Michael Boddicker

Last updated
Michael Lehmann Boddicker
Born
Michael J. Boddicker

(1953-01-19) January 19, 1953 (age 71)
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, U.S.
EducationCoe College,
University of Wisconsin,
University of Iowa
Known forMusic composer, film composer, sessions musician
Style Synthesizer, electronic musician
Spouses
Cassandra Lee Jensen
(m. 1972;div. 1980)
Edie Lehmann
(m. 1995)

Michael Lehmann Boddicker (born January 19, 1953) is an American film composer and session musician, specializing in electronic music. He is a three times National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (N.A.R.A.S.) Most Valuable Player "Synthesizer" and MVP Emeritus, he was awarded a Grammy as a songwriter for "Imagination" from Flashdance in 1984. [1] He is the president of The Lehmann Boddicker Group. [2]

Contents

Michael Boddicker Modular System exhibited at Winter NAMM 2015
Bode Vocoder 7702 (1979)
Formula Sound Multiple Resonance Filter Array (1979)
Moog System 55 modular (1976)
Minimoog (1975) Michael Boddicker Modular System - Moog System 55 (1976), minimoog (1975), Moog Bode Vocoder (1979), Formula Sound Multiple Resonance Filter Array (1979), with Moog Percussion Controller model 1130 (portrait) - 2015 NAMM Show.jpg
Michael Boddicker Modular System exhibited at Winter NAMM 2015

Early life and education

Boddicker grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. [4] His parents, Arlene Estelle (née Reyman) and Gerald "Jerry" Valentine Boddicker operated a music school and store in Cedar Rapids, which served students in all of Eastern Iowa. [2] [5] [6] His mother was a nationally recognized accordionist. [7] [8]

While still attending Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids in 1971, Boddicker enrolled full-time at the local Coe College, studying electronic music. [9] [10] By 1972, he continued studies at Coe College, focused on music composition and he started taking jazz studies at the University of Wisconsin. [9] By 1973, he enrolled in 20th-century composition at the University of Iowa. [9] That same year in 1973, Michael purchased a powerful portable semi-modular synthesizer, the ARP 2600. [9]

By 1974, Michael moved to Los Angeles and found Paul Beaver as a mentor. [9]

Career

He was able to purchase a Minimoog and a Moog System 15 modular synthesizer by 1975. [9] As a result of his purchase, he was asked by Bob Moog (the founder of Moog Music) to demonstrate their newest synthesizer, the Polymoog, at the 1975 summer NAMM Show. [9]

He quickly found work as a session musician, and by 1977 appeared playing synthesizer, vocoder, accordion and keyboards on albums by many notables such as Quincy Jones, Randy Newman, The Manhattan Transfer and The Bee Gees.

One of Boddicker's earliest soundtrack collaborations of note was a score for a short experimental claymation film made by Gumby creator Art Clokey entitled "Mandala" (released in 1977). Soon after that he entered the mainstream with work on such films as Saturday Night Fever , Battlestar Galactica and The Wiz .

Boddicker is a Board Member of The Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL), of Beverly Hills, California. [11] He owns an audio post production facility, Sol7 (aka Sol Seven), in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. [11] [12]

In 2019, he co-founded the Los Angeles synthesizer music festival, Synthplex. [13] [14]

Personal life

Boddicker was married to Cassandra Lee Jensen, from 1972 to 1980, ending in divorce. [15] [16] Boddicker officially changed his name to Michael Lehmann Boddicker when he married singer/conductor/actress Edie Lehmann on October 15, 1995 in Hollywood, California. [17] He has four children, two of the children he had were with Edie Lehmann. They live in Southern California.

He sued Michael Jackson's estate in 2016, alleging that he was unpaid for work and services provided early in his professional relationship with Michael Jackson. [1]

Awards

He was awarded a Grammy Award as a songwriter for "Imagination," from the movie Flashdance in 1984. [1] [18]

Boddicker was voted most valuable synthesizer player in 1981, 1982, 1984 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. [18] In 1991, in recognition of his achievements, contributions and furtherance of electronic music in the recording industry, he was presented with an honorary doctorate of music from Coe College. [19] In 2003, Boddicker was inducted to the Iowa Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. [7]

