Grant Gee
Encyclopedia
Grant Gee is a film director and cinematographer currently living in Brighton
. He was born in Plymouth
and studied Geography
at St Catherine's College, Oxford
.
He is most noted for his documentary about the British alternative rock
group Radiohead
, Meeting People Is Easy
(1999), which followed the band on their tour for their highly acclaimed third album, OK Computer
(1997).
In the early 1990s he had worked on U2
's Zoo TV and Zoo Radio, and collaborated with Mark Neale on several projects (many through London production company Kudos Productions), including "The Memory Palace", an experimental multi-media project combining film and live performance for the Expo '92
.
In 1996 he directed a twenty-seven minute short film commissioned by progressive house band Spooky
for parts of their album "Found Sound" (namely the tracks "Central Heating", "Bamboo", "Aphonia", "Lowest Common Denominator", "Hypo-Allergenic"/"Interim"). The film was displayed on a continuous loop outside the Centre Georges Pompidou
as part of its re-opening.
In 2000 he filmed the entirety of the Meltdown festival
, curated that year by Scott Walker
.
His short, more or less experimental films, including the onedotzero
-commissioned "Tel Aviv City Symphony", the documentary "JC-03" about John Cale
at work, and the dance film "Torsion" choreographed by Russell Maliphant, have been shown internationally as part of touring packages by the British Council
, onedotzero
and Film and Video Umbrella.
In April 2006 The Creative Commons-licensed film project A Swarm of Angels
announced that Gee has joined the project team as Director of Photography.
In 2007, he made a short film called "Western Lands". This was a ten-minute film about climbing the "Old Man Of Hoy".
In November 2010 Grant received funding from the UK Film Council for his latest project: 'New Career In A New Town: David Bowie In Berlin' - a music documentary on Bowie's Berlin period.
In January 2011, Gee completed his latest film, "Patience: After Sebald", which has recently been accepted by the Vancouver International Film Festival
and the New York Film Festival
.
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
. He was born in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and studied Geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
at St Catherine's College, Oxford
St Catherine's College, Oxford
St Catherine's College, often called Catz, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its motto is Nova et Vetera...
.
He is most noted for his documentary about the British alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
group Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, Meeting People Is Easy
Meeting People Is Easy
Meeting People Is Easy, first released on 30 November 1998, is a rockumentary by Grant Gee following British alternative rock band Radiohead on their exhaustive world tour following the success of their 1997 album OK Computer...
(1999), which followed the band on their tour for their highly acclaimed third album, OK Computer
OK Computer
OK Computer is the third studio album by the English alternative rock band Radiohead, released on 16 June 1997 on Parlophone in the UK and 1 July 1997 by Capitol Records in the US. It marks a deliberate attempt by the band to move away from the introspective guitar-oriented sound of their previous...
(1997).
In the early 1990s he had worked on U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
's Zoo TV and Zoo Radio, and collaborated with Mark Neale on several projects (many through London production company Kudos Productions), including "The Memory Palace", an experimental multi-media project combining film and live performance for the Expo '92
Seville Expo '92
The Universal Exposition of Seville took place from Monday, April 20 to Monday, October 12, 1992 on La Isla de La Cartuja , Seville, Spain. The theme for the Expo was "The Age of Discovery" and over 100 countries were represented...
.
In 1996 he directed a twenty-seven minute short film commissioned by progressive house band Spooky
Spooky
Spooky is a British house/techno duo consisting of Duncan Forbes and Charlie May. They debuted with Gargantuan in 1993 after signing to Guerilla Records. In 1995 and 1996 they released three EPs on their own Generic Records label, followed quickly in mid-1996 by their second album, Found Sound...
for parts of their album "Found Sound" (namely the tracks "Central Heating", "Bamboo", "Aphonia", "Lowest Common Denominator", "Hypo-Allergenic"/"Interim"). The film was displayed on a continuous loop outside the Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou is a complex in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near Les Halles, rue Montorgueil and the Marais...
as part of its re-opening.
In 2000 he filmed the entirety of the Meltdown festival
Meltdown (festival)
Meltdown is an annual, English festival, held in London, featuring a mix of music, art, performance and film. Meltdown is held in June at Southbank Centre, the arts complex covering and including the Royal Festival Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and The Hayward...
