Brian Eno facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Brian Eno RDI
Eno in 2015
Born	Brian Peter George Eno (1948-05-15) 15 May 1948 (age 77) Melton, Suffolk, England
Other names	Eno Brian Peter George Jean-Baptiste de la Salle Eno
Occupation	Musician songwriter record producer visual artist sound designer author political activist
Years active	1970–present
Spouse(s)	Anthea Norman-Taylor (m. 1988)
Children	3
Relatives	Roger Eno (brother)
Musical career
Genres	Ambient electronic minimalism pop rock
Instruments	Keyboards synthesiser vocals bass guitar guitar
Labels	Island Polydor E.G. Obscure Opal Virgin Astralwerks All Saints Rykodisc Warner Bros. Warp

Brian Eno (born Brian Peter George Eno; 15 May 1948) is an English musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is famous for his important work in ambient music and electronic music. He also produced many rock and pop songs. Brian Eno calls himself a "non-musician" because he uses unusual ways to make music. Many people say he is one of the most important and creative people in popular music. In 2019, he joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the band Roxy Music.

Brian Eno was born in Suffolk, England. In the mid-1960s, he studied painting and experimental music at art schools. In 1971, he joined the band Roxy Music, playing the synthesizer. He recorded two albums with them before leaving in 1973. After that, he released his own pop albums, starting with Here Come the Warm Jets (1974). He also explored a style called minimal music with albums like Discreet Music (1975) and Ambient 1: Music for Airports (1978). The last album is where the term "ambient music" came from.

Besides his solo work, Eno often worked with other musicians in the 1970s. These included Robert Fripp, David Bowie, and David Byrne. He also became a popular music producer. He worked on albums for bands like Talking Heads, U2, and Coldplay. Eno has also created sound installations, made films, and written books.

Early Life and Education

Brian Peter George Eno was born on 15 May 1948 in Melton, Suffolk. His father, William Arnold Eno, worked for the post office and repaired clocks. His mother, Maria Alphonsine, was from Belgium. Brian was the oldest of three children. He has a brother named Roger Eno and a sister named Arlette. His family raised him in the Catholic Christian faith.

In 1959, Eno went to St. Joseph's College in Ipswich. During this time, he started listening to American R&B, blues, and doo-wop music. He was also inspired by the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian.

In 1964, after finishing school, Eno became very interested in art and music. He didn't want a "normal job." He went to the Ipswich School of Art. One of his teachers was artist Tom Phillips, who became a lifelong friend. Phillips encouraged Eno's musical talent. In 1966, Eno studied Fine Arts at the Winchester School of Art. He graduated in 1969. At Winchester, he heard a lecture by Who guitarist Pete Townshend. This made Eno realize he could make music without formal training.

While in school, Eno used a tape recorder to make music. In 1964, he joined his first band, the Black Aces, where he played drums. Later, in 1967, he formed an experimental art and performance group called the Merchant Taylor's Simultaneous Cabinet. He also played in other experimental groups, sometimes as the lead singer.

Music Career

1970s Music Journey

In 1969, Brian Eno moved to London and started his professional music career. He joined groups like the Scratch Orchestra and the Portsmouth Sinfonia. His first commercial recording was with the Scratch Orchestra in 1971. He also worked on the soundtrack for an experimental film called Berlin Horse (1970).

In 1971, Eno helped form the glam rock and art rock band Roxy Music. He met saxophonist Andy Mackay by chance at a train station, which led to him joining the band. Eno played on their first two albums, Roxy Music (1972) and For Your Pleasure (1973). He was known for playing the synthesizer, adding tape effects, and singing backup. He also became known for his flashy costumes and makeup on stage. After touring for For Your Pleasure in mid-1973, Eno left the band due to disagreements with lead singer Bryan Ferry.

Eno appearing on Dutch television in 1974

Right after leaving Roxy Music, Eno started his solo career. His first album after Roxy Music was a collaboration with King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp called (No Pussyfooting) (1973). This album used tape loops and delay systems, which later became known as Frippertronics. It was a very important album for the development of experimental drone and ambient music. They released a second album, Evening Star (1975), and toured Europe.

Eno's first solo album was Here Come the Warm Jets (1974). It featured Robert Fripp on guitar and was praised by critics. No singles were released from this album.

