Richard Norris

Richard Norris walked into the Rough Trade record shop aged 15 with his first seven-inch single under his arm. The shop bought the entire pressing, paying for it out of the shop’s till. He then visited John Peel at the BBC, who played the single the next day. He’s worked in and around music ever since, as a musician, writer, producer and DJ. That first single, by The Innocent Vicars, led to further post punk DIY excursions, culminating in working for cult psychedelic reissue label Bam Caruso in the mid 1980’s, as well as co-editing the label’s magazine: Strange Things Are Happening. After interviewing Psychic TV’s Genesis P.Orridge for the magazine, the pair co-produced their take on psychedelic dance music, Jack The Tab, in 1987, preceding the Acid House explosion of 1988. He went on to form the Grid, with Soft Cell’s Dave Ball. The duo created 10 UK hit singles, including the Balearic classic Floatation, one of Andrew Weatherall’s earliest mixes, and the million selling ‘Swamp Thing’. The band also collaborated, produced and remixed many other artists, including Brian Eno, Happy Mondays, Pet Shop Boys and more. Norris went on to collaborate with The Clash’s Joe Strummer, and later work with Erol Alkan as Beyond The Wizards Sleeve, whose remixes include work for Tracey Thorn, the Chemical Brothers, Goldfrapp, and many others. He also formed his own psychedelic project, the Time and Space Machine, which toured and remixed artists including Warpaint, Tame Impala and more. Just before lockdown, he started the Music For Healing series of longform ambient music, which has had a phenomenal response. People have written to him saying the music has helped with depression, bereavement, anxiety and stress. Babies have been born to it, and it’s even helped an insomniac dog get to sleep. Norris continues to write, remix, produce and perform on a regular basis, with a new Grid album and tour planned for 2024 and beyond. His first book, Strange Things Are Happening, will be published by White Rabbit in March 2024.