Michael Kulas
Encyclopedia
Michael Kulas is a Canadian singer, songwriter
and music producer who was a member of the English
rock band James
between 1997 and 2001.
, Ontario
, Canada
on January 27, 1969. His family relocated to Lakefield, Ontario in the early 1980s where he attended the prestigious Lakefield College School
from 1982-1987. He is married to Canadian actress Katie Griffin
with whom he has a son named Jett.
New Talent Demo Award for music that year and being runner up in the Toronto radio station Q107
's Scott Liddle Songwriters Award, Kulas also released his first solo studio album titled Mosquito. Produced by Saul Davies, multi-instrumentalist with the British rock band James
, it went on to be hailed as one of Canada's "top 20 independent albums" of 1995/1996 by Chart magazine. The album would also gain the attention of James front man Tim Booth
who midway through 1996 and at the behest of producer Brian Eno
was considering filling the vocal void created when guitarist and backing vocalist Larry Gott departed in 1995.
In January 1997 Kulas was invited by James to New York as a backing vocalist and multi-instrumentalist to test the waters with a handful of American
shows and an appearance on Late Show with David Letterman
. The ad-hoc "audition" would prove to be a success and garner an invitation for Kulas to join the band in the UK for what would turn out to be a five year period.
In performing with James, Kulas was a singer and multi-instrumentalist on 4 Top 40 albums including Whiplash
, the number one The Best Of
, Millionaires and Pleased To Meet You. In that time he and the band toured extensively in Asia
, South Africa
, Europe
and North America
, including the Lollapalooza
Festival and Glastonbury Festival
in 1997. In the UK, James continued to perform sold out Arena Tours including Wembley
and Manchester Evening News Arena
and also played to a live TV audience of 500 million as the torch was passed from Kuala Lumpur
to Manchester
for the 2002 Commonwealth Games
.
After a decision by singer Booth to leave James to pursue other interests in December 2001 saw the band informally break up, Kulas returned home to Canada to pick up where he left his solo career years before.
In 2002 he completed his second, self produced solo album titled Another Small Machine
while performing many live shows across Canada. In keeping with his passion for film, Kulas also went on to compose and perform music for the film Jade Love which won the 2004 Best Short Documentary at the Reel Film Festival in Toronto as well as composing original music for the Park Bench feature film The Death Of Alice Blue in 2006.
His composing skills have also seen him cross over to writing music for television. In that same year Kulas wrote and produced the theme song for the Marathon animated series Team Galaxy
on The Cartoon Network
as well as producing full-length albums for artists Katie Griffin
and Stephanie Belding.
His first EP titled Imperial Cheerleader
was released in December 2006 exclusively through Apple iTunes.
In January, 2007, after a six year absence, James re-formed, this time with the original band member line up from the 1992 album Seven
. While performing in Toronto to promote their 10th studio album, Hey Ma
, in September, 2008, Kulas joined the band on stage for a selection of songs that included "Just Like Fred Astaire", "Five-O" and "Destiny Calling".
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and music producer who was a member of the English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
rock band James
James (band)
James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"...
between 1997 and 2001.
Personal details
Michael was born in OakvilleOakville, Ontario
Oakville is a town in Halton Region, on Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. As of the 2006 census the population was 165,613.-History:In 1793, Dundas Street was surveyed for a military road...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on January 27, 1969. His family relocated to Lakefield, Ontario in the early 1980s where he attended the prestigious Lakefield College School
Lakefield College School
Lakefield College School is a coeducational boarding school located north of the village of Lakefield, Ontario, Canada.The school's motto is Mens Sana In Corpore Sano...
from 1982-1987. He is married to Canadian actress Katie Griffin
Katie Griffin
Katie Griffin is a Canadian actress, voice actress, and singer. She is most famous for voicing Alex in Totally Spies! and Sailor Mars in Sailor Moon. She is also the voice of Yoko in Team Galaxy and Laugh-a-Lot Bear in Care Bears: Journey to Joke-a-lot and as a plush toy...
with whom he has a son named Jett.
Music career
Although part of many independent Toronto music projects in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was not until 1995 that his professional career began to take off. Having been granted the FACTORFACTOR
FACTOR is a "private non-profit organization, ... dedicated to providing assistance toward the growth and development of the Canadian independent recording industry" ....
New Talent Demo Award for music that year and being runner up in the Toronto radio station Q107
CILQ-FM
CILQ-FM is a radio station, broadcasting at 107.1 FM in Toronto, Ontario. The station broadcasts a classic rock format branded as Q107 and is also available through streaming audio....
's Scott Liddle Songwriters Award, Kulas also released his first solo studio album titled Mosquito. Produced by Saul Davies, multi-instrumentalist with the British rock band James
James (band)
James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"...
