Michael den Elzen
Encyclopedia
Michael den Elzen is a musician
and music producer
based in Melbourne
, Australia
. He has performed for over 25 years with many well-known Australian and New Zealand
artists, principally as a guitar
ist, and has contributed music for several Australian movie soundtrack
s.
and Mansfield
(Victoria
) and started playing guitar at about 10 years of age. At the age of 15, he was performing in Melbourne
with the band Expresso Bongo, who made it to the finals of the talent competition, "Safeway New Faces". This led to his playing with local bands Notorious Gentlemen and The U-Boats. At age 20, he joined Broderick Smith
for his first solo album and toured in his band for about three years. He went on to perform with Venetta Fields
; with Tim Finn
as a guitarist on his 1985 Big Canoe
tour; and with Stephen Cummings
on his "This Wonderful Life" album, and Australian and U.S.
tours.
In the mid 80s, den Elzen joined Melbourne band Schnell Fenster
with ex-Split Enz
members Phil Judd
, Nigel Griggs
and Noel Crombie
. They released two albums, "The Sound Of Trees" and "OK Alright A-Huh O Yeah" and toured in Australia and New Zealand.
's 1991 successful String Of Pearls album. He went to America to perform for Peter Case
(at the request of producer Mitchell Froom
) on "Six Pack Of Love"; recorded and toured as bass player and musical director with Tim Finn; and toured and recorded with Richard Pleasance
. He then joined Melbourne band Rebecca's Empire
's for their "Way Of All Things" album.
At the end of the 1990s, he joined Australian rock outfit Deadstar
and played on their final album Over The Radio.
and Schnell Fenster
on the soundtrack for the movie Rikky and Pete
(1988), and was also involved with Phil Judd on the soundtrack for The Big Steal
(1990) and Mr. Reliable (1996).
He did the soundtrack to David Batty's Rodeo Road (1999) which lead to producing, recording, and co-writing the music for the TV series Bush Mechanics
(2001) in Yuendumu about 300 km north-west of Alice Springs, and the soundtracks to other David Batty films, Sisters, Pearls and Mission Girls (2003) and Taylor Made (2003), as well as the TV series Inventions From The Shed (2005), all aired on the ABC.
Den Elzen also worked on a project with painter and artist David Munro
called Birdbrain, whose music was used in the TV series The Secret Life of Us
and in the film Ghosts of the Civil Dead (1988).
Other composer credits include Trespass (2001), Beyond Sorry (2004), Bush Bikes (2003), Us Mob (2005) and Aurukun-Voices From The Cape (2008) by David Vadiveloo
, Case 442 (2005) by C.A.A.M.A., Going Bush (2006) by SBS TV
, Marree Man (2007), the series Halal Mate (2007) (for which he was nominated in the category of "Best Music for a Documentary" at the 2008 APRA-AGSC Screen Music Awards), That's Australia (2007), Desert Heart (2007) and Wedding Makers (2008) by Rebel Films, Artists At Work - David Frazer (2007), IOU - Lloyd Rees (2007) and Tom Moore - Glassorama (2008) by Tony Wyzenbeek at ABC TV
, and the SBS series Love's Harvest (2007) by Brian McKenzie and Rebel Films. Michael also collaborated with Justin Marshall on the soundtrack for the second series of The Art Life (2008) by Frank Haines Films, which aired on ABC TV recently.
and has also written and performed with Renée Geyer
, Mark Seymour
and Pound System. Other artists Michael has recorded with include Margaret Urlich
and Mimori Yusa
(Japan
).
Den Elzen feels a strong bond with remote Central Australia and was therefore very happy to go to far north-western South Australia
(Pitjantjatjara Lands) in recent years to record songs by local musicians promoting awareness of issues to do with health and well-being, supported by Nganampa Health Council in Alice Springs. The resulting CDs are called UPK2 Tilun Tilun Ta (2003), UPK3 Kunma Piti-la (2004) and UPK4 Ulkiyala (2005).
Michael continues to do session work and is currently composing for another project.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and music producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
based in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He has performed for over 25 years with many well-known Australian and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
artists, principally as a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist, and has contributed music for several Australian movie soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s.
Early career
Den Elzen spent his early life in BoortBoort, Victoria
Boort is a town in Victoria, Australia, located next to Lake Boort, in the Shire of Loddon. At the 2006 census, Boort had a population of 773. The town is known for its native birdlife...
and Mansfield
Mansfield, Victoria
Mansfield is a small town in the foothills of the Victorian part of the Australian Alps. It is approximately 180 km north-east of Melbourne...
(Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
) and started playing guitar at about 10 years of age. At the age of 15, he was performing in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
with the band Expresso Bongo, who made it to the finals of the talent competition, "Safeway New Faces". This led to his playing with local bands Notorious Gentlemen and The U-Boats. At age 20, he joined Broderick Smith
Broderick Smith
Broderick Smith aka Brod Smith is an Australian singer-songwriter, harmonica, guitar and banjo player. He was a member of 1970s bands Carson and The Dingoes, 1980s Broderick Smith's Big Combo and performed solo...
for his first solo album and toured in his band for about three years. He went on to perform with Venetta Fields
Venetta Fields
Venetta Fields is an American singer best known as session musician for leading rock and pop acts of the 1970s including Pink Floyd, Barbra Streisand, Steely Dan and the Rolling Stones...
