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Nine Million Bicycles
"Nine Million Bicycles" is a song written and produced by Mike Batt for the singer Katie Melua's second album, '' Piece by Piece''. It was released as the album's first single in September 2005 and reached number five on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Melua's first top five hit as a solo artist. It was a finalist for The Record of the Year prize, losing to "You Raise Me Up" by Westlife. Background According to Melua, the inspiration for the song came during a visit to Beijing with her manager Mike Batt. Their interpreter showed them around the city and told them that there are supposedly nine million bicycles in the city. Batt wrote a song based around the title "Nine Million Bicycles" after returning to England two weeks later, and it was one of the last songs to be recorded for ''Piece by Piece''. Adrian Brett, who played the ethnic flutes on Batt's album ''Caravans'' (1978), contributed to the song; an ocarina was used for the low sounds, and a Chinese bamboo flute for the hig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Katie Melua
Ketevan Katie Melua (; ka, ქეთევან "ქეთი" მელუა, ; born 16 September 1984) is a Georgian and British singer and songwriter. She was born in Kutaisi and raised in Belfast and London. Under the management of composer Mike Batt, she is signed to the small Dramatico record label. She made her musical debut in 2003 and within three years, she was the United Kingdom's best-selling female artist as well as Europe's highest selling European female artist. In November 2003, Melua released her first album, ''Call Off the Search'', which reached the top of the United Kingdom album charts and sold 1.8 million copies in its first five months of release. Her second album, '' Piece by Piece'', was released in September 2005, and has gone platinum (one million units sold) four times. She released her third studio album ''Pictures'' in October 2007. According to the Sunday Times Rich List 2008, Melua had amassed fortune of £18 million, making h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simon Singh
Simon Lehna Singh, (born 19 September 1964) is a British popular science author, theoretical and particle physicist. His written works include ''Fermat's Last Theorem'' (in the United States titled ''Fermat's Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem''), ''The Code Book'' (about cryptography and its history), ''Big Bang'' (about the Big Bang theory and the origins of the universe), ''Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial'' (about complementary and alternative medicine, co-written by Edzard Ernst) and '' The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets'' (about mathematical ideas and theorems hidden in episodes of ''The Simpsons'' and ''Futurama''). In 2012 Singh founded the Good Thinking Society, through which he created the website "Parallel" to help students learn mathematics. Singh has also produced documentaries and works for television to accompany his books, is a trustee of the National Museum of Science and Industry, a patron of H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 ( nl, Nederlandse Top 40) is a weekly music chart compiled by ''Stichting Nederlandse Top 40''. It started as a radio program titled "Veronica Top 40", on the offshore station Radio Veronica in 1965. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting. Joost den Draaijer initiated the Top 40 in the Netherlands. The show currently airs on Fridays from 2 to 6 PM on Qmusic. History On January 2, 1965, the first Top 40 was compiled, with its first #1 hit "'' I Feel Fine''" by The Beatles. In September 1974, the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40 bought the Top 40 and named it ''De Nederlandse Top 40''. The Dutch Top 40 is one of the four official charts in the Netherlands, the other three being the B2B Single Top 100, which is based entirely on pure sales and streaming, the Mega Top 30 from ( NPO 3FM) which, like the Dutch Top 40 also includes airplay data and the 538 Top 50. From October 4th. 1974 until May 20th. 1976 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers (AARM) which was formed in 1956. It oversees the collection, administration and distribution of music licenses and royalties. The association has more than 100 members, including small labels typically run by one to five people, medium size organisations and very large companies with international affiliates. ARIA is administered by a Board of Directors comprising senior executives from record companies, both large and small. History In 1956, the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers (AARM) was formed by Australia's major record companies. It was replaced in the 1970s by the Australian Recording Industry Association, which was established by the six major record companies opera ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
European Hot 100 Singles
The European Hot 100 Singles was compiled by '' Billboard'' and '' Music & Media'' magazine from March 1984 until December 2010. The chart was based on national singles sales charts in 17 European countries: Austria, Belgium (two charts separately for Flanders and Wallonia), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. , the European Hot 100 had accumulated 400 number one hits. The final chart was published on December 11, 2010, following the news of ''Billboard'' closing their London office and letting their UK-based staff go. The final number one single on the chart was "Only Girl (in the World)" by Rihanna. History Europarade Top 30 The first attempt at a Europe-wide chart was the Europarade, which was started in early 1976 by the Dutch TROS radio network. The chart initially consisted of only six countries: the Netherlands, UK, France, Germany, Belgium and Spain. In 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chris Karan
Chris Karan (born Chrisostomos Karanikis, 14 October 1939) is a Britain-based Australian jazz drummer and percussionist of Greek descent. Life and career Karan was born in 1939 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Karan played in The Three Out trio with Mike Nock and Freddy Logan in Sydney in the early 1960s. After moving to London in 1962, Karan became the drummer in the Dudley Moore Trio; he toured and recorded with Moore for many years, including the trio's appearances on the TV series ''Not Only But Also'' and the soundtrack of the 1967 movie '' Bedazzled''. Their association continued until Moore's last major public appearance at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2001. With Roy Budd he was a member of the Roy Love Trio and performed on the '' Get Carter'' soundtrack. Karan has worked with the Yardbirds, Michel Legrand, Lalo Schifrin, Charles Aznavour, Stanley Myers, Basil Kirchin, Tony Hatch, Jackie Trent, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Jerry Goldsmith, Jerry Fielding ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henry Spinetti
