The Vicar (music producer)

Last updated

The Vicar
The enigmatic Vicar - music producer, diarist and subject of mystery novels, graphic novels and blogs.jpg
The enigmatic Vicar
Background information
Birth nameDavid Singleton
Born (1961-03-21) 21 March 1961 (age 62)
OriginEngland
Genres Art rock, art pop, ambient music, experimental music
Occupation(s)Record producer, diarist, sleuth, aesthete
Instrument(s) Audio editing software, guitar, bass guitar, piano, various
Years active1981–present
Labels Discipline Global Mobile, Regina Records
Website thevicar.com

The Vicar is a persona and multimedia project created by record producer, songwriter and Internet entrepreneur David Singleton. Since 2001, the project has produced music (singles and albums), a public diary, fictional stories (in blog, videoblog, print paperback and graphic novel form) and several culture-jamming initiatives. [1] [2]

Contents

The Vicar's identity remained secret until 2013. That year, Singleton revealed himself on the occasion of the release of the first Vicar album Songbook#1. [1] [2] Singleton has summarised the project ethos as being "that music and music alone should take centre stage without the current obsession with personality and celebrity, nor with the damaging thieving hand of the mainstream music business." [3]

Concept

The core of the project is a semi-fictional/pseudonymous record producer referred to only as "The Vicar" (although over the course of the stories, his first name is occasionally revealed as "David"). In the Chronicles, novels and video blogs (presented as "surreal tales from the underbelly of the music industry") the Vicar is portrayed as a British eccentric [4] who, in parallel to his production career, works as an industry troubleshooter and sleuth (aided and abetted by his rascal and long-suffering assistant Punk Sanderson). Although he is generally hired to solve the problems of senior industry executives the Vicar clearly has little respect for them, preferring to express a sardonic sympathy for exploited musicians and artists. On record, the Vicar's trademark sound is created by Singleton's own songwriting, production and arrangement talents, with guest appearances from some of the world's most outstanding musicians. [5]

There is a clear overlap between the Vicar's fictional ethos and the actual campaigning ethos of Discipline Global Mobile (the record label run by Singleton in collaboration with Robert Fripp), and the character has been used as a method for protesting against corrupt practices within the recording business. Consequently, the Vicar has been described as being "a campaigner for artist rights and scourge of the evil empire of the record industry, both fictionally (in the stories) and in reality" [2] while the stories have been described as "Sherlock Holmes meets Spinal Tap ." [1]

In an interview with the Salisbury Journal in 2013, Singleton commented on the multimedia nature of the project and its possible future expansion, explaining "in the past, a young writer would probably have just written a book – but nowadays people follow stories in all sorts of different ways, so the Vicar Chronicles have been released as physical books, ebooks, graphic novels, audiobooks and you can even see Punk Sanderson performing the whole book on YouTube... It's the first time to my knowledge that the same team have produced all the multimedia aspects of a project of this kind right from conception. We are also currently working on both a film script and a TV series." [1]

History

1999–2003 (origins, "The Vicar's Diary", early production credits, speculations)

The concept for "The Vicar" emerged in 1999 out of a conversation between David Singleton and Robert Fripp (Singleton's creative and business partner in both the Discipline Global Mobile record label and the Ton Prob production team). When Singleton raised the question "why has no-one written whodunnits about the music industry?" Fripp replied, "because you haven't written them yet." [3] [6] This inspired Singleton to begin writing satirical mystery stories twisting true events into semi-fictional myths. Chief among the characters were the titular Vicar (an eccentric pseudonymous record producer and accidental sleuth) and his rascally assistant Punk Sanderson (ostensibly the narrator of the stories).

