Slowly is an EP by UK musician Tom Fox.

Track listing[link]

1. Slowly
2. Spectre's Lament
3. Sensitivity
4. Don't Listen
5. Morning Serenade

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Max Sedgley is a British producer and disc jockey, currently signed to the independent record label, Sunday Best (founded by Rob da Bank). In 2004, Sedgley released his first single, "Happy", a remix of which was later used by ITV as the theme music to their coverage of the Euro 2004 football tournament. It reached #30 in the UK Singles Chart in July 2004.^[1][2]

On 17 July 2006, Sedgley released his 10-track debut album, From the Roots to the Shoots, on the Sunday Best label, which contained the singles "Slowly", "The Devil Inside", (which both featured guest Z-Star on lead vocals) and "Happy".

Sedgley tours as both a DJ and in a five-piece musical ensemble, Max Sedgley and the Shoots. The band consists of Max Sedgley (drums, percussion, keyboards), Tasita D'mour (lead vocals), Mike Buchanan (guitar, lead and backing vocals), Andy ("V") Valentine (guitar, lead and backing vocals) and Marcus Dods (bass guitar).

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Sunday Best official site
• Myspace: Max Sedgley
• Max Sedgley discography

This article on a record producer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This article may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on the talk page. (May 2008)

Syleena Johnson (née Thompson born September 2, 1976, Harvey, Illinois, United States) is an American Grammy Award nominated R&B and soul singer-songwriter and actress.

Biography[link]

Johnson took to music early, growing up not only with a musical father but also listening to influential artists such as Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Tina Turner, The Dells, and Mavis Staples. She would later apply her taste for soul music as a member of her high school gospel choir.

Johnson attended Thornridge High School in Dolton, Illinois.^[1] Her music career was inspired by her music teachers, who are still working there as of June 2007.^{[citation needed]}

Johnson's road to music was hardly easy. Her father, Syl, was not encouraging, as his own lackluster success with his craft led him to think little of the music industry. On top of that, Johnson suffered from vocal nodules and had to go through speech therapy. And when Johnson was fifteen, her parents split up. Despite these setbacks, Johnson's relationship with both her parents and her music remained strong: she contributed as a singer and songwriter on her father's 1994 album Back in the Game. After having nodes removed from her vocal cords, she took two years of speech therapy. She has seven years of vocal training.

That same year, Johnson began attending Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she worked in classical and gospel choirs as well as jazz ensembles. Originally a psychology major, success at a talent show convinced her that her strength had always been in music. She switched to a music major and began recording her own songs. In 1996, she transferred to Normal's Illinois State University, and majored in music. In September 1997, Johnson met an assistant scout for Jive Records at a charity basketball game. That contact allowed her to send in a demo tape, which had an immediate impact; days later, she got a callback from a Jive executive with an offer for a deal. "That's a miracle", Johnson later observed. "Demo tapes don't get heard like that." The experience renewed her resolve.

Johnson is also a member of Zeta Phi Beta sorority.

Personal[link]

Johnson is the daughter of 1960s R&B Hi Records singer Syl Johnson and Brenda Thompson (America's first black female police commissioner).^[2]

In August 2000,^[3] Johnson married former Illinois State University college basketball player Marcus Betts. Betts graduated in December 2000 and became her manager for her first two albums.

In July 2006 she became engaged to basketball player Kiwane Garris.^[4] Garris, a fellow Chicagoan, is a former player for the Sacramento Kings. On August 1, 2007,^[5] after forty-four hours of labor, their son Kiwane Garris Jr was born.^[6] On Sunday, February 6, 2011 she gave birth to their second son Kingston.^[7][8] He weighed 8 lb 5oz ^[9] After playing overseas in Italy for nine years from 2001–2010, Garris returned home. Since Fall 2010 he has been an Assistant Coach at Prairie State College.^[10] She is a notable member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.^[11]

Musical career[link]

[edit] Before the Chapters

Before being signed by Jive Records Syleena made a number of assaults on the R&B music scene. In 1995, Syleena released an album with her legendary father Syl Johnson, 'This Time Together By Father And Daughter', featuring songs such as 'Keep On Loving Me' and 'Piece of the Rock'. A rare video of an early song 'It's On' has appeared on video-sharing website YouTube.^[12]

Her official debut recording album Love Hangover was released on January 26, 1999. The album featured Johnson singing classic R&B songs such as 'Love Hangover' by Diana Ross and 'Baby I'm Scared Of You' by Womack & Womack.^[13] The album is hard to come by, often being sold at an extortionate price on eBay and Amazon. Both 'Love Hangover' and 'This Time Together By Father And Daughter' were released on the Independent Twinight Records.

Not long after 'Love Hangover', Syleena Johnson would sign a Record Deal with Major Label Jive Records, where she would begin writing the chapters of her life.

