Phil Cristian
Encyclopedia
Phil Cristian aka Magic Cristian is an American
keyboardist
and singer.
Phil Cristian was a member of the Micki Free
Band, managed by Diana Ross
and produced by Gene Simmons
of Kiss
. The Micki Free
Band, which also featured bassist Jon Brant
, toured with Diana Ross as her opening act in 1981. He is best known for being 'Magic' Cristian, the touring keyboardist and background singer for the rock band Cheap Trick
between 1982–1986, as mentioned in the Cheap Trick biography Reputation Is A Fragile Thing. He subsequently recorded his first solo album No Prisoner, released in 1988 and Big Mouth's Hands Of Time, recorded in 1994 but not released that year. Both album masters were eventually sold to a Swedish record company and re-released in 1997.
He went on to become the music producer / musical director for country singer and "Hee Haw Honey" Zella Lehr
.
On November 21, 2008, 'Magic' Cristian once again joined Cheap Trick
on stage to perform the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
album in its entirety at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida. They performed with the 24-piece Florida Rock Orchestra, a Sitar and Tabla Drum Ensemble, guitarist Bill Lloyd of Foster and Lloyd and special guest Donovan
. Overseeing the live concert sound production was the legendary Beatles recording engineer Geoff Emerick
.
In the summer of 2009 Phil 'Magic' Cristian completed a 41 city North American tour with Cheap Trick
along with Poison
and Def Leppard
providing keyboards and back up vocals.
In September 2009, he performed in nine "Sgt. Pepper Live featuring Cheap Trick" shows at the Las Vegas Hilton along with renowned orchestra conductor Edwin Outwater
and special guests Grammy Award winner Joan Osborne
, Ian Ball
of Gomez and singer songwriter Rob Laufer.
On November 7, 2009, Cheap Trick
and the Cleveland Pops Orchestra
, conducted by Carl Tipolow performed a special selection of songs from the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album in a concert setting for skater Scott Hamilton. Each Cheap Trick
band member is a longtime friend of Hamilton, and they performed this special music at his personal request. Hamilton was surrounded by fellow Olympic and professional skaters who also performed throughout the evening.
Cheap Trick
continued to tour in 2010 with "Magic" Cristian on keyboards and backing vocals.
In June 2010, Sgt. Pepper Live featuring Cheap Trick was performed at the Paris Theater in Las Vegas.
In this version the production was the Sgt. Pepper album in its entirety and selected Cheap Trick songs performed with Edwin Outwater and the Orchestra, Bill Lloyd on guitar, The Sitar and Tabla Drum Ensemble and six background singers. Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick
was also on hand to oversee the live sound production.
Cheap Trick, along with Magic Cristian and Jellyfish keyboardist Roger Manning Jr., filmed three HD Concerts for HD Net, PBS' Austin City Limits and Soundstage.
Cheap Trick
toured North America in the summer of 2010 co-headlining with the British group Squeeze and 80's icons Blondie
. Cheap Trick
also headlined the United Kingdom in November and was presented the Best Classic Rock Album award for
Live At Budokan at the Classic Rock Awards show in London.
In January and February 2011, Cheap Trick
performed the album Dream Police featuring The Bombastic Symphonic Philharmonic With The Rhythmic Noise Mind Choir along with Rick Nielsen's son Miles on guitar.
On June 11, 2011 Cheap Trick along with Magic Cristian performed at the prestigious Download Festival in Donington, England.
On July 17, 2011 Magic Cristian was onstage with Cheap Trick as they were performing at the Blues Fest in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. A storm toppled the stage, destroying much if not all of the bands equipment. The band, their manager, their tour manager and their crew were on the stage as it collapsed, but miraculously no one onstage was hurt in the incident. The bands truck driver, however, was injured by falling stage debris, treated by a local hospital and released. The band commented on their Facebook page, "Everyone is okay. We are so lucky to be alive and hope that all the fans are okay, too."
Two days later, they performed with rental gear for over 15,000 fans in Lewiston, NY.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
keyboardist
Electronic keyboard
An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
and singer.
Phil Cristian was a member of the Micki Free
Micki Free
Micki Free is a Grammy-winning Native American guitarist and singer, and a two-time Native American Music Award winner. He is also the director of Promotions & Special Events for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, owners of Hard Rock International.-Biography:...
Band, managed by Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
and produced by Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
of Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. The Micki Free
Micki Free
Micki Free is a Grammy-winning Native American guitarist and singer, and a two-time Native American Music Award winner. He is also the director of Promotions & Special Events for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, owners of Hard Rock International.-Biography:...
Band, which also featured bassist Jon Brant
Jon Brant
Jon Brant was the bass player for the band Cheap Trick from 1981 to 1987. In addition to his work with that band, Brant has also played with artists including Chris Spedding, Micki Free, Robert Gordon, Lou Reed, and Diana Ross...
, toured with Diana Ross as her opening act in 1981. He is best known for being 'Magic' Cristian, the touring keyboardist and background singer for the rock band Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
between 1982–1986, as mentioned in the Cheap Trick biography Reputation Is A Fragile Thing. He subsequently recorded his first solo album No Prisoner, released in 1988 and Big Mouth's Hands Of Time, recorded in 1994 but not released that year. Both album masters were eventually sold to a Swedish record company and re-released in 1997.
He went on to become the music producer / musical director for country singer and "Hee Haw Honey" Zella Lehr
Zella Lehr
Zella Lehr is an American singer and entertainer. She had hit records on RCA Records and Columbia Records, most notably Dolly Parton's "Two Doors Down"...
