The music industry is mourning the loss of “prodigious” J. Saul Kane, widely held as one of the key progenitors of trip-hop.
A renowned producer, mixer, label founder, A&R and DJ, Kane – aka Depth Charge – died this year from complications arising from diabetes and multiple sclerosis, aged 55.
Born Jonathan Saul Kane on January 26 1967, he was raised in West London by his mother Carol, a dancer and graphic designer who actively supported his early musical and cultural development. A gifted breakdancer, he appeared alongside Joseph Christophe (Waddy) at Sadlers Wells in 1987.
A high-profile face in an ’80s Ladbroke Grove scene made up of DJs, MCs and street artists, his turntable skills saw him playing sets at numerous warehouse parties as well as the legendary Wag Club on Wardour Street, Soho, and the Mud Club.
In 1988, he released his first single under the Depth Charge moniker, “Depth Charge (Han Do Jin)”, on the Vinyl Solution label in 1989. A stream of key Depth Charge records followed, all instrumental in the development of trip-hop and big beat.
He released music in a rich variety of styles under a range of pseudonyms throughout the ’90s – Octagon Man (whose Free-er Than Free was deliberately released without a designated playing speed), Grimm Death (with Bomb The Bass’s Tim Simenon), Alexander’s Dark Band, Block Ink, Mr. Selfish, T.E.T. and The Spider.
Working as a producer and A&R for Vinyl Solution, his signings included chart-topping Bizarre Inc., UK hip-hop trio Gunshot, and late, lamented techno pioneer Eon (Ian Loveday) amongst others.
Through Vinyl Solution, Kane set up his own varied and prolific labels, DC Recordings and Electron Industries, managed by the late James Dyer. It released music by artists such as Emperor Machine, The Oscillation, Tom Tyler and Kelpe, compiling seminal lost ’80s rap tracks on Beat Classic, and reissuing classic soundtrack albums like Alain Goraguer’s Fantastic Planet.
Kane was also highly in demand as a remixer, reworking tracks by a host of disparate artists including Depeche Mode, Mark Moore’s S’Express, Sabres Of Paradise, Red Snapper, Alabama 3 and Meat Beat Manifesto.
A devoted football fan and player, Kane’s Brazil-celebrating track Goal was widely used by the BBC to soundtrack 1994’s World Cup.
Alongside Vinyl Solution label bosses Alain De La Mata and Yves Guillemot, they founded Made In Hong Kong, a video label and theatrical distributor which released a host of classic Shaw Brothers titles, as well as the previously little-known works of John Woo, Ringo Lam, Wong Kar-wai and numerous others.
In recent years, health problems saw Kane retreating from public life, although he remained an active and prolific street photographer.
There will be a celebration of his life held in January.
For any further information please contact Alain de la Mata at mata@bluelight.co.uk.
Music Week would like to extend its deepest sympathies to Kane's family, friends and colleagues.
