Born in the Congo,to Dutch parentage, Stuart Cullen was a musical prodigy. He ripped through the Waltz,Samba and Cha Cha Cha as if they were pages in a child's first spelling book, and in the late 70's was regarded by many as the natural successor to Stevie Wonder, although that later turned out to be Prince. His adult career started as second rhythm in legendary Louisville outfit The Long Pot Strollers, though the band's career was cut short by political in-fighting and a lack of focus or ambition.Stuart then moved to England to get involved in the burgeoning electronic dance music scene, ditched his trusty acoustic, and became a fully paid up member of the "Hanover Nu Breaks Massive" in Brighton. After a couple of low key releases in the late 90's, Stuart's 'Pilote' project was signed up by legendary South London label Certificate 18 for whom he went on to record three albums and some other stuff, garnering much critical acclaim and some meagre record sales, helped in no small measure by fellow "HNBM" member Bonobo's remix of his classic track "Tortoise". Bored by England's small mindedness and petty thievery, Stuart then moved out to Catalunya and quickly became a fully paid up member of the "Badalona Nu Breaks Massive" in Barcelona, though the lure of the scene was lessening and in 2004, Stuart even went so far as to describe all dance music producers as "idiots,except Juan Atkins", and promptly spent 18 months "dicking about" in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Once more back in England,2007 saw the release of the fourth Pilote album "Pop Will Make Us Free" and 2008 has borne witness to the birth of a new musical adventure, Cosmos and Sands, with former Long Pot Stroller JT "Books" Tweddell.
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