Minute Taker

Last updated

Minute Taker
Minute Taker performing live in Manchester 2012.jpg
Minute Taker performing live in Manchester, October 2012
Background information
Birth nameBenjamin John McGarvey
Genres Avant-pop, synthpop, synthwave, alternative, folktronica
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, musician, music producer
Instrument(s)vocals, piano, synthesizer, guitar, glockenspiel,
Years active2008–present
Website minutetaker.net

Benjamin John McGarvey (born 22 December 1981), known under the stage name Minute Taker, is an English recording artist. He has released three albums: Too Busy Framing (2008), Last Things (2013) and Wolf Hours (2022) along with several EPs, including Reconstruction (2017), and a series of albums available exclusively through a subscription plan named Secret Songs.

Contents

Early life and musical influences

McGarvey grew up in the Shropshire countryside. [1] His interest in music began at the age of 12 when he started playing a piano in the basement of his family home. After having some music lessons, he preferred playing by ear and began writing his own songs. He has described how songwriting helped him to come to terms with his sexuality as a young teenager. [2]

He told DNA Magazine in 2021 how he always loved 1980s music: "When I was a teenager in the '90s I was particularly uncool because the '80s were so unfashionable at that point. When I was 16 and went to college I got into a lot of alternative singer-songwriters like Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Björk and PJ Harvey. I pretty much taught myself how to play piano by sitting down and working out their songs". [3] After college he went on to study contemporary music at university.

Too Busy Framing (2008–2009)

Following his university studies, McGarvey moved to Manchester where he wrote and recorded songs in his bedroom. In February 2008, he self-financed his debut album Too Busy Framing (released under his own name). Clash described the album as "carefully constructed, layered compositions with as much in common with Múm as David Gray and his ilk". [4] Manchester Evening News described McGarvey's songs as being "full of strange, hypnotic loops and samples, and the lonesome, existential imagery of his lyrics brings to mind a young Morrissey". [1]

McGarvey has described how he sampled gay porn movies for the song "Lust": "creating the song's rhythm section from sounds created during intercourse". [5]

Another of the album's songs "Disjointed" refers to serial killers Fred and Rose West. [6]

In 2013, The 405 retrospectively praised Too Busy Framing stating that "As far as debut albums go, it remains an underrated hidden gem and continues to age rather well." [6]

The Spiels (2010–2013)

In 2010 McGarvey formed a band named The Spiels (an abbreviation of "glockenspiels" [7] ) with singer-songwriter Ryan Lamey. The pair originally met when Lamey recruited some of McGarvey's backing band members for his own solo project. [8] They later came to work together when Lamey replied to an advert McGarvey placed on Gumtree looking for musical collaborators [9] and the project evolved into a five-piece band [7] ). Manchester Evening News described their music as "alternative folk-pop of infinitely dark hue" comparing their work to that of Arcade Fire, Kate Bush and Antony and the Johnsons. [8]

The Spiels released their debut EP Nightvision Part 1 in January 2013. [10]

Last Things (2012–2014)

In 2012 McGarvey adopted the psydonymn of Minute Taker and released the EP Postlude. [10] In reference to his change of artist name, McGarvey revealed in an interview with The 405 that "I never really felt comfortable using my own name". He described how he'd spent time working in offices as a Minute Taker and was drawn to the name because it simultaneously sounded "mundane and fantastical". [6]

On 15 April 2013, McGarvey released his second solo album Last Things. He provided interviews for several publications, including Notion, Attitude, Gay Times and The 405. The latter featured two videos of McGarvey's performing "Somewhere Under Water" (from Last Things) and a cover version of Pet Shop Boys' "Heart" using piano, voice and various electronic instruments including a synthesizer and a loop pedal.

Last Things received favourable reviews. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] As part of a feature on Minute Taker, Notion described Last Things as "A beautiful collection of electronic-orientated pop songs that sound like old recordings that have been rediscovered and restored by a renegade computer; glitching and looping." [16]

Three promotional singles from the album were released: "Merge", "Let It Go" and "Alkali". [17] In February 2014, the 405 premiered Minute Taker's first music video for "Alkali", which incorporates clips from the 1922 expressionist film Nosferatu interwoven with degraded self-portrait footage and silent film-era narrational captions. [18] "Skeleton Dance" (the b-side to "Alkali") has been played by Tom Robinson on BBC Radio 6 Music. [19] Robinson also played "Merge" as part of a Kate Bush special show, citing McGarvey as a new artist who has been influenced by Bush's music. [20]

