Michael Bradford
Encyclopedia
Michael Bradford was born and raised on Detroit's East Side, an area that was once a working-class neighborhood, but quickly deteriorated into decay after the city's tumultuous riots in 1967.
The late 60s and early 70s were also a remarkable time in Detroit for music. The Motown Sound was sweeping the nation, but also local bands like The Rationals
, Bob Seger
and The Frost
were getting constant exposure on local radio, along with rock from bands like The James Gang, Sly and the Family Stone and Vanilla Fudge
. Many of these bands performed at a local concert venue, The Eastown Theatre, on Harper Avenue. The theatre was a converted movie theatre, and was a short distance from the Bradford home. Due to the influence of the rock crowd, the theatre had gotten a reputation for being "one of the city’s most notorious drug-infused rock venues". Michael's early exposure to rock music made him want to pursue a career in rock, rather than the more obvious choice of R&B.
In 1973, Michael was admitted to University Liggett School
, a private school in Grosse Pointe
Michigan
. Fellow classmates included Jeffrey Eugenides
, who would go on to write The Virgin Suicides
and Middlesex
. Michael stayed at ULS, graduating from the 12th Grade in 1978.
, while working at Ambience. Earl was extremely successful at the time, making albums such as Crazy For You
. Earl was one of the most successful of the new instrumental jazz artists, and his compositions were heard on radios all over the world. Earl is still considered to be "one of the finest acoustic guitar players" on the music scene, but what also impressed Michael was the income that Earl was producing from his album sales and the royalties
from airplay and TV and film licenses. Earl tutored Michael in composition
, using examples from composers like Antonio Carlos Jobim
. Earl also educated Michael about the mechanics of publishing
, copyright
and licensing. This information inspired Michael to become serious about songwriting as a career in which he could make a living.
. Gerard Smerek was her engineer as well, and Gerard brought Michael into Anita's camp to help with keyboard sounds and drum programming, using drum machine
s, sampler
s and recordings of percussion instruments to spice up the sound. This eventually led to receiving a production credit on Anita's 1994 album Rhythm of Love
. The album went double-platinum, getting great reviews and opening more doors for Michael.
, Michael was faced with a small dilemma. In 1994, faced with the choice between New York and Los Angeles, Michael chose Los Angeles, for the more agreeable climate. Upon his arrival, Michael was introduced to Paul Buckmaster
, a legendary arranger for artists such as Elton John
, Carly Simon
and Train
, and composer for films such as 12 Monkeys. Paul hired Michael as his programmer and engineer. Once again, a mentor relationship developed, and Paul taught Michael about arranging for orchestras, as well as giving Michael a basic understanding of film score
techniques. Paul enlisted Michael's sound design
and programming skills on independent films such as The Maker, staring Matthew Modine
and Murder In Mind
, starring Mary Louise Parker. These sessions began a friendship and collaborative relationship that is still ongoing.
, Michael was introduced to Gregg Alexander
, whose band New Radicals
had recently been signed to a record contract with MCA Records
. Michael was hired to be an engineer for the album, specializing in editing the dense and complex tracks in order to yield a cohesive set of songs that sounded live and spontaneous. Michael's inspiration for this technique came from reading about the production of Rolling Stones albums, such as Some Girls
, that were edited performances that sounded live. Another influence was Paul Buckmaster's stories of Miles Davis
and the edited nature of his albums.
Released in 1997 Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
was a critical and commercial success, going Platinum in the U.S.A., and gold in several other countries.
. Anita Baker
, Earl Klugh
and Gregg Alexander
were all from the Detroit area. For his next project, Michael was introduced to Madonna
by New Radicals producer Rick Nowels
. Rick enlisted Michael to create electronica
-inspired drum loops and beats, which were used as building blocks for songwriting sessions that Rick was having with Madonna. Some of these songs were finished, and became part of Madonna's 1998 album Ray of Light
. Prior to this, Michael had worked with Madonna producer Stephen Bray
, preparing tracks for an album called In the Beginning
, a collection of songs written by Madonna and Bray before Madonna became a household name. Madonna took a liking to Michael, as he was from her home state of Michigan, and took to calling him "Detroit Mike", a nickname that he still is known by today.
. Michael called Rock, to express his interest in his music, and to offer to introduce him to record executives in California
. Although Kid Rock eventually found his own way to a deal with Atlantic Records
, he never forgot Michael's belief in him, and invited Michael to join him on his tour, opening for Limp Bizkit
. Michael built a small "rolling studio" on Kid Rock's tour bus, and during this period, they recorded tracks for Kid Rock's triple-platinum album The History of Rock. Also, at this time, Michael met Kid Rock's DJ, Matt Shafer, aka Uncle Kracker
. Uncle Kracker was signed to Kid Rock's Top Dog Records, and during the tour, production began on Uncle Kracker's first album, Double Wide
.
With Kid Rock, Michael also created music for films such The Crow: Salvation
, Any Given Sunday
and Shanghai Noon
. Michael also contributed to Kid Rock's collaborations with Tommy Lee
's Methods of Mayhem
and remixes for the band Mindless Self Indulgence
.
and Michael became frequent collaborators, starting with the co-writing of Kracker's breakout single "Follow Me
". This song propelled Double Wide to eventually selling more than 2 million copies in the USA, with "Follow Me" becoming a top ten single in many countries around the world. Michael was also named as a producer
of Double Wide, along with Kid Rock.
Michael stayed on to produce Uncle Kracker's next album, No Stranger to Shame
, which went gold, and yielded the successful singles "In A Little While
" and "Drift Away
", a song that broke the record for the most weeks at #1 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Chart.
The next Uncle Kracker album was Seventy Two and Sunny
also produced by Michael Bradford. This album explored Bradford and Kracker's fondness for 70's radio pop, and included guests Phil Vassar
, Bret Michaels
of the band Poison
and Kenny Chesney
.
For Uncle Kracker's fourth album, Happy Hour
(2009), producer Rob Cavallo
was brought in to make new recordings. However, some of Michael's songwriting was included, including "I'm Not Leaving" and "Another Love Song". Michael's production of "I'm Not Leaving" was also released on Happy Hour: The South River Road Sessions
(2010), an EP of mixes, geared towards the country music market. This album also included "Letter To My Daughters", from No Stranger to Shame
.
Another song originally intended for Happy Hour was called "Some People". This song has subsequently been recorded by the Georgia
band REHAB
.
In addition to album production, Michael and Uncle Kracker have created music for several films, including Good Boy, Clockstoppers
, Osmosis Jones
and American Pie 2
.
by Lava Records
' President, Jason Flom
. Michael and Beth began a musical collaboration that eventually yielded the 2003 album Leave the Light On
. The album was well received by Beth's fans as well as the critics, including website epinions.com, who said of the album, "It's real, it's raw, and it's gorgeous" The album featured Beth Hart's live band, with arrangements by Michael. Michael also played some additional keyboard and guitar overdubs during the post-production
phase of the album.
