Edward Barton
Encyclopedia
Edward Barton is a Manchester
, England, poet, artist and musician, known for his eccentric stage performances and use of home-made instruments. He has had top 30 success as a songwriter with hits including "It's a Fine Day
" (Opus III
) - the tune of which was then used in Kylie Minogue
's hit "Confide in Me
" - "Halcyon" (Orbital
) and "Happiness" (Pizzaman).
, the son of an RAF officer, before attending boarding school in Britain. He moved to Manchester
in his mid-twenties, and was signed by Cherry Red Records in 1982.
He is probably best known for composing the song "It's a Fine Day", originally released as a single by Jane in 1983, and later to become a UK chart hit when Opus III covered it in 1992. Under the name Owain Barton, he was later credited with co-writing Kylie Minogue's 1994 hit "Confide In Me", which included musical content taken from "It's a Fine Day". Barton later said "I woke up one afternoon and switched on the radio. I thought, "that's a good tune. In fact that's my tune.""
"It's A Fine Day" was followed by the self-titled mini-album Jane & Barton, and another single, "I Want To Be With You", released through Cherry Red Records. The album featured Andrew Connell on piano. Another Jane single, "Lovely and Chicken", was later released through Barton's own label Wooden Records. More releases on Wooden followed, including a 1989 LP called Edward Not Edward which featured covers of Barton songs by diverse artists like Inspiral Carpets
, 808 State
, Dub Sex, Ted Chippington
, Louis Phillipe and A Guy Called Gerald
. Barton also released the single "Me And My Mini" / "I've Got No Chicken But I've Got Five Wooden Chairs".
Barton was a regular fixture of the eighties music scene in Manchester, supporting bands such as Stump
. He has also contributed lyrics to albums by 808 State and Lost Witness
, after the latter sampled "It's A Fine Day". He branched out into music video direction for the initial release of "Sit Down" by James
in 1989 in which he also makes a cameo appearance.
In 1995 he released Hush, a series of albums of a cappella
songs specifically designed to be used as samples. This resulted in the Norman Cook
hits as Pizzaman, "Happiness" and "Happiness Happening", and "Red Sun Rising" and "7 Colours" by Lost Witness. In 2001 he formed the band O.K. Cola with Mark Day of Happy Mondays
.
His television appearances have included performances on The Tube
and Tony Wilson's
The Other Side of Midnight. He was rumoured to have appeared on Wogan
in the late 80s playing guitar in Tears for Fears
' backing band. His radio appearances have included at least one guest spot on The Mark Radcliffe
Show, during which he gave a live rendition of his song "I Slap My Belly". He has also spent some time in a psychiatric hospital
.
In 2009 he issued a new album, And A Panda.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England, poet, artist and musician, known for his eccentric stage performances and use of home-made instruments. He has had top 30 success as a songwriter with hits including "It's a Fine Day
It's a Fine Day
"It's a Fine Day" is a song written by English poet and musician Edward Barton. It was originally recorded in 1983 by Jane, and later by Opus III for whom it was a major international hit in 1992.-Original recording by Jane:...
" (Opus III
Opus III
Opus III were a techno and house music group from England who had success on the UK Singles Chart and on the U.S. Dance charts. The group consisted of vocalist Kirsty Hawkshaw and producers/musicians Kevin 'The Fly' Dodds, Ian Munro and Nigel 'Spider' Walton...
) - the tune of which was then used in Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
's hit "Confide in Me
Confide in Me (song)
"Confide in Me" is a dance–pop song performed by Australian singer Kylie Minogue and written by Steve Anderson, Dave Seaman and Owain Barton. It was produced by Brothers in Rhythm, and received a good overall reception from music critics when it was released as the first single from Minogue’s...
" - "Halcyon" (Orbital
Orbital (band)
Orbital are a British electronic dance music duo from Sevenoaks, England consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. Their career initially ran from 1989 until 2004, but in 2009 they announced that they would be reforming and headlining The Big Chill, in addition to a number of other live shows...
) and "Happiness" (Pizzaman).
Biography
He grew up in LibyaLibya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, the son of an RAF officer, before attending boarding school in Britain. He moved to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in his mid-twenties, and was signed by Cherry Red Records in 1982.