[edit] Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness (2001)

A hiatus from school in 1998 coincided with the collapse of her relationship with an abusive boyfriend. The ordeal gave Johnson the raw material for her debut album Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness, which traced a young woman's failed relationship and the healing that followed. Johnson's soulful rasp, reminiscent of old school R&B singers, set the tone for her confessional songs about the pain she endured in a bad relationship with a then-27-year-old man in 1997. Johnson grew from the experience and put it behind her, finding strength in a sense of forgiveness and from the spiritual guidance she says she received from God.^[14]

Johnson counted on her own honesty and real-life experiences to produce her compelling music. The young Chicago native confronted her own romantic pitfalls and coming of age story on her debut CD, which featured guest appearances by blues guitarist Buddy Guy and contemporary R&B artist R. Kelly.

Johnson wrote all the songs on her debut CD except her first single, "I Am Your Woman," penned by R. Kelly. Johnson began writing songs for her debut CD at age 20 in 1997 and sent her demo to Wayne Williams, V.P. of Artist Development at the Chicago office of Jive Records. He signed her and paved the way for the release of her debut album in May 2001. The album received much praise, but despite its No. 1 position on Billboard's Heatseekers chart the week of its release, the album was not a commercial success.

Jon Azpiri of All Music Guide gave the album 4.5/5 stating "Songs about breakups are a staple of modern R&B, so it's no surprise that Syleena Johnson has dedicated an entire album to a relationship gone wrong. What is surprising is that Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness is good enough to keep the listener's attention throughout... Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness is a remarkably polished effort and, as the title suggests, Johnson has only just begun."^[15]

[edit] Chapter 2: The Voice (2002)

Soon after, Johnson got to work on her follow-up album, Chapter 2: The Voice, which was released November 2002. Once again, the soulstress explored her personal feelings to find a thematic thread for the featured songs. This time, Johnson's shrinking self-esteem—brought about by the lackluster success of her first album and problems with her weight—provided the inspiration. Johnson realized that her strength came from her talent and her unwavering religious faith. Hence, The Voice is what keeps Syleena going. As with Chapter 1, Johnson got some high-profile help from Busta Rhymes and his Flipmode Squad, who contributed to "Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go", which got airplay at urban radio stations. The single also proved a success in the United Kingdom where it was a Top 40 hit; her first appearance on the UK Charts - she would later reach the Top 10 with All Falls Down, her collaboration with Kanye West.

The album is considered by many a 'Soul Classic' that fell under the radar. Songs such as 'No Words' and 'Faithful To You' provoked much emotion through the lyrics and Johnson's unique and bluesy voice. Johnson has stated in the past that 'No Words' is one of her personal favorites, referring to it as "the best song I never wrote", referring to its use of adlibbing as verses. The first single 'Guess What', another R.Kelly production, garnered much attention in the US and also received airplay in the UK, France, Germany and South Africa. The track was well received by BBC Radio 1 DJ, Trevor Nelson who has consistently labelled Johnson as one of the best soul singers of the modern day era.

'Chapter 2: The Voice' was recently voted #62 in a list of the best Soul Albums of the 2000s,^[16] ahead of fellow soul artists such as Jaguar Wright, Adele, Conya Doss, Ne-Yo and Faith Evans.

The December 2002 issue of Vibe Magazine gave the album 3.5 discs out of 5, quoting "Chapter 2: The Voice" as "...A distinctive sound, sometimes sweet, a little tart, and always strong..."

Mojo, in its February 2003 issue also gave "Chapter 2: The Voice" a glowing review - "...A coherent and engaging R&B album that explores love's vicissitudes with a confessional candour...Classy..."^[17]

In Between Chapters[link]

In 2004, Johnson appeared on the MTV Video Music Awards to perform "All Falls Down", her chart hit with Grammy winning rapper Kanye West. Chaka Khan would also appear during the performance. The video to the song earned both West and Johnson four VMA nominations, including "Breakthrough Video" and "Best New Artist in a Video". That same year she also earned a Grammy nomination and appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman. The song also brought Syleena to the attention of the public outside the United States. The song was a top 10 hit worldwide, including the UK.

[edit] Chapter 3: The Flesh (2005)

2005 saw the return of Syleena Johnson with her album Chapter 3: The Flesh. The record's first single, "Hypnotic", featured friend/producer R. Kelly and rapper Fabolous. The single was relatively well accepted; the video for the single was played worldwide and was noted as being Syleena at her sexiest. The second single, "Another Relationship", became another radio single and a firm favorite amongst fans and critics. Johnson performed the song live at the Apollo, to a standing ovation. The album included Production from Hitmakers R.Kelly, KayGee, & Terence "Tramp Baby" Abney & the Platinum Brothers.

Chapter 3: The Flesh featured production and appearances from some of the most respected artists in the industry. Kanye West produced the heavenly "Suddenly (Bulls-eye)", which featured fellow Chicagoan Common. Further artists to make appearances on the album included Jermaine Dupri, Twista and Anthony Hamilton.

