Muff Winwood
Encyclopedia
Mervyn "Muff" Winwood is an English
songwriter
and record producer
, and the older brother of Steve Winwood
. Both were formerly members of the Spencer Davis Group
in the 1960s, in which Muff Winwood played bass guitar
. He produced the first Dire Straits
album
, Dire Straits
(1978).
in dance band
s and had a collection of jazz
and blues
records
. He attended the Cranbourne Road Primary School and the new Great Barr School
which was one of the first comprehensive school
s. He was a choir boy at St John's Church, Perry Barr
and became interested in the guitar
and then the bass
.
man at Island Records
. He was there until 1978, when he became an executive at Columbia Records
(ultimately EMI Records
) until well into the 1990s. Besides Dire Straits, Winwood had earlier produced the hit album, Kimono My House
(1974), and attaching hit single, "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us
" for Sparks
. He also produced their other 1974 album, Propaganda (which included the "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth
" single). As part of his A&R duties, Winwood signed Terence Trent D'Arby, Sade
and The Psychedelic Furs amongst others.
His other work included production with Marianne Faithfull
, Nirvana
, Sutherland Brothers
("Sailing
"), Traffic
, Mott the Hoople
, Love Affair
, Kevin Ayers
, Unicorn, After the Fire
and The Noel Redding Band
.
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...
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 record 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...
, and the older brother of Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
. Both were formerly members of the Spencer Davis Group
Spencer Davis Group
The Spencer Davis Group was a mid-1960s British beat group from Birmingham, England, formed by Spencer Davis with Steve Winwood and his brother Muff Winwood...
in the 1960s, in which Muff Winwood played bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. He produced the first Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Dire Straits
Dire Straits (album)
Dire Straits is the self-titled debut album by British rock band Dire Straits, released in October 1978 by Phonogram Records.-History:...
(1978).
Early life
His father Lawrence was a motorcycle engine fitter who also played tenor saxophoneTenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
in dance band
Jazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...
s and had a collection of 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...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
records
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
. He attended the Cranbourne Road Primary School and the new Great Barr School
Great Barr School
Great Barr School is a co-educational secondary school on Aldridge Road in Great Barr, Birmingham, England for pupils aged 11 to 19. The school is usually the next level for children who attended Great Barr Primary School on the same area site.-History:...
which was one of the first comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
s. He was a choir boy at St John's Church, Perry Barr
Perry Barr
Perry Barr is an inner-city area in north Birmingham, England. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee. The constituency includes the smaller Perry Barr ward and the wards of Handsworth Wood, Lozells and East Handsworth, and Oscott, which elect three councillors to...
and became interested in the 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...
and then the bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
.
Record producer
After leaving the Spencer Davis Group in 1967, Winwood moved within the music industry to a position as A&RA&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
man at Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
. He was there until 1978, when he became an executive at Columbia Records
Columbia Graphophone Company
The Columbia Graphophone Company was one of the earliest gramophone companies in the United Kingdom. Under EMI, as Columbia Records, it became a very successful label in the 1950s and 1960s...
(ultimately EMI Records
EMI Records
EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
) until well into the 1990s. Besides Dire Straits, Winwood had earlier produced the hit album, Kimono My House
Kimono My House
-21st Century Edition:-Personnel:*Russell Mael, vocals*Ron Mael, keyboards*Martin Gordon, bass*Adrian Fisher, guitar*Norman "Dinky" Diamond, drums-Other credits:*Recording engineers - Richard Digby-Smith, Tony Platt*Mixdown engineer - Bill Price...
(1974), and attaching hit single, "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us
This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us
"This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" is a song written by Ron Mael of the American pop group Sparks. It is the opening track on their 1974 album Kimono My House, and was the lead single from the album, reaching number two in the UK singles chart....
" for Sparks
Sparks (band)
Sparks is an American rock and pop band formed in Los Angeles in 1968 by brothers Ron and Russell Mael , initially under the name Halfnelson...
. He also produced their other 1974 album, Propaganda (which included the "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth
Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth
"Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth" is a song by the American group Sparks. The song was recorded by the group's mid-seventies 'Glam' line-up. It was released in late 1974 as the first single from the group's fourth album, Propaganda....
" single). As part of his A&R duties, Winwood signed Terence Trent D'Arby, Sade
Sade (band)
Sade is a British smooth jazz band that formed in 1983, named for Nigerian lead singer Sade Adu. Their music features elements of R&B, soul, jazz, and soft rock....
and The Psychedelic Furs amongst others.
His other work included production with Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Evelyn Faithfull is an award-winning English singer, songwriter and actress whose career has spanned five decades....
, Nirvana
Nirvana (UK band)
Nirvana were a United Kingdom-based progressive rock band active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Though the band only achieved limited commercial success, they were acclaimed both by music industry professionals and critics...
, Sutherland Brothers
Sutherland Brothers
The Sutherland Brothers originally performed as a folk / rock duo in the field of British music in the early 1970s, and then from 1973 to 1978 joined with rock band Quiver to record and tour as Sutherland Brothers & Quiver...
("Sailing
Sailing (Rod Stewart song)
"Sailing" is a song written by Gavin Sutherland and recorded by The Sutherland Bros. Band . Released in June 1972, it can be found on their album 'Lifeboat' released in the same year....
"), Traffic
Traffic (band)
Traffic were an English rock band whose members came from the West Midlands. The group formed in April 1967 by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason...
, Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople were a British rock band with strong R&B roots, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The Hoople...
, Love Affair
Love Affair (band)
Love Affair were a London based pop, soul, R&B group formed in 1966. They had several UK Singles Chart Top 10 hits, including the number one success "Everlasting Love".-Personnel:The band primarily featured the following —...
, Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers is an English singer-songwriter and was a major influential force in the English psychedelic movement...
, Unicorn, After the Fire
After the Fire
After the Fire are a British rock band that progressed from playing progressive rock to new wave over their initial twelve-year career, while having only one hit in the United States, and one hit in the United Kingdom .-Early career:Keyboard player Peter Banks originally formed the band in the...
and The Noel Redding Band
The Noel Redding Band
The Noel Redding Band were an Irish folk rock supergroup that formed in Clonakilty, County Cork in 1972...
.