He is probably best known for composing the song "It's a Fine Day", originally released as a single by Jane in 1983, and later to become a UK chart hit when Opus III covered it in 1992. Under the name Owain Barton, he was later credited with co-writing Kylie Minogue's 1994 hit "Confide In Me", which included musical content taken from "It's a Fine Day". Barton later said "I woke up one afternoon and switched on the radio. I thought, "that's a good tune. In fact that's my tune.""
"It's A Fine Day" was followed by the self-titled mini-album Jane & Barton, and another single, "I Want To Be With You", released through Cherry Red Records. The album featured Andrew Connell on piano. Another Jane single, "Lovely and Chicken", was later released through Barton's own label Wooden Records. More releases on Wooden followed, including a 1989 LP called Edward Not Edward which featured covers of Barton songs by diverse artists like Inspiral Carpets
Inspiral Carpets
Inspiral Carpets are an alternative rock band from Oldham in Greater Manchester, England formed by Graham Lambert and Stephen Holt in 1983. The band is named after a clothing shop on their Oldham estate...
, 808 State
808 State
808 State are a British electronic music outfit, formed in 1987 in Manchester, taking their name from the Roland TR-808 drum machine and their common state of mind...
, Dub Sex, Ted Chippington
Ted Chippington
Ted Chippington is a British stand-up comedian. His act is one in which the conventions of his chosen craft are routinely flouted...
, Louis Phillipe and A Guy Called Gerald
A Guy Called Gerald
A Guy Called Gerald is the stage name for the musician, record producer and DJ Gerald Simpson ....
. Barton also released the single "Me And My Mini" / "I've Got No Chicken But I've Got Five Wooden Chairs".
Barton was a regular fixture of the eighties music scene in Manchester, supporting bands such as Stump
Stump
In its most general sense, stump is an English word. It may refer to:*Tree stump, the rooted remains of a felled tree*Stump, the remains of a limb after amputation...
. He has also contributed lyrics to albums by 808 State and Lost Witness
Lost Witness
Lost Witness is an English trance production and DJ , composed of Simon Paul . Also part of the collaboration are songwriter Edward Barton, writer of the 1983 Jane & Barton single, "It's a Fine Day" , as well as vocalist Danielle Alexander.He also recorded under the aliases Dusk Til Dawn and The...
, after the latter sampled "It's A Fine Day". He branched out into music video direction for the initial release of "Sit Down" by James
James (band)
James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"...
in 1989 in which he also makes a cameo appearance.
In 1995 he released Hush, a series of albums of a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
songs specifically designed to be used as samples. This resulted in the Norman Cook
Fatboy Slim
Norman Quentin Cook better known by his former stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
hits as Pizzaman, "Happiness" and "Happiness Happening", and "Red Sun Rising" and "7 Colours" by Lost Witness. In 2001 he formed the band O.K. Cola with Mark Day of Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan...
.
His television appearances have included performances on The Tube
The Tube (TV series)
The Tube was an innovative United Kingdom pop/rock music television programme, which ran for five seasons, from 5 November 1982 until 1987...
and Tony Wilson's
Tony Wilson
Anthony Howard Wilson, commonly known as Tony Wilson , was an English record label owner, radio presenter, TV show host, nightclub manager, impresario and journalist for Granada Television and the BBC....
The Other Side of Midnight. He was rumoured to have appeared on Wogan
Wogan
Wogan was a chat show on British television, hosted by Terry Wogan. It followed the format of a series broadcast in 1980 entitled What's On Wogan?, which failed to gather viewers. The Wogan show was initially broadcast on Tuesday evenings on BBC1 in 1981 and from 1982 to 1984, it moved into the...
in the late 80s playing guitar in Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
' backing band. His radio appearances have included at least one guest spot on The Mark Radcliffe
Mark Radcliffe
Mark Radcliffe is an English broadcaster who has worked in various roles for the BBC since the 1980s and remains one of Britain's most recognised DJs. He is currently a presenter on BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music, where he hosts an afternoon show five times a week alongside Stuart Maconie, called...
Show, during which he gave a live rendition of his song "I Slap My Belly". He has also spent some time in a psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
.
In 2009 he issued a new album, And A Panda.