Moogfest bands you didn’t know you knew

You probably know more Moogfest bands than you think you do. (The festival takes place at a variety of venues throughout downtown Asheville on Halloween weekend, Oct. 29-31.) Here’s a who’s who/cheat sheet/hits list/six degrees of separation primer:

• Big Boi, born Antwan André Patton is the other André in OutKast. You know how they had that album in ‘98, Aquemini? The name was because Big Boi is an Aquarius and André 3000 is a Gemini. That album has the hit “Rosa Parks.”

• Cee Lo Green — A former member of Atlanta’s Goodie Mob, which got its start contributig to OutKast albums, Cee Lo went on to form Gnarls Barkley,  with producer Danger Mouse. The group’s first single, “Crazy,” was a major commercial success.

• DEVO is the 80s band that gave us “Whip It.” Enough said.

• Catchy, poppy electronica is what Hot Chip creates. The band’s latest album One Life Stand (you’ve probably heard the track “Hand Me Down Your Love”) focuses on themes of love. Here’s a You Tube video from their 2007 performance at the Orange Peel:

• Jon Hopkins produced Coldpay’s Viva la Vida.

• Jónsi — You’ve heard of him if only in the context of being “the male Björk.” He fronts Icelandic band Sigur Rós, which is known for singing in the non-literal language of Vonlenska. (Trivia: The Sugarcubes — Björk’s band — formed the day she gave birth to her son in 1986. Sigur Rós — named for Jónsi’s sister, Sigurrós, who was born the day the band formed —  released its 1997 albums Von on the Sugarcubes’ Smekkleysa Records label.

• Dark Party is a partnership between electronic artists Eliot Lipp and Leo123. Lipp played the Orange Peel with former Asheville band Telepath in April, 2008 and for UNC-A’s graduation in April, 2009 (among other local dates) as well as last year’s Tron-A-Thon.

• British downtempo DJ Bonobo  played a showcase at Club 828 last spring. Reports were that Bonobo’s set was the high point in a fantastic evening of music.

• Massive Attack — This line from wikipedia (yeah, yeah) drops so many names you’re sure to recognize one: “Their debut album, Blue Lines (1991), was co-produced by Jonny Dollar and Cameron McVey, who also became their first manager.[8] Geoff Barrow, who went on to form Portishead, was an intern and trainee tape operator at Bristol’s Coach House studio when the album was recorded.[9] McVey (credited at the time as ‘Booga Bear’) and his wife, Neneh Cherry provided crucial financial support and in-kind assistance to the early careers of Massive Attack, Portishead and Tricky during this period, even paying regular wages to them through their Cherry Bear Organisation.” Watch their 1994 video for “Protection,” featuring Tracey Thorn on vocals:

• Saturn Never Sleeps featuring King Britt & Rucyl — King Britt is the major known entity here. He’s played plenty of local shows (Stella Blue is usually his stop-off) but even if you’ve missed those, you probably recall King Britt from his previous incarnation as Silkworm in the Digable Planets.