Bleu (musician)
Encyclopedia
William James McAuley III (born July 18, 1975), best known by his performing name, Bleu, is an American pop artist (singer-songwriter), professional songwriter and producer currently living in Los Angeles. Bleu graduated from the Berklee College of Music
in Boston, Massachusetts. Along with his solo work, he is the lead singer and songwriter of the Electric Light Orchestra
-style power-pop band L.E.O.
, as well as a founding member of the power-pop trio The Major Labels with Mike Viola
and Ducky Carlisle, and is also a founding member of the Mutt Lange homage super-group LoudLion (featuring Taylor Locke of Rooney
, Allison Robertson of The Donnas
, Maclaine Diemer formerly of Bang Camaro
, etc.). Bleu has toured the United States
and internationally with bands such as John Mayer
, Puffy AmiYumi
, Hanson
, Guster
, Rooney, Mike Viola, Switchfoot
, and Toad the Wet Sprocket
.
as well as Kay Hanley
of Letters to Cleo
and Bill Janovitz
.
Bleu would soon follow with his Workaday Day EP before releasing his first proper album, Headroom. Released via Lunch Records, it received generally positive reviews, but did not take off until Bleu's entry into the WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble
, which he won in 2001. This led him to local opening slots with Jump, Little Children
and Ben Folds
. He would later win a Boston Music Award for "Best Boston Band" (as well as be nominated for 5 in his career), and land a major label contract.
. Two versions were released; both featured the song "Somebody Else," which was also on the Spider-Man
soundtrack. The first version of the album featured a song, "Sayonara," which had backing vocals from Puffy AmiYumi, and the latter version (released on Columbia Records
) contained the single "Get Up," which received moderate national airplay. The album was also released in Japan
with the Puffy AmiYumi guest spot featured, followed by a short tour in Japan.
In 2006, a side project with Matt Mahaffey
of Self
called L.E.O.
was released. Featuring contributions from Mike Viola, Andy Sturmer
(formerly of Jellyfish
), Hanson, and Jason Scheff
of Chicago
, Alpacas Orgling was meant to be similar to 1970s AM radio pop music, and is described by the band as an "alt-pop version of the Traveling Wilburys
."
In July 2007, Bleu released two EPs on iTunes
. One is a collection of songs he wrote for friends and family members for their birthdays, simply titled Happy Birthday. The other is credited to the band Blizzard of '05 (also the name of the album). The 7-song EP was recorded by Bleu, some friends, and some former bandmates when they converted the basement of one of their houses into a recording studio, and holed up there during the Blizzard of '05
, which swept across New England and shut down the city of Boston for five days.
In July 2008, Bleu and frequent collaborators Mike Viola and Ducky Carlisle released Aquavia as a band called The Major Labels.
Also in 2008, Bleu regained the rights to A Watched Pot. It was released on July 14, 2009, through Artist Garage and Fontana Distribution.
Another side project is a take on '80s rock called LoudLion (plays covers and originals), which plans to release a CD in 2011.
to fund the release of his already recorded fourth album in the US. (UK label Lojinx
had agreed to release the album in Europe.) Fan contributions reached the target of $8000 within 10 hours and went on to raise a total of $39,645 to support the release and marketing of the album in America.
The new album, titled Four, was released on CD in Europe on October 25 on Lojinx and on November 2 in North America on Bleu's own "The Major Label" imprint. The European digital release date was November 29.
Bleu has also worked on a number of different projects.
Bleu is also an in-demand songwriter, working with such artists as Demi Lovato, Joe Jonas, Hanson, the Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, Kate Voegele and Drake Bell. He has collaborated and has unreleased material with Alpha Rev, Armor For Sleep, Madi Diaz, John Fields, Kevin Griffin, Alexz Johnson, Megan Joy, David Mead, Nik & Sam, Daniel Powter, Tristan Prettyman, Ed Roland, Scott Simons, Sherwood and many more major label and independent acts.
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in Boston, Massachusetts. Along with his solo work, he is the lead singer and songwriter of the Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
-style power-pop band L.E.O.
L.E.O.
L.E.O. is an Electric Light Orchestra-style music project of a number of musicians. Spawned by an on-stage cover of ELO's "Telephone Line" by lead singer-songwriter Bleu and Mike Viola, it quickly produced an entire album of original songs similar in style to 1970s AM radio pop music.The project...
, as well as a founding member of the power-pop trio The Major Labels with Mike Viola
Mike Viola
Michael "Mike" Viola is an American singer-songwriter best known as singer, songwriter and "musical architect" of a team he called the "Candy Butchers", a pop-rock band from New York City that recorded three critically acclaimed albums for Sony. A native of Stoughton, Massachusetts, Mike began his...
and Ducky Carlisle, and is also a founding member of the Mutt Lange homage super-group LoudLion (featuring Taylor Locke of Rooney
Rooney (band)
Rooney is an American rock band from Los Angeles, currently self-produced and formerly signed to Geffen Records. The band is now composed of Robert Schwartzman , Louie Stephens , Taylor Locke , Ned Brower , and Brandon Schwartzel...
