Mike Garson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mike Garson is an American professional pianist, most notable for his work with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins.
| 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 |
[edit] Early career
Garson was originally noticed when he played on the I'm the One album by early 1970s experimental artist Annette Peacock. 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.
[edit] 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.
- 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. 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). 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.
[edit] 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. The latter album featured the recording debut of Jessica L. Tivens, at age 13, who had previously appeared on Star Search. Both albums were released by Discovery Records.
[edit] Other collaborations
Garson worked with the reformed Spiders From Mars in 1975, alongside Mick Woodmansey, Trevor Bolder, Dave Black and Pete McDonald. They recorded just one album before going their separate ways.
He joined the Pumpkins for their Adore tour, playing piano, keyboards and synthesizer. 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. 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. Mike also played on Nine Inch Nails's album 'The Fragile' as well as with No Doubt and many other acts.
[edit] 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. He has also been collaborating with the Norwegian band Sleepyard.
[edit] 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. | ” |
| “ | My latest thing I'm hot to do is collaborate with some other people. 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. 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. | ” |
[edit] 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
[edit] References
[edit] 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