The album is Johnson's highest peaking album on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at 75. As with Johnson's previous two chapters, she was again the victim of Label politics. Jive did not promote the album to its full potential, and many would argue they did not capitalize on the success of All Falls Down. Regardless, the album was still a roaring success with fans and critics alike.

Following the album, Johnson scored another Billboard R&B hit with Cam'ron and Kanye West on the track "Down & Out", which peaked in the Top 30. Furthermore she featured on female rapper Shawnna's album 'Block Music', on the track 'In The Chi' and on DMX's album Grand Champ on the track 'Untouchable'.

Contact Music gave Chapter 3: The Flesh a phenomenal 5/5 review, stating "Third album for Jive from probably the most under-rated artist in the world is just what you expect from an artist of this quality... Quite simply for sheer quality this is one of the albums of the year."^[18]

[edit] I Am Your Woman: The Best of Syleena Johnson (2008)

July 22, 2008 saw the release of 'I Am Your Woman: The Best of Syleena Johnson, via Sony Legacy. Johnson was not aware that a Best Of collection was going to be released, however she addressed her fans on YouTube saying that she was embracing the release as a way for newcomers to her music 'catching up' to her music before the release of her new album "Chapter 4: Labor Pains". The album featured the singles Johnson released through Chapter 1-3, and further includes album tracks such as Chapter 2: The Voice's stunning 'I'm Gon' Cry' and the simply beautiful 'Still Open' from Chapter 3: The Flesh.

The album did not feature any new or unreleased music, the tracklisting shocked many fans as a number of fan favorites were not featured on the collection. It did however feature a commentary of her career thus far and information on Chapters 1-3 by "Dream Hampton".

Colin McGuire of Pop Matters stated "Sure, this is supposed to be just a hold-over release, keeping Johnson’s fans busy until her next effort, rumored to be titled Chapter 4: Labor Pains, due in early 2009. But still, I Am Your Woman: The Best of Sylenna Johnson should be more of a reminder of an excellent career-so-far than a simple compilation of tracks. And yes, maybe some spots are missing (Chapter 2‘s “The Voice/Intro” should have been considered, regardless of it being insultingly labeled as a simple intro), but more than anything, this collection is worth a listen. Because after all, as this release proves beyond a shadow of a doubt, it sure would be a shame if all Johnson was remembered for was a Kanye West hook."

[edit] Chapter 4: Labor Pains (2009)

Chapter 4: Labor Pains was released physically on January 13, 2009.^[19] The album is Syleena's first on her own record label 'Aneelys Records'. The first single to be released from the album was 'It Is True', produced by fellow Chicagoan 'Toxic', who has previously produced artists such as Keyshia Cole and Monica. Due to lack of radio support the single did not appear on any of the Billboard Charts, however it was extremely well received by fans and critics.

The second single to be released from the album was 'Shoo Fly', which immediately drew comparisons to the Jill Scott classic 'Gettin' In The Way'. The track, as with the debut single, was met with critical acclaim. Neither singles got the video treatment and promotion was minimal, which led to the singles and the album going largely unnoticed.

The album debuted on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Album Chart at 42 following the physical release. The album peaked at 11 on the iTunes Top 100 R&B/Soul Album chart.

When asked behind the meaning of the title Chapter 4: Labor Pains Johnson said, "Chapter 4 is Labor Pains. As a punishment to Eve, He gave her labor pain. As a woman, in this world, we go through labor pains everyday. It’s not just about having a baby. It’s hard being a woman in our industry. We are expected to take care of kids and household, take care of our husbands, have a job, be adequate in performance, and just as good as the next man at our jobs. That’s a lot of responsibilities, that’s a lot of pressure, and stress for women. So that’s basically what Chapter 4 is about. The album is also about love, and the good things that came of what I went through."

As 2009 drew nearer, Syleena appeared on a single with KRS One, Twista and Crucial Conflict entitled "Self Destruction". According to Grant Parks and Coalmine Music, artists lent their lyrics for a cause they believe in with the statement "The time is now as we approach the holidays and a new year; it will give us all something to think about and reflect on loved ones that lost there life to senseless violent acts."^[20]

In February 2009, Johnson appeared on Maury Povich to perform the song Maury Pocivh. The writing of the song was inspired by the fact Johnson would watch the show daily during her pregnancy whilst working out, and a recurring theme within the show was that of paternity. Maury Povich commented that it was one of the greatest honors of his career to have a song written about his show.