, Allison Robertson of The Donnas
The Donnas
The Donnas are an American all-female rock band from Palo Alto, California. They draw inspiration from The Ramones, The Runaways, AC/DC, Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Kiss. Rolling Stone has stated that "the Donnas offer a guileless take on adolescent alienation; they traffic in kicks, not...
, Maclaine Diemer formerly of Bang Camaro
Bang Camaro
Bang Camaro is an American hard rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Founded by guitarists Bryn Bennett and Alex Necochea in 2005, it is composed of members of various indie rock bands from the area...
, etc.). Bleu has toured the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and internationally with bands such as John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
, Puffy AmiYumi
Puffy AmiYumi
or Puffy AmiYumi is a Japanese rock duo that is currently signed with Sony Music Japan. The group continues to go by the moniker of PUFFY in Japan, but in order to avoid legal naming conflicts with Sean Combs, it has adopted the name Puffy AmiYumi outside of Japan...
, Hanson
Hanson (band)
Hanson are an American pop rock band formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by brothers Isaac , Taylor , and Zac Hanson . They are best known for the 1997 hit song "MMMBop" from their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations...
, Guster
Guster
Guster is an American alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1991, the group is known for its live performances and humor, founding members Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller, and Brian Rosenworcel came about to begin practice sessions while attending Tufts University in Medford,...
, Rooney, Mike Viola, Switchfoot
Switchfoot
Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream...
, and Toad the Wet Sprocket
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Toad the Wet Sprocket is an American alternative rock band formed in 1986. The band consists of singer/guitarist Glen Phillips, guitarist Todd Nichols, bassist Dean Dinning, and drummer Randy Guss. The band enjoyed chart success in the 1990s with the singles "Walk on the Ocean," "All I Want,"...
.
Early career
Bleu was known in the local Boston music scene for his live shows and work with other musicians, and received some local notoriety for his debut effort A Bing Bang Holidang, which was a charity benefit for the Boston Institute for Arts Therapy. A single from that record, "Boston All Star 12 Dayz," received some local airplay, featuring famous local musicians and acts from Guster and The Mighty Mighty BosstonesThe Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are an American ska punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. Since the band's inception, lead vocalist Dicky Barrett, bassist Joe Gittleman, tenor saxophonist Tim "Johnny Vegas" Burton and dancer Ben Carr have remained constant members...
as well as Kay Hanley
Kay Hanley
Kathleen Marie Hanley is an American alternative rock musician. She is best known as the vocalist for the band Letters to Cleo.-Life and career:...
of Letters to Cleo
Letters to Cleo
Letters to Cleo was an alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts perhaps best known for the 1993 single "Here & Now" from their full-length debut album Aurora Gory Alice...
and Bill Janovitz
Bill Janovitz
Bill Janovitz is best known as the singer and guitarist of the alternative rock band Buffalo Tom.-History:After enrolling at the University of Massachusetts, Janovitz formed Buffalo Tom with fellow students Chris Colbourn and Tom Maginnis. A friendship with J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr...
.
Bleu would soon follow with his Workaday Day EP before releasing his first proper album, Headroom. Released via Lunch Records, it received generally positive reviews, but did not take off until Bleu's entry into the WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble
WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble
The WBCN Rock 'n' Roll Rumble, begun in 1979, is a Greater Boston "battle of the bands" competition co-sponsored by WBCN-FM and its local music show Boston Emissions....
, which he won in 2001. This led him to local opening slots with Jump, Little Children
Jump, Little Children
Jump, Little Children, later known as Jump, was a band formed in 1991 in the city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Known for their unique sound, energetic live performances, and willingness to interact with fans, the band built a strong following over their fourteen years together...
and Ben Folds
Ben Folds
Benjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
. He would later win a Boston Music Award for "Best Boston Band" (as well as be nominated for 5 in his career), and land a major label contract.
Major label career
Bleu's next album, Redhead (called "an all around power-pop treat" by music critic Aidin Vaziri), was released in 2003 on Aware RecordsAware Records
Aware Records is an American record label, existent to seek unsigned musical artists and expose them to the mainstream media. The label has had success with a range of artists, including John Mayer, Train, Five For Fighting, Mat Kearney and Guster....
. Two versions were released; both featured the song "Somebody Else," which was also on the Spider-Man
Spider-Man (film)
Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...
soundtrack. The first version of the album featured a song, "Sayonara," which had backing vocals from Puffy AmiYumi, and the latter version (released on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
) contained the single "Get Up," which received moderate national airplay. The album was also released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with the Puffy AmiYumi guest spot featured, followed by a short tour in Japan.
