Gordon Sharp
Encyclopedia
Gordon Sharp is a Scottish singer, musician and producer who has led several music projects over the last 33 years.
in 1976. The Freeze were active between 1976 and 1981. Sharp moved to London in 1982, changed the band's name to Cindytalk
and signed to Midnight Music. In 1983 Sharp sang with fellow Scots Cocteau Twins
on one of their John Peel sessions and at selected live gigs, where he met 4AD
executive Ivo Watts-Russell
. This led to him being invited to participate as one of the featured singers with 4AD ambient collective This Mortal Coil
.
Early in his career, Sharp was repeatedly asked by John Taylor of Duran Duran
to join the latter's Birmingham
based new romantic
band after having met Taylor and Nick Rhodes
at a London concert held by David Sylvian
's band, Japan
, which Sharp had travelled from Scotland to attend. Sharp briefly stayed at Nick Rhodes
' parents house in Birmingham
during Duran Duran
's early rehearsals, but decided on his journey back to Scotland
that Duran Duran
's ambitions did not sit well with his own direction.
In 2002 Sharp started to write abstract electronic music using a laptop. Vienna
based record label, Editions Mego
, which is known for releasing cutting edge electronic music, will be releasing three of Sharp's primitive noise-poetry albums towards the end of 2009 and into 2010. No longer perceived only as a singer, this will help to reposition Sharp and Cindytalk
within the musical establishment.
Biography
Sharp started a punk band called The Freeze whilst attending Linlithgow AcademyLinlithgow Academy
Linlithgow Academy is the only secondary school in Linlithgow, West Lothian. The Academy was founded in 1894 and replaced an earlier kirk institution known as "Sang Schule"...
in 1976. The Freeze were active between 1976 and 1981. Sharp moved to London in 1982, changed the band's name to Cindytalk
Cindytalk
Cindytalk is an experimental music group fronted by Gordon Sharp, a Scottish performer who has been the only constant member since its inception in 1982.-History:...
and signed to Midnight Music. In 1983 Sharp sang with fellow Scots Cocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins were a Scottish alternative rock band active from 1979 to 1997, known for innovative instrumentation and atmospheric, non-lyrical vocals...
on one of their John Peel sessions and at selected live gigs, where he met 4AD
4AD
4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
executive Ivo Watts-Russell
Ivo Watts-Russell
Ivo Watts-Russell was joint-founder with Peter Kent of the English indie record label 4AD. He has also produced several records, himself preferring to use the term "musical director" to explain his role in the creation....
. This led to him being invited to participate as one of the featured singers with 4AD ambient collective This Mortal Coil
This Mortal Coil
This Mortal Coil was a gothic dream pop supergroup led by Ivo Watts-Russell, founder of the British record label 4AD. Although Watts-Russell and John Fryer were technically the only two official members, the band's recorded output featured a large rotating cast of supporting artists, many of whom...
.
Style
Sharp has gained a reputation for an unflinchingly experimental approach to music and ideas. He has often turned down more commercial offers whilst continuing to carve out a unique musical niche for Cindytalk.Early in his career, Sharp was repeatedly asked by John Taylor of Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
to join the latter's Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
based new romantic
New Romantic
New Romanticism , was a pop culture movement in the United Kingdom that began around 1979 and peaked around 1981. Developing in London nightclubs such as Billy's and The Blitz and spreading to other major cities in the UK, it was based around flamboyant, eccentric fashion and new wave music...
band after having met Taylor and Nick Rhodes
Nick Rhodes
Nick Rhodes is an English musician, is best known as the keyboardist of the pop rock band Duran Duran...
at a London concert held by David Sylvian
David Sylvian
David Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician who came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan...
's band, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, which Sharp had travelled from Scotland to attend. Sharp briefly stayed at Nick Rhodes
Nick Rhodes
Nick Rhodes is an English musician, is best known as the keyboardist of the pop rock band Duran Duran...
' parents house in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
during Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
's early rehearsals, but decided on his journey back to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
that Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
's ambitions did not sit well with his own direction.
In 2002 Sharp started to write abstract electronic music using a laptop. Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
based record label, Editions Mego
Editions Mego
Editions Mego is a non-funded independent record label, founded 1 January 2006 by Peter RehbergIts aims are to maintain the back catalogue and legacy of the Mego label, as well as releasing new works.- Releases :...
, which is known for releasing cutting edge electronic music, will be releasing three of Sharp's primitive noise-poetry albums towards the end of 2009 and into 2010. No longer perceived only as a singer, this will help to reposition Sharp and Cindytalk
Cindytalk
Cindytalk is an experimental music group fronted by Gordon Sharp, a Scottish performer who has been the only constant member since its inception in 1982.-History:...
within the musical establishment.