Chuck Wild
| Chuck Wild | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Liquid Mind |
| Born |
September 22, 1946 Kansas City, Missouri, United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, producer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1972-present |
| Labels | Real Music, Chuck Wild Records |
| Associated acts | Liquid Mind, Missing Persons |
| Website |
www |
Chuck Wild is a keyboardist, composer, producer, recording artist and Emmy Award-nominated songwriter best known for his series of relaxation music albums using the artist name and imprint Liquid Mind. As of January 2018, there are 15 albums in the Liquid Mind catalog.[1]
Early work
Wild's career spans 46 years from 1972 to the present, including writing 125 songs and compositions used in TV, films, and music albums.[2] He was signed to Warner/Chappell Music and Lorimar-Telepictures as a staff songwriter in 1987[3][4] and co-wrote "You’re My One And Only" with songwriter Marti Sharron, a #1 hit in Germany for Jennifer Rush on Passion.[5]
His catalog includes studio work and concert performances as keyboardist with the 1980s Capitol Records band Missing Persons on the Spring Session M (1982) and Rhyme & Reason (1984) albums.
Studio work with Michael Jackson from 1994 to 1998[6] includes drums, keyboards, percussion, programming, sound design, sound effects, soundscapes, synthesizer and synthesizer programming on the HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I album. Wild has been mentored by five-time Grammy Award-winning engineer Bruce Swedien since 1994.[7][8][9]
Notable projects with other recording artists include studio work with Frank Zappa, Paula Abdul, and songwriting/studio recording for Philip Bailey, The Pointer Sisters and Tommy Page among many others.
He composed and recorded original music for The Panama Deception, a documentary film about the 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States and corporate media complicity.[10] The film won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1992.
Wild co-wrote the song "Starr X'd Lovers" with Michèle Vice-Maslin and Dorian Cheah for the ABC TV series One Life to Live, which was nominated for Outstanding Original Song For A Drama Series at the 2011 Daytime Emmy Awards.[11]
Wild was signed to the Real Music record label from 2004 to 2014. They remain the exclusive distributor for all Liquid Mind albums.[12]
He received a Special President's Award from Barbara Wheeler, president of the American Music Therapy Association, on November 12, 2009, in San Diego California at their 2009 Annual Conference, “In recognition for outstanding advocacy, generosity and support of the Music Therapy profession."[13]
Liquid Mind
Wild is perhaps best known for his "Liquid Mind" albums; Liquid Mind® is classified by music critics and listeners as therapeutic music, sedative music, ambient music, or new-age music. For example, Liquid Mind XI: Deep Sleep charted at #1 on the iTunes USA Top 100 New Age album charts after its release on February 6, 1994.[14] Relax: A Liquid Mind Experience charted at #10 on the New Age Billboard charts on March 22, 2008.[15]
Inception
Wild discusses the inception and process of creating the Liquid Mind series in many published interviews:
The Liquid Mind series was born from my struggle with panic attacks and anxiety while co-scoring the Emmy Award-winning American Broadcasting Company television series Max Headroom with composer Michael Hoenig.[16] During the same period more than 60 of my friends, associates, and family members died of HIV and cancer. To help heal from the panic, a counselor suggested that I write music representing the way I wanted to feel. This resulted in the first Liquid Mind album, Ambience Minimus, completed in 1988.
When I discovered this music was effective in healing my own anxiety and panic attacks, and with the encouragement of fellow artist Suzanne Doucet, I decided to release it through major distribution. The ultimate compliment to me is that people fall asleep to my music. Liquid Mind is functional music, assisting us to be tranquil at those times when that may not be easy.[17]
Discography
Liquid Mind albums
- Ambience Minimus (1994)
- Slow World (1996)
- Liquid Mind III: Balance (1999)
- Liquid Mind IV: Unity (2000)
- Liquid Mind V: Serenity (2001)
- Liquid Mind VI: Spirit (2003)
- Liquid Mind VII: Reflection (2004)
- Liquid Mind VIII: Sleep (2006)
- Relax: A Liquid Mind Experience (2007)
- Liquid Mind IX: Lullaby (2009)
- Dream: A Liquid Mind Experience (2011)
- Liquid Mind X: Meditation (2012)
- Liquid Mind: Relaxing Rain & Ocean Mixes (2014)
- Liquid Mind XI: Deep Sleep (2016)
- Liquid Mind XII: Peace (2018)
Renowned photographer and graphic designer Glen Wexler designed the album covers and packaging for eleven Liquid Mind albums.[18]
Selected work with other recording artists
- Missing Persons (band), Spring Session M (1982 album) - Certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
- Missing Persons (band), Rhyme & Reason (1984 album)
- Paula Abdul, drums and programming on the song State Of Attraction from the Forever Your Girl album (1988)[19]
- The Pointer Sisters, drum machine, programming and synthesizer on the song Say The Word from the Hot Together album, co-written with Glen Ballard and Marti Sharron. (1986)[20]
- Philip Bailey (album) of Earth, Wind & Fire, co-writer for the song Yours on Bailey's solo album (1994)
- Michael Jackson, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, drums, keyboards, percussion, programming, sound design, sound effects, soundscapes, synthesizer and synthesizer programming (1995)
- Beautiful Music Machine, songwriting, programming, keyboards and arranging on the Soundtrack of the Inner World album with Seven Whitfield (2016)[21]
Selected music for film
In addition to credits listed above, Chuck Wild has contributed music to many films in major distribution.