.
On November 21, 2008, 'Magic' Cristian once again joined Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
on stage to perform the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
album in its entirety at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida. They performed with the 24-piece Florida Rock Orchestra, a Sitar and Tabla Drum Ensemble, guitarist Bill Lloyd of Foster and Lloyd and special guest Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
. Overseeing the live concert sound production was the legendary Beatles recording engineer Geoff Emerick
Geoff Emerick
Geoffrey Emerick is an English recording studio audio engineer, who is best known for his work with The Beatles' albums Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles and Abbey Road...
.
In the summer of 2009 Phil 'Magic' Cristian completed a 41 city North American tour with Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
along with Poison
Poison (band)
Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...
and Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
providing keyboards and back up vocals.
In September 2009, he performed in nine "Sgt. Pepper Live featuring Cheap Trick" shows at the Las Vegas Hilton along with renowned orchestra conductor Edwin Outwater
Edwin Outwater
Edwin Maurice Outwater is an American conductor from Santa Monica, California, United States.Outwater is the Music Director of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony in Ontario, Canada...
and special guests Grammy Award winner Joan Osborne
Joan Osborne
Joan Elizabeth Osborne is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her song "One of Us". She has toured with Motown sidemen the Funk Brothers and was featured in the documentary film about them, Standing in the Shadows of Motown.-Biography:Originally from Anchorage, Kentucky, a suburb...
, Ian Ball
Ian Ball
Ian Ball is an English singer songwriter, most notable for being part of the indie rock band Gomez, sharing lead vocals and guitars. He has also performed and released a solo recording. He is also a member of the 14 piece supergroup Operation Aloha along with fellow Gomez member Olly Peacock...
of Gomez and singer songwriter Rob Laufer.
On November 7, 2009, Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
and the Cleveland Pops Orchestra
Cleveland Pops Orchestra
The Cleveland Pops Orchestra is a non-profit professional American pops orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. As is typical of pops orchestras, the ensemble performs popular music , cinematic music, jazz, and show tunes as well as well-known classical works. The orchestra was founded in 1995 and...
, conducted by Carl Tipolow performed a special selection of songs from the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album in a concert setting for skater Scott Hamilton. Each Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
band member is a longtime friend of Hamilton, and they performed this special music at his personal request. Hamilton was surrounded by fellow Olympic and professional skaters who also performed throughout the evening.
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
continued to tour in 2010 with "Magic" Cristian on keyboards and backing vocals.
In June 2010, Sgt. Pepper Live featuring Cheap Trick was performed at the Paris Theater in Las Vegas.
In this version the production was the Sgt. Pepper album in its entirety and selected Cheap Trick songs performed with Edwin Outwater and the Orchestra, Bill Lloyd on guitar, The Sitar and Tabla Drum Ensemble and six background singers. Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick
Geoff Emerick
Geoffrey Emerick is an English recording studio audio engineer, who is best known for his work with The Beatles' albums Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles and Abbey Road...
was also on hand to oversee the live sound production.
Cheap Trick, along with Magic Cristian and Jellyfish keyboardist Roger Manning Jr., filmed three HD Concerts for HD Net, PBS' Austin City Limits and Soundstage.
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
toured North America in the summer of 2010 co-headlining with the British group Squeeze and 80's icons Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
. Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
also headlined the United Kingdom in November and was presented the Best Classic Rock Album award for
Live At Budokan at the Classic Rock Awards show in London.
In January and February 2011, Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
performed the album Dream Police featuring The Bombastic Symphonic Philharmonic With The Rhythmic Noise Mind Choir along with Rick Nielsen's son Miles on guitar.
On June 11, 2011 Cheap Trick along with Magic Cristian performed at the prestigious Download Festival in Donington, England.
On July 17, 2011 Magic Cristian was onstage with Cheap Trick as they were performing at the Blues Fest in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. A storm toppled the stage, destroying much if not all of the bands equipment. The band, their manager, their tour manager and their crew were on the stage as it collapsed, but miraculously no one onstage was hurt in the incident. The bands truck driver, however, was injured by falling stage debris, treated by a local hospital and released. The band commented on their Facebook page, "Everyone is okay. We are so lucky to be alive and hope that all the fans are okay, too."
Two days later, they performed with rental gear for over 15,000 fans in Lewiston, NY.
Discography
- The Flamingo Orkestra featuring Cynthia Manley (1987) - songwriter, keyboards.
- No Prisoner (1988) - singer, songwriter, keyboards.
- Hands Of Time (1994 released 1997) - songwriter, keyboards with Big Mouth.
With Cheap Trick
- Cheap Trick: Live At Alpine Valley (King Biscuit Radio Broadcast 1982) - keyboards, background vocals.
- Cheap Trick : Live In Germany (Rockpalast Concert 1983) - keyboards, background vocals
- Up The Creek Soundtrack (1983) - keyboards, background vocals.
- Cheap Trick: Standing On The Edge (1985) - keyboards on the track Love Comes Around.
External links
- Heavy Harmonies.com / No Prisoner
- Heavy Harmonies.com / Hands Of Time
- Reputation Is A Fragile Thing: The Story Of Cheap Trick
- Sgt. Pepper LIve Review 2008 Clearwater, Florida
- Sgt. Pepper Live Review 2009 Hilton Hotel Las Vegas
- Sgt. Pepper Live Review 2009 Hilton Hotel Las Vegas
- Sgt. Pepper LIve Review 2010 Paris Theater Las Vegas
- Cheap Trick Celebrates Magic Cristian's Birthday