Peter Wolf: Difference between revisions
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'''Peter Wolf''' (born August 25, 1952, [[Vienna]], Austria) is a [[Grammy]] nominated composer, producer, songwriter and arranger who lived in Birmingham, Alabama for a period of time during the mid-1970s. He was awarded knighthood in th form of the highest honor from his birth country of [[Austria]], "Das Grosse Ehrenkreuz der Republik Österreich für Kunst und Kultur" (the Great Honor Cross of the Republic of Austria for Art and Culture). | '''Peter Wolf''' (born August 25, 1952, [[Vienna]], Austria) is a [[Grammy]] nominated composer, producer, songwriter and arranger who lived in Birmingham, Alabama for a period of time during the mid-1970s. He was awarded knighthood in th form of the highest honor from his birth country of [[Austria]], "Das Grosse Ehrenkreuz der Republik Österreich für Kunst und Kultur" (the Great Honor Cross of the Republic of Austria for Art and Culture). | ||
Revision as of 22:09, 10 June 2008
Peter Wolf (born August 25, 1952, Vienna, Austria) is a Grammy nominated composer, producer, songwriter and arranger who lived in Birmingham, Alabama for a period of time during the mid-1970s. He was awarded knighthood in th form of the highest honor from his birth country of Austria, "Das Grosse Ehrenkreuz der Republik Österreich für Kunst und Kultur" (the Great Honor Cross of the Republic of Austria for Art and Culture).
Early years
Wolf began classical piano study as a young boy at Vienna’s Conservatory of Music. At age 16, he won the European Jazz Festival as a solo pianist, and was twice awarded the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis, a German award, for his work on Andre Heller and Erika Pluhar. Coming to America in his early twenties, he worked with local musicians such as Neal Starkey (bassist) and Bill Hatcher (guitarist) in Atlanta, Georgia and with Steve Sample Jr (drummer) and Ray Reach (keyboardist, guitarist, vocalist) in Birmingham, Alabama. After his time in the southeastern United States, he moved to Los Angeles, California, where he played keyboards for Frank Zappa in the late 1970s.
Recordings made with Frank Zappa
Peter made several recordings as a member of Fran Zappa's band, including:
- Sheik Yerbouti (March 1979), #21 US (Single "Bobby Brown", Peter Wolf on Keyboards, Butter)
- Joe's Garage 1 (1979), #27 US
- Joe's Gagage 2 & 3 (April-June 1979)
- Tinsel Town Rebellion (May 11, 1981), #66 US
- Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar (May 1981)
Studio keyboard and arranging work
Wolf was recognized as one of America's top ranking studio keyboardists and arrangers from 1980 to 1985, and became very successful as a music producer and songwriter.
Peter produced eight #1 songs and has produced, arranged and/or written for a wide range of musical talents. A list of his pop hit productions includes:
- Jefferson Starship ("No Way Out" #23 US, 1984)
- The Commodores ("Nightshift" #3 US, #3 UK, 1985)
- Starship ("We Built This City" #1 US, #12 UK, 16 and 23 Nov. 1985)
- Starship ("Sara" #1 US, March 15, 1986)
- Wang Chung ("Everybody Have Fun Tonight" #2 US, #76 UK, 1986)
- Wang Chung ("Let's Go" #9 US, #81 UK, 1987)
- El Debarge ("Who's Johnny" #1 US, 1986, main theme of the film, Short Circuit)
- Nik Kershaw ("The Works", 1989)
- Go West ("King of Wishful Thinking" from the movie Pretty Woman #8 US, #18 UK, 1990)
- Go West ("Faithful" #14 US, #13 UK, 1992)
- Heart ("These Dreams" #1 US, 1986),
- Heart ("What About Love" #10 US, 1985) (Synth, Piano & Creative Input)
- Patti Labelle ("On My Own" #1 US, 1986)
- Kenny Loggins ("Playing with the Boys" from the movies Top Gun and Avalon)
- The Escape Club ("I'll Be There" #8 US, 1991)
- Starship ("Good Heart" #81 US, 1991)
- Indecent Obsession ("Kiss Me" #1 South Africa for an amazing 27 weeks, 1992)
A list of others pop artists with which Wolf has worked includes: Pablo Cruise, Grace Slick, Santana, Survivor, The Pointer Sisters, Chicago, Cliff Richard, Natalie Cole, The Scorpions, 'N Sync, Oleta Adams, Big Country, Sergio Mendes, Boz Scaggs, Joe Sample, Thomas Anders, Laura Branigan, BB King, Zucchero and The Who.
Film scores
Wolf has also scored a number of motion pictures including the 1993 film Neverending Story III, and Weekend at Bernie's II. He has also composed many scores in Europe including the new animated picture entitled “Nutcracker and Mouse King” featuring a star-studded cast which was nominated for the Deutscher Filmpreis. He scored Leon DeWinter’s movie “The Hollywood Sign”, starring Rod Steiger, Burt Reynolds and Tom Berenger.
Wolf’s compositional credits also include the score for the number one German picture in 1997 Irren Ist Maennlich (To Err is a Male Thing), as well as films such as Die Cellistin (The Cellist), Widows, St. Pauli Nacht (St. Pauli Night) and The Fearless Four. Peter is currently composing songs and score for the American picture Band on the Run, slated for release in 2008. In 1995, Wolf received the "Billy Wilder Award" of the Austrian Film Academy and University of Vienna.
Recordings as a leader
Solo
Albums
- 1968 - A Change in My Life
- 2000 - Progression - A Symphony by Peter Wolf
- 2003 - The Other Side
- 2004 - Sense-ation - A Symphony by Peter Wolf
Singles
- 1969 - "Kraft durch Freude"
- 1980 - "Tutti" (dedicated to his friend Janus)
Gipsy Love
Albums
- 1970 - Gipsy Love (The White Album)
- 1972 - Here We Come
Wolf & Wolf
Albums
- 1982 - Culture Shocked
- 1984 - Wolf & Wolf
Singles
- 1982 - "Think Pink"
- 1984 - "Don't Take the Candy"
Vienna
- 1987 - Guess What?
References
- Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits.