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Rick Smith

b. 1959

Welsh musician, founding member of Underworld

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About Rick Smith

Born 1959. Rick Smith is a British songwriter, composer and musician.

Richard Smith (born 25 May 1959) is a Welsh musician and composer. He is a founding member of British electronic music group Underworld and an acclaimed composer, having collaborated extensively with director Danny Boyle, most notably as the musical director for the London 2012 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony, alongside Underworld's Karl Hyde. He is also a founding member of the multi-discipline design and film collective Tomato.

Career Smith left a bank clerk job in Llanelli to do an electronic and electrical engineering degree; however, he dropped out during his finals after being asked to join Hyde’s band The Screen Gemz. In 1983, they formed the new wave band Freur and recorded two albums for CBS Records International. The group disbanded in 1986.

In 1987, Smith and Hyde formed Underworld, and the pair are the longest and only original serving members of the musical project, still performing together today.

Smith worked with director Danny Boyle for two decades after the director used the band's music in his 1996 film Trainspotting. As part of Underworld, Smith scored the soundtrack for Boyle's stage production of Frankenstein in 2011, and in 2012 undertook a solo venture creating the soundtrack to Boyle's film Trance.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Also known as
Richard David Smith, Richard Smith

People in Rick Smith's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Rick Smith's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Rick Smith?

Welsh musician, founding member of Underworld

When was Rick Smith born?

Rick Smith was born on 25 May 1959 in Ammanford.

What is Rick Smith's occupation?

Rick Smith is a songwriter, composer and musician.

What nationality is Rick Smith?

Rick Smith is British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Rick Smith

· Wikidata: Q20878239

· DBpedia: Rick Smith (musician)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Rick Smith. https://biography.guide/rick-smith-songwriter/

MLA: "Rick Smith." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/rick-smith-songwriter/.

Chicago: "Rick Smith." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/rick-smith-songwriter/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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