After Dinner Speakers: Tricky, Gerald Holtham, David Bowie

Tricky, born Adrian Thaws, bridges the gap between alternative and hip-hop. Well-respected but sometimes misunderstood, Tricky has been hard to pin down since the beginning of his career. Mixing atmospheric guitar riffs with a hip-hop beat, lacing his prickly, throaty vocals throughout, Tricky is too chill for the dance floor but too abrasive for lounging. His latest solo album, Juxtapose, is aptly titled given his penchant for mixing things up. Tricky began his career as a member of the Wild Bunch, an English rap group that eventually morphed into Massive Attack during the early '90s. Tricky provided the rhyming on Massive Attack's 1992 album, Blue Lines. The following year he released his debut solo single, "Aftermath." Around the same time, Tricky teamed up with Martina, a teenage vocalist whose ethereal voice complemented Tricky's otherworldly beats and rhymes perfectly. The two collaborated on each of Tricky's albums except Juxtapose, as Martina recently decided to pursue a solo career. In 1995, Maxinquaye, Tricky's solo debut, was met with overwhelmingly positive responses. It entered the UK charts at No. 2, despite limited radio airplay. The UK had discovered Tricky's genius, but it took several years for the US to follow suit. After his success with Maxinquaye, collaborations with well-respected and diverse artists ensued. Artists like Bjork and Luscious Jackson were clamoring to make music with Tricky. His collaborations ran the gamut from euro-pop with former Yaz member Alison Moyet, on Nearly God in 1996, to hard-core rap with the Gravediggaz, on Tricky vs. The Gravediggaz in 1995. Tricky followed his collaborative efforts with solo albums; Pre-Millenium Tension in 1996 and Angels With Dirty Faces in 1998. Tricky's most recent album, Blowback, set to be released on Hollywood/ Epitaph Records in summer 2001, features guest appearances by Alanis Morrisette, Cyndi Lauper and the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis, Flea and John Frusciante.