Both Singleton and Fripp disliked the cult of personality that was apparently inherent to rock music, and which was expressed in the behaviour and personas of performers, producers, executives and commentators alike. As a reaction to this, the Vicar persona was created as a virtual artist; a "man who isn't there." [3]

From 8 January 2001, Singleton established a diary for the Vicar on the Discipline Global Mobile website, further developing the character. [7] Diary notes generally represented Singleton's own working life and reflections, slightly fictionalised and with some identities and situations altered. Some aspects of the Vicar's personality were also drawn from Fripp's personal, philosophical and linguistic mannerisms.

From 2001 onwards, the Vicar was also given selected engineering and production credits on assorted Fripp or King Crimson recordings, beginning with the King Crimson live album Vrooom Vrooom . Regular diary readers began to enjoy speculating as to the Vicar's real identity. Suggested candidates included Fripp, Brian Eno, Bill Nelson, Peter Hammill, Anthony Phillips, Andy Partridge, Peter Gabriel, Sting, George Martin and Singleton himself. Various musicians wilfully added themselves to the "history" of the fictional Vicar, with Partridge's comment "since working with the Vicar, I can never feel the same about alpacas" or Nick Cave's "The Vicar? Half Buddha, half backstreet ****" being amongst the more memorable. [1] [8] [9]

2003–2005 (first Vicar novel, School Aid single)

On 23 September 2003, the first Vicar novel Chronicle The First – The Mysterious Case of Billy's G String began to appear online on the Vicar's diary as a series of successive posts. [10] The novel was an adventure ostensibly written and narrated by Punk Sanderson in which Punk and the Vicar attempted to track down the person or people involved in sabotaging the career of pop star Billy G. The stories, combining comedy and music have been described by The Cult Den as "the Airplane! of the music world" and "Monty Python's life of Punk", with the magazine also advising readers to "open your mind and enter into the irreverence of it all." [11] Aficionados can again see Singleton mythologising true events – in this case the 1990s financial debacle at Lloyd's of London (which had engulfed Fripp's former managers at E.G. Records and which had led to the establishment and ethical policies of Discipline Global Mobile). The Mysterious Case of Billy's G String was followed by a second Chronicle, The Absurd Nonsense of The Orange Eyebrow, detailing further misadventures for Punk and the Vicar at the MIDEM music conference in the south of France (another merging of myth and reality).

On 29 November 2005, the Vicar produced and released a fundraising community single called "Where's the Money, Mr Blair?", performed by School Aid (various people from Singleton's hometown of Broad Chalke, including Robert Fripp). The single was intended to raise renovation money for Broad Chalke Primary School (attended by Singleton's children) and to embarrass the British government over their apparent reluctance to provide proper funding for dilapidated schools. The single was released nationally on both CD and download. Singleton identified himself as the songwriter (and was interviewed and named as producer of the single in the British national press) but did not, at that point, formally admit to being the Vicar. [12] [13]

2007–2012 (into multimedia – videoblogs, debut Vicar single, Facebook campaign, print novel)

In keeping with Singleton's ideas about "a single coherent multimedia future", the Vicar project now began to expand into other areas. [14] On 30 April 2007 the first of a set of Vicar videoblogs was uploaded to YouTube, in which Punk Sanderson (appearing for the first time on camera) presented and narrated the first chapter of The Mysterious Case of Billy's G String. [1] [15] Further chapters followed at a regular rate, with thirty-six videoblogs shot in different locations telling the story of Chronicle the First (later included as a DVD extra with Songbook #1). [4] The videoblogs were highly praised by Comic Spectrum which described them as "phenomenal" and advised "if you have any interest in music, comedy, or just plain great entertainment, click on the video and enjoy!" [16]

On 18 November 2010, the debut Vicar single – "Count Your Blessings", sung by Andy Yorke of Unbelievable Truth – was released via iTunes.