In 2009, Johnson became a member of the 'Daughters of Soul', featuring daughters of soul legends. Fellow members include Lalah Hathaway, daughter of Donny Hathaway, Indira Khan, daughter of Chaka Khan and Simone, daughter of Nina Simone. The 'Daughters of Soul' have toured the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Spain, France, and Indonesia.^[21]

Steve Jones of USA Today gave Chapter 4: Labor Pains 3.5/4 stating "Despite critical acclaim for her ongoing personal chronicles that began with 2001's Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness, the soulful Chicago native never found a mainstream niche. Unfairly, she's best known for Kanye West's All Falls Down. Here, with her gorgeous voice and evocative storytelling, she continues to offer some of the decade's most stirring R&B."^[22]

2009 will also see Johnson collaborate with Erick Sermon on a track called 'Serious'. The song is said to sample 'I'm Gon' Cry' from Johnson's 2002 album, Chapter 2: The Voice.

[edit] Chapter 5: Underrated (2011)

Johnson has released her new album, Chapter 5: Underrated which features Toxic (the producer behind Keyshia Cole & Monica's "Trust", as well as much of Twista's work number) and a number of other high-profile producers and artists.

The first single, "A Boss" (produced by Unik (producer)), was first revealed via her YouTube account on June 13, 2011 along with the official release date for the album (which is September 27, 2011).^[23] The song was released digitally on iTunes on June 21, 2011.^[24] The video for "A Boss" was revealed on YouTube on July 22, 2011.^[25] The official tracklist and the album cover was revealed via her official Facebook page on August 19 and 24, 2011, respectively.^[26] As of August 28, 2011, the album is available for pre-order.^[27]

"Angry Girl" featuring Artist Tweet (singer) is the second single from the album. Syleena Johnson, Faith Evans, Tweet (singer), Angie Stone and others will star in an upcoming reality show, "Diary of a Diva" said to tape this Spring. "Diary of a Diva" will also feature other established artists Monifa, KeKe Wyatt, LeLee of SWV to name a few.

Syleena is currently managed by DYD Management and RKD Music Management

Discography[link]

Award nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Syleena Johnson Official Website
• RKD Music Management Official Website
• Syleena Johnson at Allmusic

This article's lead section may not adequately summarize its contents. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of the article's key points. (September 2009)

Glen Hansard
Background information
Born	(1970-04-21) 21 April 1970 (age 42) Ballymun, Dublin Republic of Ireland
Genres	folk rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, actor
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, mandolin
Years active	1983–present
Labels	Plateau, Overcoat Recordings, Island
Associated acts	The Frames, The Swell Season, Markéta Irglová
Website	www.theframes.ie

Glen Hansard, live at Vicar Street, Dublin, 31 December 2006

Hansard and Markéta Irglová playing at Cool Discs record store, Derry, Northern Ireland, April 2006

Glen Hansard (born 21 April 1970 in Dublin, Ireland)^[1] is the Academy Award–winning principal songwriter and vocalist/guitarist for Irish group The Frames and one half of folk rock duo, The Swell Season. He is also known for his acting, having appeared in the BAFTA winning film The Commitments, as well as starring in the film Once. His song, "Falling Slowly", from Once, co-written with his co-star Markéta Irglová, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2007, and earned him ten other major awards or nominations between 2007-08.^[2]

Career[link]

Hansard quit school at age 13 to begin busking on local Dublin streets.^[3] He formed The Frames in 1990, and they've been staples of the Irish music scene ever since. Their first album, Another Love Song, was released on Island Records in 1991, and their most recent, The Cost, was released in 2006.^{[citation needed]}

Hansard came to international attention as guitar player Outspan Foster in the 1991 Alan Parker film The Commitments, after attending the New York Film Academy School of Acting. He has often stated that he regretted taking the role, because he felt it distracted him from his music career. In 2003, he presented the television programme Other Voices: Songs from a Room, which showcased Irish music talent on RTÉ.

On 22 April 2006, he released his first album without The Frames, The Swell Season, on Overcoat Recordings in collaboration with Czech singer and multi-instrumentalist Markéta Irglová, Marja Tuhkanen from Finland on violin and viola, and Bertrand Galen from France on cello. Hansard also spent part of 2006 in front of the cameras for a music-infused Irish film Once, in which Hansard plays a Dublin busker, and Irglová an immigrant street vendor. The film had its American premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007 and received the Festival's World Cinema Audience Award. During the promotional tour, he and Irglová began dating.^[4] Said Hansard about his relationship with Irglova: "I had been falling in love with her for a long time, but I kept telling myself she's just a kid".^[5] One of the songs they wrote ("Falling Slowly") won an Oscar for Best Song in February 2008. Hansard became the first Irish-born person to win in that category. He was accompanied by his mother, Catherine Hansard.

Hansard and Irglová recorded a version of Bob Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" for the film I'm Not There in 2007. In 2009, Hansard said that he and Irglova were no longer romantically linked, and that they are now "good friends".^[6] Aside from his projects with The Frames and Irglová, Hansard also took part as a member of the band on the 2006 Oxfam charity album, The Cake Sale.