New Directions, New Music
Bleu parted ways with Aware Records after a public dispute about the direction of submitted demos, and his third studio album, tentatively titled A Watched Pot, was not released by the label.In 2006, a side project with Matt Mahaffey
Matt Mahaffey
Matt Mahaffey is an American multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and recording engineer best known for his band Self.-Personal:Matt grew up in Kingsport, Tennessee and was involved with music from a young age...
of Self
Self (band)
Self is an American alternative pop/rock band from Murfreesboro, Tennessee and largely the brainchild of writer, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Matt Mahaffey....
called L.E.O.
L.E.O.
L.E.O. is an Electric Light Orchestra-style music project of a number of musicians. Spawned by an on-stage cover of ELO's "Telephone Line" by lead singer-songwriter Bleu and Mike Viola, it quickly produced an entire album of original songs similar in style to 1970s AM radio pop music.The project...
was released. Featuring contributions from Mike Viola, Andy Sturmer
Andy Sturmer
Marvin Andrew Sturmer is an American musical artist, writer and producer. He was one of the founding members of the band Beatnik Beatch, which led to the formation of Jellyfish.- Jellyfish :...
(formerly of Jellyfish
Jellyfish (band)
Jellyfish were a power pop band from San Francisco. It formed after Beatnik Beatch broke up in 1989. The core members were drummer/singer/songwriter Andy Sturmer and keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter Roger Joseph Manning, Jr...
), Hanson, and Jason Scheff
Jason Scheff
Jason Randolph Scheff is an American bassist, singer and songwriter. Since 1985 he has been the bassist and singer for the veteran pop-rock band Chicago. He is the oldest son of well-known session bassist Jerry Scheff, who toured for several years with Elvis Presley...
of Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
, Alpacas Orgling was meant to be similar to 1970s AM radio pop music, and is described by the band as an "alt-pop version of the Traveling Wilburys
Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys were an English–American supergroup consisting of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty, accompanied by drummer Jim Keltner...
."
In July 2007, Bleu released two EPs on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. One is a collection of songs he wrote for friends and family members for their birthdays, simply titled Happy Birthday. The other is credited to the band Blizzard of '05 (also the name of the album). The 7-song EP was recorded by Bleu, some friends, and some former bandmates when they converted the basement of one of their houses into a recording studio, and holed up there during the Blizzard of '05
North American blizzard of 2005
The North American blizzard of 2005 was a three-day storm that affected large areas of the northern United States, dropping more than 3 feet of snow in parts of southeastern Massachusetts, as well as much of the Boston metropolitan area...
, which swept across New England and shut down the city of Boston for five days.
In July 2008, Bleu and frequent collaborators Mike Viola and Ducky Carlisle released Aquavia as a band called The Major Labels.
Also in 2008, Bleu regained the rights to A Watched Pot. It was released on July 14, 2009, through Artist Garage and Fontana Distribution.
Another side project is a take on '80s rock called LoudLion (plays covers and originals), which plans to release a CD in 2011.
Four
In August 2010, Bleu made the decision to use KickstarterKickstarter
Kickstarter is an online threshold pledge system for funding creative projects. Kickstarter has funded a diverse array of endeavors, ranging from indie film and music to journalism, solar energy technology and food-related projects.-Model:...
to fund the release of his already recorded fourth album in the US. (UK label Lojinx
Lojinx
Lojinx is a British independent record label and music publishing company established in 2003 in South London, UK. It was voted as one of the top ten "Best Record Labels of 2010" .-Artists:* The Bad Machines* Ben Lee* Bleu* Butch Walker* Caroline Lost...
had agreed to release the album in Europe.) Fan contributions reached the target of $8000 within 10 hours and went on to raise a total of $39,645 to support the release and marketing of the album in America.
The new album, titled Four, was released on CD in Europe on October 25 on Lojinx and on November 2 in North America on Bleu's own "The Major Label" imprint. The European digital release date was November 29.
Discography
- A Bing Bang Holidang (CD) - Lunch Records - 1999
- Workaday Day EPWorkaday Day EPWorkaday Day EP was an EP by indie rock musician Bleu. Released on Lunch Records in 2000, it was released prior to his proper debut album, Headroom.-Track listing:# "Workaday Day"# "Searchin' for the Satellites"# "Feet Don't Fail"# "That's Life"...
(CD) - Lunch Records - 2000 - Headroom (CD) - Lunch Records - 2000
- RedheadRedhead (album)Redhead is the major label debut album by Bleu. Released by the Columbia Records imprint Aware Records in 2003, the two versions featured various songs, including the single "Get Up," the song "Somebody Else" from Spider-Man, and "I Won't Go Hollywood" from American Dreamz and Win a Date With Tad...
