|
DAN
REED OFFICIAL WEBSITE
SEVEN SISTERS ROAD |
Dan Reed was born in Portland,
Oregon, but in early childhood moved to South Dakota
after his mother remarried the owner of a cattle ranch.
Growing up on 2000 acre's of land as an only child gave
Dan plenty of time to daydream and it was here, riding
tractor in the summer sun that Dan first fantasized
about becoming a musician while listening to the Doobie
Brothers, Kiss, Cheap Trick and Van Halen blaring on the
tractor cabs' AM radio. All through his high school
years he played trumpet in the school band, while
studying Shoto-Kan Karate, and participating in every
sport he could get his hands and feet in to, but it
wasn't until a Japanese exchange student named Tsutomu
Oki taught him how to play guitar that Dan realized that
this was what he was searching for... the world of
writing songs. After graduating from Aberdeen, South
Dakota's Central High School, he packed his bags and
headed west to Portland, Oregon, his place of birth and
the closest 'big city' he could find near the ocean, a
place he held in his childhood memory and missed dearly
living in the Midwest.
Although there were many incarnations of bands Dan
performed with in South Dakota and in Portland it was in
December of 1985 where he truly first began his musical
journey as the lead singer of a band called “The Dan
Reed Network”. Garnering huge local support the band
signed to PolyGram Records in the summer of 1987. Home
of Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and Tears For Fears. The Dan
Reed Network released three very successful albums to
much critical and commercial success between 1988 and
1992.
The band had the honor of 'seeing
the world', opening for such bands as RUN DMC, UB40,
David Bowie and Bon Jovi, eventually becoming the
supporting act for the Rolling Stones’ 1991 European
tour. It was at this time Dan journeyed to India with
Bob Guccione Jr. to interview the Dalai Lama for Spin
Magazine. It was during this trip that Dan began to
hunger for more than the pop/rock music scene had to
offer.
This was the catalyst for the
long journey that Dan has taken, bringing him back in
2008 where he belongs, writing and performing new music
with experiences wth the “rock star image” behind him.
In the 1990’s he started an independent record company
in his hometown of Portland, Oregon to help promote
local Northwest bands, while at the same time studying
acting. Dan was cast in a number of plays and small
role's in television and film projects, and was given
great reviews for his performances, which gave him
confidence to take it to the next logical step-
screenplay writing. 'Zigzag', a script penned by Dan,
caught the eye of a local production company in Portland
and was produced in 1997 with Mr. Reed playing the
leading role. The film reached the Top 20 in Billboard's
home video rental category.
In 1999 Dan became a partner in
an established blue's and rock music nightclub in
Portland called Key Largo, the same club DRN played
regularly and where Bill Graham first discovered the
band. Realizing that the electronic music scene was
primarily to date confined to warehouses, special events
and outdoor parties, he saw an opportunity to turn Key
Largo into a 'hybrid club', having live bands from 9pm
to midnight and then switching gears from midnight to
4am with local and international DJ's. Renamed 'OHM
Nightclub", the venue became the premier spot to check
out cutting edge music, while at the same time
introducing the future of music to the rock audience.
After attending the Burning Man
festival in late 2004 Dan realized that being pinned
down in the nightclub world had it's dangerous side, for
not only did he help create a great success with OHM,
but he also succumbed to the darker side of the
nightclub business fueled by alcohol and drugs. He
realized his talent and his energy were being drained
from the constant parties, substance abuse and endless
late nights. With his father Thomas Reed being diagnosed
with cancer and passing away shortly thereafter, Dan
rallied his energy and left the Nightclub, did
construction work for a year to clear his head, then
headed back to India. Ironically the same place that
gave him the courage to leave the music business 15
years before, was soon to become the inspiration to
return to the music. Immediately upon arriving in
Dharamsala, India in 2005 Dan sought out the Tibetan
monks, feeling a need to connect with their philosophy
and lifestyle. After befriending two monks Lobsang and
Sonam, Dan was invited to live in a monastery guesthouse
and with that came the ability to attend the daily
prayer meetings and rituals.
During a year long journey in
India, Dan had met many Israeli musicians and artists
vacationing throughout the country and became fascinated
with the stories of Israeli life, the hope and the
tragedies, and after meeting a fashion designer turned
energy healer named Adi Hadani, he decided he would
venture to the Middle East to see what he could learn
about the beauty and the conflict of this most
interesting and enigmatic part of the world. Upon
visiting Kfir Shtivi in Jerusalem, an Israeli musician
he met in Varanasi, India, Dan made the decision to
re-locate his recording studio and his life from
Portland to the ancient city of Jerusalem in 2006. It
was here that he found the renewed spirit to channel his
energies to his first love. MUSIC.
It was at this time Max Wasa,
an old friend, musical producer and creator of LIQUID
MUSIC GROUP, offered to take Mr. Reed out of the home
studio and bring his music back in to the light of the
public. Max enlisted her long time associate Clay
Ostwald of Miami Sound Machine and with his partner
Tommy Anthony of RED ROCK PRODUCTIONS, they collaborated
with Max and co-produced the tracks Dan had begun
tracking back in Jerusalem, working with Israeli and
Palestinian musicians alike. This process was the
beginning foundation of how half of the new album was
created. The second stage was 'coming back home' to
Portland and working with producer/artist Rob Daiker at
'The Commune' studios which culminated in producing 6
more tracks and creating the finished product- 'Coming
Up For Air'.
Dan now lives in Paris, where
he has created the new label 'ZERO ONE' where his debut
solo album will be released, as well as many other
artist will be represented. With 'Coming Up For Air' Dan
presents a group of songs that mirror his life journey
and the search for that elusive deeper resonance we all
hunger for at some point in our lives. With songs
composed from Hong Kong to New Delhi, Jerusalem to
London, he has come full circle to do what he has always
done best- create and to perform to all who will listen.
|