, and invited to come to one of their concerts in Brighton, England. Upon arriving, Michael met the band and was presented with the opportunity to produce their next album. After the tour ended, Michael and the band set up camp in Los Angeles, to write and record the album Bananas
, which was released in 2003. Reviews were positive, with Prog Archives Magazine commenting that Michael "proves himself to be a good songwriter, not just a great producer". The "Bananas" Tour went on to being a very successful run for the band, and Michael appeared onstage with Deep Purple several times during the promotion of the album.
In 2005, Deep Purple reconvened with Michael to record their next album, Rapture of the Deep
. This album was recorded at Michael's private studio in Tarzana, California. The album was recorded quickly, due to Bradford's concern that taking a long time would lose the spontaneity of the band. Although some band members felt rushed, the result was an album that caused the BBC
to report, "lengthy jams, heavy riffs, chugging basslines, and waves of deliciously smoking Hammond organ signal an intent within the Purple camp. They're back, and they are on form". The Rapture of the Deep tour
found the band circling the globe yet again, and once again, Michael joied them on stage periodically, culminating in a 2006 performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival
, the site first mentioned in Deep Purple's classic song "Smoke on the Water
".
, formerly of Eurythmics
, who was looking for someone who could put together a band for him to perform a retrospective
of his famous songs with, and also to write arrangements so that the songs could be performed with an orchestra. The first of these shows was to be a performance at the Tower Music Festival, in front of the Tower of London
. Stewart also had plans to record this material for an album, as well as new songs at a future date. Dave hired Bradford, and thus began a collaboration that has taken the two of then around the world. The album The Dave Stewart Songbook, Vol.1 was released in 2008. In August 2010, Stewart and Bradford traveled to Blackbird Studios in Nashville, TN to record a new album of songs with local musicians.
, Mission: Impossible 2, Freedom, the television series (Fox TV), Hannah Montana
, Jump In and The Fan
, starring Robert DeNiro and Wesley Snipes
.
's new album Y Not
, featuring Bradford on bass on certain tracks, along with fellow bassist Sir Paul McCartney
on others. In July 2010, Michael was brought in by Dave Stewart
and Glen Ballard
to play bass on the upcoming Stevie Nicks
album. Michael joined an A-List group of musicians for the album, including Waddy Wachtel
, Steve Ferrone
, Mick Fleetwood
, Mike Rowe and Zac Rae. Michael has also enjoyed live performance in 2010, primarily with Jazz pianist Kevin Toney
.
Basses, primarily the Thunderbird
5-string model. Michael uses the Ampeg
SVT-VR Bass Head with the matching 810E speaker cabinet. For live performances he prefers 2 heads and 2 cabinets. Michael uses a rack of effects by Line 6, including their Pod X3 Pro, Filter Pro, Mod Pro and Echo Pro rack-mount effects. Michael also uses the SWR Interstellar Overdrive
Bass Preamp as a direct box signal. His slightly overdriven sound was inspired primarily by Deep Purple
's Roger Glover
, but also by the melodic styles of Jack Bruce
, John Paul Jones
and Mel Schacher
of Grand Funk Railroad
.
In addition to his Gibson
Basses, Michael has a series of custom 5, 6 and 8-string basses made for him by Washburn
. His most prized, and rarely seen bass is a one-of-a-kind fretless bass made for Michael by Joseph Santavicca, a luthier
from Detroit. Joe has since passed away, making the bass truly irreplaceable. The bass took 2 years to complete, earning it the nickname "Slow Joe". It is usually kept in storage.
, Gerhardt
, Komet, and Blockhead. Michael also uses the larger ENGL
Powerball
, a four-channel amp with a 100 watt power rating. Michael uses 2 custom pedalboards with a variety of effects including the vintage A/DA Flanger and the Foxx Tone Machine, along with a Pete Cornish
distortion box.
period where the songs can be written, played and critiqued before entering the studio to record. This requires the full involvement of the artist, and exposes any problems with the material before committing it to being recorded.
Once in the studio, Michael records quickly, following his often-spoken adage "If it takes too long, you are doing it wrong". This comes from Michael's experience with artists who, in search of perfection, end up undoing good work by constantly trying to improve it.
There is no signature "Bradford Sound", as he tries to do what is best for each artist. However, big guitars, simple lyrics
and strong drums are his favorite hallmarks.
Michael plays many instruments on his productions, especially if the artist does not have a band, and he also does most of his own engineering and mixing. He is an avid user of Pro Tools
software for recording and editing, but he has also been known to record basic tracks to tape.
Michael has had extensive experience recording vocalists including Anita Baker
, Terence Trent D'arby and Mick Jagger
. Michael prefers the CAD VX2 Microphone, along with a hand built preamp from Frank DiMedia Labs and Manley Labs' Opto-Compressor.
In Sound on Sound
magazine, Michael summed up his philosophy this way: "For me it's really crucial to understand what the artist is basically trying to say through the record," Bradford explains. "That is, assuming the artist is actually trying to communicate some sort of deeper message, as opposed to just singing the song. Both kinds of record are valid — some are purely entertainment, whereas others have this whole level of communication going on, and if you are lucky enough to be part of one of those records, I think it's really important to listen to what the artist is trying to say. You can be of maximum use by just helping him or her to bring that out and get their point across."
The late 60s and early 70s were also a remarkable time in Detroit for music. The Motown Sound was sweeping the nation, but also local bands like The Rationals
The Rationals
-History:The Rationals formed in 1964 and first recorded a single for a local label, A2 Records, in 1965. After scoring a local hit with the tune "Gave My Love", they recorded a cover of Otis Redding's "Respect". This won them a contract for national distribution by Cameo/Parkway, and the single...
, Bob Seger
Bob Seger
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
and The Frost
The Frost
The Frost were an American rock band from Alpena, Michigan in the late 1960s, led by singer-guitarist Dick Wagner, who went on to play with Ursa Major, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Dan Page and Kevin Ulgenalp in the 1970s....
were getting constant exposure on local radio, along with rock from bands like The James Gang, Sly and the Family Stone and Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge is an American rock band. The band's original lineup – vocalist/organist Mark Stein, bassist/vocalist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist/vocalist Vince Martell, and drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice – recorded five albums during the years 1966–69, before disbanding in 1970...
. Many of these bands performed at a local concert venue, The Eastown Theatre, on Harper Avenue. The theatre was a converted movie theatre, and was a short distance from the Bradford home. Due to the influence of the rock crowd, the theatre had gotten a reputation for being "one of the city’s most notorious drug-infused rock venues". Michael's early exposure to rock music made him want to pursue a career in rock, rather than the more obvious choice of R&B.
In 1973, Michael was admitted to University Liggett School
University Liggett School
University Liggett School, also known as ULS and Liggett, is a private, secular school inGrosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1878, it is Michigan's oldest independent coeducational day school....
, a private school in Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe refers to a coastal area in Metro Detroit, Michigan, United States that comprises five adjacent individual communities. From southwest to northeast, they are:*Grosse Pointe Park, city*Grosse Pointe, city*Grosse Pointe Farms, city...
Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Fellow classmates included Jeffrey Eugenides
Jeffrey Eugenides
Jeffrey Kent Eugenides is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and short story writer. Eugenides is most known for his first two novels, The Virgin Suicides and Middlesex . His novel The Marriage Plot was published in October, 2011.-Life and career:Eugenides was born in Detroit, Michigan,...
