Born in Suffolk, Eno studied painting and experimental music at the art school of Ipswich Civic College in the mid 1960s, and then at Winchester School of Art. He joined glam rock group Roxy Music as synthesiser player in 1971. After recording two albums with Roxy Music, he departed in 1973 to record a number of solo albums, coining the term "ambient music" to describe his work on releases such as Another Green World (1975), Discreet Music (1975), and Music for Airports (1978). He also collaborated with artists such as Robert Fripp, Cluster, Harold Budd, David Bowie on his "Berlin Trilogy", and David Byrne, and produced albums by artists including John Cale, Jon Hassell, Laraaji, Talking Heads and Devo, and the no wave compilation No New York (1978).
Eno has continued to record solo albums and work with artists including U2, Laurie Anderson, Grace Jones, Slowdive, Coldplay, James Blake, and Damon Albarn. Dating back to his time as a student, he has also worked in media including sound installations and his mid-70s co-development of Oblique Strategies, a deck of cards featuring cryptic aphorisms intended to spur creative thinking. From the 1970s onwards, Eno's installations have included the sails of the Sydney Opera House in 2009 and the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank in 2016. An advocate of a range of humanitarian causes, Eno writes on a variety of subjects and is a founding member of the Long Now Foundation. In 2019, Eno was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Roxy Music.
Eno is frequently referred to as one of popular music's most influential artists. Producer and film composer Jon Brion has said: "I think he's the most influential artist since the Beatles." Critic Jason Ankeny at AllMusic argues that Eno "forever altered the ways in which music is approached, composed, performed, and perceived, and everything from punk to techno to new age bears his unmistakable influence." Eno has spread his techniques and theories primarily through his production; his distinctive style informed a number of projects in which he has been involved, including Bowie's "Berlin Trilogy" (helping to popularize minimalism) and the albums he produced for Talking Heads (incorporating, on Eno's advice, African music and polyrhythms), Devo, and other groups. Eno's first collaboration with David Byrne, 1981's My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, pioneered sampling techniques that would prove to be influential in hip-hop, and broke ground by incorporating world music into popular Western music forms. Eno and Peter Schmidt's Oblique Strategies have been used by many bands, and Eno's production style has proven influential in several general respects: "his recording techniques have helped change the way that modern musicians;– particularly electronic musicians;– view the studio. No longer is it just a passive medium through which they communicate their ideas but itself a new instrument with seemingly endless possibilities."
Whilst inspired by the ideas of minimalist composers including John Cage, Terry Riley and Erik Satie, Eno coined the term ambient music to describe his own work and defined the term. The Ambient Music Guide states that he has brought from "relative obscurity into the popular consciousness" fundamental ideas about ambient music, including "the idea of modern music as subtle atmosphere, as chill-out, as impressionistic, as something that creates space for quiet reflection or relaxation." His groundbreaking work in electronic music has been said to have brought widespread attention to and innovations in the role of electronic technology in recording. Pink Floyd keyboardist Rick Wright said he "often eulogised" Eno's abilities.
Eno's "unconventional studio predilections", in common with those of Peter Gabriel, were an influence on the recording of "In the Air Tonight", the single which launched the solo career of Eno's former drummer Phil Collins. Collins said he "learned a lot" from working with Eno. Both Half Man Half Biscuit (in the song "Eno Collaboration" on the EP of the same name) and MGMT have written songs about Eno. LCD Soundsystem has frequently cited Eno as a key influence. The Icelandic singer Björk also credited Eno as a major influence.
Mora sti Fotia (Babies on Fire), one of the most influential Greek rock bands, was named after Eno's song "Baby's on Fire".
In 2011, Belgian academics from the Royal Museum for Central Africa named a species of Afrotropical spider Pseudocorinna brianeno in his honour.
Julie With
Brian Eno Lyrics
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Just drifting as the hours go slowly by
Julie with her open blouse
Is gazing up into the empty sky.
Now it seems to be so strange here
Now it's so blue
The still sea is darker than before...
No wind disturbs our coloured sail
The radio is silent, so are we
Julie's head is on her arm
Her fingers brush the surface of the sea.
Now i wonder if we'll be seen here
Or if time has left us all alone
The still sea is darker than before...
The lyrics of Brian Eno's song "Julie With..." create a mood of stillness and quietness on a lonely sea. The singer presents a picture of himself and a silent companion named Julie, aimlessly drifting on the open sea. He notices the stillness of the water and the thickness of the blue sky. With an open blouse, Julie seems to be gazing at the empty sky, while the singer is lost in thought wondering if they will be seen or if they are entirely alone on this journey.
The lyrics express feelings of isolation and peacefulness. The singer doesn't seem to be in a rush but is comfortable with drifting and enjoying the stillness of life. The song's lyrics also create a vivid image of the two characters alone at sea, sailing away from everyone and everything. The reference to Julie's blouse being open may hint at a romantic relationship, but it's not clear from the lyrics.
In summary, "Julie With..." is a song of peace, isolation, and stillness, portraying two characters drifting silently on the open sea.
Line by Line Meaning
I am on an open sea
I am lost and adrift in life
Just drifting as the hours go slowly by
Passing time is meaningless, I feel stagnant
Julie with her open blouse
My companion Julie, vulnerable and exposed
Is gazing up into the empty sky.
She is searching for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world
Now it seems to be so strange here
My surroundings are foreign to me, I feel disconnected
Now it's so blue
Everything is tinged with sadness and melancholy
The still sea is darker than before...
The calm exterior belies the turbulent emotions underneath
No wind disturbs our coloured sail
There is no force propelling us forward
The radio is silent, so are we
There is a lack of communication, even between us
Julie's head is on her arm
She is tired, and seeking comfort
Her fingers brush the surface of the sea.
She is attempting to connect with the natural world
Now i wonder if we'll be seen here
I am uncertain of our future, and if anyone will even notice us
Or if time has left us all alone
We are isolated from the rest of the world by the passage of time
The still sea is darker than before...
Our inner turmoil is reflected in the stillness of the ocean around us
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind