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.
bless this space
Brian Eno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As we suspend it arrested from the race
For meaning by these slices
Of cityscapes each one
To the site of a thousand Londoners
The reburied and reborn brought together
In one life in one life
Bless this space for now now
Now now
As rang the bells of this once godly place
While we step through mediums
Outside of the race to look in
To look in bless this space
Bless this space
The lyrics in Brian Eno's song "Bless This Space" is a poetic prayer that suspends the physical space of the cityscape, which represents the hustle and bustle of life, and elevates it to a spiritual realm. The prayer is for the blessings of sound and rhyme to give meaning to the space where a thousand Londoners have been buried and reborn. The song is an invitation to stop and reflect on the significance of the mundanity of our daily lives.
Eno invokes the space to be blessed "for now, now" in a repetitive manner, which highlights the importance of recognizing and valuing the present moment. The sound of the bells, which once rang in places of worship, echoes the fleeting nature of time and encourages listeners to step out of the race and look within. By doing so, one can see the beauty in the chaos of the city, and appreciate the history and stories that have accumulated in the space over time.
In essence, "Bless This Space" is a layered piece that encourages reflection and appreciation for the here and now, connecting the physical space of the city to a spiritual and emotional realm. It's an invitation to recognize the beauty and complexity of the world around us and find meaning in the seemingly mundane.
Line by Line Meaning
Bless this space in sound and rhyme
May this space be filled with harmonious sounds and poetic expressions.
As we suspend it arrested from the race
We pause and hold this space separate from the fast-paced chaos of everyday life.
For meaning by these slices
We seek significance and understanding through these fragments of cityscapes.
Of cityscapes each one
Each piece of the urban landscape offers its own visual and cultural story.
To the site of a thousand Londoners
This space has been inhabited and experienced by countless individuals throughout London's history.
The reburied and reborn brought together
Despite the changes and transformations this space has undergone, it remains a place where past and present converge.
In one life in one life
All of the experiences and histories of this space are woven together into a singular shared existence.
Bless this space for now now
We offer a blessing for this space in the present moment, here and now.
Now now
We emphasize the immediacy and importance of this moment in time.
Now now
We reiterate the sense of urgency and presence in the moment.
As rang the bells of this once godly place
Echoes of the religious past of this space can still be heard, even as it has been transformed and repurposed over time.
While we step through mediums
As we move through different modes of perception and experience,
Outside of the race to look in
We step outside of the ordinary hustle and bustle of daily life to gain perspective and insight into this space.
To look in bless this space
Through our observations and reflections, we offer a blessing for this space.
Bless this space
We offer a final blessing for this space, amplifying our reverence and gratitude for its significance and beauty.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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