Adrian Utley

Adrian Francis Utley (born 27 April 1957) is an English musician, record producer, and a member of the band Portishead. Born in Northampton, Utley moved to Bristol in the mid 1980s, and heavily into jazz, played guitar with Big John Patton's touring band and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He built up a collection of vintage instruments and studio equipment, and moved into production and film work. Portishead formed in 1990 with the first album Dummy released in 1994 followed by Portishead in 1997. Third was released in April 2008. During Portishead's hiatus between the second and third albums, Utley's production work included Beth Gibbons and Rustin' Man's Out of Season and he worked with fellow Portishead member Geoff Barrow as the Jimi Entley Sound and Fuzzface. During his career, Utley has recorded with artists as diverse as Jeff Beck, Torres, Perfume Genius, Alain Bashung and Marianne Faithfull, and his film work includes Sound by Nic Roeg and Spiders from Mars with David Attenborough. In 2009, he was part of the jazz collective Stonephace, releasing a self-titled album. In 2010, he composed a new soundtrack for silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc with Will Gregory (of Goldfrapp), performed by a 23 piece orchestra conducted by Charles Hazlewood. In 2012, he was commissioned by the National Trust to produce "Sonic Journey," a piece of music inspired by walking among the trees at Croft Castle. In 2013, he performed Terry Riley's "In C" with an ensemble including a bass clarinet, four organs (played by Hazlewood), and 19 guitars (including John Parish), the performance released on CD later that year. In April 2018 he featured in an episode of series 45 of the BBC Radio 4 programme Great Lives, speaking in praise of Miles Davis. Jurek, Thom "Adrian Utley Biography", AllMusic. Retrieved 31 December 2016 Mejia, Paula (2015) "In Search Of Intensity, Musicians Turn To Adrian Utley", NPR, 6 May 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2016 "Portishead’s Adrian Utley shows off synth collection, taps up Andy Stott on film score", FACT, 19 September 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2016 Forrest, Peter (2008) "Adrian Utley: Recording Third", Sound on Sound, November 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2016 "Il y a vingt ans, Bashung publiait "Fantaisie militaire" - les Inrocks". Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2018. Fiegel, Eddi (2001) "Ears Wide Open", The Guardian, 28 February 2001. Retrieved 1 January 2017 "Adrian Utley", British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 January 2017 Rogers, Jude (2010) "The Passion of Joan of Arc/Utley/Gregory, Colston Hall, Bristol", The Guardian, 11 May 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2016 Schultz, Christopher (2011) "Portishead, Goldfrapp Members Premiere Hypnotic ‘Joan of Arc’ Soundtrack", Spin, 31 October 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2016 Alleva, Daniel Michael (2011) "Adrian Utley & Will Gregory: Goldenhead", The Aquarian Weekly, 26 October 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2017 Morris, Steven (2012) "Portishead's Adrian Utley soundtracks stroll among ancient trees", The Guardian, 16 October 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2016 "Portishead's Adrian Utley commissioned for Sonic Journeys", The Wire, 14 June 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2017 Murray, Robin (2013) "Organised Chaos: Adrian Utley", Clash, 24 October 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2016 Tuffrey, Laurie (2013) "LISTEN: Stream Adrian Utley's In C In Full", The Quietus, 10 October 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2016 "Adrian Utley records Terry Riley's In C for electric guitars", The Wire, 6 August 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2016 "Adrian Utley of Portishead on Miles Davis". BBC. Retrieved 23 May 2020. "Adrian Utley". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 October 2018. Biography portal