Underworld are an electronic band formed in the UK by Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, later joined by Darren Emerson. The band rose to prominence when their track "Born Slippy" was used in the film Trainspotting.
Hyde and Smith met at college and formed the electro-band Freur. Freur released two albums and had a minor hit in the UK with the track "Doot Doot", although the band failed to make a great impact. After Fruer there was Underworld (MK.1) which also had two albums and some singles. This, again, was not the success of the later incarnation and disbanded in 1990. Hyde and Smith were joined by DJ Darren Emerson in 1991, as Lemon Interrupt they recorded some singles, although they would have their greatest success with Underworld (MkII).
The bands' first album 1993's Dubnobasswithmyheadman was a critical success, but it did not have the impact of what was to follow. The film Trainspotting, which was a huge success, used the tracks "Born Slippy" and "Dark and Long". Born Slippy, the techno drinking song with the chorus 'lager, lager, lager,…' struck a chord and it went to No.2 in the charts, popular with both drinkers and dancers.
The bands' next album, Second Toughest in the Infants was released in 1996. The album's mix of styles including techno and drum and bass is considered by many to be their strongest work, even though their follow up 1999's Beaucoup Fish sold more copies. The tour to promote the album was recorded and released as Everything, Everything in 2000. After which, Darren Emerson left the band to pursue his own work as a DJ and producer.
A Hundred Days Off was released in 2002 Despite the line-up change and three year break since the previous studio release, the album was a success and spawned the top 40 singles "Two Months Off" and "Dinosaurs Adventure 3D".
In 2005 the band released recordings of their tour of Japan, Live in Tokyo through their website. They also had three download-only albums: Lonely Broken Thing, Pizza For Eggs and I'm a Big Sister, and I'm a Girl, and I'm a Princess, and This is My Horse. Tracks from the three albums were reworked and subsequently released as The Misterons Mix.
In late 2007 Underworld released the studio album Oblivion with Bells which has been well received by critics.
Underworld, in collaboration with composer Gabriel Yared, provided the sound track to Anthony Minghella's 2006 film Breaking and Entering.
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