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manchester
music - ian brown |
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"MANCHESTER'S
GOT EVERYTHING EXCEPT A BEACH!" -
IAN BROWN |
The
Stone Roses - arguably one of the most important bands
of this generation split in 1996. But Ian Brown
feels he still has some music in him. The gardening takes a side
step - for now, and 12 months later, after locking himself away
learning various musical instruments, Ian returns with his first
solo album, Unfinished Monkey Business.
An album of 12 tracks produced and mixed by Ian himself, UMB is
a 'lo-fi' bunch of tunes which show the size of the man's determination,
from Roses drummer Reni giving him a guitar, to
the final eclectic finished product - bringing in a host of old
friends to help him along the way.
Unfinished
Monkey Business is all Ian wanted it to be, and more, collaborating
with the likes of Aziz Ibrahim, Mani, Reni, Nigel Ippinson, Robbie
Maddix and Denise Johnson, Ian Brown bounces back
with serious style, UMB reeking of the now unmistakable Brown swagger.
In January of 1998,
Ian's first, and much anticipated debut solo single - My
Star, reaches No. 5 in the UK charts. Two more singles
are released from Unfinished Monkey Business -
Corpses and Can't See Me, both
attaining similar success.
UMB, Ian
Brown's first solo album goes gold.But somewhere in-between
these second and third singles, Ian launches his first solo tour
of the UK and Europe.This continues, taking in such events as the
Glastonbury Festival, T In The Park, Fuji Rock Festival and Virgin's
V98. The back end of 1998 sees Ian add vocals to U.N.K.L.E's Unreal
- later released as a single under the title 'Be There'.
Ian consistently tours through almost all of 1999. Including five
gigs in one day, stretching from Wales to Scotland (proceeds from
the doors was donated to local youth clubs) right up to appearing
in his home town of Manchester, England to an elated crowd for a
free gig on New Year? Eve - yet somehow manages to make another
album (Golden Greats) in the middle of it all.
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In
October of 1999 the first single from Golden Greats,
Love Like A Fountain is released.
A funky, hyped up mix of techno-trance, a haunting retro synth with
more than a nod to Stevie Wonders' Superstition, and a highly effected
overdub of vocals, makes for a blistering track, a firm live favourite
still today. With the help of established programmer Dave McCracken,
LLAF permanently marks Ian Brown's status on the
map. November '99 sees the release of the album Golden greats to
massive critical acclaim and a further two singles in 2000, Dolphins
Were Monkeys and Golden Gaze.
Golden Greats
is a change in direction for Ian and his band. More guitar orientated,
and yet more dancefloor, GG remains to many as one of Ian's greatest
moments. Again, right up to New Year's Eve '00 in London, Ian performs
live in the UK, Europe, America and Japan all through the year.
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A
well earned break at the beginning of 2001, and Ian gets busy in
the studio with his third album Music Of The Spheres.
Taking new songs on tour in the summer, and releasing the first
single from the album, F.E.A.R. in September '01,
just ahead of Music Of The Spheres. The video for
FEAR brings Ian's first outing as a director.
MOTS is a different turn yet again, this time more laid back, more
subtle. A documentary made with Ian's long time friend , TV presenter
and founder of Factory Records, Tony Wilson is aired across the
North West.
Ian now comfortably
working with the same artists both live and in the studio, easily
does what he does best. A constant battle for airplay and recognition
has little effect on sales, showing Ian's fans to be among the most
hardcore and loyal in the business.The two singles from MOTS, -
F.E.A.R. and Whispers are a phenomenal
success. Whispers contains the first Ian Brown
DVD content, in clips from the Tony Wilson Documentary, The Works.
2001 also sees Ian put together a 2 CD album of his favourite tracks
for the Planet Groove compliation series.
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2002 takes Ian
on his busiest live schedule since 1999, performing through most
of the year. Too busy to hit the studio, Ian grabs the opportunity
to have MOTS remixed into the album Remixes Of The Spheres
by the likes of long time friend and collaborator James Lavelle
(U.N.K.L.E), and Warp Records stalwarts, Nightmares On Wax. Ian
auctions online an autographed concrete slate of his handprint,
and charges £15 a question from journalists - the proceeds
of which go to the charity SightSavers (£15 being the cost
for a cataract operation in the Third World). At the latter end
of 2002, Ian receives the prestigious Muso Award for best single
(F.E.A.R.) and joins The Manic Street Preachers
as very special guest on their Greatest Hits tour.
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2003,
and Ian collaborates once again with U.N.K.L.E on the track R.E.I.G.N,
from their album Never Never Land, and tries his hand at a bit of
wizadry alongside Harry Potter as he plays a cameo role in Harry
Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban. Ian creates the second in the
series of the Under The Influence compilation albums, and is approached
by erstwhile Icelandic techno funksters Gus Gus to remix their single,
Desire - which he duly does to an astounding degree.
2004 and Ian
Brown's back on the front cover of NME magazine. He makes
history by resurrecting the songs of The Stone Roses
for one lazy, hazy day in an amphitheatre by a lake in Surrey at
sundown. Headlining and selling out a capacity venue gig in aid
of The National Trust at the stunning Claremont Landscape Gardens,
the Legendary Ian Brown and his now new band finally give the kids
what they've been waiting for for so long with an almost full set
of classic Roses tunes - then in true Brown style turns it all on
it's head and announces the release of his finest solo album yet,
Solarized.
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Already
soaring in high esteem by the music press, Solarized
is without doubt his strongest album to date. Never has Ian produced
a record of such musical variation. His music has no regard for
personal space, invading the mind and soul and getting deep under
the skin.
Opening track Longsight M13 is classic Brown, with
the title a reference to the location of the legendary Free Ian
Brown graffiti that still exists. Time Is My Everything
is soaked in good Mexican vibes as Ian uses Mariachi style brass
(provided by Tim Hutton of Groove Armada) on a song for the first
time. Title track Solarized is deep, throbbing
and massive, with a hint of the east about it. First single, the
anthemic Keep What Ya Got occupies the magical
number 7 in the running order and is also the first single, out
September 20th. On it Ian is joined by another Manchester legend,
Noel Gallagher, who supplies guitar and backing
vocals. A match made in heaven indeed.
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Upside Down touches upon
Global topical issues, whilst The Sweet Fantastic
is an uplifting triumphant love song which pulls you in and sweeps
you off your feet before you realise it. One Way Ticket
To Paradise is the sound of a huge white stallion gate-crashing
a wedding at an Arabian palace. Filled with swirling strings and
Moorish guitars it takes Ian to new heights. And never one to bow
down to authority, Kiss Ya Lips (No I.D.) is a
full on house based stance against the proposed compulsory I.D cards
our caring government seem intent to impose on us. The artwork for
the album is courtesy of Japanese artist Kazuki, who also designs
clothes for the uber-cool Japanese label Bathing Ape.
Solarized
is available now.
Ian Brown
- Superstar.
The hardest working man in the music business. - Biography thanks
to the official Ian Brown Site
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