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Mike Ogletree was another aquaintance of Bruce Findlay's. Mike was preivously the drummer in
Cafe Jacques and Bruce was their manager striking them a record deal with CBS.
After Kenny Hyslop didn't fit in Simple Minds, Mike was hired as the group's drummer for the
second leg of the Sons And Fascination tour. He was also behind the drums for the recording of
New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) but his light, percussive style wasn't exactly what the band were after,
and a associate of Pete Walsh (a session drummer called Mel Gaynor) was
called in to help lay down the backing tracks.
Mike joined the band for the first half of the New Gold Tour but his drumming style
wasn't quite right for the band. So he left Simple Minds to join Fiction Factory.
"If you are interested I'd like to take the opportunity to fill you in
briefly on my activities since 1982 and my current projects and plans."
"1983-1984: I worked with Fiction Factory from Perth Scotland on their
hit single Feels Like Heaven and follow up album Throw The Warped Wheel Out."
"1984-1989: I moved to Milan Italy where I lived and worked as a
session musician with several Italian musicians and bands."
"1989-2006: I went into an extended period of seclusion with the Church
Of Scientology where I worked as a sound engineer and musician in
Italy and ultimately at their Film/Sound Studio called Golden Era
Productions in California."
"2006-Present: Moved on from the Scientology experience and located
myself in Brooklyn New York where I now live and work."
"My artist web sites are as follows:
www.myspace.com/blackscot
www.youtube.com/user/blaxcot
"Current project: Last year saw the release of my first CD after two
years of research into the life and works of Robert Burns. This CD consists of five of my own
songs and six of Robert Burns'. This project revisits Burns' immortal
memory and universal message in the context of contemporary music
technology and style. As such the sound is a blend of funky reggae
with my own stamp. The production is entirely my own. I composed,
arranged and performed the CD as well as designing the cover art,
mastering the final tracks and financing the replication of the final
product. Apart from being dear to my heart as a native of Ayrshire
(Burns country in Scotland) I am also a big fan of his poetry and
consider his legacy one of the most important cultural contributions
not only in Scotland but the world over. To that end this is an
on-going project for which I am currently writing and producing
material for a second CD."
"I am writing to you at this time after a long period of preparation
and production during which I have been readying myself for the
presentation of my work as a solo artist. Living in New York for the
last two and a half years is the touch that awakens a flood of
creative energy in me to the point where I am now producing what I
consider to be my best work ever. I invite you and all interested
Simple Minds fans to visit my artist web-sites, read my blogs, listen
to my music and send me your feedback."
Mike Ogletree
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On New Gold Dream I introduced some Alabama Soul into the mix for the first and last time. Mick,
Charlie,
Dan and I had a complete blast writing the music for the songs as instrumentals.
Jim never added lyrics or melodies until after the instrumentals were all basically written. (That's
how you get great instrumentals like Somebody Up There Likes You.)
Mick would show me the song ideas he had on cassette and at the keyboards then I would
show him my funky rock grooves on the drums and we would start jamming to create these great new grooves and rhythmic textures combining
arpeggiator, vintage drum machine with Mick's playing and my drumming. This was the core of
every song on the album. The addition of Dan's big bass lines and
Charlie's magical guitar colorings to this new sound that
Mick and I were creating sealed the deal on what was the creation of a unique new
Simple Minds sound being created by a unique group of Simple Minds musicians. It turned out to be the
creative zenith of our career, then we both moved on in different directions never to create together again. Likewise the sound of
the band and the albums they released would never capture that same creative energy. ScotAlabama (yours truly) added the subtle
complexity and irresistible rhythm of a funk rock groove to one of the best trance grooves around. Thus you have New Gold Dream.
Mike Ogletree
Message on Facebook
July 2019
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discography: mainstream singles
discography: mainstream albums
family tree
Simple Minds #10
live appearances
Sons And Fascination 1982 tour
New Gold Tour
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