(CD) - Aware Records - 2003 - RedheadRedhead (album)Redhead is the major label debut album by Bleu. Released by the Columbia Records imprint Aware Records in 2003, the two versions featured various songs, including the single "Get Up," the song "Somebody Else" from Spider-Man, and "I Won't Go Hollywood" from American Dreamz and Win a Date With Tad...
(re-release) (CD) - Columbia/Aware - 2004 - A Watched PotA Watched PotA Watched Pot is a studio album by Bleu. After being out of the studio for many years, this was Bleu's first release since Redhead in July 2003...
(CD) - Artist Garage - 2009 - Four (CD) - The Major Label (US) / Lojinx (UK) - 2010
- "Besides" (Vinyl & digital release) - The Major Label - estimated release in November 2011
Bleu has also worked on a number of different projects.
- Tangos and TantrumsTangos and TantrumsTangos and Tantrums is the debut album by folk musician Sylvie Lewis. It was released by Cheap Lullaby Records in 2005.Bleu provides backing vocals on the single "All His Exes."-Track listing:# By Heart# All His Exes# Rockwell's Blues# The Movies...
by Sylvie LewisSylvie LewisSylvie Lewis is a folk musician from London, England, she came to the United States in 1995 and studied at the Berklee College of Music. After graduation, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1998, where she quit music to become a teacher. Two years later...
- Backing vocals on "All His Exes." - Alpacas OrglingAlpacas OrglingAlpacas Orgling is an album by pop band L.E.O.. Released in October 2006 on Cheap Lullaby Records, it was mostly written and performed by Bleu, but also features performances by Hanson, Mike Viola, Jason Scheff of Chicago, Andy Sturmer of Jellyfish, Paula Kelley, and Matt Mahaffey of Self.A hidden...
by L.E.O.L.E.O.L.E.O. is an Electric Light Orchestra-style music project of a number of musicians. Spawned by an on-stage cover of ELO's "Telephone Line" by lead singer-songwriter Bleu and Mike Viola, it quickly produced an entire album of original songs similar in style to 1970s AM radio pop music.The project...
- Executive producer, chief songwriter and singer. - Sugar EP by Dan WilsonDan Wilson (musician)Daniel Dodd "Dan" Wilson is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, Grammy-winning songwriter and producer...
of SemisonicSemisonicSemisonic is an American alternative rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1995. The band consisted of three members: Dan Wilson , John Munson , and Jacob Slichter...
- Guitars and vocals on several tracks. - Winter Pays For SummerWinter Pays For SummerWinter Pays For Summer is an album released in 2005 by Glen Phillips. The album was Phillips' debut for Lost Highway/Universal Records. It was recorded during 2003 and 2004. It was produced by John Fields at Paramount Studios and Mansfield Lodge, and features guest appearances by Jon Brion, Sam...
by Glen PhillipsGlen PhillipsGlen Phillips is a songwriter, lyricist, singer and guitarist. He is best known as the singer and songwriter of 1990s alternative rock group Toad the Wet Sprocket.-Personal life:...
(Of Toad The Wet Sprocket) - backing harmonies on radio mix of "Finally Fading" - The WalkThe Walk (Hanson album)The Walk is the seventh album by American pop rock group Hanson. It was released on July 24, 2007 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and on April 30, 2007 in the UK and on February 21, 2007 in Japan...
by HansonHanson (band)Hanson are an American pop rock band formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by brothers Isaac , Taylor , and Zac Hanson . They are best known for the 1997 hit song "MMMBop" from their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations...
- Produced two tracks; co-wrote "GoGo (Hanson song)"Go" is a song written and performed by the pop-rock band Hanson. It is the second single from their album, The Walk , and the first single to be sung by youngest brother Zac Hanson.-Track listings:...
" and "Running Man." - Free Life by Dan WilsonDan Wilson (musician)Daniel Dodd "Dan" Wilson is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, Grammy-winning songwriter and producer...
- Guitars and vocals on several tracks. - The Blizzard Of '05 - EP by The Blizzard Of '05.
Bleu is also an in-demand songwriter, working with such artists as Demi Lovato, Joe Jonas, Hanson, the Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, Kate Voegele and Drake Bell. He has collaborated and has unreleased material with Alpha Rev, Armor For Sleep, Madi Diaz, John Fields, Kevin Griffin, Alexz Johnson, Megan Joy, David Mead, Nik & Sam, Daniel Powter, Tristan Prettyman, Ed Roland, Scott Simons, Sherwood and many more major label and independent acts.
External links
- Official site.
- Songwriter & Producer Discography
- National Public Radio on Redhead.
- Rolling Stone review of Redhead.
- EMI profile.