Film music

Among his film score credits as a composer are The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984), [20] [18] the score for The Adventures of Milo and Otis (1986), [21] and additional music for Bulletproof (1996), [22] The Magic Egg: A Computer Odyssey (1984) an Omni Max computer-animated film, [23] Get Crazy (1983), [24] White Water Summer (1987), [25] F/X2 (1991) with Lalo Schifrin, [26] and Starfire (1992). [27]

His contributions as a composer can also be heard in the film Battlestar Galactica (1978) which include the Battlestar Galactica theme song produced and arranged by Michael Boddicker. [28] Freejack (1992), Michael Jackson's "Black or White" (music video), and "HIStory" (music video) video produced by and additional music underscore and "THE FLY" eleven cues to augment or replace the original score.

Artists that have recorded his songs and compositions include Lani Hall ("Go For The Heart"), Earth, Wind and Fire ("Opening Raise Tour"), Patti Austin ("Oh, No Margarita"), Michael Jackson ("Captain EO & HIStory Unveiling"), Isao Tomita's & YMO's Hideki Matsutake ("Automatic Collect", "Automatic Correct & Plan"), Kitaro ("The Silk Road"), Laura Branigan (Imagination) and David Hasselhoff.[ citation needed ]

He also performed on soundtrack of the Horizons attraction Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park. [29]

Performer

As a session musician he played synthesizer on, among others, Michael Jackson's This Is It , HIStory , Thriller , Bad , Off the Wall', Dangerous , Black or White , and We Are the World ; Earth, Wind & Fire's Let's Groove ; Lionel Richie's Hello , You Are , Running with the Night ; Dazz Band's Let It Whip ; Randy Newman's The Natural and Short People ; Kenny Loggins' Footloose ; Cyndi Lauper's The Goonies 'R' Good Enough ; Barbra Streisand's Somewhere ; Cheap Trick's Surrender ; The Jacksons' Shake Your Body ; Pointer Sisters' He's So Shy ; and Diana Ross's Missing You . [30]

Select list, as performer
YearSongAlbumArtist(s)PerformedNotes
1976 I Heard That!! Quincy Jones [31]
1976 I'll Be Good to You The Brothers Johnson
1977 Roots (1977 miniseries) soundtrack VariousSynthesizerWith Quincy Jones, performed on keyboard.
1977 Little Criminals Randy Newman named as "Mike Boddicker" [32]
1977SupermanBarbra Streisandnamed as "Mike Boddicker" [33]
1978 Sounds...and Stuff Like That!! Quincy JonesSynthesizer [34]
1978Please Don't Keep Me Waiting Totally Hot Olivia Newton-John Synthesizer
Dancin' 'Round and 'Round
1979Rock With You Off the Wall [35] Michael JacksonSynthesizerSynthesizers with Greg Phillinganes.
Off The Wall
I Can't Help It
1979 No One Home Lalo Schifrin
1979One Voice One Voice [36] Barry Manilow Synthesizer
(Why Don't We Try) A Slow Dance
Rain
Ships
You Could Show Me
I Don't Want To Walk Without You
Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed
Where Are They Now
Bobbie Lee (What's The Difference, I Gotta Live)
When I Wanted You
Sunday Father
1979It's Money That I Love Born Again [37] Randy Newman Synthesizer
The Story Of A Rock And Roll Band
Pretty Boy
Mr. Sheep
Spies
Half A Man
William Brown
Pants
1980 He Who Rides the Tiger Bernie Taupin Synthesizer, keyboards, programming [38]
1981 Landslide Physical Olivia Newton-JohnSynthesizer
Stranger's Touch
Falling
Love Make Me StrongSynthesizer, piano, vocoder
Silvery RainSynthesizer
Carried Away PPG Wave 2
The Promise (The Dolphin Song)
1982 Let It Whip Dazz Band
1982You AreLionel RichieLionel Richie
1982 Muscles Diana Ross Synthesizer
1982 Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' Thriller [39] Michael JacksonSynthesizer, background vocals
Baby Be Mine
Billie Jean Emulator
Human Nature
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) Emulator, vocoder
The Lady in My LifeEmulator
This Is ItMichael Jackson
1984 Chicago 17 [18] Chicago [18]
1984 Missing You (Diana Ross song) Diana Ross
1984 Penny Lover Can't Slow Down [18] Lionel Richie [18]
Running with the Night Synthesizer, vocoder [18]
Stuck on You [18]
1984 1100 Bel Air Place Julio IglesiasKeyboards [40]
1985 We Are The World USA For Africa, variousSynthesizer, programming(Grammy Award Winner). [18]
1985 The Goonies 'R' Good Enough Cyndi Lauper Cyndi LauperSynthesizer
1985 Greatest Love Of All Whitney Houston Whitney Houston [39]
1985 Somewhere The Broadway Album Barbra Streisand(Grammy Award Winner) [39]
1986 Chicago 18 Chicago
1986 They Don't Make Them Like They Used To Tough Guys (movie soundtrack)Kenny Rogers
1986Dancing on the CeilingLionel Richie(Grammy Award Winner)
1987 Bad Michael Jackson [39]
1989Back on the BlockBack on the Block [35] Quincy Jones drum machine
Setembro (Brazilian Wedding Song)M1 pads, synth pads
I'll Be Good to YouSynthesizer, programming
The Places You Find Love
Birdland
1991 Black Or White Dangerous [41] [39] Michael Jackson
Jam
Heal the World
Will You Be There
Keep The Faith
Gone Too Soon
1995 Earth Song (single)
1995 HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
1996They Don't Care About Us

