Ed Wynne

{{short description|English guitarist and keyboardist (born 1961)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Ed Wynne

| image = Ozric Tentacles at Lavenham, Suffolk, pop-up Theatre 10th August 2022 (52280851938).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Wynne performing in 2022

| image_size =

| landscape = no

| birth_name = Edward Wynne

| alias =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1961|6|3}}

| birth_place = Wandsworth, London, England

| death_date =

| death_place =

| origin = Somerset, England

| instrument = Guitar, synthesizer, koto

| genre = Psychedelic rock, progressive rock, space rock, jazz fusion, instrumental rock, electronic music, dub, world music, ambient music

| occupation = Musician, composer, record producer

| years_active = 1983 – present

| label =

| current_member_of = Ozric Tentacles, Nodens Ictus

| past_member_of =

| website =

}}

Edward Wynne (born 3 June 1961) is an English guitarist and keyboardist best known as a founding member, principal composer and the only constant member of psychedelic rock band Ozric Tentacles.{{cite web | url=http://www.guitarplayer.com/artists/1013/ed-wynne--raves-on/12988 | title=Ed Wynne Raves On | publisher=Guitar Player | date=1 February 2010 | access-date=6 June 2014 | author=Cleveland, Barry}}

Biography

Ed Wynne was born in Wandsworth, London, England, and is the son of English sculptor David Wynne, and the grandson of English author Joan Grant. Family friend and late Beatles guitarist, George Harrison, encouraged a seven year old Wynne to pick up the guitar.{{Cite web |last=Brakes |first=Rod |date=2020-05-23 |title=Ozric Tentacles' Ed Wynne: "George Harrison used to come to our house for dinner and sit there playing guitar!" |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/ed-wynne-george-harrison-used-to-come-to-our-house-for-dinner-and-sit-there-playing-guitar |access-date=2020-07-30 |website=Guitar World}} Wynne's father regularly had big names in music, such as Jimi Hendrix and Donovan, stay over at the house.{{Cite book|title=Vitamin Enhanced CD Booklet|year=2014|location=CD}} The family's emphasis on art and music allowed Wynne to achieve a wide range of musical appreciation, including Gong/Steve Hillage, Hawkwind, Kraan, Frank Zappa, and Todd Rundgren.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ozrics.com/|title=Ozric Tentacles - Tour Dates, Music Downloads|website=Ozrics.com|access-date=4 August 2020}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=281|title=OZRIC TENTACLES|website=Progarchives.com|access-date=4 August 2020}} In addition to Hendrix, Hillage and Zappa, other guitarists who have influenced Wynne include Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Guthrie Govan, who Wynne called "my favourite guitarist in the world at the moment" in 2021.{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=David |date=2021-02-22 |title=Guitar Genius in the Studio: Ed Wynne of the Ozric Tentacles |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgtgS0MDhe0 |access-date=2021-04-14 |website=SonicScoop (via YouTube)}}

Wynne's lack of interest in school caused him to leave school at age 16.{{Citation|last=A38 Hajó|title=Koncertek az A38 Hajón: Ozric Tentacles|date=2013-11-21|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM3FiaLHHM0|access-date=2018-01-08}} His parents encouraged him to follow his musical passion, and would instruct him to play sounds of nature on the piano. He was involved with several bands whilst in school, including Bolshem People, which recorded in Wynne's studio attic in Rushmere, Wimbledon Common. A track of theirs, "Erp Riff 83", can be heard on the compilation album A Psychedelic Psauna.

Wynne formed Ozric Tentacles in 1983 along with his brother Roly Wynne and other members at the Stonehenge Free Festival. The band was notable for blending rock music with jazz fusion, ambient dub, world music, and electronic music, incorporating heavy usage of synthesizers and samplers. After several line-up changes, Ozric Tentacles started to be guided more and more by Wynne, who aside from guitar and keyboards was also becoming responsible for beat programming and other studio efforts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ozric-tentacles-mn0000499489|title=Ozric Tentacles | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links|website=AllMusic|access-date=4 August 2020}} He has remained the only original member of the band. Since the 2000s, the band featured Wynne's ex-wife Brandi on bass, and son Silas Neptune on keyboards.

Wynne collaborated with Joie Hinton in Nodens Ictus, after being asked by the promoters of the Crypt club in Deptford, South London, to produce an ambient set for the club's "chillout" room. Wynne has also appeared as a guest musician in works by artists such as Jordan Rudess,{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/road-home-mw0000482884/credits | title=The Road Home credits | publisher=AllMusic | access-date=12 June 2014}} Amon Düül UK, Eat Static,{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/back-to-earth-mw0001224289 | title=Back to Earth review | publisher=AllMusic | access-date=12 June 2014 | author=Couture, François}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.getreadytorock.com/rock_stars/ed_wynne.htm|title=Get Ready to ROCK! Interviews with Ed Wynne of progressive ambient rock band Ozric Tentacles|website=Getreadytorock.com|access-date=4 August 2020}} and Invisible System,{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/street-clan-mw0002131916/credits | title=Street Clan credits | publisher=AllMusic | access-date=25 June 2014}} among others. In 2007, he (along with ex-bandmate Merv Pepler) composed and programmed a track named "Sphere Wave's" for the Cognition Factor soundtrack.{{cite web | url=http://cognitionfactor.net/cognition-factor/music.html | title=Cognition Factor – Music | access-date=12 June 2014}}

In 2019, Wynne released his debut solo album, Shimmer into Nature.{{Cite web |last=Buchanan |first=John D. |title=Ed Wynne Biography |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ed-wynne-mn0000163930/biography |access-date=2021-06-21 |website=AllMusic}}{{Cite web |last=McGarel |first=Chris |date=2021-08-16 |title=Gong, Stonehenge and hemp packaging: we get inside the mind of Ozric Tentacles' Ed Wynne |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/inside-the-mind-of-ozric-tentacles-ed-wynne?fbclid=IwAR0t1LTDX0svvqNEZw0Ri7BJ7lrjeqaiqyrb4KZhlGbnA5AkiLZm9UX4CCk |access-date=2021-08-18 |website=Louder Sound}} In 2022, he released his second solo album, Tumbling Through the Floativerse, in collaboration with Gre Vanderloo of Gracerooms.{{Cite web |last=Ewing |first=Jerry |date=2022-05-12 |title=Ed Wynne announces second solo album Tumbling Through The Floativerse |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/ed-wynne-announces-second-solo-album-tumbling-through-the-floativerse |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=Louder Sound}}

Equipment

Wynne's gear includes synthesizers such as Novation Supernova II, Korg M50, Roland S760, Roland Fantom XR, Roland D-50, Korg Wavestation EX, Korg Prophecy, Sequential Pro-1, guitars Ibanez JEM, Ibanez Artist, Ibanez EGEN18,{{Cite news|url=https://liveforlivemusic.com/features/technicians-of-the-sacred-ozric-tentacles-interview-l4lm/|title=Technicians Of The Sacred: An In-Depth Conversation With Ozric Tentacles|date=2015-05-28|work=L4LM|access-date=2018-10-08|language=en-US}} Yamaha Acoustic, pedals Boss GT-3 and Boss GT-10, and Marshall Amplification.