, who would go on to write The Virgin Suicides
The Virgin Suicides
The Virgin Suicides is the 1993 debut novel by American writer Jeffrey Eugenides. The story, which is set in Grosse Pointe, Michigan during the 1970s, centers on the suicides of five sisters. The Lisbon girls' suicides fascinate their community as their neighbors struggle to find an explanation for...
and Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. Michael stayed at ULS, graduating from the 12th Grade in 1978.
Gerard Smerek
Eventually, Michael started playing with local bands, and getting work in local Detroit recording studios, such as United Sound, Sound Suite and Ambience Recordings, in suburban Farmington Hills, MI. Ambience was a premiere studio at the time, and many records, commercials and industrial film soundtracks were recorded there. At Ambience, Michael met engineer Gerard Smerek, a local whiz who had production and allowing Michael to assist him recording sessions. Gerard's work ethic, combined with his reminder to become "necessary and useful" to his clients by anticipating their needs, inspired Michael to want to work behind the scenes, at the side of the artists who came into the studio.Earl Klugh
In 1981, Michael met jazz guitarist Earl KlughEarl Klugh
Earl Klugh is an American smooth jazz/crossover jazz/jazz fusion guitarist and composer.At the age of 13, Klugh was captivated by the guitar playing of Chet Atkins when Atkins made an appearance on the Perry Como Show. Klugh was a performing guest on several of Atkins' albums...
, while working at Ambience. Earl was extremely successful at the time, making albums such as Crazy For You
Crazy for You (Earl Klugh album)
Crazy for You is the 8th studio album by Earl Klugh released in 1981. This is the first album which Klugh produced by himself. The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Performance at the 25th Grammy Awards in 1983....
. Earl was one of the most successful of the new instrumental jazz artists, and his compositions were heard on radios all over the world. Earl is still considered to be "one of the finest acoustic guitar players" on the music scene, but what also impressed Michael was the income that Earl was producing from his album sales and the royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
from airplay and TV and film licenses. Earl tutored Michael in composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
, using examples from composers like Antonio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim , also known as Tom Jobim , was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within...
. Earl also educated Michael about the mechanics of publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
, copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
and licensing. This information inspired Michael to become serious about songwriting as a career in which he could make a living.
Anita Baker
Another artist who recorded at Ambience was Anita BakerAnita Baker
Anita Baker is an American R&B/soul jazz singer-songwriter. To date, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards, and has four platinum albums and two gold albums to her credit....
. Gerard Smerek was her engineer as well, and Gerard brought Michael into Anita's camp to help with keyboard sounds and drum programming, using drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
s, sampler
Sampler (musical instrument)
A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
s and recordings of percussion instruments to spice up the sound. This eventually led to receiving a production credit on Anita's 1994 album Rhythm of Love
Rhythm of Love (Anita Baker album)
Rhythm of Love is the fifth album by the American R&B/soul singer Anita Baker. Released in 1994, the album peaked at #2 on Billboard 200 and #1 on Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop chart...
. The album went double-platinum, getting great reviews and opening more doors for Michael.
Paul Buckmaster
After the success of Rhythm of LoveRhythm of Love (Anita Baker album)
Rhythm of Love is the fifth album by the American R&B/soul singer Anita Baker. Released in 1994, the album peaked at #2 on Billboard 200 and #1 on Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop chart...
, Michael was faced with a small dilemma. In 1994, faced with the choice between New York and Los Angeles, Michael chose Los Angeles, for the more agreeable climate. Upon his arrival, Michael was introduced to Paul Buckmaster
Paul Buckmaster
Paul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....
, a legendary arranger for artists such as Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Carly Simon
Carly Simon
Carly Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work...
and Train
Train (band)
Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....
, and composer for films such as 12 Monkeys. Paul hired Michael as his programmer and engineer. Once again, a mentor relationship developed, and Paul taught Michael about arranging for orchestras, as well as giving Michael a basic understanding of film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
techniques. Paul enlisted Michael's sound design
Sound design
Sound design is the process of specifying, acquiring, manipulating or generating audio elements. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including filmmaking, television production, theatre, sound recording and reproduction, live performance, sound art, post-production and video game software...
and programming skills on independent films such as The Maker, staring Matthew Modine
Matthew Modine
Matthew Avery Modine is an award-winning American actor. His film roles include Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, the title character in Alan Parker's Birdy, high school wrestler Louden Swain in Vision Quest, football star turned spy Alec McCall in Funky Monkey and the...
and Murder In Mind
Murder In Mind (1997 film)
-Characters:*Nigel Hawthorne as Dr. Ellis*Mary-Louise Parker as Caroline Walker*Jimmy Smits as Peter Walker*Jason Scott Lee as Holloway*Gailard Sartain as Charlie*Mitch Ward as Court Clerk*Jon Cedar as superior officer*Ingo Neuhaus as Officer...
, starring Mary Louise Parker. These sessions began a friendship and collaborative relationship that is still ongoing.
New Radicals
While working with Paul BuckmasterPaul Buckmaster
Paul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....
, Michael was introduced to Gregg Alexander
Gregg Alexander
Gregg Alexander is an American singer/songwriter and producer, best known as the frontman of the New Radicals, who scored the international hit "You Get What You Give" in late 1998. Earlier in life he recorded two solo albums, Michigan Rain and Intoxifornication...
, whose band New Radicals
New Radicals
New Radicals were an American pop rock band active in the late 1990s, centered on frontman Gregg Alexander, who wrote and produced all of their songs and was the sole constant member...
had recently been signed to a record contract with MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. Michael was hired to be an engineer for the album, specializing in editing the dense and complex tracks in order to yield a cohesive set of songs that sounded live and spontaneous. Michael's inspiration for this technique came from reading about the production of Rolling Stones albums, such as Some Girls
Some Girls
Some Girls is the 14th British and 16th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1978 on Rolling Stones Records, catalogue COC 39108...
, that were edited performances that sounded live. Another influence was Paul Buckmaster's stories of Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
and the edited nature of his albums.
Released in 1997 Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too is the only album by the New Radicals, released in late 1998 by MCA Records. Two singles were released off it in 1998 and 1999, "You Get What You Give" and "Someday We'll Know"....
was a critical and commercial success, going Platinum in the U.S.A., and gold in several other countries.
Madonna
A recurring theme in Michael's life has been his association with artists from his home state of MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Anita Baker
Anita Baker
Anita Baker is an American R&B/soul jazz singer-songwriter. To date, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards, and has four platinum albums and two gold albums to her credit....
, Earl Klugh
Earl Klugh
Earl Klugh is an American smooth jazz/crossover jazz/jazz fusion guitarist and composer.At the age of 13, Klugh was captivated by the guitar playing of Chet Atkins when Atkins made an appearance on the Perry Como Show. Klugh was a performing guest on several of Atkins' albums...
and Gregg Alexander
Gregg Alexander
Gregg Alexander is an American singer/songwriter and producer, best known as the frontman of the New Radicals, who scored the international hit "You Get What You Give" in late 1998. Earlier in life he recorded two solo albums, Michigan Rain and Intoxifornication...
were all from the Detroit area. For his next project, Michael was introduced to Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
by New Radicals producer Rick Nowels
Rick Nowels
Richard Wright Nowels Jr. is a Grammy / Ivor Novello award-winning songwriter/producer who has worked with many of the most vibrant artists in contemporary music...
