Death in Vegas is the project of British musician, DJ, and producer Richard Fearless. Formed in London in 1994, the act pioneered a distinctive blend of electronica, psychedelic rock, dub, and cinematic soundscapes. Early on, Death in Vegas quickly became known for their genre-blurring approach, integrating dub beats, vintage analog synths, and elements of indie and experimental rock into their productions.
The project released its debut album, *Dead Elvis*, in 1997, garnering critical acclaim for its dark, immersive atmospheres and innovative sampling. Their breakthrough came with the 1999 album *The Contino Sessions*, featuring collaborations with legendary artists such as Iggy Pop and Bobby Gillespie—a testament to Fearless’s ambition to fuse rock and electronic worlds. The record yielded the cult hit “Aisha” and was nominated for the 2000 Mercury Music Prize.
Throughout the 2000s, Death in Vegas continued to evolve. Albums like *Scorpio Rising* (2002) and *Satan’s Circus* (2004) experimented with more raw, live band instrumentation, while never losing their hypnotic, club-ready pulse. Death in Vegas also became a highly sought-after live act and remixer, reimagining tracks for artists such as U2, Paul Weller, and Oasis.
Despite changes in membership over the years, most notably the departure of original partner Steve Hellier and later collaborators Tim Holmes, Death in Vegas has always remained anchored by Fearless’s creative vision. Their work, rooted in a love for record collecting, has consistently drawn inspiration from classic dub, krautrock, techno, and psychedelia. More recently, Death in Vegas has garnered praise for exploring darker, industrial territories, notably on *Transmission* (2016), which featured vocals by actress and singer Sasha Grey.
Throughout his career, Richard Fearless has maintained a reputation for sonic innovation, bridging underground electronic music and rock culture, and leaving a lasting mark on the UK’s music landscape.
Electronic - TripHop - PsychedelicRock - Electronica - BigBeat