Music department for television

Select list, as music department for television
Year(s)Television seriesPerformedNotes
1982–1983 St. Elsewhere Synthesizer22 episodes
1982–1985 Knight Rider Synthesizer43 episodes
1984 Night Court Synthesizer13 episodes
1985–1986 Family Ties Synthesizer24 episodes
2001Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration (television special)Keyboards1 episode
2002–2003 Will & Grace Synthesizer24 episodes
2003 Boomtown Synthesizer6 episodes
2004–2005 The Simpsons Synthesizer21 episodes
2014–2015 Scandal Synthesizer22 episodes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Moog</span> American engineer (1934–2005)

Robert Arthur Moog was an American engineer and electronic music pioneer. He was the founder of the synthesizer manufacturer Moog Music and the inventor of the first commercial synthesizer, the Moog synthesizer, which debuted in 1964. In 1970, Moog released a more portable model, the Minimoog, described as the most famous and influential synthesizer in history. Among Moog's honors are a Technical Grammy Award, received in 2002, and an induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minimoog</span> Synthesizer

The Minimoog is an analog synthesizer first manufactured by Moog Music between 1970 and 1981. Designed as a more affordable, portable version of the modular Moog synthesizer, it was the first synthesizer sold in retail stores. It was first popular with progressive rock and jazz musicians and found wide use in disco, pop, rock and electronic music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yamaha CS-80</span> Synthesizer made by Yamaha in 1977

The Yamaha CS-80 is an analog synthesizer introduced by Yamaha Corporation in 1977. It supports true 8-voice polyphony, with two independent synthesizer layers per voice each with its own set of front panel controls, in addition to a number of hardwired preset voice settings and four parameter settings stores based on banks of subminiature potentiometers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mort Garson</span> Pioneering electronic music composer, arranger, and songwriter (1924–2008)

Morton Sanford Garson was a Canadian composer, arranger, songwriter, and pioneer of electronic music. He is best known for his albums in the 1960s and 1970s, such as Mother Earth's Plantasia (1976). He also co-wrote several hit songs, including "Our Day Will Come", a hit for Ruby & the Romantics. According to Allmusic, Mort Garson boasts one of the most unique and outright bizarre resumés in popular music, spanning from easy listening to occult-influenced space-age electronic pop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buchla Electronic Musical Instruments</span> Synthesizer and MIDI controller manufacturer

Buchla Electronic Musical Instruments (BEMI) was a manufacturer of synthesizers and unique MIDI controllers. The origins of the company could be found in Buchla & Associates, created in 1963 by synthesizer pioneer Don Buchla of Berkeley, California. In 2012 the original company led by Don Buchla was acquired by a group of Australian investors trading as Audio Supermarket Pty. Ltd. The company was renamed Buchla Electronic Musical Instruments as part of the acquisition. In 2018 the assets of BEMI were acquired by a new entity, Buchla U.S.A., and the company continues under new ownership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moog Music</span> American synthesizer manufacturer

Moog Music Inc. is an American synthesizer company based in Asheville, North Carolina. It was founded in 1953 as R. A. Moog Co. by Robert Moog and his father and was renamed Moog Music in 1972. Its early instruments included the Moog synthesizer, followed by the Minimoog in 1970, both of which were highly influential electronic instruments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moog synthesizer</span> Electronic musical instrument

The Moog synthesizer is a modular synthesizer invented by the American engineer Robert Moog in 1964. Moog's company, R. A. Moog Co., produced numerous models from 1965 to 1981, and again from 2014. It was the first commercial synthesizer and established the analog synthesizer concept.