. Rick enlisted Michael to create electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
-inspired drum loops and beats, which were used as building blocks for songwriting sessions that Rick was having with Madonna. Some of these songs were finished, and became part of Madonna's 1998 album Ray of Light
Ray of Light
Ray of Light is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on March 3, 1998 by Maverick Records and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. After giving birth to her daughter Lourdes, Madonna collaborated with Patrick Leonard and William Orbit in developing the album...
. Prior to this, Michael had worked with Madonna producer Stephen Bray
Stephen Bray
Stephen Bray is an American songwriter, drummer, and record producer from Detroit. Bray is best known for his collaboration with Madonna.Bray began studying music through private instruction in Detroit, and continued his education at Berklee College of Music in Boston.Bray owns and operates Saturn...
, preparing tracks for an album called In the Beginning
Pre-Madonna
Pre-Madonna is a collection of demos by American recording artist Madonna. The album was released in 1997 by Stephen Bray, who was the producer of the songs when they were recorded, and was distributed by Soultone. The demo album was titled In the Beginning in European countries...
, a collection of songs written by Madonna and Bray before Madonna became a household name. Madonna took a liking to Michael, as he was from her home state of Michigan, and took to calling him "Detroit Mike", a nickname that he still is known by today.
Kid Rock
In 1998, Michael had been given a demo by another Michigan native, Kid RockKid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
. Michael called Rock, to express his interest in his music, and to offer to introduce him to record executives 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...
. Although Kid Rock eventually found his own way to a deal with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, he never forgot Michael's belief in him, and invited Michael to join him on his tour, opening for Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
. Michael built a small "rolling studio" on Kid Rock's tour bus, and during this period, they recorded tracks for Kid Rock's triple-platinum album The History of Rock. Also, at this time, Michael met Kid Rock's DJ, Matt Shafer, aka Uncle Kracker
Uncle Kracker
Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born...
. Uncle Kracker was signed to Kid Rock's Top Dog Records, and during the tour, production began on Uncle Kracker's first album, Double Wide
Double Wide (Uncle Kracker album)
Double Wide is rock/rap artist Uncle Kracker's debut album. It was released on Lava Records. The CRIA certified it platinum in August 2001.-Track listing:...
.
With Kid Rock, Michael also created music for films such The Crow: Salvation
The Crow: Salvation
The Crow: Salvation is a 2000 film directed by Bharat Nalluri. The film is the third in a series based on The Crow comic book by James O'Barr...
, Any Given Sunday
Any Given Sunday
Any Given Sunday is a 1999 American drama film directed by Oliver Stone depicting a fictional professional American football team. The film features an ensemble cast, consisting of Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx, James Woods, LL Cool J, Matthew Modine, John C...
and Shanghai Noon
Shanghai Noon
Shanghai Noon is a 2000 American martial arts action comedy western film starring Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson. The film, marking the directorial debut of Tom Dey, was written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar....
. Michael also contributed to Kid Rock's collaborations with Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee
Thomas Lee Bass , best known as Tommy Lee, is an American musician and founding member of glam metal band Mötley Crüe. As well as being the band's long-term drummer, Lee founded rap-metal band Methods of Mayhem, and has pursued solo musical projects...
's Methods of Mayhem
Methods Of Mayhem
Methods of Mayhem is an American rock band formed in 1999 by Tommy Lee, who had temporarily quit his position as Mötley Crüe's drummer.-History:...
and remixes for the band Mindless Self Indulgence
Mindless Self Indulgence
Mindless Self Indulgence is an American musical group formed in New York in 1997. Their music has a mixed style including rap, punk rock, alternative rock, electronica, techno and industrial...
.
Uncle Kracker
Uncle KrackerUncle Kracker
Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born...
and Michael became frequent collaborators, starting with the co-writing of Kracker's breakout single "Follow Me
Follow Me (Uncle Kracker song)
"Follow Me" is a single by Uncle Kracker. It was released in 2001 and went to number one on the ARIA Charts in Australia. It was a huge success, reaching #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and is Uncle Kracker's highest charting song to date. The single also reached #7 on the adult contemporary...
". This song propelled Double Wide to eventually selling more than 2 million copies in the USA, with "Follow Me" becoming a top ten single in many countries around the world. Michael was also named as a producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
of Double Wide, along with Kid Rock.
Michael stayed on to produce Uncle Kracker's next album, No Stranger to Shame
No Stranger to Shame
No Stranger to Shame is the follow-up album to Uncle Kracker's double-platinum Double Wide. It is currently the only Uncle Kracker album to have two charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 .-Track listing:...
, which went gold, and yielded the successful singles "In A Little While
In a Little While
"In a Little While" is the sixth track from U2's 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind.-History:The song came out of a jam with the band during the All That You Can't Leave Behind sessions. Bono has noted that his voice was in terrible shape at the time of the recording of this song...
" and "Drift Away
Drift Away
"Drift Away" is a song written by Mentor Williams and originally recorded by John Henry Kurtz on his 1972 album Reunion. In 1973 the song became Dobie Gray's biggest hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, though it did not enter the charts in the United Kingdom.This song is also a...
", a song that broke the record for the most weeks at #1 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Chart.
The next Uncle Kracker album was Seventy Two and Sunny
Seventy Two and Sunny
Seventy Two and Sunny is Rock / Rap / Pop artist Uncle Kracker's third album. It was released on Lava Records.- Track listing :*All songs written by Uncle Kracker and Mike Bradford unless noted.#"This Time" – 3:41#"Rescue" – 4:04...
also produced by Michael Bradford. This album explored Bradford and Kracker's fondness for 70's radio pop, and included guests Phil Vassar
Phil Vassar
Phil Vassar is an American country music artist. Vassar made his debut on the country music scene in the late 1990s, co-writing singles for several country artists, including Tim McGraw , Jo Dee Messina , Collin Raye , and Alan Jackson Phil Vassar (born May 28, 1964 in Lynchburg, Virginia) is an...
, Bret Michaels
Bret Michaels
Bret Michaels is an American musician, actor, director, screenwriter, producer and reality television personality. He first gained fame as the lead vocalist of the glam metal band Poison. Besides his career as lead singer, he has several solo albums to his credit, as well as one chart single...
of the band Poison
Poison (band)
Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...
and Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
.
For Uncle Kracker's fourth album, Happy Hour
Happy Hour (Uncle Kracker album)
Happy Hour is Uncle Kracker's fourth studio album. It was released on September 15, 2009 under Atlantic Records. The album includes the single "Smile"...
