Mocky
Encyclopedia
Mocky is a Somali
-Canadian
singer
, music producer
, multi-instrumentalist
, songwriter
and composer
.
, Canada
. He later moved to Ottawa
and Toronto
, and then to London
, Amsterdam
and Berlin
. His father is of Somali
descent, but was born in present-day Yemen
. His mother is English
.
, as well as on V2 Records
in France, and Saskamodie on Crammed Discs
. As a producer and songwriter he has worked with artists as diverse as Jamie Lidell, Feist, Nikka Costa, GZA, Alexandro Jodorowsky, Gonzales, Peaches and more.
His music is notable for its sense of humour, and for combining elements of hip-hop and experimental sounds into memorable tunes. Mocky's song "Sweet Music" from his first album quickly became an underground hit, especially in Europe
.
He was also a member of the groups Puppetmastaz, The Shit, Son
, The D.O.M, the Freeway Band, and The Roustabouts.
In December 2008, Mocky announced the 2009 release of his new and mostly instrumental album Saskamodie on the Crammed Discs
label.
, Gonzales
, Feist, Taylor Savvy, and others.
Mocky is also a much sought after live performer, and plays in shows for fellow musicians Gonzales and Jamie Lidell, usually on drums, keyboards, bass or guitar.
In September 2009, Mocky had an appearance by the rapper GZA
on his soundtrack-like tune "Birds of a Feather".
In 2010 and 2011 Mocky co-produced the album Buen Soldado
by Francisca Valenzuela
and the album Metals
by Feist
In addition, Mocky co-wrote and co-produced the 2008 album Jim
by Jamie Lidell. He also frequently collaborates with musicians Gonzales
and Kevin Blechdom
.
Some of Mocky's other co-writing credits include:
's new full-length feature movie UFO In Her Eyes that was filmed in China
.
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
-Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, 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...
, multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Biography
Mocky was born Dominic Salole in SaskatchewanSaskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He later moved to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and then to 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...
, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. His father is of Somali
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
descent, but was born in present-day Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. His mother is English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
.
Musical work
Mocky has released four albums under his own name: In Mesopotamia, Are + Be, Navy Brown Blues, and Saskamodie. He released them first on his own label Mockyrecordings and the Japanese label Saidera, then on the German labels Gomma and Four MusicFour Music
Four Music is a German record label founded by Die Fantastischen Vier in 1996.It was originally located in Stuttgart, but has moved to Kreuzberg, Berlin.The most popular musicians and groups signed on Four Music are...
, as well as on V2 Records
V2 Records
V2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
in France, and Saskamodie on Crammed Discs
Crammed Discs
Crammed Discs is an independent record label whose output blends world music, rock, pop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, Belgium, Crammed was founded in 1980 by Marc Hollander of Aksak Maboul and has since released over 300 albums and 250 singles, working with artists from all over the world...
. As a producer and songwriter he has worked with artists as diverse as Jamie Lidell, Feist, Nikka Costa, GZA, Alexandro Jodorowsky, Gonzales, Peaches and more.
His music is notable for its sense of humour, and for combining elements of hip-hop and experimental sounds into memorable tunes. Mocky's song "Sweet Music" from his first album quickly became an underground hit, especially in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
He was also a member of the groups Puppetmastaz, The Shit, Son
Son (band)
Son was a Canadian alternative rock band in the 1990s. The band included Jason Beck, Dominic Salole and Dave Szigeti.- Discography :*Thriller - Warner Bros. Records, 1996*Filler - EP, 1997*Wolfstein - Warner Bros. Records, 1998- Notes :...
, The D.O.M, the Freeway Band, and The Roustabouts.
In December 2008, Mocky announced the 2009 release of his new and mostly instrumental album Saskamodie on the Crammed Discs
Crammed Discs
Crammed Discs is an independent record label whose output blends world music, rock, pop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, Belgium, Crammed was founded in 1980 by Marc Hollander of Aksak Maboul and has since released over 300 albums and 250 singles, working with artists from all over the world...
label.