On 6 September 2010, the Vicar project expanded to Facebook, setting up the "Free Punk Sanderson Campaign" and announcing that Punk Sanderson had been locked in there by the Vicar. The campaign backstory involved Punk being forced to stay within Facebook until he had "10,000 followers", at which point he would be set free and would be able to start broadcasting the second set of Vicar Chronicles videoblogs. [17] A campaign video was released in which Punk attempted to force his way out of Facebook, followed by a series of teaser trailers for the new Chronicles. [18] In the event, the second set of Chronicles videoblogs would not be broadcast for another two-and-a-half years.

In October 2012, The Mysterious Case of Billy's G String was compiled and released in two print versions, with authorship credited to Punk Sanderson. The first of these was a graphic novel released in October 2012 (and illustrated by Singleton's son Ben Singleton), which gained favourable reviews in the comics media. [1] [16] [19] [20] On 20 November 2012 The Mysterious Case of Billy's G String was published as a print novel. [21]

2013 (Fart For Your Rights, debut Vicar album, more videoblogs)

On 13 January 2013, the Vicar launched the "Fart For Your Rights" campaign, a culture-jamming event and mock dirty protest aimed at Universal Music Group, who were at the time selling King Crimson's music without proper legal agreements or due remuneration). [2] [22] Via a series of video-recorded protests outside the Kensington headquarters of UMG (involving displayed-and-dropped cue-cards in the manner of Dont Look Back , plus flatulence and other pranks) Punk drew attention to this side of UMG's business practices. [23] [24] [25]

On 26 February 2013, Discipline Global Mobile released the debut album by The Vicar, Songbook #1. Featuring a full set of fourteen songs written entirely by Singleton, the album featured multiple guest musicians including King Crimson members (Fripp, Tony Levin, Jakko Jakszyk) and associates (Theo Travis, Cathy Stevens of Europa String Choir, Chas Dickie, Tony Geballe, Geoff Nichols and Alex Mundy). The songs were sung by Andy Yorke, David Scott (of Pearlfishers), Lewis Taylor, Tim Elsenburg (of Sweet Billy Pilgrim), Mutch Katsonga (of The Indie Soul Movement), Steve Porter and Paul Ibberson. The formal launch was followed by a launch event at the Dolby Studios in London on 30 April 2013. [2] [26]

The album received good reviews, many of them focussing on Singleton's detailed chamber-music arrangements. Ludovic Hunter-Tilney of the Financial Times hailed Songbook #1 as "a highly engaging exercise in psychedelic chamber pop" [27] while in Classic Rock Hugh Fielder described it as "continuing where 'Eleanor Rigby' left off... once you're past the novelty aspect, the album becomes compelling." [28] Mediaversal described Songbook #1 as "one of the most intriguing and innovative records of our time. A throwback to the psychedelic sixties with an air of Beatles, King Crimson, and an edge of Philip Glass, the album traverses many musical styles while staying the course on its unique sound.... an engaging listen that will surely keep you coming back for more." and drew attention to its "truly spectacular" surround sound mix. [29] Altrockchick.com described the record as "the most paradoxical and amazing album I have heard in years... a brilliant, courageous, convention-defying contribution to the art" and praised its avoidance of a standard rhythm section approach (as well as labelling the album as a whole as having "everything to do with talent, everything to do with musicianship and everything to do with artistic integrity." [30]

The album was particularly well received by the Italian music press. DFB Musica suggested that the album was "an exquisite collection of songs in the Scott Walker tradition" (as well as citing Colin Blunstone as another comparison), while and JAM magazine suggested that the Vicar "recalls the elegance of the Penguin Café Orchestra in a work that could not be more English. Sometimes melancholy and dreamy, sometimes fast and light, but always substantial. Delicious." [31] [32] Rockerilla awarded Songbook #1 "Album of the Month" and hailed its "definitive pop arrangements with the harmonic and melodic genius of George Martin and Phil Spector. An incredible acoustic light orchestra." [33]

Meanwhile, once Punk Sanderson had obtained the requisite number of Facebook followers, the second set of Vicar videoblogs (in which he presented and narrated "The Absurd Nonsense of The Orange Eyebrow") began to be broadcast on 23 March 2013. [34]