(2009), producer Rob Cavallo
Rob Cavallo
Rob Cavallo is a record producer and A&R, most famous for signing and producing Green Day. He is currently Chairman of Warner Bros. Records.- History :...
was brought in to make new recordings. However, some of Michael's songwriting was included, including "I'm Not Leaving" and "Another Love Song". Michael's production of "I'm Not Leaving" was also released on Happy Hour: The South River Road Sessions
Happy Hour: The South River Road Sessions
-Chart performance:...
(2010), an EP of mixes, geared towards the country music market. This album also included "Letter To My Daughters", from No Stranger to Shame
No Stranger to Shame
No Stranger to Shame is the follow-up album to Uncle Kracker's double-platinum Double Wide. It is currently the only Uncle Kracker album to have two charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 .-Track listing:...
.
Another song originally intended for Happy Hour was called "Some People". This song has subsequently been recorded by the Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
band REHAB
Rehab (band)
Rehab is an American Southern rock, country, and alternative hip hop band. The band has recorded seven albums, including two each for Epic Records and Universal Republic. They are mainly known for their 2008 hit, "Bartender Song "....
.
In addition to album production, Michael and Uncle Kracker have created music for several films, including Good Boy, Clockstoppers
Clockstoppers
Clockstoppers is a 2002 science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies. It was directed by Jonathan Frakes, produced by Gale Anne Hurd and Julia Pistor and written by Rob Hedden, Andy Hedden, J. David Stem and David N...
, Osmosis Jones
Osmosis Jones
Osmosis Jones is a 2001 live-action/animated comedy film directed by Tom Sito and Piet Kroon for the animated segments and the Farrelly brothers for the live-action segments...
and American Pie 2
American Pie 2
American Pie 2 is a 2001 comedy film and sequel to American Pie and is the second film in the American Pie film series. It was written by Adam Herz and David H. Steinberg, and directed by J. B. Rogers. The film picks up the story of the four friends from the first film as they reunite during the...
.
Beth Hart
In 2001, Michael was introduced to Beth HartBeth Hart
Beth Hart is an American singer who became famous with the hit , which aired during Episode 17 of the 10th and final season of Beverly Hills, 90210.Her musical influences include rock, blues and gospel.-Musical career:...
by Lava Records
Lava Records
Lava Records is an American based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated through Universal Republic Records.-Company history:...
' President, Jason Flom
Jason Flom
Jason Flom is an American music industry executive. He has served as the Chairman and CEO of music labels including Atlantic Records, Virgin Records, and the Capitol Music Group. In 1995, he founded Lava Records...
. Michael and Beth began a musical collaboration that eventually yielded the 2003 album Leave the Light On
Leave the Light On (Beth Hart album)
Leave the Light On is an album by Beth Hart. Several versions of this album exist, ranging from the very original release in New Zealand in the spring of 2003 , the standard international version released worldwide later in the fall of 2003 , then several specialized reissues in various European...
. The album was well received by Beth's fans as well as the critics, including website epinions.com, who said of the album, "It's real, it's raw, and it's gorgeous" The album featured Beth Hart's live band, with arrangements by Michael. Michael also played some additional keyboard and guitar overdubs during the post-production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
phase of the album.
Deep Purple
In 2002, Michael was contacted by Bruce Payne, manager of Deep PurpleDeep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
, and invited to come to one of their concerts in Brighton, England. Upon arriving, Michael met the band and was presented with the opportunity to produce their next album. After the tour ended, Michael and the band set up camp in Los Angeles, to write and record the album Bananas
Bananas (album)
Bananas is the 17th studio album by English rock band Deep Purple, released on October 7, 2003. It includes "Contact Lost", a short, slow instrumental about the Columbia astronauts, written by guitarist Steve Morse when he heard the sad news of the crash....
, which was released in 2003. Reviews were positive, with Prog Archives Magazine commenting that Michael "proves himself to be a good songwriter, not just a great producer". The "Bananas" Tour went on to being a very successful run for the band, and Michael appeared onstage with Deep Purple several times during the promotion of the album.
In 2005, Deep Purple reconvened with Michael to record their next album, Rapture of the Deep
Rapture of the Deep
Rapture of the Deep is the 18th studio album by English hard rock band Deep Purple, released in November 2005. It is currently the band's most recent studio album....
. This album was recorded at Michael's private studio in Tarzana, California. The album was recorded quickly, due to Bradford's concern that taking a long time would lose the spontaneity of the band. Although some band members felt rushed, the result was an album that caused the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
to report, "lengthy jams, heavy riffs, chugging basslines, and waves of deliciously smoking Hammond organ signal an intent within the Purple camp. They're back, and they are on form". The Rapture of the Deep tour
Rapture of the Deep tour
The Rapture of the Deep Tour is an ongoing worldwide concert tour by British hard rock band Deep Purple. It takes place in support of their 2005 studio album Rapture of the Deep. It is supposed to be one of the most successful and long-lasting tour the band has ever done...
found the band circling the globe yet again, and once again, Michael joied them on stage periodically, culminating in a 2006 performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva...
, the site first mentioned in Deep Purple's classic song "Smoke on the Water
Smoke on the Water
"Smoke on the Water" is a song by the British hard rock band Deep Purple. It was first released on their 1972 album Machine Head. In 2004, the song was ranked number 426 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time, and in March 2005, Q magazine placed "Smoke on the Water"...
".
Dave Stewart
In 2007, Michael met artist Dave StewartDavid A. Stewart
David Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
, formerly of Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
, who was looking for someone who could put together a band for him to perform a retrospective
Retrospective
Retrospective generally means to take a look back at events that already have taken place. For example, the term is used in medicine, describing a look back at a patient's medical history or lifestyle.-Music:...
of his famous songs with, and also to write arrangements so that the songs could be performed with an orchestra. The first of these shows was to be a performance at the Tower Music Festival, in front of the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. Stewart also had plans to record this material for an album, as well as new songs at a future date. Dave hired Bradford, and thus began a collaboration that has taken the two of then around the world. The album The Dave Stewart Songbook, Vol.1 was released in 2008. In August 2010, Stewart and Bradford traveled to Blackbird Studios in Nashville, TN to record a new album of songs with local musicians.
Film/TV
Michael has been active in television and film music, with songs and productions of his appearing in movies as diverse as Disney's Cinderella II: Dreams Come TrueCinderella II: Dreams Come True
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True is the first direct-to-video sequel to the 1950 Disney film Cinderella. It was made in 2001 and released on February 26, 2002. It was followed by Cinderella III: A Twist in Time in 2007...
, Mission: Impossible 2, Freedom, the television series (Fox TV), Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana is an American television series, which debuted on March 24, 2006 on the Disney Channel. The series focuses on a girl who lives a double life as an average teenage school girl named Miley Stewart by day and a famous pop singer named Hannah Montana by night, concealing her real...
, Jump In and The Fan
The Fan (1996 film)
The Fan is a 1996 American thriller film starring Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes. It was directed by Tony Scott and based on the novel of the same name by Peter Abrahams...
, starring Robert DeNiro and Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
.
Bass Renaissance
Although known as an accomplished songwriter and producer, Michael has always considered himself a bassist. 2010 has provided him with new opportunities to enjoy his primary instrument. January 2010 saw the release of Ringo StarrRingo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
's new album Y Not
Y Not
-Reception:Reviews for Y Not were mostly mixed. Review aggregator Metacritic, which assigns a score out of 100 based on critic ratings, rated the album 60 out of 100, based on 11 reviews...
