Dan the Automator

Dan the Automator sprang from the Bay Area to international acclaim with his work beside Kool Keith on Dr. Octagon (1996). A ceaselessly collaborative producer who has since operated in numerous genres, he'll always be known foremost as a crucial figure in left-field rap. The subgenre is exemplified by Automator-crafted LPs such as Handsome Boy Modeling School's So...How's Your Girl? (1999), Deltron 3030 (2000), and Lovage's Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By (2001), imaginative conceptual full-lengths spiked with an offbeat sense of humor. The Automator's biggest commercial achievements include Gorillaz' Top Ten U.K. pop hit "Clint Eastwood" (2001) and two chart-topping U.K. albums by Kasabian. His fourth decade in music has included returns from Deltron 3030 and Dr. Octagon, and music for film and television.