Warren Cann
Encyclopedia
Warren Reginald Cann is a drummer
and drum machine
programmer, best known as a member of the British
New Wave
band Ultravox
.
and Los Angeles
, he came to England
in 1972, where he found a more creative environment.
He established himself in London
, where formed his first band, along Huw Lloyd-Langton
, future Hawkwind
member, on guitar and Rob Rawlins, later in Overnight Angels
, on bass. By 1974, he intended to join Sparks
, but only he got an interview with their leaders, the brothers Ron
and Russell Mael
.
. Shortly thereafter, Cann contacted Dennis Leigh, who invited Cann to join his fledgling band Tiger Lily
with bassist Chris Cross
and guitarist Stevie Shears
. In 1976, Tiger Lily changed its name to Ultravox!, and later in 1978 to Ultravox. Frontman Leigh went by the stage name "John Foxx" beginning in 1977.
Cann played on three experimental but commercially unsuccessful (initially) Ultravox albums released by Island Records, Ultravox!
(1977), Ha! Ha! Ha! (1977) and Systems of Romance
(1978). Leigh left Ultravox in 1979, after a tour in United States
and Canada
. Ultravox replaced John Foxx with singer/guitarist Midge Ure
in 1979.
Cann knew keyboardist Hans Zimmer
through mutual collaborations with The Buggles
and Zaine Griff
. In 1980, Cann and Zimmer formed a short-lived electronic New Wave
project called Helden
. Helden recorded a single and planned an album called "Spies" which was never officially released.
Ultravox signed to Chrysalis with Ure in 1980. Cann sang on some Ultravox songs of this period: "Mr. X" (from Vienna, 1980), "Paths And Angles" (1981) and "Break Your Back" (1982).
Cann's tenure with Ultravox lasted until 1986, when he was fired from the group. In retrospect, Midge Ure considers the firing unjust, unwarranted, and a result of misplaced tensions, according to his autobiography. Ure also describes Cann at the time as an avid gun enthusiast who frequently slept late.
Cann currently lives in Los Angeles
, California
.
In November 2008 it was announced that Ultravox were to reform, with Cann as one of the members, for a tour, in 2009.
s, so they could alter and override the preset manufacturer programs. This is notable on "Hiroshima Mon Amour
", from the album
Ha!-Ha!-Ha!
. When Ultravox were recording Vienna
, Cann's electronic ventures would become important for the Ultravox sound. The acquisition of a Roland CR-78
proved something of a headache for Cann, as he saw great sonic potential in it, but it had limited pattern programmability. In the process of adding some much needed practical customisations to the CR-78, Cann became something of a persona non grata
at the Roland
headquarters in the UK. This did not stop Cann from carrying out his plans, and the result proved to be a key factor in the overall sound of their signature hit song "Vienna".
The initial reaction to the usage of drum machines led to bewilderment among the audience, who wondered what Cann was doing during some songs. Among claims that he was doing nothing, he decided to equip his drum machines with clear perspex
cases instead of wood panels, and mount a variety of LED
s inside them as a feature Cann himself described as "absolutely useless, but very impressive looking on a darkened stage; now it would be obvious I was actually doing something." (From Jonas Wårstad's interview at Discog)
In addition to his drum machine work, Cann designed several modifications for bass player Chris Cross
' Minimoog
, among them a primitive sequencer made from a series of toggle switches to add syncopation
to the synthesizer's ability to create a stream of eighth notes, and a proprietary triggering system that allowed Cann and Cross to synchronise the Minimoog with Cann's drum machines, a feat performed almost three years before MIDI
was officially introduced in 1983. According to Midge Ure's autobiography, when the Minimoog took a dump on tour, Ultravox borrowed one from The Cars, but it didn't help as it lacked the proprietary modifications.
, both in style and execution. Around 1978, when Ultravox released the Systems of Romance
album, Cann's style of drumming turned away from its rock
roots and toward what was becoming the New Wave sound. He endeavoured to have extremely precise timing; this would make the songs with live drums
match songs driven by electronic
, programmed
percussion. For an example of this, compare the song "Sleepwalk
", where Cann plays live drums, to "Mr. X", where the drums are sequenced. Both of these tracks can be found on Vienna
. Despite his machine-like timing, Cann would often do things that neither drum machines nor electronically sequenced percussion could do at the time. Specifically, he would often play very precise triplet fills
and crescendo
s, especially on the snare drum
. While these two techniques are easily accomplished by electronic instruments today, around 1979-1982 they were virtually impossible. In essence, it could fool the listeners to believe they were hearing a drum machine, only to prove them wrong through out-performing the rather rudimentary sequencing possibilities of the time.