2014–present (compiled novel, Drummer Jokes app, further initiatives)

In February 2014, both The Mysterious Case of Billy's G String and The Absurd Nonsense of The Orange Eyebrow were compiled into a single print novel, The Vicar Chronicles: Chronicle The First + 2nd. [11]

On 20 August 2014, the Vicar website was revamped and relaunched. [35] On 5 December 2014, the Vicar took on another aspect of multimedia with the release of a smartphone mobile app, The Vicar's Drummer Jokes and Celebrity Musician Guessing Game, developed by Flat Earth Studio LLC. It was later claimed that this was, in part, a humorous riposte to comments regarding the lack of drums (and drummers) within Songbook #1. [3] [36]

During this period, Singleton began work on the second Vicar album, Songbook #2, which will again feature guest singers. In 2015, the Vicar launched two further initiatives. "Be the Singer"/"V Factor" invited members of the public to record vocals to existing Vicar backing tracks, with the best performers to be invited to record material for Songbook #2. A simultaneous Instagram campaign, "#IamTheVicar", invited fans to photograph themselves obscuring their faces (a Vicar visual trademark) to appear on the cover of future Vicar releases. Both initiatives were intended to reinforce the underlying Vicar ethos of pure music made without a celebrity component. [3]

Works

Ebooks, print novels

Graphic novels

Discography

Additional production credits

Mobile apps

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Dad and son finish multimedia project" – article by Elizabeth Kemble, Salisbury Journal, 13 February 2013
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Vicar Songbook – Tuesday 30th April 2.30 pm at Dolby HQ, 4–6 Soho Square, W1 – RSVP" – press release at Phill Savidge PR
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "David's Bio" news update on Vicar news page, posted 2 March 2015
  4. 1 2 Review of Songbook #1 by Paul Sexton, Classic Rock, 25 September 2013
  5. ↑ Review of Songbook #1 in HD Tracks
  6. ↑ "David Singleton biography on Linked In". Uk.linkedin.com. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  7. ↑ The Vicar’s first diary entry, DGM homepage (diaries section), 8 January 2001
  8. ↑ "Who is The Vicar?" discussion thread on ProgressiveEars forum
  9. ↑ "Who is The Vicar?" – YouTube video
  10. ↑ Preface to Chronicle the First: The Mysterious Case Of Billy's G String by Punk Sanderson Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine (from The Vicar's Diary, DGM homepage (diaries section), 23 September 2003)
  11. 1 2 "Book Review – The Vicar Chronicles: Chronicle The First + 2nd by Punk Sanderson" review by Steve Taylor-Bryant, The Cult Den
  12. ↑ "Where's The Money Mr Blair?" – post in The Vicar's Diary, DGM homepage (diaries section), Dgmlive.com, 29 November 2005
  13. ↑ "Labour's rotten record", by Martin Evans, Daily Express, Wednesday 7 December 2005
  14. ↑ "David Singleton's Diary (on DGM homepage), 2 March 2015". Dgmlive.com. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  15. ↑ The Mysterious Case Of Billy's G String: Chapter 1 Part 1 (first videoblog from The Vicar's Diary, DGM homepage (diaries section), 30 April 2007)
  16. 1 2 Review of 'The Vicar Chronicles Vol. 1' by Bob Bretall, Comic Spectrum, 18 April 2014
  17. ↑ "The Vicar locks Punk Sanderson in Facebook" – press release (reproduced in ProgArchives.com, 6 October 2010)
  18. ↑ "Free Punk Sanderson Campaign" video on Facebook
  19. ↑ 'Review – The Mysterious Case of Billy’s G-String', Omnicomic, Thursday, 19 June 2014
  20. ↑ REVIEW: The Mysterious Case of Billy’s G-String' by Davidde Gelmini, A Place to Hang Your Cape, 18 April 2014
  21. ↑ "The Vicar Chronicles: Lightly Disguised Fiction About the Music Industry" – review by Alan Cross in A Journal of Musical Things, 12 December 2012
  22. ↑ "Sign Up | LinkedIn". Linkedin.com. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  23. ↑ ""Fart for Your Rights" – YouTube, 13 January 2013". YouTube . Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  24. ↑ "Fart For Your Rights (Second Wind)" – YouTube, 17 January 2013
  25. ↑ "Fart for Your Rights (Famous Speeches from History)" – YouTube, 24 January 2013
  26. ↑ "The Vicar's Diary, Tuesday 30 April 2013". Dgmlive.com. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  27. ↑ Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (25 January 2013). "The Vicar: Songbook#1". Financial Times. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  28. ↑ Classic Rock review of Songbook #1, by Hugh Fielder, January 2013
  29. ↑ "Mediaversal review of Songbook #1". Mediaversal.com. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  30. ↑ Altrockchick.com review of Songbook #1, 10 January 2013
  31. ↑ Review of Songbook #1 in DFB Musica magazine, Italy
  32. ↑ Review of Songbook #1 in JAM magazine, Italy
  33. ↑ Review of Songbook #1 in Rockerilla by Elio Bussolino, 3 July 2013
  34. ↑ "The Vicar's Diary, 25 March 2013". Dgmlive.com. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  35. ↑ ""Farewell to Underpants" – news item on Vicar news page, posted 20 August 2015". Thevicar.com. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  36. ↑ The Vicar's Drummer Jokes app page on Vicar homepage