; with Tim Finn
Tim Finn
Brian Timothy "Tim" Finn, OBE is a New Zealand singer and musician. Finn is most known for his music with New Zealand 1970s and 1980s rock group Split Enz, and later for his solo work, a temporary membership in his brother Neil's band Crowded House and his joint efforts with Neil Finn as the Finn...
as a guitarist on his 1985 Big Canoe
Big Canoe
Big Canoe is the 1986 solo album released by former Split Enz frontman Tim Finn. This album was the first time that Tim had worked with Split Enz co-founder Phil Judd since Judd left the band in 1978. In interviews Tim has said that the idea was that he and Phil were intending on writing again,...
tour; and with Stephen Cummings
Stephen Cummings
Stephen Donald Cummings is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and writer. He was lead singer of Melbourne-based rock band, The Sports, during 1976–1981, followed by a solo career which has met with critical acclaim but has had limited commercial success...
on his "This Wonderful Life" album, and Australian and U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
tours.
In the mid 80s, den Elzen joined Melbourne band Schnell Fenster
Schnell Fenster
Schnell Fenster was a Melbourne-based band, formed in 1986 by members of Split Enz after the breakup of that band. Tentatively named "The Wanx", the band selected their name, which is German for "fast window" , because it "appealed to [their] perversity".The band also formed the core of the members...
with ex-Split Enz
Split Enz
Split Enz were a New Zealand band of the 1970s and early 1980s featuring Phil Judd and brothers Tim Finn and Neil Finn. They achieved chart success in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada during the early 1980s ‒ most notably with the single "I Got You", and built a cult following elsewhere...
members Phil Judd
Phil Judd
Philip Judd is a New Zealand singer-songwriter known for being one of the founders of the bands Split Enz and The Swingers.-Split Enz:...
, Nigel Griggs
Nigel Griggs
Nigel Griggs is a musician who played bass guitar in Split Enz. He is the brother of Paul Griggs from the 1970s vocal group Guys 'n' Dolls...
and Noel Crombie
Noel Crombie
Noel Crombie is a New Zealand singer and former member of the band Split Enz. He fulfilled multiple roles including costume and hair designer, percussionist, album cover designer, and music video director...
. They released two albums, "The Sound Of Trees" and "OK Alright A-Huh O Yeah" and toured in Australia and New Zealand.
1990s
After the breakup of Schnell Fenster, den Elzen played on and co-produced Deborah ConwayDeborah Conway
Deborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
's 1991 successful String Of Pearls album. He went to America to perform for Peter Case
Peter Case
Peter Case is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, who has had a wide-ranging career ranging from new wave music to folk rock to solo acoustic performance.-Early career:...
(at the request of producer Mitchell Froom
Mitchell Froom
-Career:Froom began his career as a keyboard player in Sonoma County, California. The band Crossfire featured two keyboards players; Mitchell on one side of the stage and brother David on the other with Gary Pihl on guitar...
) on "Six Pack Of Love"; recorded and toured as bass player and musical director with Tim Finn; and toured and recorded with Richard Pleasance
Richard Pleasance
Richard Arnold Pleasance is an Australian rock musician and producer. He was a founding member of Boom Crash Opera on guitar, bass guitar, vocals and as a songwriter in 1985; they released three albums before Pleasance left in 1992...
. He then joined Melbourne band Rebecca's Empire
Rebecca's Empire
Rebecca's Empire were an indie pop-rock band from Melbourne, Australia. They released two full-length albums and two EPs in a six-year career lasting from 1994 to 2000.-History:...
's for their "Way Of All Things" album.
At the end of the 1990s, he joined Australian rock outfit Deadstar
Deadstar
Deadstar was an Australian band from Melbourne based around the songs of singer Caroline Kennedy and guitarist Barry Palmer ....
and played on their final album Over The Radio.
Soundtracks
Den Elzen started doing music for films in the 80s, the first being As The Mirror Burns (1990 release date). He worked with Phil JuddPhil Judd
Philip Judd is a New Zealand singer-songwriter known for being one of the founders of the bands Split Enz and The Swingers.-Split Enz:...
and Schnell Fenster
Schnell Fenster
Schnell Fenster was a Melbourne-based band, formed in 1986 by members of Split Enz after the breakup of that band. Tentatively named "The Wanx", the band selected their name, which is German for "fast window" , because it "appealed to [their] perversity".The band also formed the core of the members...
on the soundtrack for the movie Rikky and Pete
Rikky and Pete
Rikky and Pete is a 1988 Australian film directed by Nadia Tass and written by David Parker starring Stephen Kearney and Nina Landis.Rikky Menzies and Pete Menzies are sister and brother. Rikky is an out-of-work geologist, and aspiring singer . Pete is a misfit who dreams up weird inventions...