, curated that year by Scott Walker
Scott Walker (singer)
Scott Walker, born Noel Scott Engel on January 9, 1943 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and the former lead singer of The Walker Brothers. Despite being American born, Walker's chart success has largely come in the United Kingdom, where his first four solo albums...
.
His short, more or less experimental films, including the onedotzero
Onedotzero
onedotzero is a contemporary, digital arts organisation with a remit to promote innovation across all forms of moving image and motion arts....
-commissioned "Tel Aviv City Symphony", the documentary "JC-03" about John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
at work, and the dance film "Torsion" choreographed by Russell Maliphant, have been shown internationally as part of touring packages by the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
, onedotzero
Onedotzero
onedotzero is a contemporary, digital arts organisation with a remit to promote innovation across all forms of moving image and motion arts....
and Film and Video Umbrella.
In April 2006 The Creative Commons-licensed film project A Swarm of Angels
A Swarm of Angels
A Swarm of Angels is an open source film project and participatory film community, whose aim is to make the world’s first Internet-funded, crewed and distributed feature film. The collaborative project aims to attract 50,000 individual subscribers , each contributing £25 to the production...
announced that Gee has joined the project team as Director of Photography.
In 2007, he made a short film called "Western Lands". This was a ten-minute film about climbing the "Old Man Of Hoy".
In November 2010 Grant received funding from the UK Film Council for his latest project: 'New Career In A New Town: David Bowie In Berlin' - a music documentary on Bowie's Berlin period.
In January 2011, Gee completed his latest film, "Patience: After Sebald", which has recently been accepted by the Vancouver International Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival
The Vancouver International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for two weeks in late September and early October...
and the New York Film Festival
New York Film Festival
The New York Film Festival has been a major film festival since it began in 1963 in New York. The films are selected by the Film Society of Lincoln Center...
.
Filmography as director
- Found Sound (1996, 27 min)
- Meeting People Is EasyMeeting People Is EasyMeeting People Is Easy, first released on 30 November 1998, is a rockumentary by Grant Gee following British alternative rock band Radiohead on their exhaustive world tour following the success of their 1997 album OK Computer...
(1998, 95 min) - (Tel Aviv) City Symphony (2000, 6 min)
- 400 Anarchists (2002, 20 min)
- JC-03 (2003, 30 min)
- Don't Crash: The Documentary of the Making of the Movie of the Book of the Radio Series of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (film)The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a 2005 comic science fiction film based on the book of the same name by Douglas Adams. Shooting was completed in August 2004 and the movie was released on April 28, 2005 in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and on the following day in Canada and the United...
" (2005, 68 min) - Demon Days: Live at the Manchester Opera HouseDemon Days LiveDemon Days: Live at the Manchester Opera House is a Grammy Award nominated live DVD by Gorillaz, released 27 March 2006 in the UK...
(2005, 70 min) (co-directed by David Barnard) - Torsion (2005, 18 min)
- (Mr.) Fred Zentner's Cinema Bookshop Was Here (2005, 10 min)
- Joy DivisionJoy Division (2007 film)Joy Division is a 2007 British documentary film on the British post-punk band Joy Division, directed by Grant Gee.The film assembles TV clips, newsreel, pictures of modern Manchester and Manchester in the late 1970s, and interviews...
(2006, 93 min) - Cobra Bag (2001/2)
- Western Lands (2007)
- "Patience: After Sebald"
Music videos
Gee has directed a number of music videos including:- Gavin Bryars with Tom Waits - "Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet" (1993)
- SpookySpookySpooky is a British house/techno duo consisting of Duncan Forbes and Charlie May. They debuted with Gargantuan in 1993 after signing to Guerilla Records. In 1995 and 1996 they released three EPs on their own Generic Records label, followed quickly in mid-1996 by their second album, Found Sound...
- "Stereo" from Stereo EP (1995) - SpookySpookySpooky is a British house/techno duo consisting of Duncan Forbes and Charlie May. They debuted with Gargantuan in 1993 after signing to Guerilla Records. In 1995 and 1996 they released three EPs on their own Generic Records label, followed quickly in mid-1996 by their second album, Found Sound...
