Graham McLellan from London, UK · Wikimedia Commons · CC-BYThe Chemical Brothers
The pioneers of big beat, from the Manchester raves to the world's biggest stages.
Biography.
The journey and inspirations that shape The Chemical Brothers's world.
Tom Rowlands and Ed Simon brought big beat into the stadiums, with shows where sound and light become one.
Tom Rowlands and Ed Simon met at the University of Manchester, where they studied medieval history, and in 1992 formed the duo that would become The Chemical Brothers, first under the name The Dust Brothers.
With Exit Planet Dust (1995) and then Dig Your Own Hole (1997), they established a sound built on massive breakbeats, saturated basslines and hip-hop samples: big beat, which brought rave culture to the mainstream and to festival headline slots.
Album after album, they slipped guests into their mix (Noel Gallagher, Q-Tip, Beck) without ever losing the energy of their early days, and racked up hits: "Block Rockin' Beats", "Hey Boy Hey Girl", "Galvanize".
On stage, the duo play behind a console surrounded by synths and machines, alongside spectacular visuals designed for each track: one of the most anticipated electronic live shows at the big festivals.
Page last updated on 6 October 2026
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Credits: Eva Rinaldi · Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA, Maca eglarest · Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA.
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