biography
Richard Barbieri – A Brief Biography
Richard Barbieri started his musical career with the group
Japan in 1976. Within a year the band were signed to the
Hansa/Ariola label and began work on a debut album, which
received severe criticism from the UK press on it’s
release. Although initially perceived as a ‘hyped’
band, Japan went on to record five studio albums culminating
in the groundbreaking ‘Tin Drum’ which stayed
in the UK charts for a year. The painstaking approach to
synthesiser programming by Richard Barbieri and David Sylvian
and the original rhythmic patterns of Steve Jansen and Mick
Karn produced a sound that remains original to this day.
They were the one of the most successful chart bands in
Europe and Asia in 1982 despite the increasingly experimental
nature of their music. The band split up at the height of
their popularity after a world tour in 1983.
In 1984/5 Richard contributed to David Sylvian’s
solo albums, working alongside such innovators as Holger
Czukay, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Robert Fripp. Soon after, he
started a long musical association with Steve Jansen, which
produced 6 collaborative albums.
The band members reunited in 1989 under the name Rain Tree
Crow to release just one album for Virgin. Considered their
finest work, the album charted and brought critical acclaim.
Again the group parted company shortly afterwards.
Barbieri formed the Medium label in 1993 with Karn and
Jansen with the objective being to enable the artists to
create music and collaborate with fellow musicians on projects
without record company interference and restriction. Thirteen
diverse albums were released during a ten-year period; Jansen
and Barbieri’s collaboration with DJ Takemura on the
album ‘Changing Hands’ being one of the highlights.
Also in 1993 Barbieri joined the rock band Porcupine Tree.
Six studio albums and many tours later, they are currently
signed to Warner Brothers and enjoying chart success around
Europe with sales of over 120,000 for their album ‘In
Absentia’. This album has recently been nominated
for a Grammy Award in the States for the Non-Orchestral
5.1 Surround Sound category. The latest album “Deadwing”
entered the US Billboard chart on it’s first week
of release.
Aside from recording and touring, Richard has written articles
on analogue synthesis for various publications; composed
music for film ; programs for music software and synthesiser
manufacturers and is currently writing a score for the 1920’s
original gothic horror film ‘The Fall of the House
of Usher’. He regularly guests with The Bays, an electronic
improvisational group.
.Recent highlights include two Radio One sessions for the
late John Peel and concerts at the Queen Elizabeth Hall
and Brighton Dome.
He has just released his debut solo album “Things
Buried”. Although he has made many albums as part
of a group, trio or duo, surprisingly this is his first
solo work. The instrumental album also features the distinctive
performances of Andy Gangadeen on acoustic and electronic
drums and Percy Jones on fretless bass.
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