Maps of Music

Here Comes the Fuzz (2003)

Where the lyrics of Here Comes the Fuzz take you, and where it was really made.

Mark Ronson's debut album struggled commercially, and Ronson later joked that only 12 people bought it.

Key places

Quad Recording Studios (2003)

Recording site MSR Studios — Recording sessions for the album took place at Quad Recording Studios, along with Axis Studios and Head First Media. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Here Comes the Fuzz: debut studio album by Mark Ronson
• Mark Ronson: British-American musician, disc jockey and record producer
• Released 8 September 2003 via Elektra Records
• Production handled entirely by Ronson himself
• Justin Stanley as additional producer, Howard Benson as vocal producer
• Hip-hop focus, unlike Ronson's later releases

Background

• Guest appearances from Anthony Hamilton, Aya, Daniel Merriweather, Debi Nova, Freeway, Ghostface Killah, M.O.P., Mos Def, Nappy Roots, Nate Dogg, Nikka Costa, Q-Tip, Rhymefest, Rivers Cuomo, Saigon, Sean Paul, Trife Diesel and Tweet
• Contributions from Printz Board, Questlove, Billy Chang and Guyora Kats
• Album helped the commercial breakthrough of Rivers Cuomo and Daniel Merriweather
• Popularity grew after the follow-up album Version in 2007, which featured Ronson covering well-known songs with well-known British and American artists

Recording

• Recording sessions held at Axis Studios, Head First Media and Quad Recording Studios

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• British and American musician, record producer, songwriter and DJ, born 4 September 1975 in Notting Hill, London.
• Moved to New York City at age eight; became a DJ on the local club scene in the early 1990s while studying at New York University.
• Debut album Here Comes the Fuzz (2003) on Elektra Records sold poorly; Ronson then co-founded Allido Records in 2004.
• Gained wider recognition through production for Lily Allen, Christina Aguilera and Amy Winehouse.
• Cover album Version (2007) reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and earned the Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist.
• "Uptown Funk" (2014, featuring Bruno Mars) topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks and became one of the best-selling singles of all time.
• Co-wrote "Shallow" for A Star Is Born (2018), winning an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a Grammy.
• Executive producer of the Barbie soundtrack (2023), which won three Grammy Awards.
• Has won ten Grammy Awards in total, including Producer of the Year for Back to Black.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• The Guardian's Dorian Lynskey praised the album and called it one of 2003's most irresistible party records
• HipHopDX's Jessica Koslow said Ronson delivered a handful of hot songs and crazy cool collaborations
• AllMusic's Matt Collar found the album resonated with the pulse of youthful ego, though his review was mixed
• Rolling Stone's Matt Diehl described a grab bag of pumping beats, noting Ronson played almost all the instruments
• Entertainment Weekly's Neil Drumming was negative, calling the disco-like vibe cloying and insubstantial

Reappraisal

• Ronson later addressed the album's failure, often by joking that only 12 people bought it

Records

• Peaked at number 70 on the UK Albums Chart
• Peaked at number 99 on the Scottish Albums Chart
• Peaked at number 11 on the Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart (UK)
• Peaked at number 84 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart
• Sold 92,676 copies in the UK as of January 2015
• Single 'Ooh Wee' peaked at number 15 on the UK singles chart and number 7 on the Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Ooh Wee was later used in the 2003 film Honey, the 2005 film Hitch, and the 2008 film Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
• Ooh Wee was performed at the Glastonbury Festival 2015
• International Affair was originally released on Sean Paul's 2002 album Dutty Rock, with Debi Nova singing instead of Tweet
• Quad Recording Studios is one of the three studios where the album was recorded
• The album's second single NYC Rules was released in Australia only, re-titled City Rules, and promoted as Merriweather's first single in the country

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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