HOAX My Lonely Heart (2014–2017)

McGarvey composed the music for a stage musical Hoax: My Lonely Heart, which was shown at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre in June 2014. Written by Ravi Thornton, HOAX is a cross-media project consisting of the stage musical HOAX My Lonely Heart and accompanying graphic novel HOAX Psychosis Blues. The musical, directed by Benji Reid, was described on the Royal Exchange Theatre's website as "a dark musical fuelled by those most destructive of tendencies: love and self-sabotage". [21] The story is based on the experiences of Ravi Thornton's younger brother Roabbi (aka Rob) who committed suicide in 2008 at the age of 31 after having suffered a long battle with schizophrenia. [22] [23] McGarvey created the music live on stage using a loop pedal, piano and vocal harmonies to accompany the actors who sang the lead parts. [6]

Minute Taker toured the North of England with the show in Spring 2017 culminating at The Lowry, Salford. [24]

In 2018, the HOAX project was nominated for a National Lottery Good Causes Award. [25]

To Love Somebody Melancholy (2015–2017)

McGarvey premiered audio-visual show To Love Somebody Melancholy at Chorlton Arts Festival in May 2015. A collaboration with illustrator/animator Ana Stefaniak, the show was described by the Chorlton Arts Festival website as "a story told through a contemporary song cycle and projected photographic animations, exploring the melancholic temperament of artists". [26] [27] Minute Taker toured To Love Somebody Melancholy across the UK in 2017.

Reconstruction and Secret Songs (2017–20)

Minute Taker released the mini-album Reconstruction on 20 November 2017. The 405 premiered the opening track "In Slow Motion" on 14 November. The release features a cover version of the Pet Shop Boys song "Heart", which Minute Taker had recorded as a performance video for The 405 in 2013. [28] He released three singles from the album: "Nothing to Fear", "Reservoir", and "The Weight of It All". In a review of the latter, God Is in the TV stated "Imagine a meeting of Alison Moyet and Doves, you get echoes of Kate Bush in the percussion and piano, and washes of Mancunian melancholy everywhere – the warmth is almost tangible." [29] Minute Taker supported the mini-album release with a tour of British churches in February 2018.

In late 2017, Minute Taker announced Secret Songs, a subscription plan service that includes albums of unreleased material. Secret Songs Volume 1: Songs for Lost Lovers was released on 11 January 2018, followed by Volume 2: Almost on 25 May 2018 and Volume 3: Covers on 3 December 2018. [30] A piano/vocal cover of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill was released to promote the series. The song has gone on to become Minute Taker's most played track on Spotify and has received national airplay on BBC Radio 2. [31] [32]

On 30 June 2018, Minute Taker performed a concept album at Hebden Bridge Arts Festival titled Wilderness, "exploring a desire to escape the structures of society". [33]

Minute Taker remixed Yazoo's song "Winter Kills" for the band's Four Pieces: A Yazoo Compendium 4LP Vinyl Boxset which was released on Mute Records/Sony BMG on 26 October 2018. [34] The Quietus premiered the remix on 20 September 2018. [35]

Minute Taker remixed Erasure's song "Home" for the band's reissued Chorus released on 14 February 2020 on BMG UK. [36]

Wolf Hours (2019–23)

In April 2019, Minute Taker announced the audiovisual show Wolf Hours, exploring the psyches of several gay men at different points in time over the past century, supported by Arts Council England and Superbia at Manchester Pride. [37] The show premiered at Waterside Arts, Manchester in July 2019 at part of the "REFRACT:19" festival of experimental arts and was later performed at several other venues in late 2019 to early 2020 including Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre as part of their 2020 "Turn On Fest" LGBTQ+ theatre festival. [38] [39]

On 9 October 2019, Minute Taker released the single and music video from Wolf Hours named "Hearts (We'll Never Know)", inspired by 1970s/1980s horror movies. [40]

Portsmouth FC showed the video for "Not Afraid", the second single from Wolf Hours at a football match on 7 December 2019 to promote LGBTQ inclusion in football in support of Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign. [41] The video was directed by John Lochland (JL2 Productions) and explores the experiences and daydreams of a young gay footballer. Minute Taker publicly released the video on New Year's Day 2020. [42]