From a technical perspective, Cann preferred a traditional grip
. On the Quartet
album and subsequent tour (1982), Cann employed several sets of Simmons SDS-V electronic percussion pads, even to the point where he had an extra kit consisting of the hexagonal Simmons pads, which he played standing up. This way of playing them is quite unique and Cann seemed to be using this setup for one song only, namely "The Song (We Go)" from Quartet
.
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
and 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...
programmer, best known as a member of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements....
.
Early life
The son of two British immigrants, he began to be interested in electronics while he was at school. After playing in bands in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, he came to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1972, where he found a more creative environment.
He established himself in London
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...
, where formed his first band, along Huw Lloyd-Langton
Huw Lloyd-Langton
Huw Lloyd-Langton is an English guitarist, best known as the guitarist for Hawkwind. He also had his own band, the Lloyd Langton Group with bass player Kenny Wilson and drummer John Clark , and is the session lead guitarist for UK band The Meads of Asphodel.As a member of Hawkwind he appeared on...
, future Hawkwind
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
member, on guitar and Rob Rawlins, later in Overnight Angels
Overnight Angels
Overnight Angels is the third solo album by Ian Hunter.After the poor sales of his previous album, Hunter's apparent aim for this record was to re-emphasize faster songs with more of a rock feel, and he recruited the well-regarded Roy Thomas Baker to produce. However, the album received mixed...
, on bass. By 1974, he intended to join Sparks
Sparks (band)
Sparks is an American rock and pop band formed in Los Angeles in 1968 by brothers Ron and Russell Mael , initially under the name Halfnelson...
, but only he got an interview with their leaders, the brothers Ron
Ron Mael
Ronald David Mael , is an American musician and songwriter. He and his younger brother Russell, make up the pop duo Sparks.Ron Mael was born in Culver City, California. Ron plays keyboard and writes most of the songs for Sparks...
and Russell Mael
Russell Mael
Russell Mael is an American singer and songwriter who, with his older brother Ron, is in the band Sparks....
.
Ultravox and other contemporary works
Cann tried to join SparksSparks (band)
Sparks is an American rock and pop band formed in Los Angeles in 1968 by brothers Ron and Russell Mael , initially under the name Halfnelson...
. Shortly thereafter, Cann contacted Dennis Leigh, who invited Cann to join his fledgling band Tiger Lily
Tiger Lily (UK band)
Tiger Lily was a short-lived glam rock band and the seed of Ultravox! . It was founded in London in 1973 by Royal College of Art student Dennis Leigh , who escaped from his northern industrial environment in Lancashire, Chris St...
with bassist Chris Cross
Chris Cross
Chris Cross is the bass guitarist in the band Ultravox.-Early years:Cross went to Belmont Secondary Modern School, William Forster Comprehensive...
and guitarist Stevie Shears
Stevie Shears
Stevie Shears is a musician known for playing in english rock bands Tiger Lily and Ultravox! , alongside electronic musician John Foxx.-Tiger Lily and Ultravox!:...
. In 1976, Tiger Lily changed its name to Ultravox!, and later in 1978 to Ultravox. Frontman Leigh went by the stage name "John Foxx" beginning in 1977.
Cann played on three experimental but commercially unsuccessful (initially) Ultravox albums released by Island Records, Ultravox!
Ultravox! (album)
Ultravox! is the first studio album from the band Ultravox!, which at the time was properly eponymous before the band dropped the Neu!-inspired exclamation mark from their name...
(1977), Ha! Ha! Ha! (1977) and Systems of Romance
Systems of Romance
Systems of Romance, released on 8 September 1978, is the third album by British band Ultravox...
(1978). Leigh left Ultravox in 1979, after a tour in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Ultravox replaced John Foxx with singer/guitarist Midge Ure
Midge Ure
James "Midge" Ure, OBE is a Scottish guitarist, singer, keyboard player, and songwriter...
in 1979.
