Presence (deep house/down tempo artist Charles Webster)

Charles Webster is a British electronic music producer and DJ who specialises in producing house music, amongst several other genres, including downtempo and jazz. He has recorded under his own name as well as under a series of aliases including Presence, Furry Phreaks, and Love From San Francisco, and in collaboration with several other artists. Webster ran the now-defunct record labels Remote and Love From San Francisco, but currently owns and operates his Miso Records label. Born in Matlock, Derbyshire, Charles Webster grew up in the Peak District. His father was an artist and his mother (in his own words) "just worked at whatever she felt like at the time", and his parents' record collection was an early influence, Webster stating that "it was when they got into Kraftwerk that I decided to become a musician". He got his first instruments at age 13 (guitar, synthesizer, and drum machine). He studied art in Derby before moving to Nottingham where he began playing in electronic bands (including Mile High Club) and started working in a restaurant – the owner of which also just happened to own the city's 'Garage Club', where he began performing. Webster worked with US artists such as Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson through his job as a recording engineer at Square Dance studios in Derby, and moved to San Francisco in 1992 where he started the Love From San Francisco label. This led to his music being released on other US labels. Back in the UK in 1996, Webster started the Remote label. The All Systems Gone album, released in 1999 and credited to the ensemble Presence, which featured singers Shara Nelson, Sara Jay, and Steve Edwards, was described by Webster as "a collection of songs for the clubs and the home", and included the singles "Sense of Danger" (featuring Nelson), "Future Love", and "Better Day". The album was well received by critics, garnering an 11/10 rating from DJ magazine, and described by Allmusic as "Probably the first classic record of the 21st century." Born on the 24th of July (Peacefrog Records) was recorded over an 18-month period between 1999 and 2000, and released in 2001, featuring contributions from Terra Deva, and Massive Attack vocalist Sara Jay. A remixed version of Born on the 24th of July was released in late 2003, featuring mixes by several Peacefrog label artists. After five years of touring and production, 2007 saw the release of a definitive three-disc Webster compilation project on Defected Records, followed in 2008 by a Coast 2 Coast compilation for NRK Records and Strictly Rhythms Vol. 4. 2013 saw the release of two albums from Webster — a retrospective compilation on Defected called House Masters: Charles Webster, and a modern big band jazz album with Pete Wraight (as the Wraight-Webster Ensemble), No Lucky Days. 1999 All Systems Gone as 'Presence' 2001 Born on the 24th of July as Charles Webster 2003 Remixed on the 24th of July as Charles Webster 2013 No Lucky Days (with Peter Wraight) as 'Webster Wraight Ensemble' 2020 Decision Time as Charles Webster 2005 "What's Phat Pussy Cat 4" on CCP Record Company 2007 "Defected Presents Charles Webster" on Defected Records 2008 "Coast 2 Coast" on NRK Records 2010 "Strictly Rhythms Vol. 4" on Strictly Rhythm 2010 "Pioneers of House: Charles Webster" on Soul Candi 2011 "Studio Soul" on Do It Now Recordings 2013 "House Masters Charles Webster" on Defected Records Charles Webster 1996 "Random House Vol. 1" (with Paul K. Joyce) 2000 "Your Life" (with Mark Sheridan and Sara Jay) 2001 "I Understand You" (with Delroy St. Joseph) 2002 "It's Not What It Was" 2002 "Ready" (with Terra Deva) 2011 "I Am The Sun" (with Cathy Battistessa) 2011 "Fight For Freedom" (with Thandi Draai) 2012 "Be Yourself" (with Diviniti) 2012 "Lonely" (with Diviniti) 2012 "Learning to Love Me" (with Diviniti) 2012 "Give Me More" (with Shana Halligan) 2012 "Our Jewel" (with January Tuesday) 2014 "Searching for my life" (Siya aka Solo) Presence 1995 "My Baby" 1996 "The Spectrum EP" 1996 "The Strength" 1996 "Unreleased Stuff Vol. 1/2" 1997 "Better Day" (with Steve Edwards) 1997 "Remixes" 1998 "White Powder EP" 1998 "Sense of