The Canadian Crew
Mocky is considered to be a member of the Canadian Crew, a loose collective of expat Canadian musicians mostly living in Europe that includes PeachesPeaches (musician)
Merrill Beth Nisker , better known by her stage name Peaches, is a Canadian electronic musician and performance artist who lives in Berlin, Germany. Her songs are noted for disregarding traditional gender norms and their use of sexually explicit lyrics...
, Gonzales
Gonzales (musician)
Gonzales, , is a Grammy-nominated Canadian musician currently residing in Paris, France. Though best known for his first MC and electro albums, he is also a pianist, producer, and songwriter....
, Feist, Taylor Savvy, and others.
Mocky is also a much sought after live performer, and plays in shows for fellow musicians Gonzales and Jamie Lidell, usually on drums, keyboards, bass or guitar.
In September 2009, Mocky had an appearance by the rapper GZA
GZA
Gary Grice , better known by his stage names GZA and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist and founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. He has also appeared on his fellow clan members' solo projects and has maintained a successful solo career...
on his soundtrack-like tune "Birds of a Feather".
In 2010 and 2011 Mocky co-produced the album Buen Soldado
Buen Soldado
In August 2010, Valenzuela returned to Santiago, Chile, to start the recording the album at the Atomic studios in Santiago, Chile, with the technical control engineer Gonzalo "Chalo" Gonzalez and Camilo Salinas collaborations on the Hammond organ and Pablo Ilabaca, member of the Chilean band...
by Francisca Valenzuela
Francisca Valenzuela
Francisca Valenzuela is an American born Chilean singer, songwriter, poet, instrumentalist, and composer of Pop and Rock songs. She was born and raised in San Francisco, California, where she resided until the age of 12, before moving to Chile. She is considered to be one of the singing...
and the album Metals
Metals (album)
-Track listing:-Tour:Metals Tour -Charts, sales and procession:Metals debuted on the U.S. Billboard 200 at number 7, selling about 38,000 copies in its first week. The album earned Feist's best sales week and her first top 10 chart in US.-Charts:-Release history:...
by Feist
Co-writing and co-producing credits
Mocky has co-written and co-produced songs for:- Jamie LidellJamie LidellJamie Lidell is an English musician and soul singer living in Nashville, United States...
's 2005 album Multiply and 2008 album JIMJim (album)Jim is a 2008 album from Jamie Lidell. The album is less electronica-oriented than his previous album, Multiply.. In early 2009, Jim was named Best Pop/Rock Album at the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards. For the week of May 17, 2008, the album reached #183 on the U.S...
. - Feist's album The ReminderThe ReminderThe Reminder is the third full-length album by indie artist Feist. It was released on April 23, 2007 in countries outside of North America, and May 1, 2007 in the United States and Canada....
(nominated for four grammys) and MetalsMetals (album)-Track listing:-Tour:Metals Tour -Charts, sales and procession:Metals debuted on the U.S. Billboard 200 at number 7, selling about 38,000 copies in its first week. The album earned Feist's best sales week and her first top 10 chart in US.-Charts:-Release history:...
.
In addition, Mocky co-wrote and co-produced the 2008 album Jim
Jim (album)
Jim is a 2008 album from Jamie Lidell. The album is less electronica-oriented than his previous album, Multiply.. In early 2009, Jim was named Best Pop/Rock Album at the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards. For the week of May 17, 2008, the album reached #183 on the U.S...
by Jamie Lidell. He also frequently collaborates with musicians Gonzales
Gonzales (musician)
Gonzales, , is a Grammy-nominated Canadian musician currently residing in Paris, France. Though best known for his first MC and electro albums, he is also a pianist, producer, and songwriter....
and Kevin Blechdom
Kevin Blechdom
Kevin Blechdom, born Kristin Erickson, is an American experimental electronic musician/performance artist from San Francisco, California.-Life and career:...
.