- Karate Kid III, Columbia Pictures (1989)[22]
- High Wire (song)
- Written by Jeff Silbar and Chuck Wild
- Performed by Glenn Medeiros
- Breaking the Rules (film), Miramax Films, starting Jason Bateman (1992)[23]
- Co-writer on four songs composed for the film:
- Gravity
- Music and Lyrics by Frank Fitzpatrick, Chuck Wild and Sue Sheridan
- Performed by Hidden Faces
- Produced by Frank Fitzpatrick and David Kitay
- I Can't Get You Out Of My Mind
- Music and Lyrics by Frank Fitzpatrick and Chuck Wild
- Performed by Hidden Faces
- Produced by Frank Fitzpatrick and David Kitay
- Can't Stop Thinking Of You
- Music and Lyrics by Frank Fitzpatrick, Chuck Wild and Sue Sheridan
- Performed by Hidden Faces
- Produced by Frank Fitzpatrick and David Kitay
- Hurt So Bad (To Love)
- Music and Lyrics by Frank Fitzpatrick and Chuck Wild
- Performed by Hidden Faces
- Produced by Frank Fitzpatrick
- Away We Go, Focus Features (2009)[24]
- Teach Me To Whisper from Liquid Mind VI: Spirit
- Written by Chuck Wild
- Performed by Liquid Mind
- Courtesy of Real Music
References
- ↑ List of current Liquid Mind albums on the AllMusic website
- ↑ Chuck Wild credits on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
- ↑ Chuck Wild Biography by Greg Prato on the AllMusic website
- ↑ Songwriter credits, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. website
- ↑ Songwriter credits for You're My One And Only from the 1988 Passion (Jennifer Rush album) album on the official Jennifer Rush website
- ↑ In the Studio with Michael Jackson by Bruce Swedien and Michael Jackson. Published by Hal Leonard Corporation, 2009. ISBN 1423464958, 9781423464952, page 55
- ↑ Let's Make HIStory: An insight into the HIStory album by Brice Najar. Published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, September 20, 2016. ISBN 1533296723. ISBN 978-1533296726. Interview with Chuck Wild, pages 112-116
- ↑ HIStory album credits on the AllMusic website
- ↑ MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson by Steve Knopper. Published by Scribner (imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.), October 6, 2015. ISBN 1476730377. ISBN 978-1476730370. Pages 227, 228, 241, 396, 398
- ↑ The Panama Deception New York Times review by Vincent Canby, October 23, 1992
- ↑ 2011 38th annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards, full list of nominees
- ↑ List of recording artists in the Real Music record label roster
- ↑ American Music Therapy Association awards for individuals who "have made significant contributions to AMTA through education, service, clinical practice, and/or research." 2009 Special Presidential Award
- ↑ Top New Age Music Albums Charts, iTunes Charts USA
- ↑ Billboard New Age music charts archive, March 22, 2008
- ↑ Chuck Wild composer credits on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
- ↑ Interview with Chuck Wild on the Real Music record label website
- ↑ Interview with Glen Wexler by Kevin J. Julie (Universal Wheels) March 2014
- ↑ Forever Your Girl by Paula Abdul, album credits on the AllMusic website
- ↑ Say The Word by The Pointer Sisters, album credits on the AllMusic website
- ↑ Beautiful Music Machine discography on the AllMusic website
- ↑ Karate Kid III soundtrack credits
- ↑ Breaking the Rules soundtrack credits
- ↑ Away We Go soundtrack credits