Danger" (with Shara Nelson) 1999 "Future Love" (with Steve Edwards) Furry Phreaks 1994 "Gonna Find a Way" 1995 "Want Me Like Water" (with Terra Deva) 1996 "Soothe" (with Terra Deva) 1997 "Remixes" 2001 "Want Me Like Water 2001" (with Terra Deva) 2005 "Mixed Messages EP" 2007 "All Over the World" (with Terra Deva) DJ Profile 1997 "The EP" 1998 "Prove It" 1998 "Unreleased Stuff Vol. 3/4" 2000 "Simpletone EP" Sine 1992 "Deep Anxiety EP" (with Sara Jay) 1992 "I Like It Deep" 1993 "Round and Round" (with Sara Jay) Hot Lizard All with Gary Marsden and Paul Wain 1995 "The Theme" 1996 "Big Air" 1996 "165... Drop" 1998 "Tokyo Traffic" Symetrics All with Andrew Hulme and Roger Horberry 1993 "Anyway" 1993 "Drop EP" 1996 "EP 01" 1997 "Life Goes On" Other aliases 1992 "Belgium", as Megatonk 1992 "Disco Heave", as Smooch 1992 "Demonise", as Yukon 1993 "We Can Work It Out", as Good Together 1993 "Don't Stop", as Unique 1994 "I'll Hear Your Body", as Positive 1994 "Keep to the Beat", as The Boy 1994 "Keep Rockin", as Love From San Francisco 1994 "Switch", as Natural 1994 "Happy Trax EP", as Together Trax 1995 "Sidetracked", as Mendocino 1996 "The Florida Fantasy EP", as Love From San Francisco 1996 "You Make Me Feel", as City of Angels 1997 "Instant Coco", as Taster's Choice (with Ron Trent) 1998 "Boxed", as Starpeace 1999 "For the Music", as Colourful Karma (with Terra Deva) 1999 "Kinda Kickin'", as DJ Boom (with Matthew Herbert) 2002 "21st Century Blues", as lo:rise (with Mark Sheridan and Sara Jay) 2003 "For the Music (Remixes)", as Colourful Karma (with Terra Deva) 2005 "Life Goes On", as lo:rise (with Sara Jay) 2008 "The Brighter Side", as Version (with Martin Iveson) Verrico, Lisa (1999) "Touched by Your Presence", Scotland on Sunday, 21 February 1999. Bush, John. "Presence – Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 July 2015. Tantum, Bruce (2013) "Interview: Charles Webster", Time Out New York, 27 August 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2014 "All Systems Gone", NME, 4 January 1999. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Paoletta, Michael (2001) "Webster Reinvents Under His 'Born' Name on Peacefrog", Billboard, 3 November 2001, p. 48. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Oliver, Scott (2013) "Charles Webster", Leftlion, 6 October 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Larkin, Colin (2000) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music, Virgin Books, ISBN 978-0753504277, p. 315 Bush, John "Charles Webster Biography", Allmusic. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Paoletta, Michael (1999) "U.K.'s Charles Webster Maintains Unorthodox Presence", Billboard, 9 January 1999, p. 22. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Levisman, Sean (2010) "UK House Legend Charles Webster Talks Three Decades of EDM and His Latest Projects", Miami New Times, 14 October 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2014 "Charles Webster – Remixed On The 24th Of July Archived 14 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine", Uncut. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Paoletta, Michael (2000) "Presence All Systems Gone", Billboard, 22 January 2000, p. 30. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Greenwald, Matthew "All Systems Gone", Allmusic. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Glazer, Joshua "Born on the 24th of July Review", Allmusic. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Orlov, Piotr (2001) "Charles Webster Born on the 24th of July", CMJ New Music Report, 5 November 2001. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Paoletta, Michael (2001) "Charles Webster Born on the 24th of July", Billboard, 15 December 2001, p. 22. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Theakston, Rob "Remixed on the 24th of July Review", Allmusic. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Nicholson, Peter (2008) "Charles Webster: Long Player", XLR8R, 12 May 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Schubert, Carolina (2013) "Webster Wraight Ensemble", Mixmag Brasil, 14 May 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2014 Official website Charles Webster discography at Discogs