Tim Wright (UK musician)
Encyclopedia
Tim Wright has been active as a musician and composer since the early 1990s, working predominantly at the experimental end of the spectrum of electronica
and dance music
.
(electric bass).
Germ released three EPs and two albums, "Gone" and "Parrot" on General Productions Recordings (GPR) in 1995. Wright continues to use the Germ name for the occasional remix, the most recent being of John Richards
' "Suite for Piano and Electronics" (2007 Nonclassical).
UK offshoot iLL Recordings, persuaded Wright to tailor his sound for a techno
/club audience with the Tube Jerk project. The Tube Jerk sound was instantly recognisable with its use of enormous rolling drum and bass
style bass-lines and tight house- influenced drum parts. Still active to date, two full length albums have been released, "Shift" (2003 on Sativae Recordings) and "Fold" (1999 on iLL Recordings) as well as a number of remixes and vinyl only EPs.
The two most commonly cited examples of the Tube Jerk sound are "Eight" on the album Fold, and the Tube Jerk remix of Cristian Vogel
's "Whipaspank" (2000 on Novamute).
'
legendary electronic subsidiary Novamute which commissioned Wright to produce two 12" vinyl EPs "Searcher/The Walk" (2001) and "Going Down/ The Lunge" (2002) under his own name. These EPs fused a 2step or UK garage
rhythmic sensibility with the darkness and power of Wright's techno
production approach, proving a success with techno
, UK garage
and breaks audiences alike. The tracks were licensed widely, appearing on compilations from the Plump DJs "Urban Underground - The Break Beat
Elite" to Player and Remady's "Sweet and Sexy - How 2 Step 2" (EMI
).
Wright went on to record an album "Thirst" which was released on Novamute in 2004, featuring vocal contributions from Toastie Tailor and Juice Aleem (from UK hip hop group New Flesh).
Remix credits under his own name include Goldfrapp
and Mediengruppe Telekommander
. Notable live performances were at Sónar
by Night, Barcelona
2004 and Transmusicales
, Rennes
2004 where his laptop crashed in front of 12000 people. He continues to write and perform live under his own name.
, a five-piece experimental rock/jazz/electronic group with Hilary Jeffery (trombone), John Richards (double and electric bass), Neil Griffiths (guitar and films) and Rowan Oliver (drums/percussion). Sand performed live for the first time at The Spotted Cow in York
in June 1995 with drummer Ben Clark
.
Their early work was dominated by a jazz
aesthetic, with Wright's role primarily one of manipulating the acoustic sound of the instrumentalists in real time. As a relationship developed with Soul Jazz Records
owner Stuart Baker the sound became more focussed and guitar oriented, whilst maintaining an improvisatory approach to recording and performing.
Sand have released three albums, Beautiful People Are Evil (1999 Satellite Records/Soul Jazz Records
), Still Born Alive (2001 Satellite Records/Soul Jazz Records
) and The Dalston Shroud (2006 Soul Jazz Records
) and several 12" vinyl EPs.
Sand's collaboration with noted choreographer Saburo Teshigawara resulted in the creation of the piece Green which has been performed at the New National Theatre, Tokyo (2000, 2002) and the Melbourne International Arts Festival
(2005).
. Described as a "private recording studio
" it is where most of his work has been recorded. He is credited as engineer on the majority of the output of UK hip hop group New Flesh (Big Dada
).
He is currently studying for a PhD in composition of Electroacoustic music
at the University of York
.
Other pseudonyms - Pin, Moondog, Asphere, Speed Baby.
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
and dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
.
Germ
Wright's first commercially available releases were under the pseudonym Germ. Described as "one of the most influential, under-recognized forces of innovation in the European experimental electronic music scene" (Sean Cooper, Allmusic), Germ was initially a solo bedroom project but grew with the aid of engineer John Dalby at Finsbury Park Studios to encompass collaborations with Hilary Jeffery (trombone), Matt Miles (double bass) and Nicholas BullenNicholas Bullen
-Biography:He is one of the founding members - with Miles Ratledge - of Napalm Death, the band credited with creating the Grindcore genre.The duo had collaborated on fanzines and played together in a number of 'bedroom' bands from 1980 onwards and formed the first line-up of Napalm Death in May...
(electric bass).
Germ released three EPs and two albums, "Gone" and "Parrot" on General Productions Recordings (GPR) in 1995. Wright continues to use the Germ name for the occasional remix, the most recent being of John Richards
John Richards
John Richards may refer to:*John Richards , Irish judge*John Richards , Bishop of St David's*John Richards , Bishop of Ebbsfleet...
' "Suite for Piano and Electronics" (2007 Nonclassical).
Tube Jerk
When GPR ceased trading in 1996 Wright was temporarily forced to abandon the Germ name and went on to pursue a more dance-floor friendly sound with his solo project Tube Jerk. After commissioning the Germ remix of African Nightflight's "Make up your Mind" Sean Mayo, then head of PIASPIAS
-Abbreviations:* PIAS Entertainment Group** Pln, Sam, an independent record label based in London and owned by the PIAS Entertainment Group** PIAS Recordings, an international recoro known as Play it Again, Sam Records...
UK offshoot iLL Recordings, persuaded Wright to tailor his sound for a techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
/club audience with the Tube Jerk project. The Tube Jerk sound was instantly recognisable with its use of enormous rolling drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
style bass-lines and tight house- influenced drum parts. Still active to date, two full length albums have been released, "Shift" (2003 on Sativae Recordings) and "Fold" (1999 on iLL Recordings) as well as a number of remixes and vinyl only EPs.
