUNK] 2008
• ‘GHETTO ELECTRO’ Stafford Brothers [Tinted] 2008
• ‘ALONE’ Stafford Brothers [Tinted] 2008
• ‘GIVE LOVE’ Stafford Brothers ft Zaab & Timmy Trumpet [Central Station] 2008
• ‘I LIKE YOUR WAY’ Stafford Brothers ft Peter Millwood [Tinted] 2007
• ‘MORE THAN A FEELING’ Stafford Brothers ft Peter Millwood [Central Station] 2007
• ‘OOH WAH OOH’ Stafford Brothers [Central Station] 2006
• ‘I CAN SEE’ Stafford Brothers ft Miss Gabby [Central Station] 2006

Remixes[link]

• 'DON'T THROW IT AWAY' (Stafford Brothers remix) Bassmonkeys and Dominatorz ft Amanda Wilson [Ego] 2011
• ‘GOSSIP’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Vanessa Amorosi [Universal] 2011
• ‘MIDNIGHT MIDNIGHT’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Potbelleez [Vicious] 2011
• ‘BODY SHINE’ (Dabruck n Klein vs Stafford Brothers remix) Billy Hendrix [Velcro] 2011
• ‘DEPARTURES’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Robbie Rivera [Velcro] 2011
• ‘BLISS’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Joylon Petch & Sam Hill [Club Luxury] 2010
• ‘FLAT BEAT’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Dirty Funker [We Play] 2010
• ‘CAN’T SHAKE THIS FEELING’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Grum [We Play] 2010
• ‘ALL DAY AND ALL OF THE NIGHT 2K10’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Boogie Pimps [Recovery House] 2010
• ‘U SHOULD STAY’ (Stafford Brothers remix) House Moguls [Funktion Recordings] 2009
• ‘CAN’T HOLD BACK’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Kaz James ft Macy Gray [KJM] 2009
• ‘WANT SOME’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Dale Hooks [House of LA] 2009
• ‘(CAN YOU) TAKE ME AWAY’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Damian Wilson ft Ann Bailey [News] 2009
• ‘MAKE YOUR BODY POP’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Tune Brothers [Recovery House] 2009
• ‘GREENLIGHT’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Herd & Macklin [One Love] 2009
• ‘HEARTBROKEN’ (Stafford Brothers remix) T2 ft Jodie Aysha [Central Station] 2008
• ‘THOU SHALT ALWAYS KILL’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip [Central Station] 2007
• ‘KYOTO NIGHTS’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Ran Shani [One Love] 2007
• ‘PERFECT’ (Stafford Nadi remix) Princess Superstar [Central Station] 2007
• ‘PRAY LIKE ARETHA FRANKLIN’ (Stafford Nadi remix) Audio Thieves [Tinted] 2007
• ‘ELECTRIC GUITAR’ (Stafford Nadi remix) Dope & Dusted [Central Station] 2007
• ‘STRANGEST THINGS’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Freeform Five [Central Station] 2006
• ‘COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Sunfreakz ft Andrea Britton [Positiva] 2006
• ‘ROUND & ROUND’ (Stafford Brothers remix) Static Avenger [Tinted] 2006

Compilations[link]

• 'ESSENTIAL CLUBHOUSE' Mixed by Stafford Brothers [I love this sound!] 2011
• ‘SESSIONS SEVEN’ Mixed by Stafford Brothers [Ministry of Sound] 2010
• ‘CLUBBERS GUIDE SPRING 2009’ Mixed by Stafford Brothers [Ministry of Sound] 2009
• ‘CLUBBERS GUIDE TO 2009’ Mixed by Stafford Brothers [Ministry of Sound] 2009
• ‘ELECTRO SESSIONS VOL 2’ Mixed by Stafford Brothers [Ministry of Sound] 2008
• ‘ELECTRO SESSIONS VOL 1’ Mixed by Stafford Brothers [Ministry of Sound] 2007
• ‘WILD SUMMER 07’ Mixed by Stafford Brothers [Central Station] 2007
• ‘WILD SUMMER 06’ Mixed by Stafford Brothers [Central Station] 2006

References[link]