Andy Desmond
{{Short description|British musician (born 1947)}}
{{peacock|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| image = Miten on stage.jpg
| caption = Miten in concert, Munich, Oct 2010
| other_names = Miten
| birth_date = {{birth month and age|1947|08}}
| birth_place = Woking, Surrey
| spouse = Deva Premal
| website = http://www.devapremalmiten.com/
}}
Andy Desmond (born August 1947 in Woking, Surrey), also known as Miten, is a British musician. He performs mantras and songs, primarily within the yoga and alternative healing communities, and has toured internationally.
Background
In the late 1960s, Desmond founded the folk/rock duo Gothic Horizon with musical partner Richard Garrett. The band released two albums on UK Argo: The Jason Lodge Poetry Book (1971) and Tomorrow's Another Day (1972).Thubron, Dave. [http://time-has-told-me.blogspot.com/2007/01/gothic-horizon-andy-desmond.html Gothic Horizon & Andy Desmond], "Time Has Told Me", 29 January 2007.
In 1973, Desmond began performing solo. He was part of a group of folk musicians signed by Ray Davies to his record label, Konk Records, which also included Tom Robinson, Claire Hamill, and Café Society. Desmond released Living On A Shoestring on Konk in 1975. The album featured members of The Kinks and was produced by Dave Davies and keyboardist John Gosling, also a member of The Kinks.Kast Off Kinks, [http://kastoffkinks.co.uk/John%20Gosling%20interview%20part%202.htm The John Gosling Interview, Pt 2], KastOffKinks.com 2010.
Desmond was subsequently signed to Ariola Records in London. In 1976, Ariola released Andy Desmond, an album containing 10 self-composed songs, produced by Los Angeles producer Bones Howe.MusicStar [http://www.geocities.co.jp/MusicStar/1905/rock/disc/adesmond_st.html Andy Desmond] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010212722/http://www.geocities.co.jp/MusicStar/1905/rock/disc/adesmond_st.html |date=10 October 2012 }}, GeoCities.co.
Following its release, Desmond opened for artists such as Fleetwood Mac,Friars Aylesbury. [http://www.aylesburyfriars.co.uk/fleetwoodmac71.html Fleetwood Mac/Gothic Horizon Concert Poster June 12 1971"] "Friars Aylesbury Phase 2: 1971-1975 Randy Newman, Hall & Oates, The Cate Brothers, and The Kinks. He was a guest performer on Fleetwood Mac's UK Rumours Tour and opened for Ry Cooder on his 1978 European tour.
Desmond then explored meditation and Eastern philosophy. He was initiated into 'sannyas' in 1980 by the Indian mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and given the Sanskrit name Prabhu Miten, meaning 'Friend of God'. He spent time in India at the Osho's ashram in Pune, where he recorded and produced the album 'In Wonder', which has been described as a tribute to his guru. During this time, Desmond met record producer John Leckie, known in the ashram as 'Nagara'. They collaborated on projects, including the album 'Blown Away' for Prabhu Music.Slovik, Sam. [http://devapremalmiten.com/images/stories/pdfs/miten_sings_LAYoga07.pdf Miten Sings: From A Rock To A Heart Place]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, LA Yoga, Oct 2007. From 1992, the German New Age label, Tao Music (later New Earth Records), released three albums featuring Desmond titled Heartbeat, Shadow of Light, and Tidal Wave..
Desmond tours with musical partner, Deva Premal, whom he met in India at Osho's ashram in 1990. The couple, known as Deva Premal & Miten, perform Indian Sanskrit mantras and Desmond's songs. They have collaborated with motivational speaker Anthony Robbins,Attwood, Janet Bray [http://www.healthywealthynwise.com/article.aspx?author=Janet%20Bray%20Attwood&title=Songs%20of%20the%20Divine:%0D%0AAn%20interview%20from%20the%20Dialogues%20with%20the%20Masters%20Series&Article=5394 Songs of the Divine: An interview from the Dialogues with the Masters Series], Healthy Wealthy nWise, Feb 2008. author Eckhart Tolle, and singer Cher, who covered their version of the ancient prayer The Gayatri Mantra on her Farewell Tour album in 2002.Tsering, Lisa. [http://www.hvk.org/articles/0903/116.html Cher Chants Gayatri Mantra At Her Concerts] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214154045/http://www.hvk.org/articles/0903/116.html |date=14 February 2012 }}, Times of London, Sept 5 2003.
Discography
- The Jason Lodge Poetry Book (Gothic Horizon), UK Argo 1971
- Tomorrow's Another Day (Gothic Horizon), UK Argo 1972
- Living On A Shoestring, Konk 1975
- Andy Desmond, Ariola Records, 1976
- Global Heart, Native Soul (1996)
- Strength of A Rose (with Deva Premal) (1996)
- Trusting the Silence (with Deva Premal) (1997)
- Blown Away (1999)
- Dance of Life (1999)
- Satsang (Deva Premal & Miten) (2002)
- Songs for the Inner Lover (with Deva Premal) (2003)
- More Than Music (Deva Premal & Miten) (2004)
- Soul In Wonder (with Deva Premal) (2007)
- Download Singles (with Deva Premal) (2009)
- Deva Premal & Miten In Concert (Deva Premal & Miten with Manose) (2009)
- Deva Premal & Miten with Manose - A Deeper Light (April 2013) co-produced with Joby Baker and Maneesh de Moor
- Temple at Midnight (2016)
=Producer=
- Deva Premal - The Essence (executive producer) (1998)
- Deva Premal - Love is Space (co-producer with Kit Walker) (2000)
- Deva Premal - Embrace (co-producer with Kit Walker) (2002)
- Deva Premal - Dakshina (co-producer with Martyn Phillips and Praful) (2005)
- Deva Premal - Deva Premal Sings the Moola Mantra (co-producer with Ben Leinbach) (2007)
- Deva Premal - Password (co-producer with Rishi) (Oct 2011)
- Deva Premal & Miten with Manose - A Deeper Light (April 2013) co-produced with Joby Baker and Maneesh de Moor
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.devapremalmiten.com/}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Desmond, Andy}}
Category:British folk rock groups