Brian Eno

            Brian Eno was an important innovator in electronic music. He developed ambient music using nature sounds and is a self-described non-musician that uses a deck of instructional, tarot-like cards called Oblique Strategies to determine his creative pathways (AllMusic, 2012).

            In 1975 Brian Eno had an accident, he slipped on a wet sidewalk and was struck by a taxi breaking both his legs and striking his head on a car. While convalescing he was listening to some harp music and the volume was too low. He was unable to adjust the level and rain began. As he slipped in and out of sleep he discovered the idea for ambient music using nature sounds. He recorded a ten volume series of experimental works of ambient music on his own label Obscure.

            His styles include everything from Ambient to Avant-Garde to Experimental Electronic Music. He has worked with many artists and composers such as John Cale, LaMonte Young, Robert Fripp, and David Bowie to mention a few. While recording with Robert Fripp, he developed a tape delay system dubbed “Frippertronics” for Robert’s guitar, which eventually led to sampling for hip-hop and electronica. He has impacted many bands with the most commercially successful of the 80’s being U2 on albums such as Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby.

            He has ventured into other realms of media with his vertical format video and an art installation for a Shinto Shrine in Japan. He also published a diary and audio screen savers for home computer software (2012, Brian Eno).

            Brian Eno is one of the most interesting composers that I have studied to date. His work with ambient music inspired me and it has been interesting to learn of his forays into other forms of art. His Oblique Strategies ideas intrigue me and excite me in that they are another way to get outside the box in you production or composing work.