Born in the mid 1970's when love was free, the sun always shone and mums and dads looked like they'd just strolled out of Woodstock, Rob da Bank was always destined to escape the grim confines of Southampton and get lost in music somewhere.
By Feb 1995, Rob da Bank had founded Sunday Best in the warm glow of South London's Tearooms Des Artistes based on a love of chill out, electronica and an anything goes policy (aside from gabba and flouro trance) combined with dramatic visuals supplied by the Light Surgeons, now infamous for their pioneering VJing.
Founder Rob da Bank and fellow residents Giddy and the Loop Professor were joined by fellow luminaries Harvey (as monthly resident), Andrew Weatherall, Ross Allen, Basement Jaxx, Mixmaster Morris, Jose Padilla, A Man Called Adam (live), Tranquillity Bass, Wiseguys, Patrick Forge, Phil Mison, Ashley Beedle and the Big Chill amongst others. At the same time Rob started perfecting the art of making hot beverages as teaboy at Muzik Magazine spending the next six years climbing up the journalistic rungs to become Assistant Editor before the lure of editing dance website worldpop/dance pulled him away.
Sunday Best Recordings was born in 1997 unveiling then unknown acts Groove Armada, Bent and Lemon Jelly to the world and in 2001 the label was signed up by Rollo to Cheeky, a long time fan of the Best. Rob also records on the label as Lazyboy with Mr Dan.
By 2002 Sunday Best and DJing around the world was becoming too big a headache for Rob to juggle with a full time job resulting in him knocking journalism on the head and taking over the reins full time of his home grown empire. Having become the first weekly chill out club in Ibiza the previous year, with guests Groove Armada, Goldfrapp and Norman Cook attracting record crowds, 2002 saw him take Sunday Best on the road in the UK, taking in Glastonbury, Creamfields and the Essential Festival before kick-starting a new monthly residency at the Lock Tavern in Camden.
In April 2002, Rob was asked to do a pilot for Radio One and along with Chris Coco became Radio One's newest DJ presenting The Blue Room chill out show on Saturday mornings, something that he still can't believe is happening as his previous jobs included hoovering graveyards and being set fire to while working as a dinner lady.
2003 saw Rob and Sunday Best return to Ibiza to put on some of the best parties the island has ever seen (and that's saying something!). The 4 beach parties, hosted alongside The Cuban Brothers, were located on some of the White Isle's most beautiful beaches with guest slots from the likes of Zero 7, Jose Padilla, Gilles Peterson, Dubtribe, A Man Called Adam, Alison Goldfrapp, Magnet and Justin Robertson.
There was a triumphant return to Glastonbury too - stealing the show once again on the Radio 1 stage and taking charge of the entire festival's programming in the Crown tent. The summer also saw Sunday Best hoe downs at Creamfields, Trufest and Hung, Drawn & Quartered, and few who were there will ever forget the incredible Jockey Slut party at Notting Hill Carnival where Sunday Best, with a little help from The Cubans and Jocelyn Brown, reduced grown men to tears.
During 2003 Rob da Bank has been busy signing up a plethora of artists for release in 2004. Much anticipation surrounds the release of Grand National's first EP as well as new material from Boomclick, Palace of Pleasure, Subway and SSR (and the 4th Sunday Best comp). He has also been recording his debut album with partner Mr Dan as his alter-ego Lazyboy which is due to feature a host of artists including Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Cathy Battistessa, Roddy Frame and Ursula Rucker amongst others.
Almost 9 years after it started, Sunday Best and Rob da Bank are heading into 2004 with a 2nd London residency at Cocomos on Old St, Sunday Sessions parties in Manchester, a string of top-notch label releases on the way and some very special treats in store for the new year. Rob da Bank and Sunday Best are set to take the world by storm.