Acrobats of Desire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. (help, get involved!)
This article has been tagged since November 2006.

This article (or section) may need to be wikified to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please help improve this article, especially its section layout, and relevant internal links. (help)
This article has been tagged since November 2006.

Acrobats of Desire were a singular and iconic product of the UK post punk period. An electric string quartet with raw vocals their line up consisted of two violins, viola, cello, assorted percussion and lead vocalist. Originating in their home town of Sheffield they were some of the founders of the original and idiosyncratic music style which has defined that city. A culture which went on to spawn Pulp,Hula,Richard Hawley Cabaret Voltaire The Arctic Monkeys and The Long Blondes.

Mick Wilson and Deborah Egan were the original members of the ensemble and the majority of the material was written for the group by Mick Wilson - now Head of Composition at Salford University, Manchester UK. Their unique style fused contemporary classical composition with influences ranging from Appalacian country music to Stravinsky. Driven by complex rhythms and harmonies, their sound was unique, featuring funny, sexually provocative, darkly observant lyrics. These were fully explored in the energised and confrontational performances of the leather clad singer Deborah Egan and the group quickly attracted critical attention from press and broadcasters.

Very much a live act they got their career break at Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1977 where they performed to full houses - initiating a cult status amongst fringegoers and co-performers. They were the first performers to perform stand alone live music at what was then fundamentally a theatre festival. Their chamber opera 'Punch in Prison' won a musical theatre fringe first in 1979. They went on to tour the UK at festivals and live gigs and were promoted by Cherry Red Records in London and at the Moonlight Club,Hampstead alongside Jools Holland. They were featured on many broadcasts for television and radio, including live sets for BBC 2s Late Night Line-Up ,Ned Sherrin's Start the Week and BBC2 TV's rock documentary series Futurama 80. Their e.p. Parking Boys (Desire Records DES001) was distributed globally by Red Rhino Records' in York and entered the independent charts in the UK and Italy. It was featured by John Peel on his radio show. It was released in the final year of their career in 1981 and is now a rare punk classic. Acrobats appear in George Gimarcs Post Punk Diary: 1980-1982 and in the photography archive of the French photographer Phillipe Carly who photogaphed them for the national press at the Futurama Festival in Queens Hall Leeds in September 1981 where they played with U2, Claire Grogan, League of Gentlemen and Siouxsie and the Banshees.

[edit] Mick Wilson

Mick Wilson has a doctorate in compostion and has written the following;

