Chris Watson (musician)
Encyclopedia
Christopher Richard Watson is a Sheffield
-born musician and sound recordist specialising in natural history. He was a founding member of the musical group Cabaret Voltaire
, and Watson's work as a wildlife sound recordist
has covered television documentaries and experimental musical collaborations.
and The Hafler Trio
.
He has released three solo albums of field recordings: Outside the Circle of Fire, Stepping into the Dark (which won an Award of Distinction at the 2000 Prix ARS Electronica Festival in Linz
, Austria
), and Weather Report. He has also released a variety of works in collaboration with other artists, including Star Switch On, a collaboration with Mika Vainio of Pan Sonic
, Philip Jeck
, Hazard, Fennesz, AER
, and Biosphere
. In 2007 he released Storm with BJNilsen, and in 2011 "Cross-Pollination" and "El Tren Fantasma". All of these recordings were released on Touch
.
The Weather Report album from 2003 was named as one of the thousand albums you should hear before you die in The Guardian
.
. His television work includes Bill Oddie Back in the USA
and Springwatch.
In 2006 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Technology degree by the University of the West of England
"in recognition of his outstanding contribution to sound recording technology, especially in the field of natural history and documentary location sound".
In 2010 he devised an art project at Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital
, using sound recordings made by children to calm other young patients as they received injections and other treatments.
The Reed Bed
A Guide to Garden Birds
A Guide to Farmland Birds
), both in Sheffield. He is married to Maggie, who appeared momentarily on-screen with him in episode 3 of Autumnwatch, 2010.
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
-born musician and sound recordist specialising in natural history. He was a founding member of the musical group Cabaret Voltaire
Cabaret Voltaire (band)
Cabaret Voltaire were a British music group from Sheffield, England.Initially composed of Stephen Mallinder, Richard H. Kirk and Chris Watson, the group was named after the Cabaret Voltaire, a nightclub in Zürich, Switzerland that was a centre for the early Dada movement.Their earliest performances...
, and Watson's work as a wildlife sound recordist
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
has covered television documentaries and experimental musical collaborations.
Music
Watson was a founding member of two influential experimental music groups, Cabaret VoltaireCabaret Voltaire (band)
Cabaret Voltaire were a British music group from Sheffield, England.Initially composed of Stephen Mallinder, Richard H. Kirk and Chris Watson, the group was named after the Cabaret Voltaire, a nightclub in Zürich, Switzerland that was a centre for the early Dada movement.Their earliest performances...
and The Hafler Trio
Hafler Trio
The Hafler Trio is a conceptual and sound art collaborative between Andrew M. McKenzie, the only permanent member, and guest musicians. The project has seen the release of numerous albums and CDs in experimental musical styles ranging from electronica, cut-up, ambient, environmental soundscape,...
.
He has released three solo albums of field recordings: Outside the Circle of Fire, Stepping into the Dark (which won an Award of Distinction at the 2000 Prix ARS Electronica Festival in Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
), and Weather Report. He has also released a variety of works in collaboration with other artists, including Star Switch On, a collaboration with Mika Vainio of Pan Sonic
Pan sonic
Pan Sonic was a Finnish experimental electronic music duo consisting of Mika Vainio and Ilpo Väisänen.-Music:...
, Philip Jeck
Philip Jeck
Philip Jeck is an English multimedia composer, magician, choreographer, woodsman and taxidermist. He is perhaps best known for his work Vinyl Requiem with Lol Sargent which won the Time Out Performance Award in 1993...
, Hazard, Fennesz, AER
AER
- Business and organisations :* Action For Economic Reforms, a public-interest research organization in the Philippines* Army Emergency Relief* Australian Energy Regulator* A.E.R., car manufacturer, a sub brand of B.N.C....
, and Biosphere
Biosphere (musician)
Biosphere is the main recording name of Geir Jenssen , a Norwegian musician who has released a notable catalogue of ambient electronic music. He is well known for his "ambient techno" and "arctic ambient" styles, his use of music loops, and peculiar samples from sci-fi sources. His track "Novelty...
. In 2007 he released Storm with BJNilsen, and in 2011 "Cross-Pollination" and "El Tren Fantasma". All of these recordings were released on Touch
Touch Music
Touch is a British audio-visual organisation, operating the Touch label. It is the main arm of the London-based multimedia publishing company Touch, established in 1982...
.
The Weather Report album from 2003 was named as one of the thousand albums you should hear before you die in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.
Sound recording
His sound recording career began in 1981 when he joined Tyne Tees TelevisionTyne Tees Television
Tyne Tees Television is the ITV television franchise for North East England and parts of North Yorkshire. As of 2009, it forms part of a non-franchise ITV Tyne Tees & Border region, shared with the ITV Border region...
. His television work includes Bill Oddie Back in the USA
Bill Oddie Back in the USA
Bill Oddie Back in the USA is a British TV programme, about natural history, written and presented by Bill Oddie and screened in early 2007.The formal description used by the BBC said:...
and Springwatch.
