The Wiseguys
| Company type | Music duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Touché (Theo Keating), Regal (Paul Eve) |
| Defunct | 2001 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom, United States, Australia |
| Products | Electronic music, albums, singles |
The Wiseguys were an electronic music pair from the United Kingdom, active during the mid to late 1990s. They produced two studio albums, with their second release, The Antidote, co-produced by both members and containing popular tracks such as "Start the Commotion" and "Ooh La La". These songs achieved widespread recognition through their use in advertisements for Mitsubishi and Budweiser, respectively.
Career
Established in 1994 by Touché (real name Theo Keating) and Regal (Paul Eve), the duo had been collaborating since 1990. Their initial release was the EP Ladies Say Ow! on Blackmarket International. Subsequently, they signed with Wall of Sound and issued the double A-side single "Nil by Mouth" / "Too Easy" in 1995. Their debut album, Executive Suite (1996), blended downtempo jazz influences with lively hip-hop rhythms and has since gained cult status.
In 1997, Regal left to co-found the Bronx Dogs, leaving Touché to finalize The Antidote, which was released in 1998. This album featured their most notable singles, "Ooh La La" and "Start the Commotion". Initially, "Ooh La La" achieved moderate success in the UK charts in April 1998 but climbed to No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart after being reissued in 1999, following its inclusion in Budweiser’s advertising campaign. In 2001, "Start the Commotion" was featured in a Mitsubishi commercial aired in the United States, leading it to enter the Billboard top 40.
Solo work
Following The Wiseguys' breakup in 2001, Touché embarked on a solo career focused on producing house music under Fatboy Slim's Southern Fried label. Regal launched his solo debut single "Shock Ya Mind" on Funk Weapons in July 2006. On December 31, 2006, Executive Suite became available on the US iTunes platform. Touché also forms one half of Black Ghosts and produces music under various pseudonyms including Fake Blood.
In 2007, Regal signed with Unique Records and released two solo albums alongside three singles. His debut album was titled Loop Dreams, followed by the CD Time Past, which was supported by a remix sampler released toward the end of 2009.
Albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | US | ||
| Executive Suite |
|
— | — | — |
| The Antidote |
|
124 | 89 | 133 |
EPs
- Ladies Say Ow! (1994)
Compilation appearances
- Wall of Sound Essentials – Mixed by the Wiseguys (2000)
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | US | |||
| "Nil by Mouth" | 1995 | — | — | Executive Suite |
| "The Sound You Hear"/"We Keep On" | 1996 | — | — | |
| "Casino 'Sans Pareil'"/"A Better World" | 1997 | 88 | — | |
| "Ooh La La" | 1998 | 2 | — | The Antidote |
| "Start the Commotion" | 47 | 31 | ||
The Japanese edition of The Antidote features an additional track titled "Expand on the Topic," which includes contributions from J-Nise, Season, and Sense Live, also serving as the B-side for "Ooh La La."