Enrico Antonio Giorgio Spinetti (born 31 March 1951) is a Welsh session drummer whose playing has featured on many prominent rock and pop albums. Career Spinetti was born in Cwm, near Ebbw Vale, Monmouthshire, Wales. His first band, aged about 12 or 13, was The Toby Four (named after Toby beer), which rehearsed in the Ambray Hotel and played songs by The Shadows, amongst others. He then joined another group called The Choice from Tredegar, with a guitarist influenced by Jimi Hendrix. After this he got into a group in Cardiff called The Clockwork Motion, which played as far afield as Newcastle and Birmingham, with Spinetti playing a Premier Black Pearl drum kit. He then secured an audition for a London band Floribunda Rose. He travelled to London, with his drums, on the train, and went to the band's flat in Earls Court; he played four or five numbers and got the job. The band became Scrugg and went to the Top 10 Club in Hamburg. Spinetti began his recording career with Scrugg, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tim Harries
Tim Harries (born 1959) is a British bass player, who has played with various folk rock and jazz bands in his career. Biography Harries studied music at the University of York, graduating in 1981 before going on to study double bass with Tom Martin at the Guildhall School of Music. He was a member of Bill Bruford's Earthworks from 1989 to 1993, during his time with Bruford he performed with a band billed as Yes on TV program Kathy Lee and Regis, the musicians, consisting of Steve Howe (guitar, vocals), Bill Bruford (drums) and Harries (bass, backing vocals), performed the first two verses and chorus of Roundabout, this performance was later described as a "car-crash" by Loudersound in 2022. Harries was a member of folk rock band, Steeleye Span from 1989 to 2001, he contributed bass, keyboards and vocals and later guitar after the return of long time bassist, Rick Kemp. Since leaving Steeleye Span he has worked as a session musician for Brian Eno, Katie Melua, Film Compos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chris Spedding
Christopher John Spedding (born Peter Robinson, 17 June 1944) is an English musician, singer, guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and record producer. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Spedding is best known for his studio session work. By the early 1970s, he had become one of the most sought-after session guitarists in England. Spedding has played on and produced many albums and singles. He has also been a member of eleven rock bands: the Battered Ornaments, Frank Ricotti Quartet, King Mob, Mike Batt and Friends, Necessaries, Nucleus, Ricky Norton, Sharks, Trigger, and the Wombles. In May 1976, Spedding also produced the very first Sex Pistols recordings. AllMusic has described Spedding as "one of the UK's most versatile session guitarists, ehas had a long career on two continents that saw him tackle nearly every style of rock and Spedding, a long-time friend of Chrissie Hynde, was a regular concert feature artist with the Pretenders on thei ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jim Cregan
James Cregan (born 9 March 1946) is an English rock guitarist and bassist, best known for his associations with Family, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel and Rod Stewart. Cregan is a former husband of the singer Linda Lewis and worked with her as a record producer. He has also worked with London Quireboys, Glass Tiger, Katie Melua and formed ''Farm Dogs'' with Bernie Taupin. Career Born in Yeovil, Somerset, to Irish parents, Cregan joined The Falcons, When aged fourteen, which was formed whilst he attended Poole Grammar School. After developing his next band ''The Disastisfied Blues Band'', Cregan briefly joined with future Traffic frontman Dave Mason, in ''Julian Covay and the Machine'' in 1967 and moved on to join the rock and soul band ''The Ingoes'' as a vocalist and guitarist. This band soon morphed into the psychedelic Blossom Toes the same year, who later turned to guitar-led rock. After recording Julie Driscoll's solo album ''1969,'' Cregan joined the soft rock band Stud ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adrian Brett
Adrian Brett is a British flautist. In 1979, Brett released an album entitled ''Echoes of Gold'', Warwick Records which appeared in the Top 20 of the UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts .... He received a gold disc for successful sales. Another album, ''Stepping Stones'', was later issued by Warwick. ''Stepping Stones'' peaked at number 53 in Australia in March 1982. Brett also specialises in ethnic flutes and pipes. It was he who played the famous ocarina motif on Ennio Morricone's theme for "For A Few Dollars More". Years later he would play lead ethnic flutes on Mike Batt's score for the film "Caravans" starring Anthony Quinn and based on the James Michener novel. The exact same ocarina that he had used for Morricone's iconic hit was later used on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mitchell Parish
Mitchell Parish (born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky; July 10, 1900 – March 31, 1993) was an American lyricist, notably as a writer of songs for stage and screen. Biography Parish was born to a Jewish family in Lithuania, Russian Empire in July 1900 His family emigrated to the United States, arriving on February 3, 1901, aboard the '' SS Dresden'' when he was less than a year old. They settled first in Louisiana where his paternal grandmother had relatives, but later moved to New York City, where he grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and received his education in the public schools. He attended Columbia University and N.Y.U. and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He eventually abandoned the notion of practicing law to become a songwriter. He served his apprenticeship as a writer of special material for vaudeville acts, and later established himself as a writer of songs for stage, screen and numerous musical revues. By the late 1920s, Parish was a well-regarded Tin Pan Alley ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
