Andy Desmond

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Andy Desmond
Miten on stage.jpg
Miten in concert, Munich, in October 2010
BornAugust 1947 (age 77)
Woking, Surrey
Other namesMiten
Spouse Deva Premal
Website http://www.devapremalmiten.com/

Andy Desmond (born August 1947), also known as Miten, is a British musician and songwriter. He performs primarily within yoga and alternative healing communities. [1]

Contents

Background

In the late 1960s, Desmond founded the folk/rock duo "Gothic Horizon" with musical partner Richard Garrett. The band released two albums on UK Argo: The Jason Lodge Poetry Book (1971) and Tomorrow's Another Day (1972). [2]

In 1973, Desmond began performing solo. He was part of a group of folk musicians signed by Ray Davies to his record label, Konk Records, which also included Tom Robinson, Claire Hamill and Café Society. Desmond released Living on a Shoestring on Konk in 1975. The album featured members of The Kinks and was produced by Dave Davies and keyboardist John Gosling. [3]

Desmond was subsequently signed to Ariola Records in London. In 1976, Ariola released Andy Desmond, an album of ten self-composed songs produced by Los Angeles producer Bones Howe. [4]

Following its release, Desmond opened for artists such as Fleetwood Mac, [5] Randy Newman, Hall & Oates, The Cate Brothers and The Kinks. He was a guest performer on Fleetwood Mac’s UK Rumours Tour and opened for Ry Cooder on his 1978 European tour.

Desmond then explored meditation and Eastern philosophy. In 1980, he was initiated into sannyasa by the Indian mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and given the Sanskrit name Prabhu Miten, meaning "Friend of God". He spent time at Osho’s ashram in Pune, where he recorded and produced the album In Wonder, described as a tribute to his guru. During this period, Desmond met record producer John Leckie, known at the ashram as "Nagara". They collaborated on projects including the album Blown Away for Prabhu Music. [6] From 1992 onward, the German New Age label Tao Music (later New Earth Records) released three albums featuring Desmond: Heartbeat, Shadow of Light and Tidal Wave.

Desmond tours with his musical partner, Deva Premal, whom he met in India in 1990. Known as Deva Premal & Miten, they perform Indian Sanskrit mantras and Desmond’s songs. They have collaborated with motivational speaker Anthony Robbins, [7] author Eckhart Tolle and singer Cher, who covered their version of the ancient prayer The Gayatri Mantra on her Farewell Tour album in 2002. [8]

Discography

Producer

References

  1. ↑ Yogajane (2 November 2019). "Miten's album, Devotee, explores the themes of life, love, death, and devotion". The Yogini from Manila. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  2. ↑ Thubron, Dave. Gothic Horizon & Andy Desmond, "Time Has Told Me", 29 January 2007.
  3. ↑ Kast Off Kinks, The John Gosling Interview, Pt 2, KastOffKinks.com, 2010.
  4. ↑ MusicStar Andy Desmond Archived 10 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine , GeoCities.co.
  5. ↑ Friars Aylesbury. Fleetwood Mac/Gothic Horizon Concert Poster June 12 1971 , Friars Aylesbury Phase 2: 1971–1975
  6. ↑ Slovik, Sam. Miten Sings: From A Rock To A Heart Place, LA Yoga, Oct 2007.
  7. ↑ Attwood, Janet Bray. Songs of the Divine: An interview from the Dialogues with the Masters Series, Healthy Wealthy n Wise, Feb 2008.
  8. ↑ Tsering, Lisa. Cher Chants Gayatri Mantra At Her Concerts Archived 14 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine , Times of London, Sept 5 2003.
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