Simon Rogers
Encyclopedia
Simon Rogers is a British musician and composer, notable for his chart success both as a musician and as a producer as well as for his considerable portfolio of television soundtrack work.
, London
, later becoming an associate (ARCM) and winning their guitar prize in 1980. Upon leaving he joined Ballet Rambert’s Mercury Ensemble as their guitarist. During this period he composed several ballet scores, including Entre Dos Aguas and Fabrications for London Contemporary Dance Theatre
. He also made his first commercial hit, joining the South American folk music
group Incantation
who enjoyed some UK and international chart success in the early 1980s, their best known single being "Cacharpaya". In 1985 Simon left both Rambert and Incantation and joined legendary post-punk group The Fall, initially as bassist, then subsequently on guitar and keyboards. He produced their top 20 album The Frenz Experiment
(1988) before parting company with the group. During this period, he also produced two albums for Bauhaus
singer Peter Murphy.
He began to compose for television whilst at Rambert and his credits include TV dramas such as The Old Men at the Zoo
(1982), Much Ado About Nothing
(1983) and The Rainbow
(1986) as well as two American TV movies, Daddy (1987) and The Preppie Murder
(1989) for ABC
.
In the 1990s Rogers continued to work in music production, beginning a long association with The Lightning Seeds, for whom he co-produced the albums Sense, Jollification
, Dizzy Heights
and Tilt
as well as the football anthem "Three Lions
". He also returned to The Fall to produce the majority of their most successful album to date, The Infotainment Scan
. Throughout the ‘90s he was also involved with underground dance music, working on remixes under the names RAMP and Slacker, as well as several successful releases on Boy George
's More Protein label, including Generations of Love and Everything Starts with an E. He has also developed solo projects such as Leuroj and T-Era for the Skint/Loaded labels, and Steiger for John Digweed
’s Bedrock Records
label.
In 2003, he returned to television music, scoring 40 (starring Eddie Izzard
and Kerry Fox
) for Channel 4
. Work on other productions followed very swiftly after the first broadcast of the series including ITV's Rebus
, starring Ken Stott
, various episodes of BBC's Dalziel and Pascoe
and Jon Howe's film Streets which was selected for the Venice Film Festival of 2004.
Other credits include scores for South Africa, Murder Most Foul, Ochberg's Orphans and Dancing With The Devil In The City Of God directed by Oscar winning documentary maker Jon Blair
and the title music for Hustle
(Kudos/Spooks Ltd for BBC1) nominated for the Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music Emmy in 2007. Simon is also part of Musicotopia who have provided music for 3 series of Animal Planet's "River Monsters", BBC Natural World documentaries and "The First World War From Above" for BBC1 in 2010.
Simon Rogers in Ravensbourne collage is a fassy hole
Biography
In 1976, Rogers entered the Royal College of MusicRoyal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, later becoming an associate (ARCM) and winning their guitar prize in 1980. Upon leaving he joined Ballet Rambert’s Mercury Ensemble as their guitarist. During this period he composed several ballet scores, including Entre Dos Aguas and Fabrications for London Contemporary Dance Theatre
London Contemporary Dance Theatre
The London Contemporary Dance Theatre was a contemporary dance company, based at The Place, founded by Robin Howard with Robert Cohan as its Artistic Director....
. He also made his first commercial hit, joining the South American folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
group Incantation
Incantation (musical group)
Incantation are a musical group playing traditional tribal and other South American music. The band started in 1981 from a pool of musicians who were, at the time, playing all kinds of different types of music for the Ballet Rambert, based in London...
who enjoyed some UK and international chart success in the early 1980s, their best known single being "Cacharpaya". In 1985 Simon left both Rambert and Incantation and joined legendary post-punk group The Fall, initially as bassist, then subsequently on guitar and keyboards. He produced their top 20 album The Frenz Experiment
The Frenz Experiment
The Frenz Experiment is a 1988 album by The Fall. It was released on Beggars Banquet Records, and like the group's other albums with the label, it has a different track listing across the various formats on which it was released: LP, CD and cassette. A number of the tracks are credited exclusively...
(1988) before parting company with the group. During this period, he also produced two albums for Bauhaus
Bauhaus (band)
Bauhaus was an English rock band formed in Northampton in 1978. The group consisted of Peter Murphy , Daniel Ash , Kevin Haskins and David J . The band was originally Bauhaus 1919 before they dropped the numerical portion within a year of formation...
singer Peter Murphy.
He began to compose for television whilst at Rambert and his credits include TV dramas such as The Old Men at the Zoo
The Old Men at the Zoo
The Old Men at the Zoo is a novel written by Angus Wilson, first published in 1961 by Secker and Warburg, and by Penguin books in 1964. It was adapted into a 1983 BBC Television serial by scriptwriter Troy Kennedy Martin.-Cast:...
(1982), Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy written by William Shakespeare about two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero....
