Tony Mansfield

Anthony Charles Mansfield (born 19 January 1955) is an English songwriter, musician and record producer. He first gained prominence as the frontman of the synth-pop band New Musik, which he formed in 1977. Throughout his career, Mansfield has been known for his innovative use of synthesizers and electronic production techniques, which helped shape the sound of early 1980s pop music.

Early life

Tony Mansfield was born in Wimbledon, London and grew up in Clapham, London, and attended Spencer Park School in Wandsworth. After leaving school, he worked briefly in the art department of Decca Records. In 1977, Mansfield formed the synth-pop band New Musik, serving as the lead vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, and primary songwriter.

Early work

Mansfield became best known as the main songwriter/producer for New Musik, a synthpop band that performed from 1979 to 1982. Following their debut hit single "Straight Lines" in 1979, the band had three further UK Top 40 hits in 1980 ("This World of Walter", "Sanctuary" and "Living By Numbers"), and released three albums: '' From A To B'' (1980), '' Anywhere'' (1981) and '' Warp'' (1982), after which the band disbanded. The group also released a compilation album for the United States in 1981 known as ''Sanctuary'' which consisted of tracks from the first two albums.

Productions and collaborations

Mansfield's career as a freelance producer began in the late 1970s, before his time with New Musik. After the band's dissolution, he shifted entirely to production, becoming highly proficient with the Fairlight CMI, a tool he used extensively throughout the 1980s for both production and pre-production.

During the 1980s period, he worked on numerous successful albums and singles for a variety of artists. His most notable collaborations included Naked Eyes debut album '' Burning Bridges'' (1983), which included the US Top 10 hit " Always Something There to Remind Me" and Captain Sensible, with whom he co-wrote hits such as "Glad It's All Over", "There Are More Snakes Than Ladders", and "One Christmas Catalogue".

One of his most notable early projects was his work on A-ha's debut album, ''Hunting High and Low'' (1984). Although his original production of "Take On Me" was later re-recorded and remixed by Alan Tarney, Mansfield's influence on the album's sound was significant, helping to shape the band's signature synth-driven pop style.

Mansfield also contributed to albums, including '' XXX'' by Miguel Bosé, '' Showpeople'' by Mari Wilson, and ''Bouncing Off the Satellites'' by The B-52's. Additionally, he worked with Vicious Pink, Jean Paul Gaultier, and After the Fire.

In the 1990s he produced the No.1 debut album ''Puntos Cardinales'' for Ana Torroja and in 2001, ''Online'' for the Latvian band Brainstorm amongst other production works.

Mansfield's work has featured in various television productions, advertisements and films including ''Earth Girls Are Easy'' (1988), ''Romy and Michele's High School Reunion'' (1997) and '' Hysterical Blindness'' (2002).

Musical style and influence

Mansfield's music is distinguished by his pioneering use of synthesizers and electronic instruments, including the Korg 700s, Roland VP-330, Prophet 5, and Fairlight CMI. His ability to merge acoustic elements, such as 12-string guitar, with lush synth textures.

References

External links

Tony Mansfield page by Jonas Wårstad

Unofficial homepage
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mansfield, Tony
1955 births
Living people
English male songwriters
English male singers
English record producers
Musicians from Wimbledon, London
English synth-pop new wave musicians
Aztec Camera members