Eno in 1977; taken by Ritva Saarikko for "Sounds Magazine"

In March 1974, he released his only top 40 hit in the UK, "Seven Deadly Finns." He also contributed to and produced albums for the Portsmouth Sinfonia. His second solo album, Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy), came out in November 1974. It featured artists like Phil Collins and Robert Wyatt. The album had artistic pop and rock songs. The song "Third Uncle" became one of Eno's most famous songs from his pop and rock period.

In January 1975, Eno was hit by a taxi and had to stay home to recover. During this time, he listened to quiet harp music at a very low volume. This experience inspired him to create his third solo album, Another Green World, released in November 1975. This album mostly had instrumental tracks with elements of minimalism and experimental music. Critics called it a "masterpiece" and "breathtakingly ahead of its time."

A recreation of the "operational diagram" on Eno's Discreet Music (1975)

In 1975, Eno released Discreet Music, a minimalist electronic album. It was created using a special tape-delay method. This album is seen as a major work in the ambient music genre. It was also the first album where Eno used his full name. David Bowie was a big fan of this album, which led to his collaboration with Eno on Bowie's "Berlin Trilogy."

In December 1977, Eno released Before and After Science. This album featured more electronic and artistic rock songs with vocals. It included the popular electric-keyboard song "By This River."

In March 1978, Eno released Ambient 1: Music for Airports, the first in his "Ambient" series. He created the term "ambient music" to describe music that changes how you feel about your surroundings. He wrote that ambient music should be "as ignorable as it is interesting." Other albums in this series included The Plateaux of Mirror (Ambient 2), Day of Radiance (Ambient 3), and On Land (Ambient 4).

1980s and Beyond

In the early 1980s, Eno worked with David Byrne of Talking Heads. Their album My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1981) used sampled radio broadcasts and music from around the world. This album was groundbreaking for using sampling and world music in popular Western music.

In 1983, Eno collaborated with his brother Roger Eno and friend Daniel Lanois on Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks. This album was made for the film For All Mankind (1989).

In September 1992, Eno released Nerve Net, an album with strong rhythms. He also released The Shutov Assembly in 1992, which explored music without traditional melodies or scales.

During the 1990s, Eno worked more and more with "generative music." This is music that creates itself, slowly changing in endless combinations. Eno said one piece could take almost 10,000 years to hear all its possibilities. He does this by mixing several independent music tracks of different lengths. Each track has different musical parts and sometimes silence. When a track finishes, it starts again, mixing differently with the other tracks. He has used this music in his art and sound installations.

In 1993, Eno produced two albums for the band James: Laid and Wah Wah. Laid was very successful.

In 1995, Eno worked with members of U2 and Luciano Pavarotti in a group called Passengers. They released the album Original Soundtracks 1. This album included the single "Miss Sarajevo." In 1996, Eno wrote the music for the fantasy TV series Neverwhere.

In 2004, Fripp and Eno released another ambient music album together, The Equatorial Stars. In 2005, Eno released Another Day on Earth, which featured his vocals.

In 2006, Eno and David Byrne re-released My Life in the Bush of Ghosts for its 25th anniversary. They added eight new songs. They also let people download parts of two songs to remix them.

Eno at the Long Now Foundation, 26 June 2006

In late 2006, Eno released 77 Million Paintings, a computer program with changing videos and music. It creates millions of different "paintings" and music combinations, so you rarely see or hear the same thing twice. The Nokia 8800 Sirocco Edition mobile phone, released in 2006, featured ringtones and sounds made by Eno.

In 2008, he released Everything That Happens Will Happen Today with David Byrne. He also designed the sound for the video game Spore. In 2009, Eno performed live for the first time in many years at the Luminous Festival in Sydney. He also wrote music for Peter Jackson's film The Lovely Bones.

2010s and Recent Work

Eno at Moogfest, Asheville, North Carolina, 2011

In 2010, Eno released Small Craft on a Milk Sea, an album with his long-time collaborators Leo Abrahams and Jon Hopkins. He also released Drums Between the Bells (2011) with poet Rick Holland, and Lux (2012), a 76-minute music piece.

In 2014, Eno worked with Damon Albarn on his album Everyday Robots. He also released two albums with Underworld's Karl Hyde: Someday World and High Life.