, featuring Bradford on bass on certain tracks, along with fellow bassist Sir Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
on others. In July 2010, Michael was brought in by Dave Stewart
David A. Stewart
David Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
and Glen Ballard
Glen Ballard
Glen Ballard is an American songwriter and record producer, best known for co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill , which won Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album", and "Album of the Year" amongst others, and is ranked by the Rolling Stone amongst The 500 Greatest Albums of...
to play bass on the upcoming Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks
Stephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums...
album. Michael joined an A-List group of musicians for the album, including Waddy Wachtel
Waddy Wachtel
Robert "Waddy" Wachtel is an American musician, composer and record producer, most notable for his guitar work...
, Steve Ferrone
Steve Ferrone
Steven "Steve" Ferrone is a British drummer.He was a member of the Average White Band, and has recorded and performed with numerous other high-profile acts, including Slash, Chaka Khan, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Scritti Politti...
, Mick Fleetwood
Mick Fleetwood
Michael John Kells "Mick" Fleetwood is a British musician and actor best known for his role as the drummer and namesake of the blues/rock and roll band Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of John McVie, was the inspiration for the name of the originally Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac...
, Mike Rowe and Zac Rae. Michael has also enjoyed live performance in 2010, primarily with Jazz pianist Kevin Toney
Kevin Toney
Kevin Toney is an American pianist and composer, known as an original member of The Blackbyrds and now is a solo artist and performer.-Biography:...
.
Bass Sound
Michael is a proponent of GibsonGibson
Gibson may refer to:* Gibson Amphitheatre* Gibson Appliance* Gibson Girl* Gibson Guitar Corporation* Gibson * Gibson Generating Station-Places:In the United States:* Gibson, Arkansas* Gibson, Georgia* Gibson, Iowa* Gibson, Louisiana...
Basses, primarily the Thunderbird
Gibson Thunderbird
The Gibson Thunderbird is an electric bass guitar made by Gibson.-Background and introduction:The Gibson Thunderbird was introduced in 1963. At the time, Fender had been the leader in the electric bass market since their introduction of the Precision Bass twelve years earlier.The Thunderbird was...
5-string model. Michael uses the Ampeg
Ampeg
Ampeg is primarily a musical instrument amplifier manufacturer headquartered in Woodinville, Washington, though they also manufacture guitars to a small extent...
SVT-VR Bass Head with the matching 810E speaker cabinet. For live performances he prefers 2 heads and 2 cabinets. Michael uses a rack of effects by Line 6, including their Pod X3 Pro, Filter Pro, Mod Pro and Echo Pro rack-mount effects. Michael also uses the SWR Interstellar Overdrive
Interstellar Overdrive
"Interstellar Overdrive" is a psychedelic composition written by Pink Floyd in 1966, which appears on their 1967 debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn at almost ten minutes in length. An earlier, longer recording, 16:52, can be heard on the soundtrack to the film Tonite Let's All Make Love in...
Bass Preamp as a direct box signal. His slightly overdriven sound was inspired primarily by Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
's Roger Glover
Roger Glover
Roger David Glover is a Welsh bassist, songwriter, and record producer. Glover is best known as the bassist and lyricist for the hard rock band, Deep Purple.-Early career:...
, but also by the melodic styles of Jack Bruce
Jack Bruce
John Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce is a Scottish musician and songwriter, respected as a founding member of the British psychedelic rock power trio, Cream, for a solo career that spans several decades, and for his participation in several well-known musical ensembles...
, John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was a Scottish sailor and the United States' first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to...
and Mel Schacher
Mel Schacher
Mel Schacher is best known as the bassist for rock band Grand Funk Railroad.- Early career :Schacher was born in Flint, Michigan. He became interested in music at the age of seven playing with his father's banjo. By age twelve he had moved to playing guitar and then bass...
of Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad is an American rock band that was highly popular during the 1970s. Grand Funk Railroad toured constantly to packed arenas worldwide. A popular take on the band during its heyday was that, although the critics hated them, audiences loved them...
.
In addition to his Gibson
Gibson
Gibson may refer to:* Gibson Amphitheatre* Gibson Appliance* Gibson Girl* Gibson Guitar Corporation* Gibson * Gibson Generating Station-Places:In the United States:* Gibson, Arkansas* Gibson, Georgia* Gibson, Iowa* Gibson, Louisiana...
Basses, Michael has a series of custom 5, 6 and 8-string basses made for him by Washburn
Washburn
Washburn is an uncommon surname of English origins.The WashburnW166pro In Blue is considered the rarest colour!!...
. His most prized, and rarely seen bass is a one-of-a-kind fretless bass made for Michael by Joseph Santavicca, a luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
from Detroit. Joe has since passed away, making the bass truly irreplaceable. The bass took 2 years to complete, earning it the nickname "Slow Joe". It is usually kept in storage.
Guitar Sound
Although primarily a bass player, Michael has played guitar since he was six years old. He has a large collection of electric and acoustic guitars, and is a lover of small-wattage, "boutique" amplifiers from THDTHD Electronics
THD Electronics, Ltd. is a manufacturer of vacuum-tube guitar amplifiers and amplifier accessories, and is located in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1986 by President and CEO Andrew Marshall. Although it specializes in hand-built, vacuum tube “boutique”-style amplifiers, it also...
, Gerhardt
Gerhardt
Gerhardt is a masculine name of German origin. It can refer to any of the following:-As a first name:* Gerhardt, a Dutch musician* Gerhardt Boldt, German soldier and writer* Gerhardt Laves, American linguist...
, Komet, and Blockhead. Michael also uses the larger ENGL
Engl
ENGL is a German company that makes high-end tube amplifiers for electric guitars. Over the years ENGL has succeeded in becoming a global player in this market...
Powerball
Powerball
Powerball is an American lottery game sold in 44 jurisdictions as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association , a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Powerball is a game whose advertised jackpot starts at $20 million and can roll into...
, a four-channel amp with a 100 watt power rating. Michael uses 2 custom pedalboards with a variety of effects including the vintage A/DA Flanger and the Foxx Tone Machine, along with a Pete Cornish
Pete Cornish
Pete Cornish is a British designer of electric guitar effects and other electronic musical instruments. He is mainly noted for his elaborate fully custom guitar pedalboard systems...
distortion box.
Production Style
Although known for rock albums, Michael tends to take an old-school acoustic approach to recording, relying on microphone placement and room acoustics rather than outboard gear and effects. Working with the artist, Michael prefers a pre-productionPre-production
Pre-production or In Production is the process of preparing all the elements involved in a film, play, or other performance.- In film :...
period where the songs can be written, played and critiqued before entering the studio to record. This requires the full involvement of the artist, and exposes any problems with the material before committing it to being recorded.
Once in the studio, Michael records quickly, following his often-spoken adage "If it takes too long, you are doing it wrong". This comes from Michael's experience with artists who, in search of perfection, end up undoing good work by constantly trying to improve it.
