Ron Geesin
Ron Geesin |
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Ronald 'Ron' Geesin (born 17 December 1943, in Stevenston, Ayrshire, Scotland) is a British musician and composer, noted for his quirky creations and novel applications of sound. He is probably best known as the orchestrator and organizer of Pink Floyd's "Atom Heart Mother (suite)" in 1970, after the band found themselves hopelessly deadlocked over how to complete it. Geesin first collaborated with the band's Roger Waters (the two shared a love of golf) on 1970's unconventional film soundtrack Music from "The Body", sampling sounds made by the human body.
After his first solo album, A Raise of Eyebrows, in 1967, Geesin went on to launch one of the first[citation needed] one-man record companies, Headscope, with the self-released As He Stands, Patruns, and Right Through. Many of his electronic compositions were used as soundtracks to ITV's 1970s and 1980s television broadcasts for schools and colleges.
In the 1990s, Headscope released a pair of CDs, Funny Frown and Bluefuse, melding modern technology with appropriated and found sounds. In 1994, Cherry Red Records released the Hystery CD, an overview of his career. In 1995, Cleopatra Records released his Land of Mist CD, a collection of instrumental ambience. In 1995, See For Miles Records re-issued his first two vinyl albums on CD. Headscope followed in 2003 with the CD Right Through - and Beyond, a reissue of his last vinyl album, unissued material and a Sour New Year suite.
Geesin has long been interested in the potential for environmental sound and video installations. In 1970 he produced a sound-work for the British pavilion at the Osaka world fair. During the 1990s, he collaborated with the artist Ian Breakwell on video projects such as the large-scale work Auditorium and live art pieces such as Christmas Carol in which four synchronised figures dressed in Santa Claus costumes performed in Newcastle's Northumberland Street, having been banned from the Gateshead MetroCentre.
Miscellaneous
Ron is the father of renowned music writer Joe Geesin, and Dan Geesin, a musician and painter, filmer, sculptor who made a videoclip for Zoppo.
Discography
- A Raise of Eyebrows (1967)
- Music from "The Body" (1970)
- Electrosound (1972)
- As He Stands (1973)
- Electrosound (volume 2) (1975)
- Patruns (1975)
- Atmospheres (1977)
- Right Through (1977)
- Magnificent Machines (1988)
- Funny Frown (1991)
- Bluefuse (1993)
- Hystery (1994) (Compilation)
- Land of Mist (1995)
- A Raise of Eyebrows/As He Stands (1995) (2 albums on one CD)
- Right Through and Beyond (2003) (Right Through plus additional tracks)