- "Shunt" from Shunt EP (1996) - SpookySpookySpooky is a British house/techno duo consisting of Duncan Forbes and Charlie May. They debuted with Gargantuan in 1993 after signing to Guerilla Records. In 1995 and 1996 they released three EPs on their own Generic Records label, followed quickly in mid-1996 by their second album, Found Sound...
- "Fingerbobs" from Found Sound (1996) - RadioheadRadioheadRadiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
- "No SurprisesNo Surprises"No Surprises" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead. It was released as the third and final single from the group's 1997 album OK Computer. It was accompanied by a music video that featured a single shot of singer Thom Yorke's head in a plastic bubble filling with water. The single peaked...
" from OK ComputerOK ComputerOK Computer is the third studio album by the English alternative rock band Radiohead, released on 16 June 1997 on Parlophone in the UK and 1 July 1997 by Capitol Records in the US. It marks a deliberate attempt by the band to move away from the introspective guitar-oriented sound of their previous...
(1997) - MansunMansunMansun were an English alternative rock band formed in Chester in 1995. The band comprised vocalist/rhythm guitarist Paul Draper, bassist Stove King, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Dominic Chad, and drummer Andie Rathbone. The band broke up in May 2003....
- "Six" from Six (1999) - BlurBlur (band)Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
- "TenderTender (song)"Tender" is a song by English alternative rock band Blur. It is the first track on Blur's sixth album 13 and was also released as the lead single before the album's release...
" from 1313 (Blur album)13 is the sixth album by English band Blur, released in March 1999. The album reached number one in the UK Albums Chart and number 80 in the US Billboard 200. 13 spawned three hit singles: "Tender", "Coffee & TV" and "No Distance Left to Run"...
(1999) - The AuteursThe AuteursThe Auteurs were a British alternative rock band of the 1990s, and a vehicle for the songwriting talents of Luke Haines .-Career:...
- "The Rubettes" from How I Learned to Love the BootboysHow I Learned to Love the BootboysHow I Learned to Love the Bootboys is the fourth and final album by british alternative rock band The Auteurs.-Track listing:*CD/LP #"The Rubettes" - 3:27#"1967" - 2:42#"How I Learned to Love the Bootboys" - 3:05...
(1999) - Jean-Louis MuratJean-Louis MuratNot to be confused with Jean-Paul MaratJean-Louis Murat is the pseudonym of the French singer / songwriter Jean-Louis Bergheaud. He spent much of his childhood with his grandparents in Murat-le-Quaire.- Albums :...
- "Jim" from Mustango (1999) - ColdplayColdplayColdplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
- "Shiver" from ParachutesParachutesParachutes is the debut album by English alternative rock band Coldplay, released by the record label Parlophone on 10 July 2000 in the United Kingdom. The album was produced by the band and British record producer Ken Nelson, excluding one track which was produced by Chris Allison...
(2000) - Badly Drawn BoyBadly Drawn BoyDamon Gough is an English alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. He grew up in the Breightmet area of Bolton, Lancashire, England....
- "Another Pearl" from The Hour of BewilderbeastThe Hour of BewilderbeastThe Hour of Bewilderbeast is an album that was released by Badly Drawn Boy in 2000 . The album won the 2000 Mercury Prize. The album featured members of Alfie and Doves as backing musicians.-Copyright issues:...
(2000) - MansunMansunMansun were an English alternative rock band formed in Chester in 1995. The band comprised vocalist/rhythm guitarist Paul Draper, bassist Stove King, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Dominic Chad, and drummer Andie Rathbone. The band broke up in May 2003....
- "I Can Only Disappoint U" from Little KixLittle KixLittle Kix is the third album by English rock band Mansun. It marked a departure from their previous style, employing a more commercial sound.-Overview:...
(2000) - IdlewildIdlewild (band)Idlewild are a Scottish rock band, formed in Edinburgh, in 1995, comprising Roddy Woomble , Rod Jones , Colin Newton , Allan Stewart and Gareth Russell...
