Charlie Burchill
Encyclopedia
Charles "Charlie" Burchill (born 27 November 1959, Glasgow
) is a Scottish musician
and composer
. He was one of the founders of Scottish rock group Simple Minds
. He plays guitar
, keyboard
, saxophone
, drums
and violin
.
's Will Sergeant
. Making heavy use of effects such as delay
and chorus
, his playing often provided subtle textures behind the band's more drum
- and bass
-propelled songs. This style was most apparent on 1982's New Gold Dream. From 1983's album Sparkle in the Rain
onwards the group evolved a different style, bringing Burchill's playing more into the foreground.
As well as providing guitar, Burchill played the violin and saxophone on the band's first three studio albums and took over most studio keyboard duties following the 1989 departure of Mick MacNeil
. Along with singer Jim Kerr
, he is the only original member of the band left.
He is married, and now resides in Dublin when not touring or recording with the band.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
) is a Scottish musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and composer
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...
. He was one of the founders of Scottish rock group Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
. He plays guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
.
Style
During Simple Minds' early to mid 1980s period, Burchill's guitar had a distinctive and atmospheric sound not dissimilar to Echo & the BunnymenEcho & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen are an English post-punk band, formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bass player Les Pattinson, supplemented by a drum machine. By 1980, Pete de Freitas had joined as the band's drummer, and their debut...
's Will Sergeant
Will Sergeant
Will Sergeant is an English guitarist, best known for being a member of Echo & the Bunnymen. Born in the centre of Liverpool, he grew up in the suburb of Melling and attended nearby Deyes High School...
. Making heavy use of effects such as delay
Delay (audio effect)
Delay is an audio effect which records an input signal to an audio storage medium, and then plays it back after a period of time. The delayed signal may either be played back multiple times, or played back into the recording again, to create the sound of a repeating, decaying echo.-Early delay...
and chorus
Chorus effect
In music, a chorus effect occurs when individual sounds with roughly the same timbre and nearly the same pitch converge and are perceived as one...
, his playing often provided subtle textures behind the band's more drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
- and bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
-propelled songs. This style was most apparent on 1982's New Gold Dream. From 1983's album Sparkle in the Rain
Sparkle in the Rain
Sparkle In The Rain is the sixth studio album by Simple Minds, released in 1984. It peaked at number one in the UK album charts on 18 February 1984.-Album profile:Sparkle In The Rain, Simple Minds' US breakthrough album, is a rock-oriented album...
onwards the group evolved a different style, bringing Burchill's playing more into the foreground.
As well as providing guitar, Burchill played the violin and saxophone on the band's first three studio albums and took over most studio keyboard duties following the 1989 departure of Mick MacNeil
Mick MacNeil
Michael "Mick" MacNeil was the Scottish composer and keyboardist for the band Simple Minds, best remembered for their UK #7/US #1 hit single "Don't You ". Having joined in 1978 Johnny & The Self-Abusers to create Simple Minds, MacNeil left the band in 1990...
. Along with singer Jim Kerr
Jim Kerr
James "Jim" Kerr is a Scottish musician and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Simple Minds who achieved five UK #1 albums and a #1 single "Ballad of the Streets EP". He released his first solo album, Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr, on the 27 May 2010.- Simple Minds :Kerr attended...
, he is the only original member of the band left.
Other
Burchill is a passionate football fan and a staunch supporter of Celtic F.C.Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
He is married, and now resides in Dublin when not touring or recording with the band.