Some of Mocky's other co-writing credits include:
- "Bittersweet Melodies", "Graveyard", "Caught A Long Wind" from the album MetalsMetals (album)-Track listing:-Tour:Metals Tour -Charts, sales and procession:Metals debuted on the U.S. Billboard 200 at number 7, selling about 38,000 copies in its first week. The album earned Feist's best sales week and her first top 10 chart in US.-Charts:-Release history:...
by Feist - "Multiply", "When I Come Back Around", "What´s the Use", "What is it this Time" and "Game for Fools" from the album Multiply by Jamie Lidell
- "Take me to Broadway" with Gonzales
- "So Sorry" from the album The Reminder by Feist
- "Another Day", "Wait for me", Out of my System", "All I Wanna Do", "Little Bit of Feelgood", "Figured me Out", "Green Light", "Rope of Sand" from the album Jim by Jamie Lidell
- "Without Love" from the Album Pebble to a Pearl by Nikka CostaNikka CostaDomenica "Nikka" Costa is an American singer whose music combines elements of funk, soul, and blues. She also had a career as a child singer starting in the early 1980s. She is the daughter of notable music producer Don Costa and is married to Australian producer/songwriter Justin Stanley.- Early...
Soundtrack work
In 2011, Mocky will complete the soundtrack to Xiaolu GuoXiaolu Guo
Xiaolu Guo born 1973) is a Chinese novelist and filmmaker, who uses film and literary language to explore themes of alienation, memory, personal journeys, daily tragedies and develops her own vision of China's past and its future in a global environment....
's new full-length feature movie UFO In Her Eyes that was filmed in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Albums
- 2002: In Mesopotamia
- 2004: Are + Be
- 2006: Navy Brown Blues
- 2009: Saskamodie
Singles
- 2005: "Catch a Moment in Time"
- 2006: "Fightin' Away the Tears" (featuring Feist)
- 2006: "How Will I Know You?" (featuring Jamie LidellJamie LidellJamie Lidell is an English musician and soul singer living in Nashville, United States...
) - 2009: " Birds of a Feather "
Albums
- 2002: GonzalesGonzales (musician)Gonzales, , is a Grammy-nominated Canadian musician currently residing in Paris, France. Though best known for his first MC and electro albums, he is also a pianist, producer, and songwriter....
- The Entertainist - 2002: Puppetmastaz - Zoology
- 2003: Gonzales - Presidential Suite
- 2005: Studio R - Clapz
- 2005: Puppetmastaz - Creature Shock Rock Radio
- 2005: Kevin Blechdom - Eat My Heart Out
- 2005: Jamie LidellJamie LidellJamie Lidell is an English musician and soul singer living in Nashville, United States...
- Multiply - 2006: Jane BirkinJane BirkinJane Mallory Birkin, OBE is an English-born actress and singer who lives in France. In recent years she has written her own album, directed a film and become an outspoken proponent of democracy in Burma.- Early life :...
- Fictions - 2006: Jamie LidellJamie LidellJamie Lidell is an English musician and soul singer living in Nashville, United States...
- Multiply Additions - 2006: Soffy O - The Beauty of It
- 2007: Micky Green - White T-Shirt
- 2007: Teki Latex - Party De Plaisir
- 2007: Feist - The ReminderThe ReminderThe Reminder is the third full-length album by indie artist Feist. It was released on April 23, 2007 in countries outside of North America, and May 1, 2007 in the United States and Canada....
- 2008: Jamie LidellJamie LidellJamie Lidell is an English musician and soul singer living in Nashville, United States...
- Jim - 2008: Puppetmastaz – The Takeover
- 2008: Nikka CostaNikka CostaDomenica "Nikka" Costa is an American singer whose music combines elements of funk, soul, and blues. She also had a career as a child singer starting in the early 1980s. She is the daughter of notable music producer Don Costa and is married to Australian producer/songwriter Justin Stanley.- Early...
