Medium Productions
Encyclopedia
Medium Productions was a record label
created in 1993 primarily to publish the music of Steve Jansen
, Richard Barbieri
, and Mick Karn
, ex-members of the band Japan
and Rain Tree Crow. Medium was a means to release their own music with other collaborating artists, without 'big record label' compromise. Fifteen CDs of innovative and largely instrumental music were produced over a ten year period. Medium Productions folded in 2004 as the founders decided it was time for a change of direction and became more involved in other projects (such as Porcupine Tree
, Nine Horses
). The entire MP catalog has been re-released on the Voiceprint Music label beginning in 2001.
("Catch the Fall", 1987, EMI/Virgin), and simply as Jansen & Barbieri ("Stories Across Borders", 1991, Virgin). The former includes vocals by Jansen and has a laid-back 80s electro-pop sound. The latter is an instrumental album very similar to music found on the Medium releases, particularly "Stone to Flesh"; three tracks from "Stories Across Borders" are performed live on MPCD13. Also falling in this time period was the Rain Tree Crow
release with David Sylvian
in 1991.
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
created in 1993 primarily to publish the music of Steve Jansen
Steve Jansen
Steve Jansen is an English drummer, percussionist, singer and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London, where he failed academically, leaving at 16....
, Richard Barbieri
Richard Barbieri
Richard Barbieri, is an English synthesiser player, keyboardist and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London...
, and Mick Karn
Mick Karn
Andonis Michaelides , better known as Mick Karn, was an English multi-instrumentalist musician and songwriter, who came to fame as the bassist for the art rock band Japan, from 1974 to 1982....
, ex-members of the band Japan
Japan (band)
Japan were a British New Wave group, formed in 1974 in Catford, South London. The band achieved success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when they were often associated with the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement .- History :The band began as a group of friends...
and Rain Tree Crow. Medium was a means to release their own music with other collaborating artists, without 'big record label' compromise. Fifteen CDs of innovative and largely instrumental music were produced over a ten year period. Medium Productions folded in 2004 as the founders decided it was time for a change of direction and became more involved in other projects (such as Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
, Nine Horses
Nine Horses
Nine Horses is a musical collaboration between singer/instrumentalist David Sylvian, his brother and frequent collaborator drummer Steve Jansen, and electronic composer/remixer Burnt Friedman....
). The entire MP catalog has been re-released on the Voiceprint Music label beginning in 2001.
Releases
- MPCD1 (1993): "Beginning to Melt" - Jansen/Barbieri/Karn
- MPCD2 (1994): "Seed" - Jansen/Barbieri/Karn (4-track EP)
- MPCD3 (1995): "Stone to Flesh" - Jansen & Barbieri
- MPCD4 (1995): "Other Worlds in a Small Room" - Jansen & Barbieri
- MPCD5 (1997): "Indigo Falls" (Richard & Suzanne Barbieri)
- MPCD6 (1997): "Changing Hands" - Jansen/Barbieri/Nobukazu TakemuraNobukazu TakemuraNobukazu Takemura is a Japanese musician whose style has run from jazz to house to drum and bass to chamber music to electronic glitch within less than a decade. Born in Hirakata, Osaka in August 1968, he became interested in punk and New Wave music when young...
- MPCD7 (1999): "Pulse" - Steve Jansen & Yukihiro TakahashiYukihiro TakahashiYukihiro Takahashi is a Japanese musician, who is best known as the drummer and lead vocalist of the Yellow Magic Orchestra, and as the former drummer of the Sadistic Mika Band.-Biography:...
- MPCD8 (1999): "Liquid Glass" - Mick Karn & Yoshihiro Hanno
- MPCD9 (1999): "_ism" - Jansen/Barbieri/Karn
- MPCD10 (1999): "Pulse Remix" - Steve Jansen & Yukihiro TakahashiYukihiro TakahashiYukihiro Takahashi is a Japanese musician, who is best known as the drummer and lead vocalist of the Yellow Magic Orchestra, and as the former drummer of the Sadistic Mika Band.-Biography:...
(remixes by 4 Hero4 Hero4hero are an electronic music band from Dollis Hill, northwest London, comprising producers Mark "Marc Mac" Clair & Dennis "Dego" McFarlane. While the band is often cited as "4 Hero" or "4-Hero", the name is presented as "4hero" on their own albums and websites.4hero are known as early pioneers of...
, Reflection, Spacer, Fantastic Plastic Machine, DJ SpookyDJ SpookyPaul D. Miller , known by his stage name DJ Spooky, That Subliminal Kid, is a Washington DC-born electronic and experimental hip hop musician whose work is often called by critics or his fans as "illbient" or "trip hop". He is a turntablist, a producer, a philosopher, and an author...
) - MPCD11 (1999): "Medium Label Sampler" (selected tracks plus exclusive live track "Life Without Buildings")
- MPCD12 (2001): "Each Eye a Path" - Mick Karn
- MPCD13 (2001): "Playing in a Room with People" - Jansen/Barbieri/Karn (live album [one studio track] recorded with Steven WilsonSteven WilsonSteven John Wilson is an English musician, best known as the founder, lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of progressive rock band Porcupine Tree...
& Theo TravisTheo TravisTheo Travis is a British saxophonist and flautist.Travis received his degree in flute and saxophone from the University of Manchester and has worked among others with Robert Fripp, Gong, Porcupine Tree, The Tangent, Bill Nelson, Bass Communion, No-Man, Steven Wilson, David Sylvian, Harold Budd,...
) - MPCD14 (2001): "Kinoapparatom" - Steve Jansen & Claudio Chianura (live soundtrack recorded for the silent film Man with a Movie CameraMan with a Movie CameraMan with a Movie Camera , sometimes called The Man with the Movie Camera, The Man with a Camera, The Man With the Kinocamera, or Living Russia is an experimental 1929 silent documentary film, with no story and no actors, by Russian director Dziga Vertov, edited by his wife Elizaveta...
) - MPCD15 (2003): "Each Path a Remix" (remixes by Torn, Chianura, Hanno, Barbieri, Ryuichi SakamotoRyuichi SakamotoAfter working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
, Paul Wong)
Related
Prior to forming the Medium Productions label, Jansen & Barbieri released music as The Dolphin BrothersThe Dolphin Brothers
The Dolphin Brothers was a new wave/alternative band featuring Steve Jansen, and Richard Barbieri, both previously of the band Japan. The band released one album Catch the Fall in 1987, featuring Steve Jansen on drums, percussion, keyboards and lead vocals, and Richard Barbieri on keyboards and...
("Catch the Fall", 1987, EMI/Virgin), and simply as Jansen & Barbieri ("Stories Across Borders", 1991, Virgin). The former includes vocals by Jansen and has a laid-back 80s electro-pop sound. The latter is an instrumental album very similar to music found on the Medium releases, particularly "Stone to Flesh"; three tracks from "Stories Across Borders" are performed live on MPCD13. Also falling in this time period was the Rain Tree Crow
Rain Tree Crow
Rain Tree Crow was the name used by the English New Wave band Japan when they briefly reformed for this one-off project, which would be their final album...
release with 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...
in 1991.
External links
The following three websites stock some Medium Productions recordings:- Voiceprint Music site - UK based
- Burning Shed site - UK based
- Artist Shop site - US based