Parthenon Huxley

Richard Willett Miller, professionally known as Parthenon Huxley (born January 19, 1956) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and producer who is known for his solo albums and for his involvement in ELO Part II and The Orchestra, both of which are latter-day offshoots of the 1970s–80s symphonic rock band Electric Light Orchestra. He has also made cameo appearances in several films including '' Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story'' and ''The Flintstones''.

Early life

Huxley was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and grew up in New Jersey and Athens, Greece before moving to North Carolina to attend UNC-Chapel Hill. His stage name (now legal name) honors two of his varied interests: his love for Greece, and the British writer Aldous Huxley. He began his recording career as guitarist on Matt Barrett's 1980 EP ''The Ruse'' (Moonlight Records), produced by Don Dixon, with Mitch Easter being another notable musician (as a drummer) on the album.

The Blazers, P. Hux and VeG

His touring career began as a member of the Chapel Hill, NC rock band The Blazers (not the LA-based band of the same name). The band was founded and released their first album before his involvement; for their second album, The Blazers consisted of Huxley (credited under his original name Rick Miller), Sherman Tate (lead & harmony vocals, rhythm guitar), Ronnie Taylor (drums & percussion) and Lee Gildersleeve (bass). This iteration of the group issued the album ''How to Rock: Ten Easy Lessons'' (Moonlight Records, 1980), again produced by Don Dixon, and then broke up.

His first solo recording (released under the pseudonym "Rick Rock") was the self-produced, self-financed single "Buddha, Buddha" / "Sputnik" (Big Groovy, 1983). Despite its modest recording budget of US $400 "Buddha, Buddha" was named one of the ten best records ever made in North Carolina by the Greensboro Record. During this period Huxley also toured as guitarist with Don Dixon under the name Me & Dixon. He relocated to Los Angeles in 1987 and signed with Columbia Records; the following year he recorded his first solo album, ''Sunny Nights'' (Columbia 1988), produced by Huxley and David Kahne. Three of its tracks ("Double Our Numbers", "Guest Host for the Holy Ghost" and "Chance to Be Loved") were released as singles during that year. Although the album received favorable reviews (''Rolling Stone'' Magazine called it a "monumental debut"), it did not sell well and this ended his association with Columbia.

It was five years before Huxley's next album; in the intervening period he co-produced the two solo albums by Eels frontman E, 1992's '' A Man Called E'' and 1994's '' Broken Toy Shop.'' The first single from ''A Man Called E'' ("Hello Cruel World" – co-written by Huxley) reached #8 on the Modern Rock chart. Huxley also produced an eponymous album with power pop singer Kyle Vincent (Carport/Hollywood Records). The album's first single, "Wake Me Up (When the World's Worth Waking Up For)", reached #101 on Billboard's singles chart and stayed there for eight weeks, setting a curious record for "bubbling under" the Hot 100.

Huxley's next album, ''Deluxe'', was credited to P. Hux, a power-pop trio comprising Huxley, Gordon Townsend (drums, vocals) and Rob Miller (bass, vocals). The album was released in the US in 1995 on the Black Olive label, and was also released in Japan, Australia and France (where it was retitled ''Every Minute''). The songs on the album were largely inspired by Huxley's recent marriage to screenwriter Janet Heaney. The album was well received by critics and was voted as 1995 Album of the Year by ''Audites'' Magazine. A single from the album, "Every Minute", appeared on the Rhino Records compilation ''Poptopia! Power Pop Classics of the '90s''.

Huxley's next recording was the self-titled album recorded by Huxley's side project VeG (1997), another three-piece group with Winston Watson (drums, lap steel) and Paul Martinez (bass, background vocals). Watson was Bob Dylan's drummer for five years in the '90s.

ELO Part II and The Orchestra

In January 1997, Huxley's wife, Janet, died, and it was several years before he resumed his solo career. In the meantime, he joined Electric Light Orchestra Part II in January 1999, replacing singer-guitarist Phil Bates, and he toured with them through the year. In November that year Bev Bevan played his last show with the band; in early 2000 he issued a press statement announcing that the group had dissolved, and he then sold his 50% share of the rights to the ELO name back to the group's founder, Jeff Lynne. The remaining members then recruited drummer Gordon Townsend and, following legal action by Lynne, renamed itself The Orchestra. Later in 2001 he recorded with The Orchestra for their album ''No Rewind'', which featured four songs written or co-written by Huxley:No Rewind