FunkDroid' is Producer/Engineer and Programmer, James Hockley.
On completing his Diploma at Alchemea in London, James started his career as an assistant engineer at Alien Studios London in 1996. After a year of Assisting, and a brief spell working for The Green House’ under Pat Collier, James became the Chief Engineer at Alien, and started working with people such as Miles Hunt (The Wonder Stuff & Vent 414), Cass (Delakota & The Senseless things), Jerry DeBourg (Jesus Jones & Feely Room), 18 Wheeler and ‘A’. Also engineering with Producers such as Markus Dravs (Byork, James) and Jessica Corcoran (Neds Atomic Dustbin, The Wonder Stuff). Many other sessions were successfully completed for Polydor, Island, ZTT, Creation and Sony Music.
James then started working for another small studio in Bow, programming writing and engineering tracks for 2 DJs. He quickly found his feet and stepped boldly into the shoes of their previous engineer/programmer MJ Cole. James also co-produced tracks for Sony Playstation as well as getting all his work there played by the DJs in the clubs.
James now owns his own studio, Strawberry Hills, and runs it along side his own production suite and office for his online record label, 0dB Records, which he uses a base for his production skills. Here, James has produced rock/pop albums for Susan Bluechild (Naughty Recordings), and Satellite 17 (0dB records) as well as recently completing programming projects for Matt Willis (Mercury Records), Collective Management (Projects for Andrea Corr and The Sugababes) and McFly (Island Records), and is also Writing and Producing with IceHouse Project on their forthcoming album on 0dB records. Check out Icehouse Project at www.myspace.com/icehouseproject .
More recently, James has signed a production deal with ‘Longsta Productions’ under the name of SJB, and is currently working on an album project they have signed to Ministry of Sound. This deal has also opened the door to working with some of the major DJ talent in the UK, and he is currently working on projects with Tall Paul, and Brandon Block, and has just engineered a remix of 'In The Clouds' by Under the Influence of Giants, with Tall Paul, for Island/DefJam in New York.
UPDATE!James has been working with Chicane, on a remix of their new single 'Spirit', and has upcoming projects with a well known songwriter/guitarist, whose name I cannot mention!! (very mysterious......), and more chicane work to come!........WATCH THIS SPACE!
UPDATE!!
Been a while, but now working mainly with Chicane, and after having some great success with the 'Best of' Album, last year, we have been very busy in the studio working on a 'Re-Works' EP soon to be released. Just completed a Remix for William Orbit, a track called 'Purdy' from his forthcoming Album, and currently working on a Remix for B.T. The new albumis also on its way, with some great tracks, and exiting collaborations!. Hopefully I will update this again sooner than the last one!
Here are some Videos for tracks I have produced with Tall Paul and Icehouse Project.