Hansard has recorded several cover songs, both alone and with band member Colm Mac Con Iomaire, for the Today FM discs Even Better than the Real Thing. Songs that he has recorded include Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" on Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 1 and Britney Spears' "Everytime" on Vol. 2.

He voiced a role on an episode ("In the Name of the Grandfather") on The Simpsons as an Irish busker. A new album of original songs recorded as The Swell Season with Markéta Irglová and entitled Strict Joy was released on October 27, 2009 on the ANTI- record label.^[7]

On 14 August 2009, Hansard sang "Amazing Grace" at the funeral of Eunice Kennedy Shriver. In December 2009, he was joined by Bono, Damien Rice and other Irish musicians on Grafton Street in Dublin, to busk in aid of the Simon Community. In January 2010, Glen and fellow musician Mark Geary auctioned off a house concert on eBay in aid of Haitian relief after the catastrophic earthquake left the country in dire need of assistance. The pair would travel anywhere within a 2 hour drive of Dublin and play a private gig in the highest bidder's house. In the end the two musicians played for the highest bidder and a selection of other fans in a central Dublin cafe. The auction raised in the region of €6,000 (six thousand euro) for charity.^{[citation needed]}

In the summer of 2011, he joined Eddie Vedder on his American solo tour in support of Vedder's solo album, Ukulele Songs. He also played his own solo concert at the opening of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art Guitar Heroes exhibit in May^[8] and on Cape Cod at the Cape Cinema on 17 June.^[9] On 3-4 September 2011, he played at Pearl Jam's 20th Anniversary Festival PJ20 at the Alpine Valley Theatre outside of East Troy, Wisconsin.

Hansard plays a Takamine NP15 acoustic guitar, which he calls "The Horse".^[10] In a recent interview^[when?] in the Huffington Post with Irglova, it was revealed that Hansard was preparing a solo album and that there was a very possible third release from the Swell Season. This solo album was later revealed to be titled Rhythm and Repose^[11]

Influences[link]

Hansard has remarked about his musical influences: "In my house, when I was a kid, there was the holy trinity, which was Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison and Bob Dylan with Bob sitting center."^[12] Hansard and The Frames toured as the support act for Bob Dylan in Australia and New Zealand in August 2007 and Hansard often performs Van Morrison's songs in concert. Two such songs include "Into the Mystic", and "And the Healing Has Begun" which were included on the collector's edition of the soundtrack for the film Once.

Awards and nominations[link]

Awards[link]

• Academy Award 2008 Achievement in Music Written for a Motion Picture (Original Song) - "Falling Slowly" from Once"Awards for Glen Hansard". IMdb. 2010. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0360598/awards. Retrieved 5 May 2010. 
• Critics' Choice Award 2008 Best Original Song - "Falling Slowly" from Once
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award 2008 Best Original Score - for Once

Nominations[link]

• Grammy Award 2008 (50th Annual Grammy Awards) Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media - "Falling Slowly" from Once
• Grammy Award 2008 (50th Annual Grammy Awards) Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media - Once

Discography[link]

The Frames[link]

Albums[link]

• Another Love Song (1991) (Out of production, though available for download from iTunes)
• Fitzcarraldo (1995) (as The Frames DC)

	"Revelate" (1995) noicon from the 1995 album "Fitzcarraldo"
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• Fitzcarraldo (1996)
• Dance the Devil (1999)
• For the Birds (2001)
• Breadcrumb Trail (2002) (live album)
• Set List (2003) (live album)
• Burn the Maps (2004)

	"Fake" (2003) noicon from the 2004 album "Burn the Maps"
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• The Cost (2006)
• DEBUT SOLO ALBUM - RHYTHM AND REPOSE (JUNE 2012)

Singles and EPs[link]

• "The Dancer" (1991)
• "Masquerade" (1992)
• Turn On Your Record Player EP (1992)
• Picture of Love (1993)
• Angel at My Table (1994)
• "Revelate" (1995)
• "Monument" (1996)
• I am the Magic Hand (February 15, 1999)
• Pavement Tune (1999)
• Rent Day Blues EP (1999)
• Come On Up to the House (1999—Compilation featuring "Star Star" by The Frames)
• Lay Me Down (2001)
• Headlong (2002)
• The Roads Outgrown EP (2003)
• "Fake" (12 September 2003)
• "Finally" (20 August 2004)
• "Sideways Down" (28 January 2005)
• "Happy" (Radio Single Only; 2005)
• "Falling Slowly/No More I Love Yous" (1 September 2006)
• "Take the Heartland" (2012)

The Swell Season[link]

• The Swell Season (2006)
• Once Soundtrack (2007)
• Strict Joy (2009)

Films and television[link]

• The Commitments (1991)
• Once (2007)
• Austin City Limits (2008)^[13]
• Ballymun Lullaby (2011) - Documentary
• Play (2011)

See also[link]

• The Stars Are Underground – 24-minute film documenting the underground music scene in Dublin (1996)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Glen Hansard

