Mike Garson is an American professional pianist, most notable for his work with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers David Bowie (ˈboʊiː born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 is an English Musician, actor producer, and arranger. William Patrick Corgan Jr (born March 17, 1967 in Elk Grove Village Illinois) is an American Singer, Songwriter, The Smashing Pumpkins are an American Alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988
| Mike Garson | |
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 Mike Garson, picture by Alex Boyd
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mike Garson |
| Born | July 29, 1945 |
| Origin |  New York, United States of America |
| Genre(s) | Rock Art rock Hard rock Glam rock Progressive rock Electronica Blue-eyed soul New Wave Industrial Techno Jazz Dance music Funk Disco Experimental Folk Instrumental Ambient |
| Instrument(s) | piano, keyboards, synthesizers, drums, percussion,organ, vibraphone, stylophone |
| Years active | 1964—present |
| Website | www.mikegarson.com |
Contents |
Early career
Garson was originally noticed when he played on the I'm the One album by early 1970s experimental artist Annette Peacock. Alex Boyd (born July 15, 1984 in Celle) is a German - Scottish photographer based in Irvine in the West Coast of Scotland Events 1014 - Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Art rock is a term describing a subgenre of Rock music that tends to have "experimental or avant-garde influences" and emphasizes "novel sonic texture Hard rock (also referred to as heavy rock) is a variation of Rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and Psychedelic rock Glam rock (also known as glitter rock) is a sub-genre of Rock music that developed in the UK in the post- Hippie early 1970s which was "performed by Progressive rock (often shortened to " progressive " " prog " or " prog rock " is a form of Rock music that evolved Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary Electronic music designed for a wide range Blue-eyed soul (also known as white soul) is a term used to describe R&B or Soul music performed by white artists New Wave is a Rock music genre that existed during the late 1970s and the 1980s Industrial music is a loose term for a number of different styles of Experimental music, especially but not necessarily Electronic music. Techno is a form of Electronic dance music (EDM that emerged in Detroit, Michigan, USA during the mid to late 1980s Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States This article is about music for dancing in general You may also be looking for Electronic dance music. Funk is an American musical style that originated in the mid- to late-1960s when African American musicians blended Soul music, Soul Disco is a Genre of dance-oriented music whose origins are hard to define Experimental music is a term introduced by composer John Cage in 1955 See also Folk (disambiguation, Volk (disambiguation Folk is one of the Germanic roots that mean "(of the people" or "our An instrumental is a Musical composition or recording without Lyrics or any other sort of Vocal music; all of the Music is produced by Ambient music is a Musical genre in which sound is more important than notes A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers A keyboard instrument is any musical instrument played using a Musical keyboard. A drum kit (also drum set or trap set) is a collection of Drums Cymbals and sometimes other Percussion instruments such as cowbells The organ (from Greek όργανον – organon "organ instrument tool" is a Keyboard instrument of one or more divisions each The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a Musical instrument in the mallet subfamily of the percussion family The Dubreq Stylophone is a miniature Stylus operated synthesizer invented in 1967 by Brian Jarvis. Annette Peacock ( née Coleman (born 1941 Brooklyn, New York, USA is a female composer arranger producer musician poet singer - pioneer of live performance When Peacock was asked by a very interested David Bowie to join him on his tour she refused. Garson however did not and so began one of the most enduring relationships in rock history.
Work with David Bowie
Garson gave the piano and keyboard backing on the later Ziggy Stardust tour and his unique contribution to Aladdin Sane gave the album an avant garde jazz feel with long and sometimes atonal piano solos. Aladdin Sane is an album by David Bowie, released by RCA Records in 1973 (see 1973 in music) Avant-garde (avɑ̃gaʁd in French) means "advance guard" or "vanguard Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States
- I had told Bowie about the avant-garde thing. When I was recording the Aladdin Sane track for Bowie, it was just two chords, an A and a G chord, and the band was playing very simple English rock and roll. Aladdin Sane is an album by David Bowie, released by RCA Records in 1973 (see 1973 in music) And Bowie said: 'play a solo on this. ' I had just met him, so I played a blues solo, but then he said: 'No, that’s not what I want. ' And then I played a latin solo. Again, Bowie said: 'No no, that’s not what I want. ' He then continued: 'You told me you play that avant-garde music. Play that stuff!' And I said: 'Are you sure? ‘Cause you might not be working anymore!'. So I did the solo that everybody knows today, in one take. And to this day, I still receive emails about it. Every day. I always tell people that Bowie is the best producer I ever met, because he lets me do my thing. [1]
He played also for Mick Ronson (guitarist and sound of the "Spiders from Mars") on his first and last solo tour, and his first album (Slaughter on Tenth Avenue). Mick Ronson (26 May 1946 &ndash 29 April 1993 was an English Guitarist, Composer, Multi-instrumentalist, Arranger and producer Ironically he came to replace Ronson's role as Bowie's musical lieutenant on several occasions. Notably on 'We are the dead' from the 'Diamond Dogs' album, where Garson's metronome like keyboard provides a dramatic setting for Bowie's vocals and on the title track to 'Young Americans' where his jaunty piano leads the band. Garson played with Bowie on and off over the years, resurfacing on the The Buddha of Suburbia album and inspiring Bowie to experiment again. The ambitious Outside album was the result. Outside is a Concept album first released September 26 1995 by David Bowie on Virgin Records.
