Skip to main content
DJ Mag Top100 DJs
80
The Chemical Brothers
| RE-ENTRY

Unlike the other jocks in the Top 100 who can be found spinning records every weekend, you could literally count the number of times The Chemical Brothers have DJed out in the past year on a frazzled rave veteran's remaining braincells.
"We did Turnmills on New Year's Eve, Womb in Tokyo and Room 1 at Fabric just before the album came out," Ed Simons recalls.
But whilst he claims that his and Tom Rowlands' DJ gigs are more just a hobby these days, The Chemical Brothers are no amateurs when it comes to deck duties. Their legendary residency at the Heavenly Social in 1990s was the crucible for big beat.
And although Ed claims their sets are now less eclectic than the genre-trashing mash-ups they played there, he adds: "DJing is completely fundamental to what we do. When you're making music it's good not to be in an ivory tower and DJing helps us keep current and connected to what's going on."

But it's still standing behind ranks of equipment at the other end of a stadium rather than crouched in a booth in a club where you're most likely to find Ed and Tom these days.
Following 'We Are The Night''s release they've played triumphant live shows at Glastonbury and Trafalgar Square, toured most of the world and are appearing at Electric Proms towards the end of this month.
"We're pretty much a constant touring entity these days," Ed admits.