Memzee & The Sweetners

07517528865

Sector: Band / Group

Key Skills

Bristol, band, Soul, funk, live, performance

Key Clients

MEMZEE & THE SWEETNERS

‘Deep Red Soul’

New album out March 2011

One of the founders of the underground UK garage scene, Mehmet Husseyin (also known as ‘The Memzee’) releases his debut album, ‘Deep Red Soul’ as Memzee and the Sweetners.

Mehmet grew up in North London on the streets of Tottenham. He would hang around outside gospel churches until he plucked up the courage to go inside. He became part of the Tottenham Gospel Choir. This was a release from the harsh realities of his daily life working in his fathers textile factory where he had had to iron hundreds of dresses a day. The respite from this was his mother’s sweet singing of songs from their homeland in Northern Cyprus. He was in constant conflict with his father and would slip away whenever he could to sing. He was taken under the wing of vocal coach Glen Jones who has trained the likes of Shirley Bassey, Maxi Priest and Shaq Attach. Glen became his mentor and father figure and with Glen’s training and Mehmets dedication they crafted his signature voice that came to dominate the early UK garage scene.

At 18 he lost contact with Glen and the gospel choir and turned to a street life of gangs, crime, alcohol, drugs and rave culture. He spent most of his times in studios and clubs being a part of and creating the music of the time. He worked alongside MJ Cole, Gavin Miles from Catch Productions, Steve Mac and the Dream Team and he crafted a number of No 1’s in the UK garage charts. He was instrumental in shaping a scene that went on to become a global phenomenon. As the music prospered, his personal life continued to degenerate and his lifestyle took its toll. He had a number of brushes with death.

He reached rock bottom when he was booked into a psychiatric ward. He was sent to a Barley Wood Rehabilitation centre which brought him to the South West. From there he was moved on to the Old Mans Treatments House where he was slowly reintegrated back into society living in dry houses. After working through the 12 step spiritual program he started to rebuild his life. This was a personal, spiritual and artistic reawakening. He returned to his love of soul, writing autobiographical songs pouring his experiences back into his music. He started collaborating with vocalists Lucy Walker and Naomi Jeremy who went on to form the 11- piece band that is now Memzee and Sweetners. ‘Deep Red Soul’ was recorded Mehmets studio at Hamilton House, home of the Coexist Music Collective and documents his journey though the darkness of his past to the light where he now resides.

Mehmet has been clean for 5 years now and wants to spread his message of love, hope and courage and inspire people to overcome their adversities and turn their lives around.

Memzee and the Sweetners will be performing a number of UK dates to support the release of this album.

Key People

Memzee

Lead Vocals

Sean Snook

Guitar

Sam Evans

Drums

Steve Hatton

Bass

Piers Tamplin

Saxaphone

Andy Heyes

Saxaphone

Edward Barnfield

Trumpet

Claude Jovino

Percussion

Lucy walker

Backing Vocals

Naomi Jeremy

Backing Vocals

Michaela Fedeczko

Backing Vocals

Business Info

Turnover

No. Employees

Year Established

07517528865