Solo career
Parallel to this Garson engaged in his own solo career as a jazz pianist, pushing the bounds of his art. He is regarded in the industry as one of the very few 'rock' pianists capable of performing extended piano solos. He remains one of the most highly sought-after session musicians with a unique sound of his own which others wish to utilise for their own projects.
In 1993, Garson began a short-lived series of Screen Themes albums, jazz renditions of major themes and suites from film scores of 1993, and the following year, 1994. In Music, a suite is an ordered set of Instrumental or Orchestral pieces normally performed in a Concert A film score is a broad term referring to the music in a film which is generally categorically separated from songs used within a film The latter album featured the recording debut of Jessica L. Tivens, at age 13, who had previously appeared on Star Search. Star Search is a Television show that was produced from 1983 to 1995 and hosted by Ed McMahon. Both albums were released by Discovery Records. a Discovery Record by Red Norvo Discovery Records was a United States based
Other collaborations
Garson worked with the reformed Spiders From Mars in 1975, alongside Mick Woodmansey, Trevor Bolder, Dave Black and Pete McDonald. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Mick 'Woody' Woodmansey (born c 1951 is an English rock Drummer from Driffield, Yorkshire, best known for his work with David Trevor Bolder (born 9 June 1950, Kingston upon Hull, England) is an English rock Bass guitarist Biography They recorded just one album before going their separate ways.
He joined the Pumpkins for their Adore tour, playing piano, keyboards and synthesizer. Adore is the fourth studio Album by American Alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. His piano playing was an integral part of the Pumpkins' performance. After the tour, he joined Corgan on his solo effort—the soundtrack for the movie Stigmata. Stigmata is a 1999 film directed by Rupert Wainwright and starring Patricia Arquette and Gabriel Byrne. Garson did not perform the song "Le Deux Machina" on the Pumpkins' Machina II album, but did play on the corresponding piano section of "Glass and the Ghost Children" off of Machina/The Machines of God, which was actually excerpts of the version from The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music tape. Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music is the sixth studio Album by The Smashing Pumpkins. Machina/The Machines of God is The Smashing Pumpkins ' fifth studio album released on February 29, 2000. The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music is a collection of previously unreleased demos and two live tracks by The Smashing Pumpkins which was originally created Mike also played on Nine Inch Nails's album 'The Fragile' as well as with No Doubt and many other acts. The Fragile (also known as Halo 14) is a concept Double album by American Industrial rock act No Doubt is a rock band from Anaheim California, United States founded in 1986
Current Work
Recently Mike Garson appeared on Myspace with his own music site, and to date has released some 50 free tracks. He is currently working on 3 new albums as well as collaborating with several bands as touring player/session musician. His latest collaboration shows up on the last "met-on-Myspace" young french artist Kuta's album: "A Home" . Garson also contributed to and received co writing credit on the track "Something Unseen" by Athens, GA power pop band Chris McKay & the Critical Darlings. Photographer Chris McKay, of Athens Georgia, winner of several ASCAP Music Awards for his solo work had wanted to be back in a group since his days with Q-Sign He has also been collaborating with the Norwegian band Sleepyard.
Quotations regarding Mike Garson
| “ | It is pointless to talk about his ability as a pianist. He is exceptional. However, there are very, very few musicians, let alone pianists, who naturally understand the movement and free thinking necessary to hurl themselves into experimental or traditional areas of music, sometimes, ironically, at the same time. Mike does this with such enthusiasm that it makes my heart glad just to be in the same room with him. | ” |
| “ | Of the whole lot, Mike is the true genius; we are all just toys in his atonal wonderland. David Bowie (ˈboʊiː born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 is an English Musician, actor producer, and arranger. | ” |
| “ | My latest thing I'm hot to do is collaborate with some other people. William Patrick Corgan Jr (born March 17, 1967 in Elk Grove Village Illinois) is an American Singer, Songwriter, Probably at the top of my list this second is Mike Garson from Bowie's band. He's a phenomenal pianist/keyboardist. We've been messing around at the soundchecks, just playing stuff, and I don't understand how that sound's coming out of his instrument. . . | ” |
| “ | Mike Garson speaks with emotion in his hands. Trent Reznor (born Michael Trent Reznor on May 17 1965 is an American Musician, singer producer, and Multi-instrumentalist. Melody, harmony, and rhythm get churned into a Garsonian spread with wild and extraordinary spices. I won't forget the night he exploded my piano into thousands of inspired notes finely funneled into the tape recorder. He mixes history with true abandon. He eats the piano like a box of popcorn. He makes music out of anything and nothing. He makes me laugh. He gives people joy. | ” |
Discography
- 1979: Avant Garson
- 1982: Jazzical
- 1986: Serendipity
- 1989: Remember Love
- 1990: The Mystery Man
- 1990: Oxnard Sessions, Vol.1
- 1992: A Gershwin Fantasia
- 1992: Oxnard Sessions, Vol.2
- 1998: Now Music, Vol.4
- 2003: Homage to my Heroes
- 2008: Conversations with my Family
- 2008: Lost In Conversation
References
External links
- Official website
- Regenmag - Mike Garson An interview in which Mike talks about his career to date
- Mike Garson at Reverbnation
- Mike Garson at Imdb
- Official Mike Garson YouTube channel
- Mike Garson at MySpace
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