• Official Website
• Glen Hansard at the Internet Movie Database
• The Swell Season - Myspace
• theswellseason.com
• Lyrics at Irish Music Central
• Excreting Songs - Glen Hansard in interview
• The Frames: It's Just A Band, a 56-minute documentary on The Frames, in 2005

Amon Tobin
Tobin performing live in Luxembourg City
Background information
Birth name	Amon Adonai Santos de Araújo Tobin
Also known as	Cujo
Born	(1972-02-07) February 7, 1972 (age 40)
Origin	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Genres	Electronic, IDM, drum and bass, breakbeat
Occupations	DJ Producer Musician
Instruments	Synthesizers, keyboards, guitar, bass guitar, drums, saxophone, theremin, chapman stick, drum machine, sampler
Years active	1995–present
Labels	Ninja Tune Ninebar
Associated acts	Two Fingers, Eskamon
Website	amontobin.com

Amon Adonai Santos de Araújo Tobin (born February 7, 1972), known as Amon Tobin, is a Brazilian musician, composer and producer of electronic music.^[1] He is described as a virtuoso sound designer ^[2] and is considered to be one of the most influential electronic music artists in the world.^[3] He has released seven major studio albums since 1996 under the London-based Ninja Tune record label.

He is noted for his unusual methodology in sound design and music production. In 2007 he released Foley Room an album based entirely on the manipulation of field recordings. His latest album, 2011's ISAM, included "female" vocals made from his own voice synthesised.^[4] His music has been used in numerous major motion pictures including The Italian Job and 21. Tobin has created songs for several independent films, including the 2006 Hungarian film Taxidermia, and had his music used in other independent films such as the 2002 Cannes Palme d'Or winner Divine Intervention (Easy Muffin remixed by Bonobo). A selection of his tracks were also featured in the 2005 anime, IGPX. He has also dabbled in video game scores. In 2005, he created the musical score to Ubisoft's critically acclaimed and successful video game Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory as well as Sucker Punch's game Infamous.

Biography[link]

Early career (1995–1997)[link]

Tobin was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At the age of 2, he and his family left Brazil to live in Morocco, the Netherlands, London, Portugal and Madeira.^[1] Tobin settled in Brighton, England as a teenager which remained his permanent residence until 2002.^[5] There he began producing electronic music in his bedroom with samplers and other audio equipment such as an Amstrad Studio 100 4-track,^[6] although he was "not really involved in the [music] scene" at that time.^[7] While taking an editorial photography class at a university in Brighton, he responded to a magazine promotion for the London-based Ninebar record label asking artists to send in demos of their songs. Ninebar signed Tobin to the label in 1996 after hearing his early work, and he traveled between his home in Brighton and the studios in London to produce his first official works. He also spent some time living in Montreal before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2008.

Under his original moniker Cujo (in Portuguese, the word for whose), he released a series of original compositions on 12-inch vinyl.^[8] Allmusic called them "head-turning" in a review.^[9] Many of those tracks were later included on his first full-length album Adventures in Foam, originally released in 1996 by Ninebar to a limited release of 5,000 copies.^[10]

The larger Ninja Tune record label had been growing in the United Kingdom at the time with help from their successful artists such as DJ Food, Funki Porcini, The Herbaliser, and Coldcut.^[11] DJ Food and Funki Porcini noticed Tobin's work on Adventures in Foam and prompted the label to approach him. Ninja Tune signed Tobin in late 1996, this time under his abbreviated name "Amon Tobin".^[12] The official Ninja Tune website has said that Adventures in Foam had been re-released without permission by the US-based Shadow Records that same year and that this unauthorized version, labeled the "US release", included only 7 of the original songs, different cover art, and that some tracks were titled incorrectly.^[13] In 1997 Ninja Tune acquired the proper licenses from Ninebar and re-released the album themselves. This version included the original album in its entirety, and a second disc containing previously unreleased material. As of 2008, copies of Shadow Record's "US version" are still sold by online retailer Amazon.com.^[14] Over the course of its production, Adventures in Foam has been reviewed favorably. Ryan Schreiber of Pitchfork Media said that its break-beat style "got totally out of hand", but that it "never fails to let the listener know who's in charge."^[15] The album was released for a fourth time in 2002, again by Ninja Tune.^[16]

Defining albums (1997–2002)[link]

	Amon Tobin "Sordid" (1998) noicon "Sordid" by Amon Tobin, from the album Permutation
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Over the next several years, Tobin released three albums. Bricolage, released in 1997, was the culmination of two projects Tobin had started after his debut album earlier that year. His third album Permutation was released in 1998. In the late 1990s, sample-based music was becoming more popular with a wide range of emerging and developing genres, but Tobin himself was still largely unknown. Tobin's style of music was not seen as definitively belonging to one genre or another.^[17] The critics that commented on Bricolage and Permutation gave them positive reviews and they are often mentioned, by later reviewers and interviewers, as classic albums of the time. Pitchfork Media acclaimed the use of jazz instrument samples, comparing him to famous composers Quincy Jones and Miles Davis.^[18] In a 1999 review, they awarded Bricolage a very rare 10/10 and said that it was "one of the most inventive records of the decade."^[15]

