The Prodigy: "I'm the Trouble Starter!"

ALWAYS TELL YOUR MUMMY BEFORE YOU GO OFF SOMEWHERE

1. Out of Space may be their more enduring rave anthem, but it was the public information sampling debut single Charly that catapulted The Prodigy from the underground dance scene and into the top ten. Clearly, sampling a conscientious cartoon cat then alluding his name to drug slang was always going to raise eyebrows. Unsurprisingly, the ‘yoof’ loved it to the point that several other acts shamelessly tried to cash in on the ‘kiddy rave’ sub-genre. Urban Hype and Smart E’s, we’re looking at you.

TWO FINGERS, MY FRIENDS

2. With their 1994 swansong Dos Dedos Mis Amigos, Pop Will Eat Itself dramatically overhauled their good-time, slightly goofy image in favour of an overtly political, industrial sound. The Prodigy, also keen to reinvent themselves, found common ground with The Poppies over the proposed Criminal Justice Bill. The resulting collaboration, Their Law, raised a lofty two-fingers to the rave-quashing, freedom-restrictions of the act, and brought the band to a whole new audience.

PANIC

3. When questions are raised in the Houses of Parliament, you know you’re on to something. Such was the hysterical, knee-jerk response to Firestarter in 1996. Although the song’s lyrical content was questioned, it was more the dramatic image-overhaul of dancer-turned-frontman Keith Flint that had middle Britain spluttering on its tea time crumpets. A maniacal stare, some demented head-shaking and a haircut from Hades all conspired to give the band their first number one single, from which they went on to conquer America. That, Robbie Williams, is how you do it.

ILL COMMUNICATION

4. By 1998, The Prodigy were no strangers to courting controversy, but no one expected them to be checked by the scurrilous Beastie Boys. Ahead of a stage-sharing slot at Reading, a sanctimonious, not to mention hypocritical, Ad Rock asked that the band drop the contentious Smack My Bitch Up from their set. On-stage, MC Maxim made their stance on the issue unequivocal: “I do what the fuck I want!” he railed to the crowd. Overnight the Prodge went from peddlers of violence against women to crusaders of free speech.

NEVER OUTGUNNED

5. As if inciting domestic abuse wasn’t enough, Jonas Akerlund’s accompanying video to Smack My Bitch Up proceeded to tick the boxes of all kinds of wrong. Wanton drug and alcohol abuse, grand theft auto, indiscriminate bar fights, sex, nudity and copious amounts of vomiting were all squeezed into a five-minute snapshot of the mother of all benders. Then there was THAT twist. Best music video ever anyone?