- Daniel Miller (music producer)
-
Daniel Miller Born 14 February 1951
London, EnglandInstruments Synthesiser Labels Mute Records Associated acts The Normal, Silicon Teens, Depeche Mode, Duet Emmo Website Mute Records Notable instruments ARP 2600
NED SynclavierDaniel Miller (born 14 February 1951) is a British music producer and founder of Mute Records.
Contents
Biography
Introduction
Daniel Miller first became interested in synthesiser music at Guildford School of Art where he studied film and television from 1968-71. By the end of the sixties he had become frustrated with rock music due to the lack of experimentation. Around this time he was discovering the sound of German bands like Can, Faust, Neu! and Kraftwerk.[1] These bands were creating new sounds, something Miller wanted to hear. He worked as a DJ in Switzerland for a while before returning to England at the height of punk. He began listening to punk because of the energy and excitement of the music. He liked the whole do it yourself attitude that came with the style of music. This do it yourself attitude had spilled over into the electronic music scene. Synthesisers were becoming cheaper to buy and new bands were appearing such as Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire. This inspired Miller to create his own music. Making some money from film editing and working ridiculous hours he gathered enough money to buy a cheap Korg 700S synthesiser and a four track tape recorder. This led to the creation of The Normal.[1]
The Birth of Mute Records
After returning from the live tour Miller found a pile of demo tapes on his doorstep.[2] Because he had included an address on the ‘Warm Leatherette’ single cover people had wanted to do a similar small scale deal with Mute. The turning point for Mute Records came when Miller listened to a tape by an artist called Fad Gadget and liked what he heard.[2] In 1979 Mute Records began releasing singles by Fad Gadget including ‘Back to Nature’, the follow-up to ‘Warm Leatherette’. Miller ran the label from his North-West London flat. Another early Mute signing was the American artist Boyd Rice (NON).[2]
Music projects
The Normal
Main article: The NormalMiller recorded two songs, 'Warm Leatherette' and 'TVOD' (Television Overdose). The former was inspired by J.G. Ballard's novel Crash. He called it The Normal to demystify and make it very bland and completed the package by setting up a record label for the release, Mute. He had researched how to make a single so he got some test pressings. Not knowing anything about retail or distribution he approached Rough Trade Records in Portobello Road, London. Originally a record outlet, Rough Trade had expanded into a label and distribution network. Miller took a test pressing into the shop to see if they would be interested in buying a box of them. Rough Trade Records boss Geoff Travis went to the back of the shop with Miller and played Warm Leatherette. They loved the recording and helped him press 2000 copies of the single. Warm Leatherette was released in May 1978 and sold out very quickly.[1] After receiving critical acclaim for the project Miller decided to explore further. He had been helping out at the Rough Trade Shop when he was given an offer of live work. He didn’t want to perform alone so he decided to form a little group with a person he had recently met. This person was the late Robert Rental who was recording a similar style of music to Miller. The live event was hosted by DJ Colin Favor and included Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire. After that event Miller and Rental took on a Rough Trade tour supporting Stiff Little Fingers. Miller and Rental went down very badly; Stiff Little Fingers were a traditional punk band supported by two people with synthesisers and a backing tape.[2]
Silicon Teens