Eno in Prague, Czechia, 2017

In 2016, Eno's new ambient music was part of a photography exhibition called "Otherworlds" at the Natural History Museum in London. He also released the album The Ship in April 2016. This album included a cover of the Velvet Underground's "I'm Set Free." In September, he co-wrote and produced a single called Love Without Violins for the band The Gift.

Eno's album Reflection, an ambient, generative music album, was released on 1 January 2017. It was nominated for a Grammy Award. In 2018, he released The Weight Of History / Only Once Away My Son, a collaboration with Kevin Shields.

Eno at the Barbican Centre on 23 October 2022

In March 2020, Eno and his brother, Roger Eno, released their album Mixing Colours. In October 2022, he released a mostly voice-based album called Foreverandevernomore. In May 2023, he released Secret Life with Fred again...

Record Producer Work

Since 1973, Brian Eno has been a popular record producer. He produced albums for many artists, including Talking Heads, U2, Devo, and Coldplay. He won the best producer award at the BRIT Awards in 1994 and 1996.

Eno calls himself a "non-musician" and uses the term "treatments" for how he changes the sound of instruments. He sees the recording studio as a tool for creating music, not just for recording it. His unique methods were recognized in the mid-1970s.

He worked with David Bowie as a writer and musician on Bowie's famous "Berlin Trilogy" albums: Low, "Heroes", and Lodger. Eno helped make these albums sound minimalist. He also worked on Bowie's later album Outside.

In 1978, Eno helped promote the "no wave" music movement in New York City. He produced the compilation album No New York to showcase these new bands.

Eno co-produced many albums for U2 with Daniel Lanois, including The Unforgettable Fire (1984) and The Joshua Tree (1987). In 1995, U2 and Eno formed the group Passengers and released Original Soundtracks 1. He also produced several albums for the band James.

In 2007, Eno produced Coldplay's fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, which was very successful. He also worked with Grace Jones on her album Hurricane (2008) and with U2 again on No Line on the Horizon (2009).

The Microsoft Sound

In 1994, designers from Microsoft asked Eno to create music for Windows 95. He composed the six-second start-up sound for the Windows 95 operating system, known as "The Microsoft Sound."

Eno said he was looking for new ideas at the time. He found it interesting to solve a specific problem: creating a short, inspiring sound. He made 84 different pieces of music for it. He created the sound using a Macintosh computer, not a PC.

Video Art and Installations

Eno has always been interested in using light in his art, similar to how he uses sound. He started experimenting with video in 1978. He used a video camera that had to be placed on its side, so his videos were filmed vertically. He called these works "Video Paintings" because they were more like paintings than fast-moving videos. Examples include Mistaken Memories of Mediaeval Manhattan (1980) and Thursday Afternoon (1984).

These video works allowed Eno to expand his ambient style into a visual form. He manipulated video to create something different from normal television. His video art has been shown in exhibitions around the world.

Eno continued his video experiments, leading to generative works like 77 Million Paintings in 2006. This program creates endless changing images and music.

Generative Music Explained

Eno gives the example of wind chimes to explain generative music. He became interested in music that could "make itself" in the mid-1960s. He started by using tape loops to create these systems. When CDs came out, he developed ways to make music that could play for an unknown amount of time, using different parts that would mix together randomly.

In 1995, he started working with a company called Intermorphic to create generative music using computer programs. This led to Generative Music 1, which needed special software to play.

Eno started releasing parts of his generative music as early as 1975 with Discreet Music. He explained that Music for Airports (1978) has very simple parts that repeat at different times. Because the timings are slightly off, the music never repeats in the same way. This creates a piece that seems to have a lot of variety, even though the basic elements don't change. He said it's like "music for free" because it can go on almost forever.

Many of Eno's albums and soundtracks contain examples of his generative music. Some of these were originally created for art installations.

Installations and Other Works

Eno has created art and sound installations that have been shown worldwide since 1979. These installations often use light in multi-screen setups and music that blends with the surroundings.

Eno's installations aim to make visitors think about space and time in an immersive way. He uses technology to create "processes rather than final objects." These processes produce continuous music and art that even Eno, as the artist, couldn't fully imagine beforehand.

