Stephen Emmer
Background information
Born (1958-01-28) 28 January 1958
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Genres
Instrument(s)Guitar, piano, keyboard, bass
Years active1972–present
LabelsWEA/Idiot, Allegro, Supertracks, Electric Fairytale
Websitestephenemmer.com

Stephen Emmer (/ˈstɛfən/ STEF-ən; born 28 January 1958 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch composer, arranger, producer, sound designer and musician.[1] Best known as a composer for Dutch television and film, Emmer has released four albums as a solo artist, each with a different theme or concept. Vogue Estate [2] released in 1982, is the soundtrack for an imaginary film; 2007’s Recitement [3] is a spoken word album of poetry and prose; International Blue,[4] released in 2014, is a tribute to pop crooners. In 2017 Emmer released Home Ground,[5] a neo-soul album that addresses social issues related to origin.

Emmer is closely associated with the Dutch Ultra movement of late 1970s and early 1980s.[6] He was a member of Minny Pops and the Lotus Eaters,[2] co-founded the music magazine Vinyl [6] and hosted and produced RadioNome for Dutch broadcasting organization VPRO.[7][8][9]

Early life and education

Emmer was born in Amsterdam. His parents are mother Roekie Aronds, actress and ballet dancer[10] and father Fred Emmer, an anchorman for NOS Journaal.[11] In the late 70s he played in a free jazz group and a symphonic rock group with Mathilde Santing and Dennis Duchart.[12]

Music

1979-1984: Minny Pops, Radionome, Vinyl, Vogue Estate

In 1979, Emmer joined Minny Pops, an avant-garde post-punk band central to the Dutch Ultra[10] movement,[6] and co-founded Vinyl,[13] a music magazine launched in 1981.[14][10] In January 1980, Minny Pops opened for Joy Division and were subsequently signed by Factory Records.[15][16] In 1981, they recorded their first single for Factory, Dolphin's Spurt, with Joy Division producer Martin Hannett.[17][18] The first Dutch band to do a Peel Session,[19] Minny Pops toured the UK several times; Emmer, who had joined the band as a guitarist, performed and recorded on both guitar and bass guitar on the album "Drastic Measures, Drastic Movement".[20] He also hosted and produced radio programs for the Dutch broadcasting organization VPRO, including Radionome, which aired experimental music and live in-studio performances.[21] Emmer's music was included on Radionome compilation albums issued by VPRO.[22] In 1982, Emmer recorded Vogue Estate, a soundtrack for an imaginary film.[23] Although mainly an instrumental, it included two songs with vocals: "Wish On" with Billy MacKenzie (of The Associates) and "Never Share" with Martha Ladley (from Martha and the Muffins).[24] Michael Dempsey, formerly of The Cure, played bass on Vogue Estate,[25] which was produced by Emmer with Flood.[26] Emmer also performed with the Associates in 1982. In 1984 Dempsey and Emmer joined The Lotus Eaters.[27]

2006 – present: Recitement, International Blue, Home Ground

Working with producer Tony Visconti, Emmer composed music to accompany poetry and prose voiced by authors and performers for the album Recitement, released on the Dutch Supertracks label in 2007.[28] Some were new recordings, made specifically for Recitement, and others were previously recorded. Its 17 tracks included texts by Yoko Ono, Allen Ginsberg, Paul Theroux, Thomas Hardy, Jorge Luis Borges, Ken Nordine, Charles Baudelaire and Samuel Beckett, voiced by Lou Reed, Richard Burton, Sylvia Kristel, Michael Parkinson and Hugo Claus among others.[3][29] [30][31] In 2014, again working with Visconti, Emmer released International Blue, tribute to pop crooning.[2] A collection of "lushly orchestrated tales of heartbreak", it featured vocalists Midge Ure from Ultravox, Glenn Gregory of Heaven 17, Liam McKahey of Cousteau and Neil Crossley.[32] Gregory collaborated on four of the album's ten songs, including "Untouchable", a "darkly sumptuous" tribute to Billy MacKenzie.[2] For the Christmas holiday, Julian Lennon recorded a seasonal version of the album's "Sleep for England".[33] De Telegraaf wrote that International Blue was "the most beautifully orchestrated, arranged and composed album of the year".[34]

