A brief summary of Michael Wells' work to date
Music & Sound
Greater than One
Three albums were recorded for Wax Trax Records Chicago plus numerous single releases including MTV U.S. rotation of videos. The nature of the music was early experimental collage involving heavy use of samples & 'street' recordings combined with Industrial sounds and rhythms. An album for R.O.I.R. NY cassette label titled " Duty & Trust ". After a long time of silence from the front of Greater than One a limited 7" was released on Brainwashed; An American label with a true passion for the extra-ordinary.
G.T.O
Michael went on to form G.T.O. with partner Lee Newman releasing a single for Chrisalis Records titled "Pure". This charted in the national U.K. charts and topped the dance charts around Europe. Future releases included a series of dance floor orientated singles for React Records U.K. culminating in the Album "Tip Of The Iceberg" which became a template for future trance artists around the world. Then the label Mute Records (Home to Depeche Mode, Nick Cave, Richie Hawtin etc) stepped in and the G.T.O. project was given U.S. release of the album 'Love is Everywhere'. This year arequest for re-releasing the rave anthem "Elevation" resulted in a double 12" package released by Bash Again including remixes by Daz Sound, Thomas Schumacher & Thomas P. Heckmann.
Tricky Disco
The next project was Tricky Disco with the single "Tricky Disco" released by Warp Records U.K. (Home of Aphex Twin). This single went Top Ten in the U.K. charts resulting in Top of the Pops showing the strange and eclectic video. A further bout of singles followed pushing back the boundaries of popular 'dance' music. Tricky Disco was at the centre of the so called Bleep Music phenomenon combining dance rhythms with electronic bleeps and clonks.
Technohead
Michael then became involved in the more experimental side of dance music and helped establish the Dutch hardcore scene . Working under the name Technohead with his partner Lee Newman they had incredible influence & success as Technohead and released the record "I Wanna Be A Hippy" which was a European smash hit charting at number one in the national charts of 12 different countries including Germany, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland as well as going Silver in the U.K. peaking at number 5 in the national Pop Charts. A further three singles followed a similar pattern, resulting in the album by Technohead titled "Headsex" featuring mixes by Carl Cox and many other European Deejays. This is still the biggest selling Artist Album from the European 'Hardcore' Scene. A series of four Technohead DJ mix-compilation albums were released on React Records..................Michael continues to promote non -commercial advanced hardcore on the European DJ scene.
John & Julie
New recordings were made and XL Records (Home to the Prodigy) released a series of singles by John & Julie, yet another pseudonym for Michael. This music was still dance based, but had a hard abrasive edge to it. The John & Julie single "Circles" was number one in the U.K. dance charts.
Signs Of Chaos
Recording as Signs Of Chaos, Michael released an album " Frankenscience" for Earache Records. Earache also released the collaboration record Scanner vs Signs Of Chaos titled "Michael Jackson E.P." As Signs Of Chaos Michael then recorded the critically acclaimed Album "Departure" for Roadrunner Records (Home to Sepeltura, Soulfly, Dog Eat Dog, Type 'O' Negative) The single "Tender Magic" was rotated on MTV Europe. Michael collaborated with Scanner to produce and mix the compilation "Sounds from The Electronic Lounge" on React Records, a future blend of cocktail beats and advanced sounds.
S.O.L.O.
Michael's Latest Project is S.O.L.O., recorded for Robin Rimbaud's label Sulphur. The S.O.L.O. project is established with a full length album titled " Out Is In" 9 Tracks of advanced sounds and organic electronics. A cross- pollination of digital jazz and progressive baselines.
Performance & Art Performance
Michael studied Fine Art at the Royal College Of Art In London where he gained a Master of Arts Honors degree, as well as possessing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Communication. At the Royal College Michael formed Greater Than One as a Performance Art group...... To date Michael has produced his own shows under the various pseudonyms at the: I.C.A. in London - The Royal College - Berlin Atonal Festival - Tegentonen festival Amsterdam - E-Scape at the Paradiso Amsterdam - Chicago Art Fair - The London Art Fair - The Koln Art Fair. Michael was an original participant in the Berlin Love Parade and the German Mayday Raves. He has deejayed and performed Techno & Electronic music throughout Europe at most of the major events and won the Palm d'Or award at Cannes.
Art
Michael's understanding of contemporary Art and Design has seen him produce Artwork for many publications worldwide including: Elle - Time Magazine - Vogue - The Times - The Guardian - Penguin Books - Serpents Tail Books -The Independent and many others. He has exhibited artworks at: the Chicago Art Fair - The Torch Gallery Amsterdam - The Castle Zagreb - London Contemporary Art Gallery - and has contributed writings to DJ Magazine - Music Week - Raveline Magazine - Strobe Magazine - Frontpage etc................... Michael also designs his own artwork for the respective musical projects as well as directing and editing his own videos and films. Present
Phuture
The Future for Michael Wells is based in a multi media presentation of ideas, which will take the form of new experimental & minimal recordings, soundtrack and soundscape albums, the occasional dance music and a more active presence on the world wide web for musical & visual ideas..............................And as Michael said "less music more sounds"