The two most commonly cited examples of the Tube Jerk sound are "Eight" on the album Fold, and the Tube Jerk remix of Cristian Vogel
Cristian Vogel
Cristian Vogel is an experimental electronic musician.-Biography:Cristian Vogel was born in Chile and moved to England in the mid 1970s. Vogel first began working with electronic compositions in the late 1980s with the Cabbage Head Collective...
's "Whipaspank" (2000 on Novamute).
Tim Wright
The Vogel remix brought with it the attentions of Mute RecordsMute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
'
legendary electronic subsidiary Novamute which commissioned Wright to produce two 12" vinyl EPs "Searcher/The Walk" (2001) and "Going Down/ The Lunge" (2002) under his own name. These EPs fused a 2step or UK garage
UK garage
UK garage is a genre of electronic dance music originating from the United Kingdom in the early-1990s. UK garage is a descendant of house music which originated in Chicago and New York, United States. UK garage usually features a distinctive syncopated 4/4 percussive rhythm with 'shuffling'...
rhythmic sensibility with the darkness and power of Wright's techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
production approach, proving a success with techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
, UK garage
UK garage
UK garage is a genre of electronic dance music originating from the United Kingdom in the early-1990s. UK garage is a descendant of house music which originated in Chicago and New York, United States. UK garage usually features a distinctive syncopated 4/4 percussive rhythm with 'shuffling'...
and breaks audiences alike. The tracks were licensed widely, appearing on compilations from the Plump DJs "Urban Underground - The Break Beat
Elite" to Player and Remady's "Sweet and Sexy - How 2 Step 2" (EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
).
Wright went on to record an album "Thirst" which was released on Novamute in 2004, featuring vocal contributions from Toastie Tailor and Juice Aleem (from UK hip hop group New Flesh).
Remix credits under his own name include Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp are an English electronic music duo, formed in 1999 in London, England, that consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory ....
and Mediengruppe Telekommander
Mediengruppe Telekommander
Mediengruppe Telekommander, founded in 2001 by Florian Zwietnig and Gerald Mandl, is an Austrian/German electronic band. Since 2002, they have gained considerable attention in the media of Germany and Austria....
. Notable live performances were at Sónar
Sónar
Sónar is an annual three-day music festival held in Barcelona, Spain. It is described officially as a festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art. Music is by far the main aspect of the festival....
by Night, Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
2004 and Transmusicales
Transmusicales
Les Rencontres Trans Musicales is a three-day music festival held annually in December in Rennes, Brittany, France.Since its first years, the festival has been renowned for revealing the "next big thing."...
, Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
2004 where his laptop crashed in front of 12000 people. He continues to write and perform live under his own name.
Sand
Parallel to his solo work Wright was also a founder member of SandSand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
, a five-piece experimental rock/jazz/electronic group with Hilary Jeffery (trombone), John Richards (double and electric bass), Neil Griffiths (guitar and films) and Rowan Oliver (drums/percussion). Sand performed live for the first time at The Spotted Cow in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
in June 1995 with drummer Ben Clark
Ben Clark
Ben Clark is a mountaineer and native of Clarksville, Tennessee, though he resides in Colorado. He starting rock climbing as a boy and progressed to larger, more challenging mountains in his early twenties....
.
Their early work was dominated by a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
aesthetic, with Wright's role primarily one of manipulating the acoustic sound of the instrumentalists in real time. As a relationship developed with Soul Jazz Records
Soul Jazz Records
Soul Jazz Records is a British-based record label. The label started in the 1990s, releasing compilation albums of predominantly black music, including reggae, soul, ska, Dub and jazz...
owner Stuart Baker the sound became more focussed and guitar oriented, whilst maintaining an improvisatory approach to recording and performing.
Sand have released three albums, Beautiful People Are Evil (1999 Satellite Records/Soul Jazz Records
Soul Jazz Records
Soul Jazz Records is a British-based record label. The label started in the 1990s, releasing compilation albums of predominantly black music, including reggae, soul, ska, Dub and jazz...
), Still Born Alive (2001 Satellite Records/Soul Jazz Records
Soul Jazz Records
Soul Jazz Records is a British-based record label. The label started in the 1990s, releasing compilation albums of predominantly black music, including reggae, soul, ska, Dub and jazz...
) and The Dalston Shroud (2006 Soul Jazz Records
Soul Jazz Records
Soul Jazz Records is a British-based record label. The label started in the 1990s, releasing compilation albums of predominantly black music, including reggae, soul, ska, Dub and jazz...
) and several 12" vinyl EPs.
Sand's collaboration with noted choreographer Saburo Teshigawara resulted in the creation of the piece Green which has been performed at the New National Theatre, Tokyo (2000, 2002) and the Melbourne International Arts Festival
Melbourne International Arts Festival
Melbourne Festival is a celebration of dance, theatre, music, visual arts, multimedia, outdoor and free events held for 17 days each October in a number of venues across Melbourne, Australia.-History:...
(2005).
Parrot Music
Wright also works as head engineer at Parrot Music (formerly Finsury Park Studios) in YorkYork
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. Described as a "private recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
" it is where most of his work has been recorded. He is credited as engineer on the majority of the output of UK hip hop group New Flesh (Big Dada
Big Dada
Big Dada Recordings is the Hip Hop imprint of London-based independent record label, Ninja Tune. It is best known for being the home of prominent British hip hop artist Roots Manuva. It was started by reputed hip hop journalist Will Ashon in February 1997...
).
He is currently studying for a PhD in composition of Electroacoustic music
Electroacoustic music
Electroacoustic music originated in Western art music during its modern era following the incorporation of electric sound production into compositional practice. The initial developments in electroacoustic music composition during the mid-20th century are associated with the activities of composers...
at the University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
.
Other pseudonyms - Pin, Moondog, Asphere, Speed Baby.