Early installations used new video technology. Eno used TV screens as light sources, creating slowly changing images. He would turn the TV on its side to create "video paintings." He found that by adjusting the color controls, he could make high-contrast images where color only appeared in the darkest areas.

By placing sound sources in different parts of a room, Eno wanted the music to be heard from "inside" the space. For his I Dormienti show in 1999, he placed speakers in tunnels around a circular room.

Eno's "speaker flowers" became a common feature in his installations. These are sculptural objects with small speakers that sway with the sound. Since his album Ambient 4: On Land (1982), Eno has tried to blend music and non-music, adding environmental sounds to his work.

Eno's works create environments that are "extensions of everyday life" and offer a break from stress. His "Quiet Club" series of installations (1986–2001) aimed to create spaces for reflection.

The constantly changing music and art in Eno's installations keep visitors engaged. Eno believes people want longer, slower, and more sensory experiences. His art and music are freed from normal rules, creating a unique and engaging experience.

77 Million Paintings in Detail

With software developer Jake Dowie, Eno created 77 Million Paintings for home computers. This program creates generative art and music. Imagine a box of painted pieces. The computer randomly picks one to four pieces and overlays them to create a painting. The painting constantly changes as images slowly fade and new ones appear.

Most of the visual "elements" were hand-painted by Eno onto glass slides. This gives the digital work an organic feel. Eno compares his role to a gardener planting seeds and watching them grow. Every user gets the same "seeds," but they grow into different, unique paintings.

77 Million Paintings has been shown in multi-screen installations worldwide. It has also been projected onto buildings, like the Sydney Opera House (2009) and the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank (2016). It has even been used in hospitals to create a calming effect.

Hospital Installations

In 2013, Eno created two permanent light and sound installations at Montefiore Hospital in Hove, England. In the reception area, "77 Million Paintings for Montefiore" uses eight monitors to display changing colored patterns with Eno's ambient music. The "Quiet Room for Montefiore" is a space for quiet reflection, with large panels showing subtle color changes and Eno's ambient music.

Video Game and App Music

Spore Music

Eno composed most of the music for the Electronic Arts video game Spore (2008). He was helped by his collaborator, Peter Chilvers. Much of the music in the game changes based on what the player is doing.

iOS Apps

Inspired by their work on Spore, Eno and Chilvers started releasing generative music apps for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. They created apps like:

Bloom (2008)
Trope (2009)
Scape (2012)
Reflection (2016)

In 2009, Chilvers and Sandra O'Neill also created an app called Air, based on Eno's Ambient 1: Music for Airports album.

Reflection App Details

The Reflection app is the fourth iOS app by Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers. Unlike their other apps, Reflection has few options, mostly just Play/Pause. Eno explained that his goal with ambient music was to make endless music that always changes, "like sitting by a river." Recordings on CD or vinyl are limited, but the app creates an endless, ever-changing version of the music.

Eno describes creating this music in three steps: choosing sounds and a musical style, then using computer programs to explore and change these elements, and finally, listening and fine-tuning the system. He compares it to gardening: planting seeds and tending to them until you have a garden you like.

Artworks: Light Boxes

Eno's "light boxes" use new LED technology to create slowly changing color fields. These draw the viewer's attention to the present moment. Writer Michael Bracewell says Eno's art encourages viewers to experience something that reflects the changing moods of life.

These light boxes have been shown in galleries worldwide and are in permanent displays in public and private spaces. They are also used in hospitals for their calming effects, providing places for reflection.

Obscure Records Label

In 1975, Eno started the Obscure Records label in Britain. He wanted to release music by lesser-known composers. The first releases included his own Discreet Music and works by Gavin Bryars. The second side of Discreet Music featured different versions of Johann Pachelbel's Canon, which Eno had changed using computer-like methods. Ten albums were released on Obscure, including works by John Adams and Michael Nyman.

Other Projects

Professor Nigel Osborne and Brian Eno in 1995, leading music workshops at the Pavarotti Centre in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

In 1995, Eno traveled to Bosnia after the Bosnian War to work with children affected by the war. He and Professor Nigel Osborne led music therapy projects for the charity War Child.

Eno appeared as Father Brian Eno in an episode of the TV show Father Ted in 1998.

