Luke Vibert One-man band Country: Great Britain

Biography of Luke Vibert

Luke Vibert, also known as Wagon Christ and Plug, is a British musician and producer known for his eclectic style and innovative use of electronic music. He was born and raised in Cornwall, a province in southwest England. With his father being a Jimi Hendrix fan and punk rocker, and his mother a Beatles enthusiast, Vibert was exposed to a wide range of musical influences from a young age.

Growing up, Vibert played loud and unfriendly music, which he attributed to the fact that his hometown was far away from any police presence, allowing him to make noise without consequence. In the early 1990s, Vibert gained popularity as a British club DJ, playing hip-hop and drum and bass. Interestingly, he was requested to play ambient music, which was trendy at the time.

Vibert soon established himself as a leading figure in the ambient music scene, releasing his first project, Wagon Christ, in 1994. He also released records under his own name and the alias Plug. He collaborated with renowned labels such as Astralwerks and Ninjatoon, bridging the gap between music and the art of pornography.

Throughout his career, Vibert has collaborated, befriended, and played alongside various British musicians, including Nine Inch Nails, Sneaker Pimps, and Squarepusher. His talent and creativity have earned him recognition, with Kid 606 dedicating a song titled "Luke Vibert Can Kiss My Indie Punk Whiteboy Ass" to him, although their collaboration had some copyright issues.

One of Vibert's notable collaborations was with BJ Cole, an accomplished musician who has worked with legends like John Cale, David Bowie, Marc Bolan, and Bjork. In their duet, Vibert transformed Cole's country and blues-inspired steel guitar playing into his signature video game-inspired music. Their album, Stop the Panic, exemplifies how an indie-electronic artist can work with live instrumentation, resulting in a joyful, delicate, and highly talented sound.

Although Stop the Panic marked a significant milestone in Vibert's career, his music has evolved since then. When he performs in Moscow, he will showcase a drier, stricter, and more tragic style, albeit in his own idiosyncratic blend of electronic hip-hop and drum and bass.