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Crimson</span> English progressive rock band

King Crimson were an English progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London. The band drew inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, blues, industrial, electronic, experimental music and new wave. They exerted a strong influence on the early 1970s progressive rock movement, including on contemporaries such as Yes and Genesis, and continue to inspire subsequent generations of artists across multiple genres. The band earned a large cult following.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Fripp</span> British guitarist, composer, record producer, and author

Robert Fripp is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session musician and collaborator, notably with David Bowie, Blondie, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Daryl Hall, The Roches, Talking Heads, and David Sylvian. He also composed the startup sound of Windows Vista operating system, in collaboration with Tucker Martine and Steve Ball. His discography includes contributions to over 700 official releases.

<i>In the Court of the Crimson King</i> 1969 studio album by King Crimson

In the Court of the Crimson King is the debut studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson, released on 10 October 1969 by Island Records. The album is one of the earliest and most influential of the progressive rock genre, where the band combined the musical influences that rock music was founded upon with elements of jazz, classical, and symphonic music.

<i>Discipline</i> (King Crimson album) 1981 studio album by King Crimson

Discipline is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson, released on 22 September 1981 by E.G. Records in the United Kingdom and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States.

<i>The Power to Believe</i> 2003 studio album by King Crimson

The Power to Believe is the thirteenth and final studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson. It was released on 4 March 2003 through Sanctuary Records and met with generally favourable reviews, with several critics appreciating its heightened aggression. The Power to Believe was preceded by the EP Happy with What You Have to Be Happy With (2002), which features alternate and otherwise unreleased tracks.

<i>Red</i> (King Crimson album) 1974 studio album by King Crimson

Red is the seventh studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson. It was released in October 1974 through Island Records in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in North America and Japan. The album was recorded at Olympic Studios in London in July and August 1974, and produced by the band themselves. The track "Providence" was a free improvisation recorded at their 30 June 1974 concert at the Palace Theater in the city of the same name. Parts of some of the pieces were conceived during previous improvisations performed by the band live. "Starless" was originally considered for their previous album, Starless and Bible Black (1974), but was deemed incomplete at the time. The lengthy version included on this album was refined and performed during concerts throughout 1974.