'Ceremonial Fanfare' - Two Trumpets, Organ and Percussion
'Ride the Tiger' - 10 piece Brass Ensemble
'American Music'
'Concerto for Six'-String Electric Violin and Double Brass Band
'Farewell Variations'
'Ride the Tiger' - 10 piece Brass Ensemble
'Salford Celebration Overture'
'Alvarita' - Song Cycle, for Contralto, String Quartet & Percussion
'Beasts'- for Wind Nonet
'Dangerous Pleasures for a Wind Octet'
'Five Enigmas for Solo Clarinet'
'Masks and Dances' - for Soprano and Ensemble
'Razor Blades' - for Saxophone Quartet
'Sonata in One Movement', for Flute & Piano
'Suite for Viola & Chamber Ensemble'
'Three Songs for Contralto & Cabaret Band'
'Three Musicians' - for Flute, Trombone, Cello and Dancer
'Twelve Duets & a Trio' - for various combinations of Flutes, Clarinets, Violins, Viola, Cello and Percussion
'Pass Office Song' - for Choir and Organ
'Ride the Tiger' - 10 piece Brass Ensemble
'Little Quartet in Five Movements' - for Gamelan Instruments
Alter the Razor Blades entry to 'Razor Blades' - Saxophone Quartet No.1
'Dark to Dazzle' - Saxophone Quartet No.2
'Scherzo and Trio' - for Oboe Quartet
'Mandala' - for Female Choir
'Ten Songs' - for Children's Choir and Piano
'Kecak' - SSAATTBB
Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Gamelan
Concerto for Six-String Electric Violin and Double Brass Band
'New Games from Other Worlds' - for Contralto, Electric String Quartet, Bass Guitar, Drum Kit/Percussion
'Three Musicians' - for Flute, Trombone, Cello and Dancer
'Dreams of Midnight, Dreams of Paradise' - for Two Percussionists and Tape
'Incantation & Firedance' - for Six Percussionists
'Deosil and Widdershins'
'The Waxing Moon, the Wolf-Heart's Blood' - for Two Six-string Electric Violins, Kempul, Gamelan Gongs, and Five Percussionists
'Earth, Air, Water, Fire' 'Four Visions of the Future'
Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Gamelan
'Dangerous Beasts' - for three Voices, Chorus and Gamelan
Five Pieces for Western Gamelan
'Worksong'
'Prelude & Chorale'
'Rondo (for a Lovely Wedding)'
'Filthy Alex'
'The World'
'Little Quartet in Five Movements'
'Punch in Prison' - Chamber Opera
'A Christmas Ceremony' - for Gamelan, two Percussion Ensembles, String Quartet, Soprano, Choir and Organ
'Lady M'bira Macbeth McDrum' - for two Electric Thumb Pianos, Contrabass Cowbells, Bass Drum, Tape
'The World' - Shadow Puppet Show
'Dangerous Beasts' - for three Voices, Chorus and Gamelan
'Hamelin!' - a short musical for children.
'Atlantic Hotel' - a full-length musical set in the Paris of 1968
'Tactics for Orchestra'
'The Garden of Earthly Delights'
'Two Tczardas & a Kalamohjczhka'
'Four Visions of the Future'
'Come Tonight. The Indian Has Been Found '- for two Percussionists & Tape
'Whistle & I'll Come To You'- for Solo Percussion & Tape
'Rain Dance' - for nine Percussionists
'Dreams of Midnight, Dreams of Paradise' - for two Percussionists and Tape
'Fire Dance' - for six Percussionists
'Incantation & Firedance' - for six Percussionists
'Ceremonial Fanfare' - for two Horns, two Trumpets, Organ and Percussion
'Seven Different Kinds of Waltz' - Piano Sonata in Seven Movements
'Six Songs for Contralto' & Piano
'Sonata in One Movement' for Flute & Piano
'Ten Songs '- for Children's Choir and Piano
'Nine Bagatelles' for Solo Piano
'Variations & Inventions' - Piano Duet
'Song Spells' - for Contralto and Piano
'Fairy Tale' - for Contralto and Piano
'A Birthday Garland for Rachel' - 50 piano pieces
'World Music Dances' - for Electric String Quartet with Singers & Percussion
'New Games from Other Worlds' - for Contralto, Electric String Quartet, Bass Guitar, Drum Kit/Percussion
'Five Songs, Prelude & Tango, for Lady Macbeth' - for Contralto, Electric String Quartet, Bass Guitar, Drum Kit/Percussion
'The Waxing Moon, The Wolf-Heart's Blood' - for two Six-string Electric Violins, Kempul, Gamelan Gongs, and five Percussionists
'Deosil and Widdershins'
'Earth, Air, Water, Fire'
'Alvarita' - Song Cycle for Contralto, String Quartet & Percussion
'World Music Dances' - Song Cycle for Electric String Quartet with Singers and Percussion
'Masks and Dances' - for Soprano and Ensemble
Six Songs for Contralto & Piano
'New Games from Other Worlds' for Contralto, Electric String Quartet, Bass Guitar & Drum Kit/Percussion
'Three songs for Contralto & Cabaret Band '
'Five Songs, Prelude & Tango, for Lady Macbeth'
'Song Spells' - for Contralto and Piano
'Fairy Tale' - for Contralto and Piano
'13 Foxtrot Songs' - available on CD
'Five Enigmas for Solo Clarinet '
'Razor Blades' - for Saxophone Quartet
'Beasts' - Wind Nonet
'Sonata in One Movement' for Flute & Piano
'Woodwind Septet'
'Scherzo and Trio' - for Oboe Quartet Alter the Razor Blades entry to 'Razor Blades' - 'Saxophone Quartet No.1'
'Dark to Dazzle' - Saxophone Quartet No.2
'Introduction, Allegro & Can-can'
'Incantation and Scherzo'