Social

The Cueva Espíritu Santo in the Morazan district of El Salvador is famed for its ancient petroglyphs but among the prehistoric cave paintings two figures stand out, they are unlike anything else. They look of the future, they look OffWorld.

Were these figures, etched into the rock, visitors from another place and dimension? Did they plant the seeds of a civilisation? 

Perhaps; they fell in love with the primitive but infectious 

rhythms they heard and decided to stick around?

In return imparting a wisdom and knowledge beyond anything seen before on Earth?

Perhaps, they hung out in New Orleans when Jazz floated out of the music halls and up the Mississippi? 

Were they there when those first proto-funk sounds followed? 

The gravitational pull of the downbeat? 

Are they here still, meeting up in dive bars to play Extra-Terrestrial Blues?

OffWorld began jamming old gospel, soul and funk numbers in a West London studio. Working in breaks in schedules, a collection of music slowly coalesced. Influenced by soul, blues, funk, jazz and rock, no limits or constraints were imposed.

Currently based in West London and Philadelphia, OffWorld are:

• Richard Archer - Vocals/Electric Piano. Known for fronting Mercury and twice Brit Award nominated Hard-Fi. Hard-Fi had two multi platinum number 1 albums,  they were first band to sell out 5 Brixton Academy shows in a  row on a debut album. They were also the most played band of 2006 on Radio 1. Since Hard-Fi last recorded, as well as working on OffWorld, Archer has been writing with and producing various artists including Axwell/Ingrosso, Ratboy, The Rasmus, Redfaces, Ady Sulemain, 660 and Japanese prog rockers Hello Sleepwalkers.

• Krysten Cummings - Vocals. Krysten received nominations for both The Laurence Olivier and The Dora Mavor Moore awards for ‘Best Actress in a Musical’ for her role as Mimi Marquez in the Toronto and London West End productions of the groundbreaking musical ‘Rent’ before taking the part to Broadway. As well as staring on stage and screen, Krysten is also an accomplished singer/songwriter and has featuring on countless house and techno tracks as a top line singer and writer. Archer met Cummings when she was working with The Clash’s Mick Jones and she contributed backing vocals on a number of Hard-Fi recordings.

• Wolsey White - Guitar. AKA The Phil Spector of Lo-FI, White was a founding member of seminal post grunge noise core outfit Supermodel. Since then he has guested on guitar with many of the UK’s most regarded bands as well as building up a reputation as a producer with his own distinctive sound. White produced and mixed Stars Of CCTV and has worked on all Hard-Fi albums to date. Co-producing with Archer, White had a number 1 in Japan with Hello Sleepwalkers.

• Steve ‘Smiley’ Barnard - Drums. Smiley has worked with many of the UK’s leading artists, most notably Joe Strummer, playing with The Mescaleros on two world tours. He is currently drumming for Archive and The Alarm and is a respected writer and producer in his own right. 

• Dale Davis - Bass. Davis was musical director, bassist and friend of multi Grammy award winning artist Amy Winehouse, working with her from 2004 until her death in 2011. Davis has worked with many of the UK’s top artists including Mark Ronson and Emile Sande. He also recorded and toured with Norman Cook’s Freakpower and has played on various film soundtracks.