Brian Kehew is an American musician and record producer. He is a member of The Moog Cookbook and co-author of the Recording The Beatles book, an in-depth look at the Beatles' studio approach.

Gershon Kingsley was a German-American composer, a pioneer of electronic music and the Moog synthesizer, a partner in the electronic music duo Perrey and Kingsley, founder of the First Moog Quartet, and writer of rock-inspired compositions for Jewish religious ceremonies. Kingsley is most famous for his 1969 influential electronic instrumental composition "Popcorn".

Richard "Ribbs" Gibbs is an American film composer and music producer whose credits include Dr. Dolittle, Big Momma's House, Queen of the Damned, the television series Battlestar Galactica and the first season of The Simpsons.

<i>Truly for You</i> 1984 studio album by The Temptations

Truly for You is an album by American R&B vocal group the Temptations released on October 15, 1984, by Gordy Records. The album reached No. 3 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 25 on the New Zealand Pop Albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stu Phillips (composer)</span> American songwriter

Stuart Phillips is an American composer of film scores and television series theme music, conductor and record producer. He is best known for composing the theme tunes to the television series McCloud, Battlestar Galactica, and Knight Rider.

Arturia is a French electronics company founded in 1999 and based in Grenoble, France. The company designs and manufactures audio interfaces and electronic musical instruments, including software synthesizers, drum machines, analog synthesizers, digital synthesizers, MIDI controllers, sequencers, and mobile apps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Buchla</span> Musical artist

Donald Buchla was an American pioneer in the field of sound synthesis. Buchla popularized the "West Coast" style of synthesis. He was co-inventor of the voltage controlled modular synthesizer along with Robert Moog, the two working independently in the early 1960s.

<i>Lite Me Up</i> 1982 studio album by Herbie Hancock

Lite Me Up is a pop album with a strong disco-funk feel by Herbie Hancock. It was Hancock's first release without producer David Rubinson since 1969. On this album, Hancock was influenced by his long-time friend, producer Quincy Jones and sessions included many musicians associated with Jones including Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro of Toto. The album was the first on which Hancock played the Synclavier, a digital polyphonic synthesizer.

The music of the 2004 TV series Battlestar Galactica is a body of work largely credited to the composers Bear McCreary and Richard Gibbs. The music of Battlestar Galactica displays a variety of ethnic influences and generally does not conform to the "orchestral" style of many science fiction scores.

<i>Eyes of the Mind</i> 1981 studio album by Casiopea

Eyes of the Mind is the fifth album and the fourth studio album by Casiopea, released in 1981. The album was recorded in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbert Deutsch</span> American composer (1932–2022)

Herbert Arnold "Herb" Deutsch was an American composer, inventor, and educator. Until his death in 2022, he was professor emeritus of electronic music and composition at Hofstra University. He was best known for co-inventing the Moog synthesizer with Bob Moog in 1964.

<i>Right from the Heart</i> 1985 studio album by Johnny Mathis

Right from the Heart is an album by the American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on March 18, 1985, by Columbia Records. It was his first album without songs that were previously recorded by other artists. The title track is one of the album's four ballads that, along with four of the remaining six up-tempo tracks, delve into the subject of relationships, but it is the synth-driven "Step by Step" and the anthemic "Hold On" on which Mathis take a break from the usual focus on love songs. The former offers the hope that can be found in change that comes gradually until "I can see the way free from yesterday to a new beginning". The latter stresses the importance of being oneself: "Life is a party. Why don't you come the way you are?"