(1988), and was also involved with Phil Judd on the soundtrack for The Big Steal
The Big Steal (1990 film)
The Big Steal is a 1990 Australian caper film directed by Nadia Tass starring Ben Mendelsohn, Claudia Karvan and Steve Bisley. David Parker was the scriptwriter and cinematographer. The film won three Australian Film Institute awards.-Plot:...
(1990) and Mr. Reliable (1996).
He did the soundtrack to David Batty's Rodeo Road (1999) which lead to producing, recording, and co-writing the music for the TV series Bush Mechanics
Bush Mechanics
Bush Mechanics is a 2001 television documentary series directed by David Batty and produced by the Warlpiri Media Association, featuring an Indigenous Australian take on motor mechanics....
(2001) in Yuendumu about 300 km north-west of Alice Springs, and the soundtracks to other David Batty films, Sisters, Pearls and Mission Girls (2003) and Taylor Made (2003), as well as the TV series Inventions From The Shed (2005), all aired on the ABC.
Den Elzen also worked on a project with painter and artist David Munro
David Munro
David Munro is the name of:* David H. Munro, creator of the Yorick programming language* David Munro , , English documentary film-maker, particularly associated with John Pilger...
called Birdbrain, whose music was used in the TV series The Secret Life of Us
The Secret Life of Us
The Secret Life of Us was a television drama series set in the beachside suburb of St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia. The series was produced by Southern Star Entertainment and screened in Australia from 2001 to 2005 on Network Ten and on Channel 4 in the UK...
and in the film Ghosts of the Civil Dead (1988).
Other composer credits include Trespass (2001), Beyond Sorry (2004), Bush Bikes (2003), Us Mob (2005) and Aurukun-Voices From The Cape (2008) by David Vadiveloo
David Vadiveloo
David Selvarajah Vadiveloo is a multi-awarded Australian screen director, screen producer and human rights lawyer.His work in the 1990s and early 2000s in film and human rights saw him awarded the 2005 Australian Human Rights Commission Award for Individual Community Achievement for his work with...
, Case 442 (2005) by C.A.A.M.A., Going Bush (2006) by SBS TV
SBS TV
SBS One is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 24 October 1980, it is the responsibility of SBS's television division, and is available nationally...
, Marree Man (2007), the series Halal Mate (2007) (for which he was nominated in the category of "Best Music for a Documentary" at the 2008 APRA-AGSC Screen Music Awards), That's Australia (2007), Desert Heart (2007) and Wedding Makers (2008) by Rebel Films, Artists At Work - David Frazer (2007), IOU - Lloyd Rees (2007) and Tom Moore - Glassorama (2008) by Tony Wyzenbeek at ABC TV
ABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
, and the SBS series Love's Harvest (2007) by Brian McKenzie and Rebel Films. Michael also collaborated with Justin Marshall on the soundtrack for the second series of The Art Life (2008) by Frank Haines Films, which aired on ABC TV recently.
Other work
He produced, recorded and played most instruments on Take Me To The Place by Tess McKenna after collaborating on a song for the film Curtains For My Cabin. He played guitar and recorded with David BridieDavid Bridie
David Bridie is a musician from Melbourne, Australia. Bridie first rose to prominence as a member of Not Drowning, Waving, which he started in the early 1980s with guitarist John Phillips. They released four albums on Australian independent labels to some level of critical acclaim and very limited...
and has also written and performed with Renée Geyer
Renée Geyer
Renée Rebecca Geyer is an Australian singer who has long been regarded as one of the finest exponents of jazz, soul and R&B idioms. She had commercial success as a solo artist in Australia, with "It's a Man's Man's World", "Heading in the Right Direction" and "Stares and Whispers" in the 1970s and...
, Mark Seymour
Mark Seymour
Mark Seymour is an Australian musician and vocalist best known for his work as the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors...
and Pound System. Other artists Michael has recorded with include Margaret Urlich
Margaret urlich
Margaret Urlich is an ARIA Award-winning musician based in New South Wales. Urlich came to Sydney, Australia, in 1988 to pursue her singing career. Her debut solo album, Safety in Numbers, was highly successful winning Breakthrough Artist - Album at that years ARIA Awards, as was the follow-up...
and Mimori Yusa
Mimori Yusa
, , is a Japanese singer-songwriter. Although she has had a very prolific career, Yusa achieved only minor popularity in Japan until very recently when her song newest song, "Kuro", was featured on the popular NHK television program Minna no Uta from December 2005 until January 2006...
(Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
).
Den Elzen feels a strong bond with remote Central Australia and was therefore very happy to go to far north-western South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
(Pitjantjatjara Lands) in recent years to record songs by local musicians promoting awareness of issues to do with health and well-being, supported by Nganampa Health Council in Alice Springs. The resulting CDs are called UPK2 Tilun Tilun Ta (2003), UPK3 Kunma Piti-la (2004) and UPK4 Ulkiyala (2005).
Michael continues to do session work and is currently composing for another project.
External links
- Michael den Elzen (MySpace)