John O'Connor (musician)
Encyclopedia
John O'Connor is a television composer and recording artist from London
, of Irish descent, who lives and works in California
since 1987.
, North London, called Bark Studios. After 10 years he became more interested in playing music then simply recording it, so he became a session musician and played guitar for artists like Maddy Prior
, Rick Kemp
, Isla St Clair
and Bucks Fizz
.
s that no record label wanted to release, that he subsequently published on his own label and that eventually became hits.
Early in the 1980s he wrote a song based on the Minder
character Arthur Daley, but no record label wanted it, so he printed the single himself under the name The Firm and "Arthur Daley 'E's Alright") made the Top Ten in the UK in 1982.
Later he wrote with Graham Lister a song about Star Trek
, yet again no record company wanted it, but he felt confident enough about the song, so he used the name of his studio, Bark, again as his label and put out "Star Trekkin'
" on his own. The single went on to spend two weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart
, and became the ninth best-selling single of 1987 in the UK, selling more than a million copies worldwide.
All singles and more songs were later released on an album called Serious Fun.
direction under the name Eko
, making four albums for Higher Octave Music between 1989 and 1996. The first album, Future Primitive (1989), reached the Billboard Top Ten of New Age Albums and sold about 75000 copies. The following albums (Logikal in 1992, Alter Eko in 1994 and Celtica in 1996) each sold significantly less, about 30000 copies each.
. After the first season he became one of three composers that write all music for the hit show and he continues to do that to this day. In 1998 he won the BMI
TV Music Award, together with Roger Neill and Lance Rubin for their work on King of the Hill.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, of Irish descent, who lives and works in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
since 1987.
Early years (1970s and 1980s)
O'Connor started in the 1970s by setting up his own recording studio in WalthamstowWalthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
, North London, called Bark Studios. After 10 years he became more interested in playing music then simply recording it, so he became a session musician and played guitar for artists like Maddy Prior
Maddy Prior
Maddy Prior is an English folk singer, best known as the lead vocalist of Steeleye Span.-Early life:...
, Rick Kemp
Rick Kemp
Rick Kemp is an English bass player, songwriter, vocalist and record producer, best known for his work with the pioneering electric folk band, Steeleye Span.-Projects:...
, Isla St Clair
Isla St Clair
Isla St Clair , is a Scottish singer, actress and former game show co-host.-Early career:Isla St Clair was born in Grangemouth, central Scotland, in 1952. Her family came from North East Scotland and it was here that she spent her early years...
and Bucks Fizz
Bucks Fizz (band)
Bucks Fizz are an English pop group who achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and...
.
The Firm (1982-1987)
But his biggest success stories in the 1980s were two television-themed novelty songNovelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
s that no record label wanted to release, that he subsequently published on his own label and that eventually became hits.
Early in the 1980s he wrote a song based on the Minder
Minder (TV series)
Minder is a British comedy-drama about the London criminal underworld. Initially produced by Verity Lambert, it was made by Euston Films, a subsidiary of Thames Television and shown on ITV...
character Arthur Daley, but no record label wanted it, so he printed the single himself under the name The Firm and "Arthur Daley 'E's Alright") made the Top Ten in the UK in 1982.
Later he wrote with Graham Lister a song about Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
, yet again no record company wanted it, but he felt confident enough about the song, so he used the name of his studio, Bark, again as his label and put out "Star Trekkin'
Star Trekkin'
"Star Trekkin" is a novelty song written by Rory Kehoe with music by John O'Connor, Graham Lister and Bill Martin. It is a parody of the original TV series of Star Trek...
" on his own. The single went on to spend two weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, and became the ninth best-selling single of 1987 in the UK, selling more than a million copies worldwide.
All singles and more songs were later released on an album called Serious Fun.
Eko (1989-1996)
The success allowed him to move to California, where he started recording again, this time in the new ageNew Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
direction under the name Eko
Eko
Eko or EKO may refer to:* Mr. Eko, a character from the TV series Lost* EKOenergy, an ecolabel for energy* Eko guitars, an Italian guitar company, a German military term* Elko Regional Airport, an airport which has IATA airport code EKO...
, making four albums for Higher Octave Music between 1989 and 1996. The first album, Future Primitive (1989), reached the Billboard Top Ten of New Age Albums and sold about 75000 copies. The following albums (Logikal in 1992, Alter Eko in 1994 and Celtica in 1996) each sold significantly less, about 30000 copies each.
King of the Hill (since 1997)
Eventually, in January 1997, Judgemental Films invited him and several other composers to create the music for a new animated television series, King of the HillKing of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
. After the first season he became one of three composers that write all music for the hit show and he continues to do that to this day. In 1998 he won the BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
TV Music Award, together with Roger Neill and Lance Rubin for their work on King of the Hill.
External links
- John O'Connor at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...