Cann knew keyboardist Hans Zimmer
Hans Zimmer
Hans Florian Zimmer is a German film composer and music producer. He has composed music for over 100 films, including critically acclaimed film scores for The Lion King , Crimson Tide , The Thin Red Line , Gladiator , The Dark Knight and Inception .Zimmer spent the early part of his career in the...
through mutual collaborations with The Buggles
The Buggles
The Buggles were an English New Wave band consisting of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes . They are remembered chiefly for their 1979 debut single "Video Killed the Radio Star" that was #1 on the singles chart in 16 countries. Its music video was the first to be shown on MTV in the U.S...
and Zaine Griff
Zaine Griff
Zaine Griff is a singer-songwriter who formed part of the English new wave scene of the 1980s. Although being educated and beginning as musician in New Zealand, he moved to England in the 1970s, where he continued with his artistic and musical career, becoming a solo artist...
. In 1980, Cann and Zimmer formed a short-lived electronic New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
project called Helden
Helden (band)
Helden was an electronic New Wave project formed in the summer of 1980 by future successful film-musician Hans Zimmer and then Ultravox drummer Warren Cann...
. Helden recorded a single and planned an album called "Spies" which was never officially released.
Ultravox signed to Chrysalis with Ure in 1980. Cann sang on some Ultravox songs of this period: "Mr. X" (from Vienna, 1980), "Paths And Angles" (1981) and "Break Your Back" (1982).
Cann's tenure with Ultravox lasted until 1986, when he was fired from the group. In retrospect, Midge Ure considers the firing unjust, unwarranted, and a result of misplaced tensions, according to his autobiography. Ure also describes Cann at the time as an avid gun enthusiast who frequently slept late.
Cann currently lives in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, 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...
.
In November 2008 it was announced that Ultravox were to reform, with Cann as one of the members, for a tour, in 2009.
Technical innovations
Cann and his technicians were among the first to modify commercially available rhythm units or drum machineDrum 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, so they could alter and override the preset manufacturer programs. This is notable on "Hiroshima Mon Amour
Hiroshima Mon Amour
Hiroshima mon amour is an acclaimed 1959 drama film directed by French film director Alain Resnais, with a screenplay by Marguerite Duras. It is the documentation of an intensely personal conversation between a French-Japanese couple about memory and forgetfulness...
", from the album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
Ha!-Ha!-Ha!
Ha!-Ha!-Ha!
Ha!-Ha!-Ha! was the second album by British pop group Ultravox, at that time formally known as "Ultravox!", with an exclamation mark, as a nod to Neu!...
. When Ultravox were recording Vienna
Vienna (album)
Vienna is the fourth studio LP by the synthpop band Ultravox, first released on 11 July 1980. The album peaked at #3 in the UK charts and was the first Ultravox release to enter the UK top ten. It was certified Platinum in the United Kingdom in July 1981 for 300,000 copies sold...
, Cann's electronic ventures would become important for the Ultravox sound. The acquisition of a Roland CR-78
Roland CR-78
The Roland CompuRhythm CR-78 is a drum machine launched in 1978. Although primitive by today's standards, the CR-78 represented an important advance in drum machine technology at the time...
proved something of a headache for Cann, as he saw great sonic potential in it, but it had limited pattern programmability. In the process of adding some much needed practical customisations to the CR-78, Cann became something of a persona non grata
Persona non grata
Persona non grata , literally meaning "an unwelcome person", is a legal term used in diplomacy that indicates a proscription against a person entering the country...
at the Roland
Roland Corporation
is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005 Roland's headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in Japan,...
headquarters in the UK. This did not stop Cann from carrying out his plans, and the result proved to be a key factor in the overall sound of their signature hit song "Vienna".
The initial reaction to the usage of drum machines led to bewilderment among the audience, who wondered what Cann was doing during some songs. Among claims that he was doing nothing, he decided to equip his drum machines with clear perspex
Acrylic glass
Poly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...
cases instead of wood panels, and mount a variety of LED
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
s inside them as a feature Cann himself described as "absolutely useless, but very impressive looking on a darkened stage; now it would be obvious I was actually doing something." (From Jonas Wårstad's interview at Discog)
In addition to his drum machine work, Cann designed several modifications for bass player Chris Cross
Chris Cross
Chris Cross is the bass guitarist in the band Ultravox.-Early years:Cross went to Belmont Secondary Modern School, William Forster Comprehensive...
