Biography

In 1992, Bryan Hollon set off on the hunt for original hip-hop sample material on classic jazz and funk albums that littered the Cincinnati thrift stores. Once his arsenal was built, he began experimenting with looping and chopping the drums he discovered on the dirty "Headhunters’" record he claimed to be his favorite. Soon after he discovered a bass line on a Ron Carter record that fit perfectly in the groove of the sampled drums and then a string line from a David Axelrod album. The gates crashed open.

Bryan began doing his own radio show on WAIF-FM 88.3 called Madstract in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1993 and soon started getting props for his impeccable taste in early instrumental hip-hop and jazz influenced beats. His name Boom Bip is taken from the terminology of early jazz vocalists for the sound of drums. Ella, Joe, Duke and Miles had also used this term in describing the sound of the kick drum and the snare- essential percussion for rock, jazz or hip-hop.

in 1996, Cincinnati based Mush records released Bip's first EP titled Low End Sequence. This caught the attention of Giles Peterson in London, Andrew Jarvis in San Francisco and Jeannie Hopper in New York City. Before long it was getting global attention.

In 1998 things changed dramatically. Bryan met poet and rapper Dose One a.k.a. Adam Drukker (frontman of Oakland based sextet Subtle). The duo recorded a full length album for Mush titled Circle, an album unlike any other- clashing genres with twisted lyrical compositions describing the life and times of Bryan and Adam.

The reaction was shocking. Magazines like The Wire, Village Voice, Urb, Spin and others named it one of their albums of the year, BBC Radio's John Peel began playing "Bird Catcher’s Return" in heavy rotation on his program, invited them to record a Peel Session, describing it as a "modern day Captain Beefheart".

In 2001 Warp Records, home of electronic pioneers Aphex, Boards, Autechre etc, created a new imprint -Lex Records- and felt that Bryan should be part of defining the sound of the label. The critically acclaimed Seed to Sun was the first full length release in late 2002 and led Bryan on a whirlwind of press interviews, features, tours, shows and increasing fans. Bryan spent most of the year touring with the band, playing festivals such as Glastonbury in England, Triptych in Scotland, Dutch Electronic Music Festival, Bitz Festival in Italy, Les Nuits Botanique in Belgium, Transmusicales in France and many others. He was also invited back with his band to record another Peel Session.

Since then Boom Bip has released his follow up album Blue Eyed in the Red Room and a compilation of remixes by Boards of Canada, Mogwai, Venetian Snares, Lali Puna and others, entitled Corymb. He has since remixed such artist as Amon Tobin, The Free Design, Super Furry Animals, Mogwai, Syd Barrett and Roger Waters, Mountaineers and many others.

His latest solo EP Sacchrilege was released in 2007 and will be followed by a sequel in 2008. Bip's latest album project with Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals, entitled Neon Neon is out now!