"The Darkest Summer", the third single from the album was released on 12 August 2020 with a music video directed by Joe Stringer, set on a beach in the 1980s. A fourth single 500 Breakups was released on 28 May 2021. The single "After The Rain", featuring fellow LGBTQ+ singer-songwriter Bright Light Bright Light, was released on 6 August 2021 and received airplay on BBC Radio 2. [43] [44] The album's opening song "Lead You Home" was released as the sixth single on 14 January 2022. It was accompanied by a music video, directed by John Lochland and starring Solly McLeod, depicting a relationship between two World War 1 soldiers. [45] [46]

Wolf Hours, the album, was released on 28 January 2022, following a successful crowdfunding campaign where fans pre-ordered "Wolf Pack" bundles, which included CDs, vinyl, cassettes and merchandise. The album ranked amongst the best albums of 2022 for several publications including Albumism [47] and DNA Magazine. [48]

On 13 March 2022, Minute Taker released the charity single "I Don't Understand (Song for Ukraine)" to raise money for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. [49]

On 6 September 2022, Minute Taker released an alternate version of the Wolf Hours album titled Secret Songs Volume 9: Mirror Edition. Available as part of the Secret Songs subscription plan, the album featured alternate mixes and previously unreleased songs, including two collaborations with synth-pop artist Color Theory. On 12 July 2023 Minute Taker released Secret Songs Volume 10: Wolf Hours Audiovisual Show featuring a DVD concert film of the show he'd developed and toured in 2019-20. [50]

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

Music videos

Remixes for other artists

Shows

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alison Moyet</span> English singer

Geneviève Alison Jane Moyet, formerly known as Alf, is an English singer. Noted for her powerful bluesy contralto voice, she came to prominence as half of the synth-pop duo Yazoo, but has since mainly worked as a solo artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tegan and Sara</span> Canadian indie rock/indie pop duo

Tegan and Sara is a Canadian indie pop duo formed in 1998 in Calgary, Alberta. The band is led by identical twin sisters, Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin. Both musicians are songwriters and multi-instrumentalists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elbow (band)</span> English alternative rock band

Elbow are an English rock band formed in Bury, Greater Manchester, in 1990. The band consists of Guy Garvey, Craig Potter, Mark Potter and Pete Turner. They have played together since 1990, adopting the name Elbow in 1997. Drummer Alex Reeves replaced Richard Jupp in 2016 as a touring and session musician at first, before becoming a full member in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giles Martin</span> English record producer and musician

Giles Martin is an English record producer, songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist. His studio recordings, stage shows, TV and film works have been critically acclaimed and commercially successful around the world. He is the son of Beatles producer George Martin and half-brother of actor Gregory Paul Martin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Only You (Yazoo song)</span> 1982 single by Yazoo

"Only You" is a song by English synth-pop duo Yazoo. It was written by member Vince Clarke, while he was still with Depeche Mode, but recorded in 1982 after he formed Yazoo with Alison Moyet. It was released as Yazoo's first single on 15 March 1982 in the United Kingdom, taken from their first album, Upstairs at Eric's (1982), and became an instant success on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number two on 16 May 1982. It would also reach the top 10 in neighbouring Ireland as well as Australia. In the US, "Only You" was released as the band's second single in November 1982 and charted at number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also made the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Feeling</span> English rock/pop band

The Feeling are an English rock/pop band from Horsham, Sussex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Diggle</span> English rock guitarist

Stephen E Diggle is an English musician best known as a guitarist and later lead vocalist in the punk band Buzzcocks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dance Gavin Dance</span> American post-hardcore band

Dance Gavin Dance is an American post-hardcore band from Sacramento, California, formed in 2005. It consists of unclean vocalist Jon Mess, lead guitarist Will Swan, clean vocalist and rhythm guitarist Andrew Wells, and drummer Matthew Mingus. The band formerly included lead vocalists Jonny Craig, Kurt Travis, and Tilian Pearson, and the lineup has changed numerous times since their inception. Swan and Mingus are the only band members who have appeared on every studio album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Arnold (musician)</span> Musical artist

Timothy Marcus Arnold is an English musician, singer-songwriter, performer, composer, producer, film director from London. His music has been compared to David Bowie and he is the last musician to collaborate with David Bowie and Kate Bush mentor Lindsay Kemp. Arnold is the creator of critically acclaimed multimedia album, film and theatre project Super Connected.