- Pebble to a PearlPebble to a PearlPebble to a Pearl is the fourth album by the American funk/soul singer Nikka Costa. The album was produced by Costa's husband Justin Stanley, who also worked with Jamie Lidell and Beck. It was released independently on Costa and Stanley's label Go Funk Yourself Records, and distributed by the then... - 2011: Francisca ValenzuelaFrancisca ValenzuelaFrancisca Valenzuela is an American born Chilean singer, songwriter, poet, instrumentalist, and composer of Pop and Rock songs. She was born and raised in San Francisco, California, where she resided until the age of 12, before moving to Chile. She is considered to be one of the singing...
- Buen SoldadoBuen SoldadoIn August 2010, Valenzuela returned to Santiago, Chile, to start the recording the album at the Atomic studios in Santiago, Chile, with the technical control engineer Gonzalo "Chalo" Gonzalez and Camilo Salinas collaborations on the Hammond organ and Pablo Ilabaca, member of the Chilean band... - 2011: Feist - MetalsMetals (album)-Track listing:-Tour:Metals Tour -Charts, sales and procession:Metals debuted on the U.S. Billboard 200 at number 7, selling about 38,000 copies in its first week. The album earned Feist's best sales week and her first top 10 chart in US.-Charts:-Release history:...
Remixes
- 2003: IsoléeIsoléeIsolée is microhouse artist Rajko Müller. Isolée is a minimalist house producer whose music is reminisent of indie electronic pop music of the early eighties and ambient techno from a decade on. Isolée is credited with creating the very first microhouse record to reach the club charts...
- "It's About" - 2003: V.A. - "Cinemix"
- 2004: Husky RescueHusky Rescue-History:The band was formed by Marko Nyberg, who began composing under the name in 2002, wanting to create cinematic music influenced by film, photography and painting. When recording the debut album Country Falls, Nyberg recorded around 20 musicians and singers for use on the album—each of...
- "Summertime Cowboy" - 2004: Feist - "Mushaboom"
- 2005: Feist - "Inside and OutInside and Out"Inside and Out" is a single released in 2005 by Canadian singer Feist. It is the third single from her 2004 album Let It Die. The song is a cover of the Bee Gees' 1979 hit "Love You Inside Out".-Song information:...
" - 2006: Jamie LidellJamie LidellJamie Lidell is an English musician and soul singer living in Nashville, United States...
- "What's the Use" - 2006: Architecture in HelsinkiArchitecture in HelsinkiArchitecture in Helsinki is an Australian indie pop band which consists of Cameron Bird, Gus Franklin, Jamie Mildren, Sam Perry, and Kellie Sutherland...
- "Need to Shout" - 2007: Young MCYoung MCMarvin Young , better known by his stage name Young MC, is an English-born American singer and actor. He is best known for his 1989 hit "Bust a Move"...
- "Bust a MoveBust a Move (Young MC song)"Bust a Move" is a 1989 single by the rapper Young MC. It won the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance. It appeared on his album Stone Cold Rhymin and was his biggest hit, reaching number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the charts in Australia...
" - 2008: Anita O'DayAnita O'DayAnita O'Day was an American jazz singer.Born Anita Belle Colton, O'Day was admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances shattered the traditional image of the "girl singer"...
- "Tenderly" (Verve RemixedVerve RemixedVerve Remixed is a series of albums released by Verve Records centered on the concept of classic Verve tracks, remixed by contemporary electronic music producers and DJs...
) - 2011: Lateef The Truthspeaker - "Oakland" (Mocky Remix) ft. Del The Funky Homosapien & The Grouch
External links
- Official website
- MySpace
- http://crammed.be.dd5126.kasserver.com/index.php?id=34&art_id=91Mocky page on the Crammed DiscsCrammed DiscsCrammed Discs is an independent record label whose output blends world music, rock, pop, and electronica. Based in Brussels, Belgium, Crammed was founded in 1980 by Marc Hollander of Aksak Maboul and has since released over 300 albums and 250 singles, working with artists from all over the world...
site] - Interview in Portuguese Webzine