There is no signature "Bradford Sound", as he tries to do what is best for each artist. However, big guitars, simple lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
and strong drums are his favorite hallmarks.
Michael plays many instruments on his productions, especially if the artist does not have a band, and he also does most of his own engineering and mixing. He is an avid user of Pro Tools
Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
software for recording and editing, but he has also been known to record basic tracks to tape.
Michael has had extensive experience recording vocalists including Anita Baker
Anita Baker
Anita Baker is an American R&B/soul jazz singer-songwriter. To date, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards, and has four platinum albums and two gold albums to her credit....
, Terence Trent D'arby and Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
. Michael prefers the CAD VX2 Microphone, along with a hand built preamp from Frank DiMedia Labs and Manley Labs' Opto-Compressor.
In Sound on Sound
Sound on Sound
Sound on Sound is an independently-owned monthly music technology magazine published by SOS Publications Group, based in Cambridge, UK. The magazine includes product tests of electronic musical performance and recording devices, and interviews with industry professionals...
magazine, Michael summed up his philosophy this way: "For me it's really crucial to understand what the artist is basically trying to say through the record," Bradford explains. "That is, assuming the artist is actually trying to communicate some sort of deeper message, as opposed to just singing the song. Both kinds of record are valid — some are purely entertainment, whereas others have this whole level of communication going on, and if you are lucky enough to be part of one of those records, I think it's really important to listen to what the artist is trying to say. You can be of maximum use by just helping him or her to bring that out and get their point across."
Credits
| Year | Album | Artist | Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | I'm On Your Side | Jennifer Holiday | Bass |
| 1991 | Make Time For Love | Keith Washington Keith Washington Keith Washington is an American R&B vocalist from Detroit, Michigan who scored a hit single in the United States in 1991 with "Kissing You," which was also used as background music for a General Hospital on ABC... |
Bass, Programming |
| 1991 | Power of Money: The Best of The Vibrators | The Vibrators The Vibrators - Early career:The Vibrators were founded by Ian 'Knox' Carnochan, bassist Pat Collier, guitarist John Ellis, and drummer John 'Eddie' Edwards. They first came to public notice at the 100 Club when they backed Chris Spedding in 1976. On Spedding's recommendation, Mickie Most signed them to his... |
Bass |
| 1994 | Rhythm of Love | Anita Baker Anita Baker Anita Baker is an American R&B/soul jazz singer-songwriter. To date, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards, and has four platinum albums and two gold albums to her credit.... |
Programming, Producer |
| 1996 | Original Soundtrack | The Fan The Fan (1996 film) The Fan is a 1996 American thriller film starring Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes. It was directed by Tony Scott and based on the novel of the same name by Peter Abrahams... |
Bass (Electric), Sequencing, Keyboard Programming, Digital Sampling |
| 1997 | 5 Miles Till Empty (UK) | Brownstone Brownstone Brownstone is a brown Triassic or Jurassic sandstone which was once a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States to refer to a terraced house clad in this material.-Types:-Apostle Island brownstone:... |
Engineer |
| 1998 | Conan: Music by Charles Fox | Television Soundtrack | Producer |
| 1998 | Delicious [12] | Pure Sugar | Writer |
| 1998 | In the Beginning Pre-Madonna Pre-Madonna is a collection of demos by American recording artist Madonna. The album was released in 1997 by Stephen Bray, who was the producer of the songs when they were recorded, and was distributed by Soultone. The demo album was titled In the Beginning in European countries... |
Madonna Madonna (entertainer) Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983... |
Drums, Keyboards |
| 1998 | Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too | New Radicals New Radicals New Radicals were an American pop rock band active in the late 1990s, centered on frontman Gregg Alexander, who wrote and produced all of their songs and was the sole constant member... |
Engineer |
| 1998 | Ray of Light Ray of Light Ray of Light is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on March 3, 1998 by Maverick Records and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. After giving birth to her daughter Lourdes, Madonna collaborated with Patrick Leonard and William Orbit in developing the album... |
Madonna Madonna (entertainer) Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983... |
Programming |
| 1998 | These Are The Times | Pure Sugar | Bass, Guitar, Writer |
| 1999 | Crown Royal | Run D.M.C. | Engineer, Editing, Mixing |
| 1999 | Mama Sweet | Da Hool Da Hool Frank Tomiczek , better known as Da Hool, is a German DJ and producer. It was in Bottrop that he first honed his skills as a DJ, and by 1990 was an acclaimed performer in his native country.... |
Remixing |
| 1999 | Peasants, Pigs, and Astronauts | Kula Shaker Kula Shaker Kula Shaker are an English psychedelic rock band. Led by outspoken frontman Crispian Mills, the band came to prominence during the Post-Britpop era of the late 1990s. The band enjoyed great commercial success in the UK between 1996 and 1999, notching up a number of Top 10 hits on the UK Singles... |
Arranger |
| 1999 | You Get What You Give | New Radicals New Radicals New Radicals were an American pop rock band active in the late 1990s, centered on frontman Gregg Alexander, who wrote and produced all of their songs and was the sole constant member... |
Engineer |
| 2000 | Any Given Sunday Any Given Sunday Any Given Sunday is a 1999 American drama film directed by Oliver Stone depicting a fictional professional American football team. The film features an ensemble cast, consisting of Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx, James Woods, LL Cool J, Matthew Modine, John C... |
Original Soundtrack | Bass, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2000 | Bitches | Mindless Self Indulgence Mindless Self Indulgence Mindless Self Indulgence is an American musical group formed in New York in 1997. Their music has a mixed style including rap, punk rock, alternative rock, electronica, techno and industrial... |
Engineer |
| 2000 | The Crow: Salvation | Original Soundtrack | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2000 | Double Wide Double Wide (Uncle Kracker album) Double Wide is rock/rap artist Uncle Kracker's debut album. It was released on Lava Records. The CRIA certified it platinum in August 2001.-Track listing:... |
Uncle Kracker Uncle Kracker Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born... |
Bass, Guitar, Composer, Programming, Vocals (bckgr), Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2000 | The History of Rock | Kid Rock Kid Rock Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations... |
Bass, Guitar, Programming, Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2000 | Mission: Impossible 2 | Original Soundtrack | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2000 | MTV The Return of the Rock | Various Artists | Mixing |
| 2000 | New Skin | Methods of Mayhem Methods Of Mayhem Methods of Mayhem is an American rock band formed in 1999 by Tommy Lee, who had temporarily quit his position as Mötley Crüe's drummer.-History:... |
Engineer |
| 2000 | Tune In | Flak | Remixing |
| 2000 | Volumizer | 2 Skinniee J's | Producer |
| 2001 | American Pie 2 American Pie 2 American Pie 2 is a 2001 comedy film and sequel to American Pie and is the second film in the American Pie film series. It was written by Adam Herz and David H. Steinberg, and directed by J. B. Rogers. The film picks up the story of the four friends from the first film as they reunite during the... |
