The Beatdown

Pop-culture logic dictates that Ben Watt should probably be making out with Scary Spice on the British version of The Surreal Life at this point. Rather, he has made the improbable transition from a quasi-celeb of the last decade to a respected underground house jock and producer in this one. As the '90s pop duo Everything but the Girl, he and wife Tracey Thorn reached high acclaim with the smash single "Missing." As their sound skewed more electronic Watt honed his DJ skills and started the now-legendary Lazy Dog party series with partner Jay Hannon. After the five-year stint running Lazy Dog ended in 2003, Ben established the Buzzin' Fly imprint (a name he swiped from a Tim Buckley song), which he runs to this day. With multiple singles and compilations focused on deep, strong grooves, the label manages to successfully combine the bump of Chicago with the edge of Detroit. Ben lands down at minc this Saturday. No word yet on whether Scary will be in tow.