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NAMM 2006 Show NewsBrian Eno
Eno was born Brian Peter George St. Baptiste de la Salle Eno in England. As a child, he was fascinated with recordings of American pop, because he felt that they seemed mysterious and without a context. He studied art in Ipswich and Winchester, where he learned about avant garde composers such as Cornelius Cardew and, especially, John Cage. Eno participated in performances of avant garde works, and became interested in systems of generating music and art. In 1968, he self-published a book titled Music for Non-Musicians, exploring a theme that has carried through his career. After he graduated, he joined Roxy Music, as a technician. He contributed signifantly to their early sound, but his flamboyant image (he cross-dressed) and theorizing put him at odds with leader Bryan Ferry. This was the beginning of Eno's explosion of creative work in the seventies. In 1973, he collaborated with Robert Fripp on the album No Pussyfooting. The album features Eno's tape-loop treatment of Fripp's guitar improvisations. The result holds up very well as a precusor to the ambient music that followed. He also released a string of LP's that showcased his quirky approach to pop music, including Here Come the Warm Jets, Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy), Another Green World, and Before and After Science. These albums are exciting and frustrating, innovative and strange, and have been tremendously influential. His interest in more mellow sounds continued, with more albums with Robert Fripp, and his Discreet Music, which some consider the first ambient music. His ideas about this type of music came together with Ambient 1: Music for Airports. He founded Obscure Records, and released several albums by experimental musicians. Eno also began handling production for many significant pop musicians. He worked with David Bowie on some of his best albums, Low, Heroes, and Lodger. At the end of the seventies, and in the early eighties, Eno continued to produce, working with Ultravox, Devo, Talking Heads, and U2. His work with David Byrne on My Life in the Bush of Ghosts was some of the first pop music to explore found samples and the idea of "world" music. More recently, Eno has worked extensively in the area of video installation, and has applied the same ideas he explores in his ambient music to video. His more more recent ambient music is extremely minimal, which makes it very functional, but maddening to listeners looking for traditional "musical" signposts. Eric Tamm has written an excellent book on Eno and his work (reviewed here). Recordings:
Synthtopia Reviews of Eno's MusicBrian Eno - Ambient 1: Music for Airports12/15/2003Ambient 1 is simply one of the most important pieces of electronic music ever created. On Ambient 1, Eno set out to create something new, music that could be ignored as well as listened to. He succeeded wildly, and spawned a generation of imitators, inspired by the timeless beauty of Music for Airports. Brian Eno - Ambient 4: On Land11/23/2003This is the last recording in Brian Eno's seminal Ambient series, and after 20 years, it still sounds beautiful and disturbing. Brian Eno - Neroli2/23/2004Neroli oil comes from the white blossoms of the bitter orange tree, and is an expensive pale yellow oil used in fragrances. Neroli is also the name of a 1991 ambient work by Brian Eno that is as exotic and ethereal as the fragrance. Brian Eno/Harold Budd - Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror12/3/2003Imagine Eric Satie piano pieces played in an underwater parking garage, and you'll have some idea of what to expect from this classic album. Brian Eno/Harold Budd - The Pearl2/23/2004Brian Eno first collaboration with minimalist composer Harold Budd, Ambient 2: Plateau of Mirror, was a groundbreaking classic of ambient music. Budd and Eno created beautiful soundscapes, haunted by melancholy piano themes. There second CD, The Pearl, is even more beautiful. Brian Eno/Laraaji - Ambient 3: Day of Radiance12/17/2003Day of Radiance is an excellent addition to Eno's series. Ambient 3 staked out new territory and new emotions for ambient music. The music is happy, even blissful, while remaining reflective and timeless. These pieces serve as an important counterpoint to the darker and sometimes disturbing music of Ambient 4. [an error occurred while processing this directive]Search for Brian Eno with the Ebay Auction Finder! |
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Brian Eno has been successful in many fields. As a visual artist, his work has been displayed around the world. As a musician and composer, he created some of the most innovative pop songs of the seventies, and helped define a new style of music, ambient. Finally, it would be difficult to escape his work as a producer. He has produced top records for bands like Devo, David Bowie, Talking Heads and U2.