Ron Geesin
Encyclopedia
Ronald 'Ron' Geesin is a British musician and composer
, noted for his quirky creations and novel applications of sound. He is probably best known as the orchestrator and organizer of Pink Floyd
's "Atom Heart Mother
" in 1970, after the band found themselves hopelessly deadlocked over how to complete it. Geesin first collaborated with the band's Roger Waters
(the two shared a love of golf
) on 1970's unconventional film soundtrack Music from "The Body", sampling sounds made by the human body. Ron Geesin played piano with 'The Original Downtown Syncopators', a Dixieland band emulating the 'Original Dixieland Band' during the 1960s. The band was based in or near, Crawley, Sussex, UK.
, and Right Through. In 1971 he produced the pastoral Songs for a Gentle Man
by Bridget St John
. Many of his electronic compositions were used as soundtracks to ITV's 1970s and 1980s television broadcasts for schools and colleges.
In the 1990s, Headscope released a pair of CDs, Funny Frown and Bluefuse, melding modern technology with appropriated and found sounds. In 1994, Cherry Red Records released the Hystery CD, an overview of his career. In 1995, Cleopatra Records released his Land of Mist CD, a collection of instrumental ambience. In 1995, See For Miles Records
re-issued his first two vinyl albums on CD. Headscope followed in 2003 with the CD Right Through - and Beyond, a reissue of his last vinyl album, unissued material and a Sour New Year suite.
Geesin has long been interested in the potential for environmental sound and video installations. In 1970 he produced a sound-work for the British pavilion at the Osaka world fair
. During the 1990s, he collaborated with the artist Ian Breakwell
on video projects such as the large-scale work Auditorium and live art pieces such as Christmas Carol in which four synchronised figures dressed in Santa Claus costumes performed in Newcastle's Northumberland Street, having been banned from the Gateshead MetroCentre.
One of his rare appearances with other artists on the same album was on the extraordinary record "Miniatures - a sequence of tiny masterpieces" (Cherry Red Records, 1980) produced by Morgan Fisher
. Like all the other 50 tracks on the album, Ron's exhilarating synth/vocal/banjo track "Enterbrain Exit" was about one minute long.
His 2011 album, a dense, continuous masterwork 50 minutes long, is called "Roncycle1" and is available from Tonefloat Records in Holland.
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...
, noted for his quirky creations and novel applications of sound. He is probably best known as the orchestrator and organizer of Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
's "Atom Heart Mother
Atom Heart Mother (suite)
"Atom Heart Mother" is a six-part suite by progressive rock band Pink Floyd, composed by all members of the band and Ron Geesin. It appeared on the Atom Heart Mother album in 1970, taking up the whole first side of the original vinyl record...
" in 1970, after the band found themselves hopelessly deadlocked over how to complete it. Geesin first collaborated with the band's Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
(the two shared a love of golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
) on 1970's unconventional film soundtrack Music from "The Body", sampling sounds made by the human body. Ron Geesin played piano with 'The Original Downtown Syncopators', a Dixieland band emulating the 'Original Dixieland Band' during the 1960s. The band was based in or near, Crawley, Sussex, UK.
Career
After his first solo album, A Raise of Eyebrows, in 1967, Geesin went on to launch one of the first one-man record companies, Headscope, with the self-released As He Stands, PatrunsPatruns
Patruns is an album composed, performed and recorded by Ron Geesin. Released in 1975, Patruns features Geesin's piano only. The LP is not available on CD, with the exception of the frenetic Smoked Hips , which was included in a collection of his work, Hystery.-Tracks:All Tracks Composed by Ron...
, and Right Through. In 1971 he produced the pastoral Songs for a Gentle Man
Songs for a Gentle Man
Songs for the Gentle Man is a 1971 folk rock album by singer-songwriter Bridget St John. A follow up to her highly successful debut album, Songs for the Gentle Man propelled her to cult status in the United Kingdom...
by Bridget St John
Bridget St John
Bridget St John is a British singer and songwriter, best known for the three albums she recorded between 1969 and 1972 for John Peel's Dandelion label. Peel produced her debut album Ask Me No Questions. She also recorded a large number of BBC Radio and Peel sessions and toured regularly on the UK...
. Many of his electronic compositions were used as soundtracks to ITV's 1970s and 1980s television broadcasts for schools and colleges.
In the 1990s, Headscope released a pair of CDs, Funny Frown and Bluefuse, melding modern technology with appropriated and found sounds. In 1994, Cherry Red Records released the Hystery CD, an overview of his career. In 1995, Cleopatra Records released his Land of Mist CD, a collection of instrumental ambience. In 1995, See For Miles Records
See For Miles Records
See for Miles Records is a British record label which distributed some of the records of Dandelion Records on CD in the 1990s. The name hints both to its owner Colin Miles and The Who's "I Can See for Miles."...
re-issued his first two vinyl albums on CD. Headscope followed in 2003 with the CD Right Through - and Beyond, a reissue of his last vinyl album, unissued material and a Sour New Year suite.
Geesin has long been interested in the potential for environmental sound and video installations. In 1970 he produced a sound-work for the British pavilion at the Osaka world fair
Expo '70
was a World's Fair held in Suita, Osaka, Japan between March 15 and September 13, 1970. The theme of the Expo was "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." In Japanese Expo '70 is often referred to as Ōsaka Banpaku...
. During the 1990s, he collaborated with the artist Ian Breakwell
Ian Breakwell
Ian Breakwell was a world renowned British fine artist. He was a prolific artist who took a multi-media approach to his observation of society...
on video projects such as the large-scale work Auditorium and live art pieces such as Christmas Carol in which four synchronised figures dressed in Santa Claus costumes performed in Newcastle's Northumberland Street, having been banned from the Gateshead MetroCentre.
One of his rare appearances with other artists on the same album was on the extraordinary record "Miniatures - a sequence of tiny masterpieces" (Cherry Red Records, 1980) produced by Morgan Fisher
Morgan Fisher
Morgan Fisher is an English keyboard player / composer, and is most known for being a member of Mott the Hoople in the early 1970s. However, his career has covered a wide range of musical activities, and he is still highly active in the music industry...
. Like all the other 50 tracks on the album, Ron's exhilarating synth/vocal/banjo track "Enterbrain Exit" was about one minute long.
His 2011 album, a dense, continuous masterwork 50 minutes long, is called "Roncycle1" and is available from Tonefloat Records in Holland.
Discography
- A Raise of Eyebrows (1967)
- Music from "The Body" (1970)
- Electrosound (1972)
- As He Stands (1973)
- Electrosound (volume 2) (1975)
- PatrunsPatrunsPatruns is an album composed, performed and recorded by Ron Geesin. Released in 1975, Patruns features Geesin's piano only. The LP is not available on CD, with the exception of the frenetic Smoked Hips , which was included in a collection of his work, Hystery.-Tracks:All Tracks Composed by Ron...
(1975) - Atmospheres (1977)
- Right Through (1977)
- Magnificent Machines (1988)
- Funny Frown (1991)
- Bluefuse (1993)
- Hystery (1994) (Compilation)
- Land of Mist (1995)
- A Raise of Eyebrows/As He Stands (1995) (2 albums on one CD)
- Right Through and Beyond (2003) (Right Through plus additional tracks)
- Biting The Hand (2008)
- Roncycle1 (2011)