Tobin released his fourth album, Supermodified in 2000.^[19] The album is regarded as his most commercial album to date.^[20] Critic reviews were generally positive, with Pitchfork rating the album 9.1/10,^[21] and Stylus Magazine saying, "Not many studio-bound electronic musicians could put forward such a vivid and dynamic statement or make it as entertaining and downright funky as Supermodified has managed to do."^[22]

Montreal (2002–present)[link]

	Amon Tobin "Back From Space" (2002) noicon "Back From Space" by Amon Tobin, from the album Out From Out Where
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In 2002, Tobin relocated to Montreal, Canada where he had spent time previously at Ninja Tune's North American Headquarters.^[5] Tobin lived in the industrial area of Old Montreal to avoid noise complaints from neighbors after dark.^[23] There he produced his fifth album Out From Out Where released that same year. This was his first album created primarily in a professional studio.^[24] He later released a single, Verbal, taken from Out From Out Where.^[25] Otis Hart of Dusted Magazine said that Tobin's style of producing had come into its own. He acclaimed Tobin's "refined sense of tempo".^[26]

In January 2004, Tobin was contracted by video game company Ubisoft Montreal to compose the soundtrack for the third installment of their critically successful Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. To facilitate using the music in a video game, where the level of action or plot can change in real-time, each track was broken down by Tobin into four distinct but similar parts based on their level of intensity. The game's developers could then use each section to provide music based on the actions of the player.^[27] Despite not being an official album in Tobin's discography, it was considered a ground breaking work in the world of video game sound tracks described as "an entirely new era of media" by Tiny Mix Tapes^[28]

The album continued the trend Tobin started with Out From Out Where, as he used more field recordings during production.^[29] In addition to being included with the game, Ninja Tune released the score as an individual album in 2005, titled Chaos Theory – Splinter Cell 3 Soundtrack, several months before the game's release. It was received well, benefiting from a wider audience of reviewers in both the music and gaming industries. Ben Hogwood of MusicOMH.com applauded Tobin's use of melody and texture, adding that he controlled the sounds with the "clarity of a classical orchestrator."^[30] He later recorded a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound version of the album with audio engineer Bobby Azinsky in a dedicated Solid State Logic studio in Los Angeles.^[31]

Tobin's sixth studio album, Foley Room, was released in 2007. The title alludes to the "foley rooms" used by recording engineers and foley artists to record sound effects in the movie industry. On this album, Tobin concluded his transition away from prerecorded source material that started with Out From Out Where. All of the samples used for production were recorded by himself using an omnidirectional microphone.^[32] Recorded primarily in Montreal, San Francisco, and Seattle, the samples came from a wide range of sources including motorbikes, tigers, insects, and water falling from a tap.^[33] Also contributing to the album were the string quartet Kronos Quartet, drummer Stefan Schneider, and harpist Sarah Pagé.^[34] Foley Room's use of field-recordings was used to help promote the album, including two official pre-release trailers posted to YouTube. Nate Dorr of PopMatters.com called it a "smooth, natural progression" from his work on Supermodified.^[35] The first single, "Bloodstone", was released to the iTunes Music Store months before the rest of the album. Ninja Tune also published a DVD titled Foley Room: Found Footage which documented the recording process.^[33]

In 2008, Tobin announced he was working on a new video game soundtrack for an "undisclosed PS3 title".^[36] This was later revealed to be the PlayStation 3 exclusive game, inFamous, and in 2010, Tobin announced that he would be working on the music for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction.^[37] Recent works include "Hey Mr. Tree" as a 'Bonus Joint' to accompany his earlier 'Monthly Joint' collection, a remix of Noisia's "Machine Gun" released alongside remixes by 16 Bit and Spor, and a collaboration with ESKMO dubbed Eskamon. Eskamon has released a single "Fine Objects". A new AT record has also been officially announced via www.amontobin.com, for which he is "researching and developing new production tools and techniques" and using "a whole new array of gadgetry from the past and the future".

Amon Tobin's sounds and samples are frequently used in the British car-based TV show Top Gear, and his song "Four Ton Mantis" has been used in a few of the more recent Nissan Qashqai and Juke advertisements.