Original Soundtrack | Composer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2001 | Down for The Getdown | Youngstown Youngstown Youngstown may refer to:A place*Canada**Britannia Youngstown, Edmonton, Alberta**Youngstown, Alberta*United States**Youngstown, Florida**Youngstown, Indiana**Youngstown, New York**Youngstown, Ohio***Youngstown State University... |
Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2001 | Osmosis Jones | Original Soundtrack | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2001 | Sugar | Youngstown Youngstown Youngstown may refer to:A place*Canada**Britannia Youngstown, Edmonton, Alberta**Youngstown, Alberta*United States**Youngstown, Florida**Youngstown, Indiana**Youngstown, New York**Youngstown, Ohio***Youngstown State University... |
Bass, Guitar, Keyboards, Programming, Producer, Engineer |
| 2001 | Summer Catch Summer Catch Summer Catch is a 2001 romantic comedy film starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Jessica Biel, and Matthew Lillard. The story takes place on Cape Cod, but the majority of the film was shot in Southport, North Carolina.-Plot:... |
Original Soundtrack | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2001 | Terence Trent d'Arby's Wildcard! | Terence Trent d'Arby | Bass, Engineer |
| 2001 | Weird Revolution Weird Revolution Weird Revolution is the eighth studio album by the alternative rock band Butthole Surfers, released in 2001 on Surfdog Records and Hollywood Records.... |
Butthole Surfers Butthole Surfers Butthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second... |
Producer, Engineer |
| 2002 | Clockstoppers Clockstoppers Clockstoppers is a 2002 science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies. It was directed by Jonathan Frakes, produced by Gale Anne Hurd and Julia Pistor and written by Rob Hedden, Andy Hedden, J. David Stem and David N... |
Original Soundtrack | Producer Mixing |
| 2002 | Disney's Princess Favorites | Various Artists | Arranger, Producer, Mixing |
| 2002 | Disney's Superstar Hits | Disney | Arranger, Producer, Mixing |
| 2002 | Liberation | Tré Hardson | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2002 | No Stranger to Shame No Stranger to Shame No Stranger to Shame is the follow-up album to Uncle Kracker's double-platinum Double Wide. It is currently the only Uncle Kracker album to have two charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 .-Track listing:... [Clean] |
Uncle Kracker Uncle Kracker Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born... |
Bass, Guitar, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals (bckgr), Producer, Mixing |
| 2002 | Sweet Home Alabama Sweet Home Alabama (film) Sweet Home Alabama is a 2002 American romantic comedy film directed by Andy Tennant and stars Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas, and Patrick Dempsey. The film was released on September 27, 2002.-Plot:... |
Original Soundtrack | Producer |
| 2002 | Sweet Love: The Very Best of Anita Baker | Anita Baker Anita Baker Anita Baker is an American R&B/soul jazz singer-songwriter. To date, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards, and has four platinum albums and two gold albums to her credit.... |
Piano, Synthesizer Programming |
| 2003 | Bananas | Deep Purple Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre... |
Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2003 | Best of (hed) Planet Earth | (hed) pe | Producer |
| 2003 | Blackout | (hed) pe | Producer |
| 2003 | I've Always Been Crazy: A Tribute to Waylon Jennings | Various Artists | Vocal Engineer |
| 2003 | Leave the Light On Leave the Light On (Beth Hart album) Leave the Light On is an album by Beth Hart. Several versions of this album exist, ranging from the very original release in New Zealand in the spring of 2003 , the standard international version released worldwide later in the fall of 2003 , then several specialized reissues in various European... |
Beth Hart Beth Hart Beth Hart is an American singer who became famous with the hit , which aired during Episode 17 of the 10th and final season of Beverly Hills, 90210.Her musical influences include rock, blues and gospel.-Musical career:... |
Bass, Guitar, Guitar (Bass), Keyboards, Piano (Electric), Producer, Mixing, Audio Production |
| 2005 | Rapture of the Deep Rapture of the Deep Rapture of the Deep is the 18th studio album by English hard rock band Deep Purple, released in November 2005. It is currently the band's most recent studio album.... |
Deep Purple Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre... |
Producer, Engineer |
| 2006 | Best of Club Hits: Reloaded | Various Artists | Composer |
| 2006 | Live Trucker | Kid Rock Kid Rock Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations... |
Bass |
| 2006 | Work This!: The Collection | Various Artists | Composer |
| 2007 | Black in the Saddle Black in the Saddle Black in the Saddle is an album by American country rap artist Cowboy Troy. It is his second major-label album, released in 2007 on Warner Bros. Records. None of the album's singles entered the Billboard singles charts.... |
Cowboy Troy Cowboy Troy Troy Lee Coleman III is an American musician, better known by his stage name Cowboy Troy, who performs country rap. He is a member of the MuzikMafia, an aggregation of country music singer-songwriters whose membership also includes Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson and James Otto... |
Composer |
| 2008 | Dave Stewart Songbook, Vol. 1 | Dave Stewart David A. Stewart David Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,... |
Bass, Conductor, Producer, Engineer, Orchestration, Mixing, Musical Direction |
| 2008 | Down to Earth Down to Earth (Jem album) - Personnel :*Hiroko Aoyagi – vocals*Jeff Atmajian – piano, string arrangements, piano arrangement*Jeff Bass – bass, guitar, keyboards, producer, drum programming, tracked by*Kevin Beber – drum programming*Brian Berryman – engineer, fader engineer... |
Jem Jem (singer) Jemma Griffiths , better known as Jem, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her debut album, Finally Woken, includes elements of rock, new wave-styled electronica and trip-hop... |
Producer, String Arrangements, Instrumentation |
| 2008 | Steve Richard | Steve Richard Steve Richard Steve Richard, born in Providence, Rhode Island, living in St. Louis, Missouri is an American Christian Country music singer.He is on the Force MP Entertainment record label.Steve Richard has toured with musicians, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top,... |
Guitar, Guitar (Bass), Vocals (bckgr), Producer, Engineer |
| 2008 | Work This! Workout | Various Artists | Composer |
| 2008 | Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement | Various Artists | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Audio Production |
| 2009 | Atlantic Records: The Time Capsule | Various Artists | Composer |
| 2009 | Happy Hour Happy Hour (Uncle Kracker album) Happy Hour is Uncle Kracker's fourth studio album. It was released on September 15, 2009 under Atlantic Records. The album includes the single "Smile"... |
Uncle Kracker Uncle Kracker Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born... |
Bass |
| 2010 | Happy Hour: The South River Road Sessions Happy Hour: The South River Road Sessions -Chart performance:... |
Uncle Kracker Uncle Kracker Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born... |
Bass, Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Keyboards, Producer, Engineer, String Arrangements, Mixing |
| 2010 | Y Not Y Not -Reception:Reviews for Y Not were mostly mixed. Review aggregator Metacritic, which assigns a score out of 100 based on critic ratings, rated the album 60 out of 100, based on 11 reviews... |
Ringo Starr Ringo Starr Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in... |
Bass |
| 2011 | In Your Dreams In Your Dreams (album) In Your Dreams is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter and Fleetwood Mac vocalist Stevie Nicks, released on May 3, 2011 by Reprise Records... |
Stevie Nicks Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums... |
Bass (Album), Co-Producer (Song "Cheaper Than Free") |