, it went on to be hailed as one of Canada's "top 20 independent albums" of 1995/1996 by Chart magazine. The album would also gain the attention of James front man Tim Booth
Tim Booth
Timothy John Booth is an English singer, dancer, and actor best known as the lead singer from the band James.-1980s:Booth was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England and attended Shrewsbury School...
who midway through 1996 and at the behest of producer Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
was considering filling the vocal void created when guitarist and backing vocalist Larry Gott departed in 1995.
In January 1997 Kulas was invited by James to New York as a backing vocalist and multi-instrumentalist to test the waters with a handful of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
shows and an appearance on Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
. The ad-hoc "audition" would prove to be a success and garner an invitation for Kulas to join the band in the UK for what would turn out to be a five year period.
In performing with James, Kulas was a singer and multi-instrumentalist on 4 Top 40 albums including Whiplash
Whiplash (album)
Whiplash is the seventh studio album by British alternative rock band James. It contained the top ten hit "She's a Star" which re-established the group commercially...
, the number one The Best Of
The Best Of (James album)
The Best Of is the first of four compilation albums by British band James .-Track listing:# "Come Home "# "Sit Down"# "She's a Star"# "Laid"# "Waltzing Along "# "Say Something"...
, Millionaires and Pleased To Meet You. In that time he and the band toured extensively in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, including the Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
Festival and Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in 1997. In the UK, James continued to perform sold out Arena Tours including Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
and Manchester Evening News Arena
Manchester Evening News Arena
The Manchester Evening News Arena is an indoor arena situated in Manchester, England. It is adjacent to Manchester Victoria station near Corporation Street...
and also played to a live TV audience of 500 million as the torch was passed from Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
for the 2002 Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
.
After a decision by singer Booth to leave James to pursue other interests in December 2001 saw the band informally break up, Kulas returned home to Canada to pick up where he left his solo career years before.
In 2002 he completed his second, self produced solo album titled Another Small Machine
Another Small Machine
Another Small Machine is the second of three albums by Canadian songwriter Michael Kulas.-Track listing:#Another Small Machine#Anyone Else#Beautiful Day #She's All The Rage#The Only One#Sleep#Beginning Of The End#Having And Losing It All...
while performing many live shows across Canada. In keeping with his passion for film, Kulas also went on to compose and perform music for the film Jade Love which won the 2004 Best Short Documentary at the Reel Film Festival in Toronto as well as composing original music for the Park Bench feature film The Death Of Alice Blue in 2006.
His composing skills have also seen him cross over to writing music for television. In that same year Kulas wrote and produced the theme song for the Marathon animated series Team Galaxy
Team Galaxy (TV series)
Team Galaxy, le Collège de l'Espace or Galaxie Académie is a French and Canadian animated series made by Marathon Production...
on The Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
as well as producing full-length albums for artists Katie Griffin
Katie Griffin
Katie Griffin is a Canadian actress, voice actress, and singer. She is most famous for voicing Alex in Totally Spies! and Sailor Mars in Sailor Moon. She is also the voice of Yoko in Team Galaxy and Laugh-a-Lot Bear in Care Bears: Journey to Joke-a-lot and as a plush toy...
and Stephanie Belding.
His first EP titled Imperial Cheerleader
Imperial Cheerleader
Imperial Cheerleader is the third of three albums by Canadian songwriter Michael Kulas.-Track listing:#Instamatic Camera#The Days Of My Life#Sweet Lips#You Only Come Out At Night#Starland...
was released in December 2006 exclusively through Apple iTunes.
In January, 2007, after a six year absence, James re-formed, this time with the original band member line up from the 1992 album Seven
Seven (James album)
Seven was the fourth album from English band James, released February 1992. Half of the album was produced by Youth, but after being unimpressed with some of the early records the band's studio time ran out, so the band produced the rest of the album itself with the help of Steve Chase.-Track...
. While performing in Toronto to promote their 10th studio album, Hey Ma
Hey Ma
Hey Ma is the tenth studio album by British alternative rock band James. It was released on April 7, 2008.- Recording and production :...
, in September, 2008, Kulas joined the band on stage for a selection of songs that included "Just Like Fred Astaire", "Five-O" and "Destiny Calling".
Discography
- Mosquito (LP/1995/1A Records)
- Another Small MachineAnother Small MachineAnother Small Machine is the second of three albums by Canadian songwriter Michael Kulas.-Track listing:#Another Small Machine#Anyone Else#Beautiful Day #She's All The Rage#The Only One#Sleep#Beginning Of The End#Having And Losing It All...
(LP/2001/Interloper Records) - Imperial CheerleaderImperial CheerleaderImperial Cheerleader is the third of three albums by Canadian songwriter Michael Kulas.-Track listing:#Instamatic Camera#The Days Of My Life#Sweet Lips#You Only Come Out At Night#Starland...
(EP/2006/Interloper Records)