(May 31, 2001) — Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last couple of years, it’s been pretty hard to miss some of the Dust Brothers’ music. Maybe their popularity is due to all famous musicians who’ve flocked to these record producers to either remix or mix their music. Or maybe it’s those movie soundtracks that they’ve mixed, such as “Fight Club” or the X-files theme from the “X-Files” movie. Or maybe it’s that funky way they layer hip-hop beats over techno sounds with a background of electric guitar. But one thing’s for sure: Mike Simpson and John King, also known as the Dust Brothers, have had a sound impact on the music industry. Simpson and King were both born in Los Angeles in 1965. They met in 1983 at Claremont College while working for the college radio station. There they hosted the first all-rap radio show in Southern California. Originally teamed up as DJs at parties, by the end of the ‘80s they scored a production deal with the Delicious Vinyl label. In 1989 they received chart success in their producing debuts from rappers Tone-Loc and Young M.C. But it was the Beastie Boys’ “Paul’s Boutique,” considered one of the most influential rap albums ever, and Beck’s “Odelay” that sealed their fate as one of the most sought after remixers. Some of the many artists that the Brothers have worked for include Beck, Marilyn Manson, the Beastie Boys, Hanson, Korn, the Rolling Stones and Howard Stern. In 1994, the Brothers made headlines with a cease-and-desist demand of UK based producer-performers also named the Dust Brothers, in homage. So the British duo changed their name to the Chemical Brothers, but fear not. The artists have kissed and made up by collaborating on the “Dead Man on Campus” soundtrack. Wondering how the Dust Brothers got their signature sound? By using a Macintosh-based recording system, they can record directly onto their hard drive. With this cut-and-paste style, they have a techno sound layered over a hip-hop style beat complete with different instruments, such as an electric guitar, in the background. With this signature style, Simpson and King have found their niche and are pushing the boundaries of music, especially hip-hop. Not only do they produce music but the Brothers also engineer their own projects—meaning that not only are they playing around with the buttons and knobs, but they are also making sure the musician is in a good environment to be creative. They are helping the artist even as early as helping them with what songs to record and working on the arrangements and tempo of the song. So not only are they producers; Simpson and King can be thought of as the older ‘Brothers’ to all their musicians that they’ve recorded.