- "RoseabilityRoseability"Roseability" is a song by Scottish rock band Idlewild, from their 2000 album 100 Broken Windows. It was the fourth and final single to be released from the album in October 2000 and charted at #38 in the UK Singles Chart ....
" from 100 Broken Windows100 Broken Windows-B-Sides from this album:* "A Tone" * "Broken Windows" * "1990 Nighttime" * "Meet Me at the Harbour"...
(2000) - Les Innocents - " Le cygne" from Les Innocents (2000)
- Les Innocents - "Une vie moins ordinaire" from Les Innocents (2000)
- Les Innocents - "Danny Wilde" from Les Innocents (2000)
- MansunMansunMansun were an English alternative rock band formed in Chester in 1995. The band comprised vocalist/rhythm guitarist Paul Draper, bassist Stove King, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Dominic Chad, and drummer Andie Rathbone. The band broke up in May 2003....
- "Electric Man" from Little KixLittle KixLittle Kix is the third album by English rock band Mansun. It marked a departure from their previous style, employing a more commercial sound.-Overview:...
(2000) - Neil FinnNeil FinnNeil Mullane Finn, OBE is a New Zealand Pop recording artist. Along with his brother Tim Finn, he was the co-frontman for Split Enz and is now frontman for Crowded House...
- "Rest of the Day Off" from One NilOne NilOne Nil, released in 2001, is the second solo album by New Zealand singer-songwriter, Neil Finn. When released in the United States the following year, the album had a slightly different track listing and was issued under the name One All....
(2001) - Stephen Malkmus and the JicksStephen Malkmus and the JicksStephen Malkmus and the Jicks is a rock band consisting of Stephen Malkmus, Mike Clark, Joanna Bolme, and Jake Morris. Malkmus was the main singer and songwriter behind the influential 1990s indie rock band Pavement.-History:...
- "Discretion Grove" from Stephen MalkmusStephen Malkmus (album)Stephen Malkmus is the debut album by the group Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks. It was released by Matador Records on February 13, 2001. Malkmus had planned to create the record by himself, or through a smaller, local label, but eventually accepted the offer Matador asked, and he released it. It...
(2001) - Embrace - "Wonder" from If You've Never BeenIf You've Never BeenIf You've Never Been is the third studio album by English rock band Embrace. It was released on 3 September 2001 through Hut. It reached number nine on the official UK charts one year after the band's second album, Drawn from Memory, reached number eight.-Track listing:-Charts:-Personnel:* Danny...
(2001) - SparklehorseSparklehorseSparklehorse was an American indie rock band led by the singer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Linkous.-History:Sparklehorse's first album, Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot featuring Bob Rupe of the Silos and Cracker, was a modest college radio success...
- "Devil's New" from It's a Wonderful LifeIt's a Wonderful Life (album)It's a Wonderful Life is the third album by Virginian indie rock group Sparklehorse, released in 2001. The album features appearances by Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, John Parish, Nina Persson, Vic Chesnutt, and Dave Fridmann.-Track listing:...
(2001) - SpookySpookySpooky is a British house/techno duo consisting of Duncan Forbes and Charlie May. They debuted with Gargantuan in 1993 after signing to Guerilla Records. In 1995 and 1996 they released three EPs on their own Generic Records label, followed quickly in mid-1996 by their second album, Found Sound...
- "Belong" from Belong single (2002) - Badly Drawn BoyBadly Drawn BoyDamon Gough is an English alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. He grew up in the Breightmet area of Bolton, Lancashire, England....
- "You Were Right" from Have You Fed The Fish?Have You Fed the Fish?Have You Fed the Fish? is an album released by Badly Drawn Boy in 2002. The album's title originates from the question which Gough asks his daughter each day "to the point where it got to sound like one of those words you say too many times and it sounds silly."Also included with the album's...
(2002) - SuedeSuede (band)Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
- "Obsessions" from A New MorningA New MorningA New Morning is the fifth studio album by English alternative rock band Suede, released in September 2002. By the time the album was released, public interest in the band had waned, as shown by the poor charting of both the album and singles...
(2002) - The DatsunsThe DatsunsThe Datsuns are a hard rock band from Cambridge, New Zealand, formed in 2000. To date they have released four albums and several singles, most of which have charted in New Zealand and/or the United Kingdom...