Musical style and influences[link]

Tobin is best known for his use of audio manipulation techniques, where any given source material is transformed to produce a new sound.^[38] His use of this technique has changed over the course of his career. On his original singles under Ninebar and his first three albums, Tobin acquired all of the sound sources to produce music from his personal collection of vinyl records. He manipulates the sounds with a combination of audio hardware and software such as Cubase,^[39] often leaving the original source unrecognizable in its new context.^[40] The majority of his early work focused on reordering the break beats from jazz and blues music into faster more complex patterns.^[24][41] Guido Farnell of InTheMix.com, wrote about his use of this technique, saying that Tobin has "taken the art to new and dizzying heights."^[29] His fifth album Out From Out Where, began the gradual shift away from prerecorded material by incorporating original guitar samples. His techniques began branching into technical sound design, taking break beats or single instruments, modifying specific frequencies, and producing new sounds.^[42] This trend continued through his video game score Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Soundtrack, and by his sixth album, Foley Room, all of the source material was recorded in the field by himself. Speaking about the creativity of sample-based music compared to traditional instruments, he says that "creative input is not determined by your source material but in how you edit and manipulate the sounds."^[40]

Tobin experimented with various instruments. He does not come from a music family, nor has he had any formal training in music theory.^[43] About his music in general, Tobin says that he sees it as a "genuine" expression of the time he lives in, as he says that by contrast, blues, jazz, and Brazilian genres were "genuine" expressions of the 1960s.^[44] Despite his indirect connection with Brazilian genres, Tobin collaborated with a number of artists on Bebel Gilberto's 2000 bossa nova album Tanto Tempo.^[45] Tobin's albums are often compared to soundtracks,^[5] and he says that movies by David Lynch have influenced him. In addition, he has stated to like films by the Coen brothers, Dario Argento, and Roman Polanski.^[46]

Live performances[link]

Tobin performing at l'Ososphère music festival in Strasbourg

Tobin began performing live shows in clubs with other Ninja Tune artists after releasing his second album, Bricolage.^[47] His shows generally contained music that he had produced during his career, mixed with modified songs from drum and bass, hip-hop, or other genres.^[40] Because his music was entirely produced in a studio with electronics, Tobin was not interested in adapting his music to suit a Live PA incorporating musicians. He instead used turntables which he felt had more in common with his approach to music production. He is known for building Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound speaker systems for his performances.

In 2011 Tobin has developed a live show in support of the album ISAM fitting his criteria for a performance that is both live and purely electronic. He told Wired Magazine “The idea was to integrate myself, quite literally, into an audio and visual presentation of the album,”.^[48] It incorporates the use of new video mapping techniques that are projected onto a large cubic structure from which Tobin performs. The show has been met with international acclaim described by Vice Magazine's Creators Project as "revolutionizing the live music experience".^[49]

Tobin has performed individual shows in many countries including tours in Europe, Australia, Japan, and the United States. His 2003 live performance in Melbourne, Australia was used for the fourth album in Ninja Tune's Solid Steel series because Tobin was not available to record a studio mix at the time.^[31] Many songs from the original recording were omitted because of copyright issues with the original artists, including the R&B group Destiny's Child.^[50]

A second Solid Steel album called Foley Room Recorded Live In Brussels was recorded in Brussels at the Ancienne Belgique in 2007 and was released for free in November 2008. According to Tobin's official website, "After months of back and forth and despite everyone’s best efforts the mix was in danger of being edited into the ground to accommodate big labels and publishers. Rather than release a compromised version commercially, the decision was made to give it away for free instead."^[51]

Discography[link]

Tobin has released eight major studio albums:

• 1996: Adventures in Foam
• 1997: Bricolage
• 1998: Permutation
• 2000: Supermodified
• 2002: Out From Out Where
• 2005: Chaos Theory – Splinter Cell 3 Soundtrack
• 2007: Foley Room
• 2011: ISAM

In addition, his body of work includes 21 extended play (EP) albums which contain several B-sides each, a live album for Ninja Tune's Solid Steel series, new material for various compilation albums, and original tracks available as free downloads on his website.^[52][53]

Tobin's music has been used in several major motion pictures including The Italian Job and 21.^[54][55] He has also produced tracks for a number of independent films, such as The Last Minute,^[56] and has created production music for the BMG Zomba commercial library which is used in various films.^[57] In 2006 he scored the soundtrack for the Hungarian horror film Taxidermia which was made available on his website.^[58] He also produced the score for the 2009 documentary Pax Americana and the Weaponization of Space.^[59]

In 2006 he began collaborating on a hip-hop oriented project with drum & bass/jungle producer Doubleclick and a number of guest vocalists. Under the name Two Fingers, the pair have released several singles^[29] followed by their self-titled debut album in 2009.

In April 2010, a small body of work Tobin composed and produced for the video game Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction was available for streaming on his website.^[60]

In January 2011, his artist page was updated on Ninja Tune's official website, announcing a new album in 2011, called ISAM, as well as a Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory remix album. Later, the official Ping Pong Facebook page suggested that ISAM would be released on May 9, 2011. After being leaked by a journalist with a press copy of the album, ISAM was instead released on April 20, 2011.

Notes[link]