Josh Deu

Last updated
Josh Deu
Birth nameJoshua Deu
Genres Indie rock
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, producer, VFX producer, music video director, TV director, Comedy Writer, interactive development consultant and VFX producer.
Years active1999-2023
Labels Merge

Josh Deu is the co-founder of Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire. He and Win Butler co-founded Arcade Fire in late 1999. Deu formally left the band in late 2003.

Contents

Career

Arcade Fire (1999–2003)

Deu and Win Butler began to work on both visual and musical collaborations. [1] They formed Arcade Fire, with Deu and Butler initially sneaking into a practice space at McGill University to write and rehearse. [1] While practising there, they met music student Régine Chassagne, whom Butler had previously seen performing. Deu noted, "Win and I played guitar. Everyone played guitar. We had a lot of music to show her, but played none of it, she ended up saying yes to joining us, and I don’t know why. Maybe there was a little spark with Win." [1] Deu subsequently designed the band's initial website alongside Win's brother and future band member, William Butler. [2]

After a "profound spiritual experience," Deu began to prioritize filmmaking and visual - interactive projects and collaborations, and left the band in late 2003, stating: "It just didn’t feel like it fit me anymore." Deu, however, continued to collaborate with the band on promotional materials, web content, and music videos, noting in 2010: "Not everyone gets to have these experiences forming a famous rock band and then helping develop their aesthetic. I’m so blessed to have been part of who the band was at the beginning, and who they’ve become now." [1]

Regarding his friendship with Deu, Butler noted in 2004, "In the beginning, I started a band called The Arcade Fire with my best friend Josh Deu (who was the best man at my wedding this last summer, and who designed the website with my little brother Will). He was also the reason I moved to Montreal (because he had gone to school up here, and had great things to say about it). He still adds little bits to a bunch of the songs and helped write the music to "Headlights" "Power Out" "Neighborhood" from our demo EP and other songs off [ Funeral ]". [2]

Production

Deu's animation projects Include The Alchemysts, "Black Moon Rising" "The Gift of the Dolphin, Hey Kattan YouTube Sketch comedy series.

Deu co-wrote the tracks, "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" and "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)", on the band's debut studio album, Funeral (2004), and the song, "Quiet" "Tremalo" "In the Attic", "Headlights Look Like Diamonds", many the band's debut EP and first album "Funeral", Arcade Fire (2003). Deu and Butler co-wrote over 50 songs that remain largely unreleased.

Formerly in Declare Productions LLC (BLEACH FX LLC)(www.bleachhaus.com) (Operating under "Deep Water") Westworld Season 3, Counterpart , Magicians , Lethal Weapon , Training Day , The Get, MacGyver 2017/2018, Magicians Animated Sequences, Graphic Novel For Scott Free Productions, The Emperor, Queen America.

Miscellaneous / Declare Productions LLC: Ghosts of War,Pipe Dream

Personal life

Deu studied filmmaking and studio art at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema, in Montreal, and Harvard University Extension School in Boston. [1] He was Win Butler's best man at his wedding to Régine Chassagne, in 2003. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arcade Fire</span> Canadian indie rock band

Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara. The band's current touring line-up also includes former core member Sarah Neufeld and multi-instrumentalists Paul Beaubrun, Dan Boeckner and Eric Heigle. Each of the band's studio albums features contributions from composer and violinist Owen Pallett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Régine Chassagne</span> Canadian musician

Régine Alexandra Chassagne is a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist, and is a member of the band Arcade Fire. She is married to co-founder Win Butler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Win Butler</span> Canadian-American musician

Edwin Farnham Butler III is an American-Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist. He co-founded the Montreal-based indie rock band Arcade Fire with Josh Deu and his wife Régine Chassagne.

<i>Funeral</i> (Arcade Fire album) 2004 studio album by Arcade Fire

Funeral is the debut studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released on September 14, 2004 by Merge Records. Preliminary recordings for Funeral were made during the course of a week in August 2003 at the Hotel2Tango in Montreal, Quebec, and the recording was completed later that year all in an analogue recording format.

<i>Arcade Fire</i> (EP) 2003 EP by Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire is an extended play (EP) by the indie rock band Arcade Fire. The EP was recorded in Maine, United States, during the summer of 2002. Arcade Fire was remastered and repackaged for its 2005 re-release by Merge Records for fans after they had "grown obsessed" with the band's debut album, Funeral. It was initially released in 2003 by the band at their shows and website, and then re-released in 2005 by Merge. It received positive reviews from music critics, although some of them noted that it was inferior to their debut album Funeral. Lyrical themes of Arcade Fire consist of parents, suburbia, new love, dread, and drama. The EP's third track, "No Cars Go", was re-recorded for Arcade Fire's second full-length album, Neon Bible. No Cars Go has been played at the majority of live shows since the EP release. Arcade Fire have also played other songs from the EP, live on every tour since, however, it has become less frequent. On their recent tours, they notably played "Headlights Look Like Diamonds" and "Vampire/Forest Fire".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neighborhood 3 (Power Out)</span> 2005 single by Arcade Fire

"Neighborhood #3 " is an indie rock song by Canadian rock band Arcade Fire. It was the third single released from the band's debut album, Funeral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebellion (Lies)</span> 2005 single by Arcade Fire

"Rebellion (Lies)" is a song by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire. It was the fourth single released from the band's debut album, Funeral. The single was released in both CD and DVD formats with the song "Brazil" as the B-side. The single peaked at number 19 on the UK singles chart, the band's best performance on this chart to date. On the album Funeral, "Rebellion (Lies)" immediately follows the song "Haiti", the ending of which has the same bass beat and leads right into the beginning of "Rebellion (Lies)". The song has enduringly been the band's closing song at appearances at music festivals and at the end of most of their shows. In October 2011, British pop singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor released a cover in support of Songs to Save a Life, a benefit project in aid of Samaritans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neighborhood 2 (Laïka)</span> 2005 single by Arcade Fire

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<i>Neon Bible</i> 2007 studio album by Arcade Fire

Neon Bible is the second studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire. It was first released on March 5, 2007, in Europe and a day later in North America by Merge Records. Originally announced on December 16, 2006, through the band's website, the majority of the album was recorded at a church the band bought and renovated in Farnham, Quebec. The album is the first to feature drummer Jeremy Gara, and the first to include violinist Sarah Neufeld among the band's core line-up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wake Up (Arcade Fire song)</span> 2005 single by Arcade Fire

"Wake Up" is an indie rock song by Canadian rock band Arcade Fire. It was the fifth and final single released from the band's debut album, Funeral. The single was released as a one-sided 7" vinyl record on November 14, 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neighborhood 1 (Tunnels)</span> 2004 single by Arcade Fire

"Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" is a song by Canadian rock band Arcade Fire, and the first track on their debut album Funeral. It is the first of the four-part "Neighborhood" series found on Funeral. It was the band's first single, released several months before the album as a 7" vinyl record on June 20, 2004, to a pressing of 1500 copies. The B-side to the album is a recording of the song "My Buddy" by swing musician Alvino Rey. Rey is the maternal grandfather of Arcade Fire members Win and William Butler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keep the Car Running</span> 2007 single by Arcade Fire

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<i>We</i> (Arcade Fire album) 2022 studio album by Arcade Fire

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Madeline (13 November 2010). "Deu discusses past with Arcade Fire". The Ultra Violet. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Wyatt (29 January 2004). "The Arcade Fire Interview". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
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