' Minimoog
Minimoog
The Minimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer, invented by Bill Hemsath and Robert Moog. It was released in 1970 by R.A. Moog Inc. , and production was stopped in 1981. It was re-designed by Robert Moog in 2002 and released as Minimoog Voyager.The Minimoog was designed in response to the use of...
, among them a primitive sequencer made from a series of toggle switches to add syncopation
Syncopation
In music, syncopation includes a variety of rhythms which are in some way unexpected in that they deviate from the strict succession of regularly spaced strong and weak but also powerful beats in a meter . These include a stress on a normally unstressed beat or a rest where one would normally be...
to the synthesizer's ability to create a stream of eighth notes, and a proprietary triggering system that allowed Cann and Cross to synchronise the Minimoog with Cann's drum machines, a feat performed almost three years before MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface
MIDI is an industry-standard protocol, first defined in 1982 by Gordon Hall, that enables electronic musical instruments , computers and other electronic equipment to communicate and synchronize with each other...
was officially introduced in 1983. According to Midge Ure's autobiography, when the Minimoog took a dump on tour, Ultravox borrowed one from The Cars, but it didn't help as it lacked the proprietary modifications.
Playing style
Cann made significant contributions to the drum sounds of New Wave musicNew Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
, both in style and execution. Around 1978, when Ultravox released the Systems of Romance
Systems of Romance
Systems of Romance, released on 8 September 1978, is the third album by British band Ultravox...
album, Cann's style of drumming turned away from its rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
roots and toward what was becoming the New Wave sound. He endeavoured to have extremely precise timing; this would make the songs with live drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
match songs driven by electronic
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
, programmed
Computer programming
Computer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
percussion. For an example of this, compare the song "Sleepwalk
Sleepwalk (song)
"Sleepwalk" is Ultravox's first single from the band's fourth album, and the first with Midge Ure as frontman, released by Chrysalis Records on June 16, 1980....
", where Cann plays live drums, to "Mr. X", where the drums are sequenced. Both of these tracks can be found on Vienna
Vienna (album)
Vienna is the fourth studio LP by the synthpop band Ultravox, first released on 11 July 1980. The album peaked at #3 in the UK charts and was the first Ultravox release to enter the UK top ten. It was certified Platinum in the United Kingdom in July 1981 for 300,000 copies sold...
. Despite his machine-like timing, Cann would often do things that neither drum machines nor electronically sequenced percussion could do at the time. Specifically, he would often play very precise triplet fills
Tuplet
In music a tuplet is "any rhythm that involves dividing the beat into a different number of equal subdivisions from that usually permitted by the...
and crescendo
Crescendo
-In music:*Crescendo, a passage of music during which the volume gradually increases, see Dynamics * Crescendo , a Liverpool-based electronic pop band* "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue", one of Duke Ellington's longer-form compositions...
s, especially on the snare drum
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
. While these two techniques are easily accomplished by electronic instruments today, around 1979-1982 they were virtually impossible. In essence, it could fool the listeners to believe they were hearing a drum machine, only to prove them wrong through out-performing the rather rudimentary sequencing possibilities of the time.
From a technical perspective, Cann preferred a traditional grip
Traditional grip
Traditional grip is a technique used to hold drum sticks while playing percussion instruments. Unlike matched grip, each hand holds the stick differently. Commonly, the right hand uses an overhand grip and the left hand uses an underhand grip...
. On the Quartet
Quartet (Ultravox album)
Quartet, released in 1982, is the sixth LP by British band Ultravox, and the third of the band's most-recognizable incarnation, fronted by Midge Ure. The album peaked at no.6 on the UK album chart and was certified Gold by the BPI in December 1982 for 100,000 copies sold...
album and subsequent tour (1982), Cann employed several sets of Simmons SDS-V electronic percussion pads, even to the point where he had an extra kit consisting of the hexagonal Simmons pads, which he played standing up. This way of playing them is quite unique and Cann seemed to be using this setup for one song only, namely "The Song (We Go)" from Quartet
Quartet (Ultravox album)
Quartet, released in 1982, is the sixth LP by British band Ultravox, and the third of the band's most-recognizable incarnation, fronted by Midge Ure. The album peaked at no.6 on the UK album chart and was certified Gold by the BPI in December 1982 for 100,000 copies sold...
.
External links
- Warren Cann interview at Discog
- Warren Cann interview at Torque Point
- Ultravox: The Story as told by Warren Cann to Jonas Wårstad
- The Warren Cann Forum