- "Harmonic Generator" from The DatsunsThe Datsuns (album)The Datsuns is the self-titled debut album of the New Zealand hard rock band The Datsuns. It was released in 2002 and had three songs which had previously appeared on 7" singles: "Sittin' Pretty", "Fink For The Man" and "Lady"....
(2003) - The KillsThe KillsThe Kills is a rock band formed by American singer Alison Mosshart and British guitarist Jamie Hince . Their first three albums, Keep On Your Mean Side, No Wow, and Midnight Boom, have garnered much critical praise...
- "Fried My Little Brains" from Keep on Your Mean SideKeep on Your Mean SideKeep on Your Mean Side is the debut album by UK based indie rock band The Kills. Originally released on April 1, 2003, through Domino Records, it was later reissued on May 4, 2009, with five additional bonus tracks....
(2003) - Zero 7Zero 7Zero 7 is a British musical duo consisting of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. The group members began their musical careers as studio engineers and in 1997 formed the group Zero 7. Their debut album, Simple Things was released in 2001 and received critical acclaim...
- "Somersault" from When It FallsWhen It Falls-Singles:The following singles were released from the album:- External links :**...
(2004) - Nick Cave and the Bad SeedsNick Cave and the Bad SeedsNick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
- "Nature Boy" from Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of OrpheusAbattoir Blues/The Lyre of OrpheusAbattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus is the 13th studio album released by Australian alternative rock band, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It is a double CD with 17 tracks – 9 on Abattoir Blues and 8 on The Lyre of Orpheus – which was released on 20 September 2004...
(2004) - GorillazGorillazGorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
- "White Light" from Demon Days: Live at the Manchester Opera HouseDemon Days LiveDemon Days: Live at the Manchester Opera House is a Grammy Award nominated live DVD by Gorillaz, released 27 March 2006 in the UK...
(2006) (co-directed by David Barnard) - Morning RunnerMorning RunnerMorning Runner was an alternative rock band from Reading, England. They released one album, Wilderness Is Paradise Now, following top 20 single "Burning Benches", before their split in late 2007 due to commercial pressures from their record label, Parlophone.- Origin and early years :Morning...
- "The Great Escape" from Wilderness Is Paradise NowWilderness Is Paradise NowWilderness Is Paradise Now was the debut and only album by Reading based English rock band Morning Runner. Preceded by the release of single "Burning Benches", the album was released on 6 March 2006, and, despite failing to make a significant impact commercially, it gained generally favourable...
(2006) - Badly Drawn BoyBadly Drawn BoyDamon Gough is an English alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. He grew up in the Breightmet area of Bolton, Lancashire, England....
- "Born in the U.K." from Born in the U.K.Born in the U.K.Born in the U.K. is the fifth album released by singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy, real name Damon Gough, released on 16 October 2006. The album's title is a reference to Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 album Born in the U.S.A....
(2006) - Luke HainesLuke HainesLuke Haines is an English musician, songwriter and author, who has recorded music under various names and with various bands, including The Auteurs, Baader Meinhof and Black Box Recorder.-'New Wave':...
- "Off My Rocker at the Art School Bop" from Off My Rocker at the Art School BopOff My Rocker at the Art School Bop-Track listing:#Off My Rocker At The Art School Bop#Leeds United#The Heritage Rock Revolution#All The English Devils#The Walton Hop#Fighting In The City Tonight#Here's To Old England#Freddie Mills Is Dead#Secret Yoga#Bad Reputation...
(2006) - Beggars - "You and Me" from You and Me
- Keane - "Perfect Symmetry" from Perfect SymmetryPerfect Symmetry (Keane album)Perfect Symmetry is the third studio album by English rock band Keane, released on 13 October 2008 in the United Kingdom. The album's title was released on 31 July 2008. The band had completely transformed their look and their new album was said to be also very unexpected...
(2008)
Other projects
Other projects created by Grant Gee are:- Redbee Bang Goes the Theory - Feature Advertisement
External links
- Grant Gee at the Music Video DataBase
- Biography at the site of production company Oil Factory
- Restrospective at Cinecity: The Brighton Film Festival in 2005
- John May interviews Grant Gee