In 2008, Eno collaborated with Italian artist Mimmo Paladino on an art show in Rome. In 2013, Eno sold limited edition prints of artwork from his 2012 album Lux.

In 2016, Eno was added to Edinburgh University's roll of honor. In 2021, Eno co-founded EarthPercent, a charity that works with the music industry to raise money for climate causes.

Eno's sound installations have been shown in many famous places around the world, including the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the Sydney and Venice Biennials.

Awards and Recognition

An asteroid, 81948 Eno, discovered in 2000, was named in his honor. In 2019, he received the Starmus Festival's Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication for Music & Arts.

Influence and Legacy

Many people say Brian Eno is one of the most influential artists in popular music. Producer Jon Brion called him "the most influential artist since the Beatles." Critics say Eno changed how music is made and heard, influencing everything from punk rock to techno.

Eno shared his ideas mainly through his production work. His unique style shaped many projects, including Bowie's "Berlin Trilogy" and albums for Talking Heads and Devo. Eno's album with David Byrne, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, was groundbreaking for using sampling and world music in popular Western music.

Eno and Peter Schmidt's Oblique Strategies (a deck of cards with creative prompts) have been used by many bands. Eno's production style has also influenced how modern musicians, especially electronic musicians, see the studio as an instrument itself.

Inspired by minimalist composers, Eno created the term "ambient music" and defined it. He brought the idea of modern music as a subtle atmosphere, for relaxation or quiet thought, to a wider audience. His work in electronic music also brought attention to how electronic technology can be used in recording.

Many musicians have been influenced by Eno. Pink Floyd keyboardist Rick Wright praised Eno's abilities. Phil Collins said he "learned a lot" from working with Eno. Bands like Half Man Half Biscuit and MGMT have written songs about Eno. The Icelandic singer Björk also said Eno was a major influence.

In 2011, Belgian academics named a species of spider Pseudocorinna brianeno in his honor.

Personal Life

Brian Eno has three children. He married Anthea Norman-Taylor in 1988.

Eno was raised Catholic but now calls himself an "evangelical atheist," though he is still interested in religion. In 1996, Eno helped start the Long Now Foundation. This group aims to educate people about the very long-term future of society and encourage long-term thinking to solve global problems.

In 1991, Eno appeared on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. His chosen book was Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity by Richard Rorty, and his luxury item was a radio telescope.

Activism

Brian Eno is involved in various social and environmental causes. He is a founding member of the Long Now Foundation, which focuses on long-term thinking for the future. He also supports climate change awareness and human rights.

In 2021, Eno co-founded EarthPercent, a charity that works with the music industry to raise money for climate causes.

Eno has also signed open letters and participated in protests to support peace and human rights. He is a patron of Videre est Credere, a UK charity that helps local activists record video evidence of human rights violations. He is also the President of the Stop the War Coalition.

Selected Albums

Solo Studio Albums

Here Come the Warm Jets (1974)
Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) (1974)
Another Green World (1975)
Discreet Music (1975)
Before and After Science (1977)
Ambient 1: Music for Airports (1978)
Ambient 4: On Land (1982)
Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks (1983)
Thursday Afternoon (1985)
Nerve Net (1992)
The Shutov Assembly (1992)
Neroli (1993)
Another Day on Earth (2005)
Lux (2012)
The Ship (2016)
Reflection (2017)
ForeverAndEverNoMore (2022)

Ambient Installation Albums

Lightness: Music for the Marble Palace (1997)
I Dormienti (1999)
Kite Stories (1999)
Music for Civic Recovery Centre (2000)
Compact Forest Proposal (2001)
January 07003: Bell Studies for the Clock of the Long Now (2003)

Images for kids

Eno in 2015
Eno appearing on Dutch television in 1974
Eno in 1977; taken by Ritva Saarikko for "Sounds Magazine"
A recreation of the "operational diagram" on Eno's Discreet Music (1975)
Eno at the Long Now Foundation, 26 June 2006
Eno at Moogfest, Asheville, North Carolina, 2011
Eno in Prague, Czechia, 2017
Eno at the Barbican Centre on 23 October 2022
Eno in 2012
Professor Nigel Osborne and Brian Eno in 1995, leading music workshops at the Pavarotti Centre in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brian Eno in 2015 at a Stop the War anti-war advocacy protest at Whitehall, London