(1983) and The Rainbow
The Rainbow
The Rainbow is a 1915 novel by British author D. H. Lawrence. It follows three generations of the Brangwen family living in Nottinghamshire, particularly focusing on the sexual dynamics of, and relations between, the characters....
(1986) as well as two American TV movies, Daddy (1987) and The Preppie Murder
The Preppie Murder
The Preppie Murder is a TV movie starring William Baldwin as Robert Chambers and Lara Flynn Boyle as Jennifer Levin. The film aired on ABC in 1989. It was based on the events of a murder committed by Rob Chambers, nicknamed the Preppie Killer...
(1989) for ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
.
In the 1990s Rogers continued to work in music production, beginning a long association with The Lightning Seeds, for whom he co-produced the albums Sense, Jollification
Jollification (album)
Jollification is an 1994 album by The Lightning Seeds. All songs were written by Ian Broudie, with contributions on some tracks from Alison Moyet, Ian McNabb and Terry Hall....
, Dizzy Heights
Dizzy Heights
Dizzy Heights was The Lightning Seeds' fourth studio album, released in 1996, and reached #11 in the UK Albums Chart. It was re-issued in Sony Mid Price range in August 1999.-Writing and recording:...
and Tilt
Tilt (Lightning Seeds album)
Tilt is the fifth studio album from rock group The Lightning Seeds. It was released in 1999.-Release and reception:-Track listing:All tracks written by Ian Broudie .# "Life's Too Short" – 4:01...
as well as the football anthem "Three Lions
Three Lions
"Three Lions" is a song released in 1996, the official anthem of the England football team for that year's European Championships, held in England...
". He also returned to The Fall to produce the majority of their most successful album to date, The Infotainment Scan
The Infotainment Scan
The Infotainment Scan is an album by The Fall, released in 1993 on Permanent Records in the UK and by Matador Records in the US. It was considered at the time of its release as the band's most accessible album, and came when the band were experiencing unprecedented recognition in the media...
. Throughout the ‘90s he was also involved with underground dance music, working on remixes under the names RAMP and Slacker, as well as several successful releases on Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
's More Protein label, including Generations of Love and Everything Starts with an E. He has also developed solo projects such as Leuroj and T-Era for the Skint/Loaded labels, and Steiger for John Digweed
John Digweed
John Digweed is an English DJ, record producer and acclaimed actor.-Biography:John Digweed began DJing around age 4...
’s Bedrock Records
Bedrock Records
thumb|200px|Bedrock RecordsBedrock Records is an English record label for trance, house and techno started by Nick Muir and John Digweed.Its name comes from a nightclub in London that is also called Bedrock. Bedrock Records has released many singles from artists such as Astro & Glyde, Brancaccio &...
label.
In 2003, he returned to television music, scoring 40 (starring Eddie Izzard
Eddie Izzard
Edward John "Eddie" Izzard is a British stand-up comedian and actor. His comedy style takes the form of rambling, whimsical monologue and self-referential pantomime...
and Kerry Fox
Kerry Fox
Kerry Fox is a New Zealand actress. She came to prominence playing author Janet Frame in the movie An Angel at My Table directed by Jane Campion, which gained her a Best Actress Award from the New Zealand Film and Television Awards....
) for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. Work on other productions followed very swiftly after the first broadcast of the series including ITV's Rebus
Rebus (TV series)
Rebus is the title of the detective drama based on the Inspector Rebus novels by the Scottish author Ian Rankin set in and around Edinburgh produced by STV Productions for the ITV Network....
, starring Ken Stott
Ken Stott
Kenneth Campbell "Ken" Stott is a Scottish actor, particularly known in the United Kingdom for his many roles in television.-Early life:...
, various episodes of BBC's Dalziel and Pascoe
Dalziel and Pascoe (BBC TV series)
Dalziel and Pascoe is a popular British television crime drama based on the Dalziel and Pascoe books by Reginald Hill, which was first broadcast in March 1996. It is set in Yorkshire, and is about two detectives...
and Jon Howe's film Streets which was selected for the Venice Film Festival of 2004.
Other credits include scores for South Africa, Murder Most Foul, Ochberg's Orphans and Dancing With The Devil In The City Of God directed by Oscar winning documentary maker Jon Blair
Jon Blair
Jon Blair is a South African born writer, producer and director of documentary films, drama and comedy who has lived in England and the United States ever since he was drafted into the South African army in the late 1960s...
and the title music for Hustle
Hustle (TV series)
Hustle is a British television drama series made by Kudos Film and Television for BBC One in the United Kingdom. Created by Tony Jordan and first broadcast in 2004, the series follows a group of con artists who specialise in "long cons" – extended deceptions which require greater commitment, but...
(Kudos/Spooks Ltd for BBC1) nominated for the Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music Emmy in 2007. Simon is also part of Musicotopia who have provided music for 3 series of Animal Planet's "River Monsters", BBC Natural World documentaries and "The First World War From Above" for BBC1 in 2010.
External links
Simon Rogers in Ravensbourne collage is a fassy hole
See also
- List of The Fall members