Main article: Silicon TeensAnother early ‘Mute’ signing was the synth pop band, Silicon Teens, with four imaginary band members: Darryl, Jacki, Paul, and Diane. The Silicon Teens were produced by Larry Least (Daniel Miller). The recordings were all recorded by Miller himself and engineered by Eric Radcliffe, who would later work on many other Mute releases.[3] An album was recorded titled ‘Music for Parties’ it consisted of classic rock’n’roll songs like 'Memphis, Tennessee' and ‘Just Like Eddie’. The album became a cult classic with some major record labels approaching Miller with offers for a band that didn’t actually exist. The Silicon Teens gave an insight into Miller’s idea of an all-synthesiser, teenage pop group.[4]
Duet Emmo
Duet Emmo was a one off collaboration between Daniel Miller, Graham Lewis and Bruce Gilbert spawning an album and single, both titled ‘Or So it Seems’ in 1983. Lewis and Gilbert were both members of Wire until 1979 when the band split up. All three had been friends for a long time. They had all been using Blackwing Studios, and had shared the same engineer, Eric Radcliffe. An initial project had been suggested in 1980 but the success of Depeche Mode and Yazoo had kept Miller busy until the end of 1982. Lewis and Gilbert had both been releasing their own material under the name Dome. Duet Emmo was an anagram of Mute and Dome.[5]
Sunroof
With fellow Depeche Mode music producer Gareth Jones, Daniel Miller has released a few remixes under the name Sunroof. Starting with a remix of "Oh Yeah" for the 1997 Can remix album Sacrilege, there has also surfaced remixes for Neu!, Kreidler, Pizzicato Five, Goldfrapp, Faust, Charles Wilp, and Future Bible Heroes.[6]
References
Notes
- ^ a b c Page 14 - 16 Depeche Mode Biography by Steve Mallins
- ^ a b c d Page 16 Depeche Mode Biography by Steve Mallins
- ^ Silicon Teens - Judy in Disguise record cover.
- ^ Page 17 Depeche Mode Biography by Steve Mallins
- ^ Mute Liberation Technologies website, 6th June 2008
- ^ See for example Sunroof listing on Discogs.
External links
- Mute Records
- Daniel Miller discography at discogs.com
- Daniel Miller & His Home Studio: Mute Records & The Instrument Studio
- Daniel Miller - Godfather of Technopop
- Daniel Miller interview
Links for Mute Records Erasure Vince Clarke · Andy Bell Albums Wonderland · The Circus · The Innocents · Wild! · Chorus · I Say I Say I Say · Erasure · Cowboy · Loveboat · Other People's Songs · Nightbird · Union Street · Light at the End of the World · Tomorrow's WorldEPs Crackers International · Abba-esque · Rain: Plus · Moon and the Sky: Plus · Boy EP · Storm Chaser · Pop! Remixed · Erasure.Club · Phantom Bride EPCompilations The Two Ring Circus · Pop! The First 20 Hits · Hits! The Very Best of Erasure · Pop! Remixed · Total Pop! The First 40 Hits · Pop2! The Second 20 Hits · 10 Great SongsLive album Box Sets EBX 1 · EBX 2 · EBX 3 · EBX 4Singles "Who Needs Love Like That" · "Heavenly Action" · "Oh L'amour" · "Sometimes" · "It Doesn't Have to Be" · "Victim of Love" · "The Circus" · "Ship of Fools" · "Chains of Love" · "A Little Respect" · "Stop!" · "Drama!" · "You Surround Me"/"Supernature" · "Blue Savannah" · "Star" · "Chorus" · "Love to Hate You" · "Am I Right?" · "Breath of Life" · "Take a Chance on Me" · "Who Needs Love Like That" (Hamburg Mix) · "Always" · "Run to the Sun" · "I Love Saturday" · "Stay with Me" · "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)" · "Rock Me Gently" · "In My Arms" · "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me" · "Rain" · "Freedom" · "Moon & the Sky" · "Solsbury Hill" · " Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" · "Oh L'amour" (August Mix) · "Breathe" · "Don't Say You Love Me" · "Here I Go Impossible Again" · "All This Time Still Falling Out of Love" · "Boy" · "I Could Fall in Love with You" · "Sunday Girl" · "Storm in a Teacup" · "Always 2009" · "Phantom Bride" · "A Little Respect" (HMI Redux)" · When I Start To (Break It All Down) · Be With You