In 2017, Emmer released Home Ground, a retro-soul album inspired by the "music-with-a-message movement of the 1970s", such as Marvin Gaye's What's Going On.[35] The album addresses social issues related to "homeground". Commenting on Homeground in a 2017 interview Emmer said: "Where your own home ground is; is it in your own country, your city or village, your house or is it close to your loved ones or is it in your own heart or head?"[36] A benefit album for the charity War Child featured vocalists including Chaka Khan, Leon Ware, Patti Austin, Frank McComb and Andy Bey.[5][37][21] Review Soultracks.[38] Emmer is the founder of eStation, a media production studio.[39] He is the music director for Holiday on Ice,[40] and the Cartoon Network's [41] live show, which launched in 2018.[42]

The album Maison Melody, self-recorded by Emmer during the Covid-19 lockdown, was released for free in 2020 to emotionally support the people financially affected by self-isolations.[43]

Awards

  • Home Ground, Golden Global Music Award 2017 [44]
  • Humanitarian Award, Global Music Awards, 2018[44]

Discography

Albums

YearAlbumLabelNotes
2020Maison MelodyElectric Fairytale Recordings
2017Home GroundElectric Fairytale RecordingsWith Chaka Khan, Patti Austin, Leon Ware
Kendra Foster, Frank McComb, Mary Griffin
Ursula Rucker, Andy Bey and Dwight Trible
2014International BlueElectric Fairytale Recordingswith Midge Ure, Neil Crossley
Liam McKahey, and Glenn Gregory
2008RecitementSupertrackswith Lou Reed, Ken Nordine
Yoko Ono, Jorge Luis Borges and others
1982Vogue EstateWEA/Idiot Records

[45]

Singles

YearSongLabel
2017"Home Ground" ft Patti AustinElectric Fairytale Recordings
"Close To Life" ft Frank McComb and Leon WareElectric Fairytale Recordings
"A New Day To Come" ft Andy BeyElectric Fairytale Recordings
"Soil" ft Ursula RuckerElectric Fairytale Recordings
2014"Sleep For England" ft Julian LennonElectric Fairytale Recordings
"Let The Silence Hold You" ft Glenn GregoryElectric Fairytale Recordings
"Untouchable" ft Glenn GregoryElectric Fairytale Recordings
2007"Passengers" ft Lou ReedSupertracks
1985"End of the Affair" with Continental CastEpic / Sony
1984"Endless" with Lotus EatersSylvan Records
1982"Pedalenproza" ft Richard ZijlstraVinyl/Sonopresse
Never Share ft Martha LadleyWEA/Idiot Records
1981"Dolphin's Spurt" with Minny PopsFactory

[45]

