Faithless

A prime house-pop group and consistent club act, Faithless is at its core a duo of producers Rollo and Sister Bliss. Before the group officially came together in 1995, Rollo had produced a previous club hit ("Don't You Want Me" as Felix in 1992), plus an album for Kristine W. and remixes for the Pet Shop Boys, Björk, and Simply Red. Sister Bliss, a piano and violin prodigy from the age of five, converted to acid house in 1987, and quickly became one of the U.K.'s best house DJs, also recording several singles as herself. Though the two had begun producing together as early as 1993, Faithless became a stable quartet two years later with the addition of vocalists Jamie Catto (previously in the Big Truth Band) and Maxi Jazz (from the Soul Food Cafe Band). The group reached worldwide status the following year with the singles "Salva Mea" (one of the biggest dance hits of the year), "Insomnia," and "Reverence." The debut Faithless album, also titled Reverence, appeared in late 1996 on Rollo's Cheeky Records, and was picked up for distribution by Arista the next year. Sunday 8pm followed in 1998, and was reissued in 1999 with a collection of remixes titled Saturday 3am. A comedown mix album, Back to Mine, appeared in early 2001, just before Faithless returned with Outrospective. In 2004 the band released the quieter than usual No Roots, with a new member (LSK) adding vocals. Two years later Faithless returned with 2006’s To All New Arrivals. Featuring guest vocals from Robert Smith and Cat Power, the album failed to make the UK top ten unlike their previous album, No Roots. The Dance saw Faithless make a comeback in 2010, but even with a high profile show at that years Glastonbury Festival, the album would become their last. In 2011, Maxi Jazz announced via their website that the band would come to an end. Faithless played their final live dates at London’s Brixton Academy in April 2011. ~ John Bush, Rovi