<i>When You Get a Little Lonely</i> 1995 studio album by Maureen McCormick

When You Get a Little Lonely is the debut studio album by American actress and singer Maureen McCormick. It was released on April 4, 1995, through the label Phantom Hill. After playing Marcia Brady in the sitcom The Brady Bunch, she was offered a solo record deal in the mid-1970s but rejected the offer to attend school. McCormick had previously recorded four albums as part of The Brady Bunch and a duet album with her co-star Christopher Knight. In 1994, she signed with her brother's record label, Phantom Hill, and recorded When You Get a Little Lonely in Nashville, Tennessee and Hollywood, California. Barry Coffing was the executive producer and arranged and produced all the songs. McCormick wanted to fuse genres into the album's overall country sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Joy Formidable</span> Welsh alternative rock band

The Joy Formidable is a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 2007 in Mold, Flintshire, and currently based in London, England. The band consists of Rhiannon "Ritzy" Bryan and Rhydian Dafydd. The most recent album, Into the Blue, was released in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benny Blanco</span> American record producer and songwriter (born 1988)

Benjamin Joseph Levin, known professionally as Benny Blanco, is an American record producer, songwriter, record executive and author. He is the recipient of the 2013 Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He also won the BMI Songwriter of the Year Award five non-consecutive times, and won the 2017 iHeartRadio Producer of the Year Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyler, the Creator</span> American rapper (born 1991)

Tyler Gregory Okonma, known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, record producer, director, and fashion designer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip hop during the 2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Becky Hill</span> English singer and songwriter (born 1994)

Rebecca Claire Hill is an English singer and songwriter. She rose to fame after appearing on the first series of The Voice UK, auditioning with John Legend's "Ordinary People". She joined Jessie J's team and reached the semi-final of the competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Passenger (singer)</span> English musician (born 1984)

Michael David Rosenberg, better known by his stage name Passenger, is an English indie folk singer, songwriter and musician. From 2003 to 2009, Rosenberg fronted a band by the same name; he opted to keep the Passenger moniker for his solo work after the band dissolved. Rosenberg is best known for the 2012 song "Let Her Go", which topped the charts in 16 countries and accumulated more than 3.6 billion views on YouTube. Because Rosenberg was based in Australia at the time of release, it is the most-viewed Australian YouTube video ever. In 2014, the song was nominated for the Brit Award for British Single of the Year, and he received the British Academy's Ivor Novello Award for Most Performed Work.

<i>The Take Off and Landing of Everything</i> 2014 studio album by Elbow

The Take Off and Landing of Everything is the sixth studio album by English rock band Elbow, released in the UK, Europe, and Australia through Fiction Records and Polydor Records on 10 March 2014 and in the US on Concord Records on 11 March 2014.

Ravi Thornton is a British writer. She is known for graphic novels and script writing across multiple platforms, and for her interest in the social-impact potential of narrative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Aces (indie pop band)</span> American indie pop band

The Aces are an American alternative pop band from Provo, Utah. The band has four members: guitarist Katie Henderson, bassist McKenna Petty, and sisters Alisa Ramirez (drums) and Cristal Ramirez.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lonely Hearts (JoJo song)</span> 2020 song by JoJo

"Lonely Hearts" is a song by American R&B singer and songwriter JoJo. It was released April 24, 2020, as the first promotional single from JoJo's fourth studio album, Good to Know (2020). The song was written by JoJo, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Martin McKinney, Merna Bishouty and Dylan Wiggins, while the latter handled the song's production alongside Doc McKinney and Merna Bishouty vocally producing the song. Lyrically the song is a story of self-improvement and self love for people who struggle with codependency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speaker Knockerz</span> American rapper, record producer, and songwriter (1994–2014)

Derek McAllister Jr., known professionally as Speaker Knockerz, was an American rapper and record producer from Columbia, South Carolina. He was known for his independent tracks which would gain traction on the video-sharing platform YouTube. Some of his biggest tracks include "Dap You Up" and "Lonely". He was described by XXL as a frontrunner in the melodically-driven state of modern rap and has been cited as an influence by numerous rappers.