In 2006 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Technology degree by the University of the West of England
University of the West of England
The University of the West of England is a university based in the English city of Bristol. Its main campus is at Frenchay, about five miles north of the city centre...
"in recognition of his outstanding contribution to sound recording technology, especially in the field of natural history and documentary location sound".
In 2010 he devised an art project at Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital
Alder Hey Children's Hospital
Alder Hey Children Hospital is a children's hospital in West Derby, Liverpool. It is run by the Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust as part of the National Health Service in England...
, using sound recordings made by children to calm other young patients as they received injections and other treatments.
Radio programmes
Watson has made and been featured in a number of BBC radio programmes:The Reed Bed
- Series of five, fifteen-minute radio programmes, broadcast on Radio Four from 19–23 March 2007.
A Guide to Garden Birds
- Series of five, fifteen-minute radio programmes, broadcast weekly on Radio Four from 22 May 2007
A Guide to Farmland Birds
- Series of five, fifteen-minute radio programmes, broadcast weekly on Radio Four from 22 August 2011
Personal life
Watson attended Rowlinson School and Stannington College (now part of Sheffield CollegeSheffield College
Sheffield College is a further education college in Sheffield, England. It was formed by the merger of six FE colleges in 1993. The main centres are Sheffield City College , Hillsborough College and Norton College...
), both in Sheffield. He is married to Maggie, who appeared momentarily on-screen with him in episode 3 of Autumnwatch, 2010.
Solo
- Stepping into the Dark (1996, Touch (UK) Touch MusicTouch MusicTouch is a British audio-visual organisation, operating the Touch label. It is the main arm of the London-based multimedia publishing company Touch, established in 1982...
) - Outside the Circle of Fire (1998, Touch (UK) Touch MusicTouch MusicTouch is a British audio-visual organisation, operating the Touch label. It is the main arm of the London-based multimedia publishing company Touch, established in 1982...
) - Weather Report (Chris Watson album) (2003, Touch (UK) Touch MusicTouch MusicTouch is a British audio-visual organisation, operating the Touch label. It is the main arm of the London-based multimedia publishing company Touch, established in 1982...
) - Cima Verde (2008, Fondazione Edmund Mach and LoL Productions)
- Cross-Pollination (Chris Watson + Marcus Davidson album) (2011, Touch (UK) Touch MusicTouch MusicTouch is a British audio-visual organisation, operating the Touch label. It is the main arm of the London-based multimedia publishing company Touch, established in 1982...
) - El Tren Fantasma (Chris Watson album) (2011, Touch (UK) Touch MusicTouch MusicTouch is a British audio-visual organisation, operating the Touch label. It is the main arm of the London-based multimedia publishing company Touch, established in 1982...
)
Collaborations
- Star Switch On with Mika Vainio, Philip JeckPhilip JeckPhilip Jeck is an English multimedia composer, magician, choreographer, woodsman and taxidermist. He is perhaps best known for his work Vinyl Requiem with Lol Sargent which won the Time Out Performance Award in 1993...
, Hazard, Fennesz, AERAER- Business and organisations :* Action For Economic Reforms, a public-interest research organization in the Philippines* Army Emergency Relief* Australian Energy Regulator* A.E.R., car manufacturer, a sub brand of B.N.C....
, and BiosphereBiosphere (musician)Biosphere is the main recording name of Geir Jenssen , a Norwegian musician who has released a notable catalogue of ambient electronic music. He is well known for his "ambient techno" and "arctic ambient" styles, his use of music loops, and peculiar samples from sci-fi sources. His track "Novelty...
(2002, Touch (UK) Touch MusicTouch MusicTouch is a British audio-visual organisation, operating the Touch label. It is the main arm of the London-based multimedia publishing company Touch, established in 1982...
) - Number One with KK NullKK NullKK Null is a Japanese experimental multi-instrumentalist. He began as a guitarist, but soon added composer, singer, electronic musician and drummer to his list of talents, and also studied with the Butoh workshop....
and Z'EVZ'EVZ'EV is an American poet, percussionist, and sound artist. After studying various world music traditions at CalArts, he began creating his own percussion sounds out of industrial materials for a variety of record labels...
(2005, Touch (UK) Touch MusicTouch MusicTouch is a British audio-visual organisation, operating the Touch label. It is the main arm of the London-based multimedia publishing company Touch, established in 1982...
) - Storm with B. J. NilsenB. J. NilsenBenny Jonas Nilsen , alias BJ Nilsen, BJNilsen, and Hazard, is a Swedish sound artist who lives and works in Stockholm, Sweden.-Overview:Nilsen began working with experimental music and sound at an early stage...
(2006, Touch (UK) Touch MusicTouch MusicTouch is a British audio-visual organisation, operating the Touch label. It is the main arm of the London-based multimedia publishing company Touch, established in 1982...
) - Siren with Alec Finlay Platform Projects # ISBN 0-9546831-7-X [CD EP]