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Grammy Award-Winning Composer Suing Michael Jackson's Estate". CBS News. 2016-05-06. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  2. 1 2 "NAMM Oral History, Michael Boddicker". National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). 2013-08-07. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  3. "Bob Moog Foundation Modular Legacy at NAMM: in 2015, the Michael Boddicker modular synthesizer". Bob Moog Foundation. January 20, 2015. (See also: Exhibition panel, Winter NAMM 2015 in photos, From Bob Moog to Michael Boddicker)
  4. Michael Boddicker profile @iowarocknroll.com Retrieved 5-19-2011.
  5. "Former music teacher Arlene Boddicker dies at 81". The Gazette. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  6. "Gerald Valentine Boddicker" . The Cedar Rapid Gazette. Aug 6, 1998. p. 22 via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 "Michael Lehmann Boddicker". iowarocknroll. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
  8. "A Legacy of Music For Retired Teacher" . Newspapers.com. The Cedar Rapid Gazette. 21 October 2010. p. 5. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Bob Moog Foundation Modular Legacy at NAMM: in 2015, the Michael Boddicker modular synthesizer". The Bob Moog Foundation. 2015-01-20. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  10. "Around the town" . Newspapers.com. The Cedar Rapid Gazette. 31 August 1980. p. 72. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  11. 1 2 "The Sounds Of Analog Synthesizers with Michael Lehmann Boddicker". The Society of Composers and Lyricists. 2017-10-12. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  12. "Artist Profile: Michael Boddicker". Intel Corporation. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  13. Hernandez, Marilyn (27 February 2019). "Synthplex, L.A.'s First Synthesizer Festival, to Debut in March". EDM.com - Electronic Dance Music News. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  14. Halperin, Shirley (2019-04-19). "Synthplex Conference Draws 2,500 Electronic Music Enthusiasts to Burbank". Variety. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
  15. "Miss Jensen to Wed M. J. Boddicker" . Newspapers.com. The Gazette. 18 June 1972. p. 47. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  16. "Michael J Boddicker in the California, U.S., Divorce Index, 1966-1984". Ancestry.com. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, State of California.
  17. "Lehmann–Boddicker" . Newspapers.com. The Cedar Rapid Gazette. 22 October 1995. p. 103. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rexroat, Dee Ann (27 February 1985). "C.R. Native Doesn't Win A Grammy This Year But Has Role In Two Others" . Newspapers.com. The Cedar Rapid Gazette. p. 12. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  19. Winter Courier 2004 Archived 2008-04-14 at the Wayback Machine , p. 22, PDF. Coe College. Retrieved on 9 March 2008.
  20. "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  21. Holden, Stephen (1989-08-25). "Review/Film; Cat and Dog Are Friends In a Tale of Real Animals". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  22. "Bulletproof". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  23. "The Magic Egg: A Computer Odyssey". Encyclotronic. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  24. Maslin, Janet (1983-10-14). "'Get Crazy,' Rock". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  25. "White Water Summer". www.nndb.com. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  26. "F/X2". Variety. 1991-01-01. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  27. "Starfire". collection.tiff.net. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  28. "Theme From "Battlestar Galactica" (Long Disco Version)". Discogs. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  29. ""EPCOT Center: A Profile". Walt Disney Company. 1982. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  30. A complete discography is available at Discogs - Michael Boddicker.
  31. "Quincy Jones - I Heard That!!". Discogs. 1976. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  32. "Randy Newman - Little Criminals". Discogs. 1977. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  33. "Barbra Streisand - Streisand Superman". Discogs. 1977. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  34. "Sounds...And Stuff Like That!! - Quincy Jones | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  35. 1 2 Mayes, Alison (January 11, 1990). "Keyboard Wiz Aims For The Top" . Calgary Herald (Calgary, Alberta, Alberta, Canada) via Newspapers.com.
  36. "Barry Manilow – One Voice". Discogs. 1979.
  37. "Randy Newman, Born Again, (1979, Vinyl)". Discog. 1979.
  38. "Records, Pop/Rock" . Logansport Pharos-Tribune (Logansport, Indiana). February 8, 1994. Retrieved 2021-03-25 via Newspapers.com.
  39. 1 2 3 4 5 "Artisans - Michael Boddicker". Spectrasonics. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  40. "1984 Julio Iglesias - 1100 Bel Air Place". sessiondays.com. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  41. Shaw, Ted (November 23, 1991). "Pop: Dangerous by Michael Jackson" . The Windsor Star (Windsor, Ontario, Canada).