References

  1. 1 2 Sue, David (17 October 2008). "Manchester Evening News: McGarvey is Ready for the Big Escape".
  2. Gay Pages (South Africa) (March 2018). "Bending The Minutes".
  3. DNA Magazine (Issue 258) (July 2021). "More Than a Minute".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. Issue 27, Clash (June 2008). "Too Busy Framing Album Review". Drive.google.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. Gay Times, Magazine (June 2013). "Meet Minute Taker". Drive.google.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Davidson-Vidavski, Doron (28 March 2013). "The 405 meets Minute Taker". Thefourohfive.com.
  7. 1 2 Horwood, Matt (16 January 2013). "Tomorrow's Music Tonight: VIVA meets The Spiels". Vivalifestyle.co.uk.
  8. 1 2 Sue, David (24 August 2012). "Manchester Evening News: The band adding a dark side to Pride". Drive.google.com.
  9. Davidson-Vidavski, Doron (8 May 2012). "Listen Up! Music Interview: The Spiels". Londonist.com.
  10. 1 2 "Octagonal Records". Octagonalrecords.bandcamp.com. April 2013.
  11. "Minute Taker – Last Things Review". Red Online. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  12. "INTERVIEW: MINUTE TAKER – Fashion SoundtrackFashion Soundtrack". Fashionsoundtrack.com. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  13. "Minute Taker: Last Things". Trendland.com. 17 May 2013.
  14. "JUKEBOX : MINUTE TAKER – LAST THINGS". Chasseur Magazine. Archived from the original on 7 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  15. "Artist Of The Week. Minute Taker". Rightchordmusic.co.uk. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  16. Preston Caroll, Joe (11 April 2013). "Planet Notion Interview: Minute Taker". Planetnotion.com.
  17. "Minute Taker premieres lyric video for "Let It Go"". Hangout.altsounds.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  18. "Minute Taker – "Alkali" l Videos l the 405". Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  19. "BBC Artists – Minute Taker". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  20. "#KateBush6Music with Tom Robinson". BBC. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  21. "Hoax: My Lonely Heart". Royalexcahnge.co.uk. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  22. "a-magazine.co.uk". A-magazine.co.uk. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  23. "HOAX: My Lonely Heart – Royal Exchange Studio, Manchester – the Good Review". Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  24. "HOAX: My Lonely Heart – The Lowry, Salford". Thereviewshub.com. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  25. "The HOAX Project". National Lottery Good Causes. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  26. "To Love Somebody Melancholy". Chorlton Arts Festival Website. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  27. "Critics' Choice: "To Love Somebody Melancholy"". Time Out. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  28. "Minute Taker reveals "In Slow Motion" from his new mini-album". The 405. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  29. "Tracks of the Week #11". 26 January 2018.
  30. "Secret Songs". Minute Taker Official Website. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  31. https://open.spotify.com/artist/2kjd9eTgBXRmPZZoEFiXVY?si=yARjZ4edTXOyyj_GVLvUyw
  32. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00214qk
  33. "Minute Taker "Wilderness"". Hebden Bridge Arts Festival. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  34. "Four Pieces: A Yazoo Compendium 4LP Vinyl". Yazoo Official Website. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  35. "LISTEN: Yazoo Remixed By Minute Taker". The Quietus. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  36. "Erasure – Chorus – (3xCD Deluxe Hardback Book Album) – + 4 Postcard Set – pre-order [2020-02-14]". Lexermusic.com.
  37. https://watersidearts.org/about-us/theatre-development-at-waterside/
  38. https://canal-st.co.uk/news/luke-davies-interview-with-minute-taker
  39. https://www.manchestersfinest.com/arts-and-culture/superbia-spotlights-the-musician-telling-the-stories-of-gay-mens-lives-through-the-ages/
  40. "MINUTE TAKER – HEARTS (WE'LL NEVER KNOW) Official Music Video". YouTube. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  41. Portsmouth FC. "Portsmouth FC on Twitter: "Football is for everyone. 💙 #Pompey are proud to be exclusively playing @Minute_Taker's "Not Afraid", made by JL Squared Productions, on the big screen ahead of our #RainbowLaces fixture tomorrow"". Twitter.com. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  42. "MINUTE TAKER – NOT AFRAID (Official Music Video)". YouTube. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  43. "Listen to the New Pride Anthem from Minute Taker". 29 July 2021.
  44. "BBC Radio 2 – Paul O'Grady".
  45. ""Lead You Home" : Un titre et un clip bouleversants pour la pop mélodieuse de Minute Taker – pinktv.fr". Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  46. "MINUTE TAKER – Lead You Home (Official Music Video)". YouTube.
  47. "ALBUMISM SELECTS: The 100 Best Albums of 2022". 4 December 2022.
  48. "DNA Counts Down the Ten Best Queer Albums of 2022". 7 December 2022.
  49. "Minute Taker releases Ukraine benefit song 'I Don't Understand'". 14 March 2022.
  50. "Secret Songs".
  51. "Yazoo – Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet". Yazooinfo.com. 13 April 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  52. "ANNOUNCING A BRAND NEW REMASTERED AND EXPANDED 3-CD EDITION OF "CHORUS" FOR 2020 – ERASURE (Vince Clarke and Andy Bell". Erasureinfo.com. Retrieved 22 May 2020.