Barry Adamson

Barry Adamson (June 1, 1958) is a British rock musician who has worked with Magazine, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Pan Sonic, and has worked on film soundtracks for David Lynch. He has also released numerous solo recordings.

Born in Moss Side, Manchester, Adamson was weaned on comic books from an early age. In school he absorbed himself in art, music and film, writing his first song "Brain Pain" at the age of ten. His musical influences were diverse, ranging from Alice Cooper to Motown to David Bowie.

Adamson left school and shifted into graphic design but quit shortly after, favouring to venture into the exploding Punk Rock scene of the late '70s, joining the now legendary and influential band Magazine, playing bass guitar. The band had a chart single called "Shot by Both Sides". He played on all the Magazine albums as well as contributing to Howard Devoto's solo album, and Devoto's next band Luxuria.

After the Breakup of Magazine Adamson played on two albums for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

His discography includes As Above, So Below, Oedipus Schmoedipus, Soul Murder, The King of Nothing Hill and his latest solo effort Stranger on the Sofa.

Moss Side Story, possibly his most famous work, has been described as a "soundtrack for a non existent movie" and with its use of dialogue and sound effects amidst the dramatic background music it represents a "day or night in the life of" as it begins with the reenactment of a rape.

The style of the music, like his other work, is a long way off punk and closer to the contemporary classical sounds favored by Gavin Bryars and Jocelyn Pook with, in his case, influences from John Barry and Elmer Bernstein.

After the 2002 album The King of Nothing Hill, Adamson left the safety of long-term label Mute and started his own "production home", Central Control International. The debut release on Central Control was Adamson's first post-Mute release Stranger on the Sofa, which was released in June 2006 to worldwide critical acclaim.

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