Video/DVD Live at the Seaside · Innocents · Wild! · Abba-esque · Pop! The First 20 Hits · The Tank, the Swan and the Balloon · The Tiny Tour · Sanctuary - the EIS Christmas Concert 2002 · Hits! the Videos · The Erasure Show - Live in Cologne · On the Road to Nashville · Live at the Royal Albert HallRelated Articles Alison Goldfrapp · Will Gregory Studio albums Felt Mountain (2000) · Black Cherry (2003) · Supernature (2005) · Seventh Tree (2008) · Head First (2010)Remix albums We Are Glitter (2006)Live albums Wonderful Electric (2004) · Live 2005 (2005) · iTunes Originals (2008) · Live: O2 Academy Bristol (2010)Live in London (2006) · Live Session (2006)Video albums Wonderful Electric (2004)Others Accelerator: The Soundtrack (2001) · My Summer of Love Soundtrack (2005) · Radio 1's Live Lounge–Volume 3 (2008) · Winter Wonderland (2008) · The Vampire Diaries Original Television Soundtrack (2010)Tours Head First World Tour (2010)Related articles Category · Template Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Martyn P. Casey · Nick Cave · Warren Ellis · Ed Kuepper · Conway Savage · Jim Sclavunos · Thomas Wydler
Barry Adamson · Blixa Bargeld · Mick Harvey · James Johnston · Anita Lane · Kid Congo Powers · Hugo Race · Roland WolfStudio albums From Her to Eternity · The Firstborn Is Dead · Kicking Against the Pricks · Your Funeral... My Trial · Tender Prey · The Good Son · Henry's Dream · Let Love In · Murder Ballads · The Boatman's Call · No More Shall We Part · Nocturama · Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus · Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!Live albums Compilations Singles "In the Ghetto" · "Tupelo" · "The Singer" · "The Mercy Seat" · "Deanna" · "The Ship Song" · "The Weeping Song" · "Straight to You" / "Jack the Ripper" · "I Had a Dream, Joe" · "What a Wonderful World" with Shane MacGowan · "Do You Love Me?" · "Loverman" · "Red Right Hand" · "Where the Wild Roses Grow" with Kylie Minogue · "Henry Lee" with PJ Harvey · "Into My Arms" · "(Are You) The One That I've Been Waiting For" · "As I Sat Sadly by Her Side" · "Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow" · "Love Letter" · "Bring It On" · "He Wants You" / "Babe I'm On Fire" · "Rock of Gibraltar" · "Nature Boy" · "Breathless" / "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" · "Get Ready for Love" · "Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!" · "More News from Nowhere" · "Midnight Man"Cave and Ellis Related articles Discography · Bad Seeds members · Mute Records
And the Ass Saw the Angel · Dirty Three · Ghosts... of the Civil Dead · Original Seeds
The Birthday Party: Door, Door · Hee Haw EP · The Birthday Party · Prayers on Fire · Junkyard · Mutiny/The Bad Seed · It's Still Living
A Collection ... Grinderman: Grinderman · Grinderman 2 · "Get It On" · "No Pussy Blues" · "(I Don't Need You To) Set Me Free" · "Heathen Child" · "Worm Tamer"Wire Robert Gotobed · Graham Lewis · Colin Newman · Matt Simms (touring only)
Bruce Gilbert · Margaret Fiedler McGinnis (touring only)Studio albums Pink Flag · Chairs Missing · 154 · The Ideal Copy · A Bell Is a Cup... Until It Is Struck · It's Beginning to and Back Again · Manscape · The Drill · The First Letter · Send · Object 47 · Red Barked TreeOther albums Singles and EPs Related articles Vince Clarke · Alison Moyet Studio albums Compilations Only Yazoo - The Best of Yazoo · In Your RoomLive albums Reconnected LiveEPs Nobody's Diary EP · Reconnected EPSingles "Only You" · "Don't Go" · "Situation" · "The Other Side of Love" · "Nobody's Diary" · "Walk Away from Love" · "Situation '90" · "Only You (1999 mix)" · "Situation '99" · "Don't Go '99"Related articles Tours Reconnected TourCategories:- 1951 births
- English record producers
- Living people
- English New Wave musicians
- English electronic musicians
- Mute Records artists
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