<i>King Crimson on Broadway</i> 1999 live album by King Crimson

King Crimson On Broadway is a live album by the band King Crimson, released through the King Crimson Collectors' Club in July 1999. The tracks on the albums were recorded at the Longacre Theater in New York City, New York, US, on November 20, 21, 22, 24 and 25, 1995, as the band was touring to promote the album THRAK.

<i>BBoom: Live in Argentina</i> 1995 live album by King Crimson

B'Boom: Live in Argentina is a live album by the band King Crimson, released in 1995. All songs were recorded between 6 and 16 October 1994 at the Broadway Theatre in Buenos Aires, Argentina, except for "Heartbeat" which was recorded in Córdoba.

<i>USA</i> (King Crimson album) 1975 live album by King Crimson

USA is a live album by the English progressive rock band King Crimson, released in 1975. It was recorded at the Casino, Asbury Park, New Jersey, on 28 June 1974, except “21st Century Schizoid Man”, which was recorded at the Palace Theatre, Providence, Rhode Island, United States, on 30 June 1974. Violin and electric piano overdubs by Eddie Jobson were recorded at Olympic Studios, London in 1975.

<i>Thrak</i> 1995 studio album by King Crimson

THRAK is the eleventh studio album by the band King Crimson released in 1995 through Virgin Records. It was preceded by the mini-album VROOOM in 1994. It is their first full-length studio album since Three of a Perfect Pair eleven years earlier, and the only full album to feature the "Double Trio" lineup of Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn, Bill Bruford and Pat Mastelotto. It is also the last time all members from the Discipline era would work together, the last new album to feature Bruford, and Levin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matte Kudasai</span> 1981 single by King Crimson

"Matte Kudasai" literally "Wait, Please" in Japanese, is a ballad by the progressive rock band King Crimson. Featuring vocals by Adrian Belew, it was released as the first single from the album Discipline (1981). In the UK, the single just missed the chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New standard tuning</span> Alternative guitar tuning

New standard tuning (NST) is an alternative tuning for the guitar that approximates all-fifths tuning. The guitar's strings are assigned the notes C2-G2-D3-A3-E4-G4 ; the five lowest open strings are each tuned to an interval of a perfect fifth {(C,G),(G,D),(D,A),(A,E)}; the two highest strings are a minor third apart (E,G).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Discipline Global Mobile</span> Record label

Discipline Global Mobile is an independent record label founded in 1992 by Robert Fripp and producer/online content developer David Singleton. DGM has released solo music by Fripp as well as work by various affiliated musicians and bands including King Crimson, The Vicar, the California Guitar Trio and others. The label has offices in Salisbury, England, and Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Crimson discography</span> Cataloguing of published recordings by King Crimson

The discography of King Crimson consists of 13 studio albums, 15 live albums, 13 compilation albums, 3 extended plays, 10 singles, 6 video albums and 9 major box sets.

The ProjeKcts are a succession of spin-off projects associated with the band King Crimson.

Europa String Choir is a cross-disciplinary musical ensemble formed in 1991. Its core members are Cathy Stevens and Udo Dzierzanowski although the project can also compose, perform and record as a trio and as a quartet. Other ESC members during the ensemble's lifetime have been Alessandro Bruno (guitar), Markus Reuter and Susan Nares.

<i>Live at the Orpheum</i> 2015 live album by King Crimson

Live at the Orpheum is a live album by the band King Crimson, released by Discipline Global Mobile records in 2015. The album was recorded on 30 September and 1 October at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, California on the band's The Elements of King Crimson US tour of 2014.

David Singleton is an English record producer, audio engineer, record label director, musician, songwriter, author and Internet entrepreneur. He is best known as the production and business partner of Robert Fripp of King Crimson.

<i>Heaven & Earth</i> (box set) 2019 box set by King Crimson

Heaven & Earth is the eighth of the major box set releases from English progressive rock group King Crimson, released in 2019 by Discipline Global Mobile, Panegyric Records, Inner Knot & Wowow Entertainment, Inc..

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.