References

  1. ↑ Van Brummelen, Peter (6 November 2009). "Stephen Emmer: man van zeven minuten". Het Parool. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Harrison, Ian (26 March 2014). "Stephen Emmer & Glenn Gregory – Untouchable". Mojo. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  3. 1 2 Jurek, Tom. "Recitement, Stephen Emmer". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  4. ↑ "Playlist - Stephen Emmer's "pop crooners"". Q Magazine. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Stephen Emmer: Home Ground (Electric Fairytale Recordings) 9th June 2017 - Music Republic Magazine". Music Republic Magazine. 20 May 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 Vorvelt, Martin (15 January 2004). "Dutch Post Punk". Musicians like Emmer were also involved in founding Vinyl magazine, instrumental in disseminating knowledge of experimental post-punk bands, and coining the "Ultra" movement (for "extreme" electronic music).
  7. ↑ "Stephen Emmer komt met ambitieus album". www.ad.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  8. ↑ "Amerikaanse muziekprijs voor Stephen Emmer | Nieuws | Telegraaf.nl". www.telegraaf.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  9. ↑ Kamer, Gijsbert. "Stephen Emmer vond bijzonzer stel soulvocalisten - Recensies - Voor nieuws, achtergronden en columns". De Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 "Ik kreeg er een Louis-van-Gaal-gevoel van: enorm serieus zwaar op de hand zijn over iets ondergeschikts". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  11. ↑ "Van ambtenaar tot kunstenaar | Vrij | Telegraaf.nl". www.telegraaf.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  12. ↑ "Muziekencyclopedie - Stephen Emmer". www.muziekencyclopedie.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  13. ↑ "Digging Up Dutch Undergrounds - an interview with Oscar Smit and Marcel Harlaar of Vinyl Magazine - Luifabriek". Luifabriek. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  14. ↑ Foster, Richard (1 March 2017). "'Moderne Muziek': Vinyl magazine and the Dutch post-punk movement". Punk & Post Punk. 6 (1): 14. doi:10.1386/punk.6.1.7_1. ISSN 2044-1983.
  15. ↑ Krahmer, Daan (14 April 2016). "Joy Division kwam live écht binnen". 3voor12. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  16. ↑ Simpson, Dave (21 April 2014). "A Factory Night review – 'Section 25: the best new/old band in Britain?'". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  17. ↑ "The Quietus | Features | A Quietus Interview | Not So Polite: Wally Van Middendorp Of Minny Pops Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  18. ↑ Kellman, Andy. "Minny Pops". allmusic.com. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  19. ↑ Griggs, Eleanor (11 January 2012). "Minny Pops New Album And Tour". The Quietus. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  20. ↑ Skene, Gordon (16 November 2017). "Minny Pops In Session – 1980 – Past Daily Soundbooth". Past Daily. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  21. 1 2 "Stephen Emmer komt met ambitieus album | bndestem.nl". www.bndestem.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  22. ↑ "RARE MINIMAL SYNTH WAVE COLD WAVE VPRO NWW". www.popsike.com. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  23. ↑ Harrison, Ian (26 March 2014). "Stephen Emmer & Glenn Gregory – Untouchable". Mojo. Retrieved 3 September 2018. DUTCH MUSICIAN STEPHEN EMMER worked with the unique voice of Associates' Billy Mackenzie on his 1982 imaginary soundtrack Vogue Estate.
  24. ↑ "Stephen Emmer & Glenn Gregory – Untouchable". Mojo. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  25. ↑ "Vogue Estate, track listings and credits". Discogs. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  26. ↑ "Muziekencyclopedie - Stephen Emmer". www.muziekencyclopedie.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  27. ↑ Wright, Jade (26 June 2009). "Lotus Eaters relish return to home stage at Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall". The Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  28. ↑ "Stephen Emmer: Recitement Album Review | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  29. ↑ "VARIOUS ARTISTS: Chamber Music [Fire] / STEPHEN EMMER: Recitement [Supertracks] - Magnet Magazine". Magnet Magazine. 22 July 2008. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  30. ↑ Peavy, April (21 October 2008). "Global hit". Public Radio International. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  31. ↑ "Subtiel tegen het ritme stotteren". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  32. ↑ "Interview - Stephen Emmer pays tribute to lost art of pop crooning". Chaos Control Digizine. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  33. ↑ "Stephen Emmer & Julian Lennon 'Sleep For England' - Classic Pop Magazine". Classic Pop Magazine. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  34. ↑ Wijlaars, Bart (19 December 2014). "Telegraaf Top 2014: Beste Nederlandse albums". Telegraaf. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  35. ↑ "Stephen Emmer – Interview". The Strange Brew. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  36. ↑ "Soul and Classical Meet in A Global Collab". Sonic Scoop. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  37. ↑ Bruger, Tina. "Stephen Emmers Home Ground: bekijk de trailer" (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  38. ↑ "Stephen Emmer - Home Ground (2017) (Review)". SoulTracks - Soul Music Biographies, News and Reviews. 19 June 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  39. ↑ Jouvenaar, Co (2 November 2006). "Crossing Border highlights: Stephen Emmer". 3voor12. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  40. ↑ "Holiday On Ice, on the rocks". FIGARO (in French). 13 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  41. ↑ Concerts, Big. "Cartoon Network Live! | Big Concerts". www.bigconcerts.co.za. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  42. ↑ "Here's your first look at Cartoon Network Live in South Africa". Channel. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  43. ↑ Pingitore, Silvia (16 June 2020). "From 70s post-punk to working with Yoko Ono: interview with composer Stephen Emmer". the-shortlisted.co.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  44. 1 2 "Amerikaanse muziekprijs voor Stephen Emmer | Nieuws | Telegraaf.nl". www.telegraaf.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  45. 1 2 "Stephen Emmer". Discogs. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
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