After Dinner Speakers: Stereo MC's, Chris Packham, Bob Dole

Not many artists could hope to return after almost a decade out of the limelight, but you could argue that the Stereos have never really been away. Their 1992 releases and, in particular, the title track of their double BRIT Award-winning album, 'Connected' have become part of a semi-permanent aural backdrop through their use in adverts, films and TV jingles. The story began in Nottingham, with Rob and Nick's friendship. Decamping to London in the mid-'80s, the Stereos began to evolve their own distinctive brand of rap-based music. They formed their own label, Gee Street, with like-minded friends John Baker and DJ Richie Rich, and became its first artists. Adding Italian-born DJ Cesare and Welsh drummer Owen Rossitter, aka Owen If, the band made the '33 45 78' album for a mere Ł15,000 and released it on Gee Street, via Island Records, in 1988. Extensive live work followed, Cesare left and singer Cath Coffey arrived and the Stereo sound was already moving on. 'Elevate My Mind', the first single from the group's second album, 1990's 'Supernatural', became a big US chart hit. Back at home, at the height of Baggy, the Stereos' live incarnation reached its peak at precisely the right time. A support tour with the Happy Mondays helped make the Stereos a mainstream proposition, and paved the way for the groundbreaking third album that was to come. Released in 1992, 'Connected' provided a song-heavy and easily accessible summation of everything the group had been about, and its title track brought them a long-overdue Top 20 hit that summer. Three other singles all made the Top 20, and the album, re-promoted early in 1993, was to reach number 2 in the British LP charts, staying in the upper reaches for over a year as the band played stadium gigs across Europe - another first for a rap-based act - with U2. The band were finally recognised by the British music industry at the 1994 BRIT Awards, where they were named Best Band and walked off with the Best Album gong too. And then nothing. Or so it seemed. In fact, while record buyers remained unaware, Nick and Rob poured their energies into other projects. Their Response Records imprint was signed to RCA for a while and put out some fine records. They also set up a music publishing company with their career-long manager, Keith Cooper, called Spirit Songs, to which they went on to sign, among others, Jurassic 5 and Finley Quaye. The Stereo MC's are back. No problem.