Peter Wolf | |
|---|---|
) Left to right: Ray Reach, Chuck Leavell and Peter Wolf at the 2008 Birmingham Area Music Awards | |
| Background information | |
| Born | August 25, 1952 Vienna, Austria |
| Genres | Pop, rock, classical |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, record producer |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
Peter F. Wolf (born August 25, 1952) is a composer, producer, songwriter and arranger. In 2002, he was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class (Österreichische Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaft und Kunst).[1] Wolf is married to fashion model and songwriter Lea Wolf-Millesi.
Career
Wolf studied classical piano at the Conservatory of Music in Vienna. At the age of 16, he won the European Jazz Festival as a solo pianist. Twice he won the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis, a German award, for his work with André Heller and Erika Pluhar.
Wolf moved to America in his early twenties. He worked with Neal Starkey (bassist) and Bill Hatcher (guitarist) in Atlanta, Georgia, and with Steve Sample Jr. (drummer) and Ray Reach (keyboardist, guitarist, vocalist) in Birmingham, Alabama. After his time in the southeastern United States, he moved to Los Angeles, where he played keyboards for Frank Zappa in the late 1970s. After his work with Zappa, he joined the band Group 87 with Terry Bozzio, Mark Isham, Peter Maunu, and Patrick O'Hearn.
Wolf composed music for the films Neverending Story III, Weekend at Bernie's II, The Hollywood Sign, and Nutcracker and Mouse King, which won an Oscar for Best Foreign Film. His credits include Irren Ist Männlich (To Err is a Male Thing), Die Cellistin (The Cellist), Widows, St. Pauli Nacht (St. Pauli Night), The Fearless Four and Band on the Run. In 2011 he composed music for the Christmas movie Als der Weihnachtsmann vom Himmel fiel.
In July 2015 Wolf and Lea Wolf-Millesi started Whamslam, an online entertainment platform for kids that combines creativity, music, and education.
Awards
In 2008, he was honored with a BAMA Award (Birmingham Area Music Award) for his contributions to the Birmingham music scene.
Discography
- A Change in My Life/"Kraft durch Freude" (1969)
- Tutti/"Tutti" (1980)
- Progression – A Symphony by Peter Wolf (2000)
- The Other Side (2003)
- Sense-ation – A Symphony by Peter Wolf (2004)
with Gipsy Love
- Gipsy Love (The White Album) (1970)
- Here We Come (1972)
with Frank Zappa
- Sheik Yerbouti (1979), No. 21 US (Single "Bobby Brown", Peter Wolf on Keyboards, Butter, Flora Margarine)
- Joe's Garage 1 (1979), No. 27 US
- Joe's Garage 2 & 3 (April–June 1979)
- Tinsel Town Rebellion (May 11, 1981), #66 US
- Shut Up 'n' Play Yer Guitar (May 1984)
with Red Rider
- "Lunatic Fringe"/As Far as Siam (1981)
with Wolf & Wolf
- Culture Shocked/"Think Pink" (1982)
- Don't Take the Candy (1984)
with Grace Slick
- Software (1984)
with Vienna
- Guess What? (1987)
with Chicago
- Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus (1994/2008)
Arrangement and accompaniment
- Jefferson Starship (Nuclear Furniture / "No Way Out" No. 23 US, 1984)
- Survivor (Vital Signs, 1984)
- The Commodores ("Nightshift" No. 3 US, No. 3 UK, 1985)
- Starship ("We Built This City" No. 1 US, No. 12 UK, 16 and 23 November 1985)
- Starship ("Sara" No. 1 US, March 15, 1986)
- Wang Chung ("Everybody Have Fun Tonight" No. 2 US, No. 76 UK, 1986) [also performed drums]
- Wang Chung ("Let's Go" No. 9 US, No. 81 UK, 1987) [also performed drums]
- El Debarge ("Who's Johnny" No. 3 US, 1986, main theme of the film, Short Circuit)
- Chris Sutton (Chris Sutton, 1986)
- Big Country ("Peace In Our Time", 1988)
- Nik Kershaw ("The Works", 1989)
- Go West ("King of Wishful Thinking" from the film Pretty Woman No. 8 US, No. 18 UK, 1990)
- Go West ("Faithful" No. 14 US, No. 13 UK, 1992)
- Heart ("These Dreams" No. 1 US, 1986)
- Heart ("What About Love" No. 10 US, 1985) (synth, piano & creative input)
- Patti Labelle ("On My Own" No. 1 US, 1986)
- 4Him ("Love Finds You," "Between You And Me," & "Wings" from Ride of Life, 1994) (producer, keyboards, bass, piano, percussion, arrangements)
- 4Him ("Sacred Hideaway" from The Message, 1996) (producer, keyboards, arrangements)
- Bryan Duncan ("Traces of Heaven, "Your Love, My Saving Grace" & "Things Are Gonna Change" from Slow Revival, 1994) (keyboards & track arrangements)
- Bryan Duncan (Mercy, 1992) (keyboards & track arrangements)
- Bryan Duncan (Anonymous Confessions of A Lunatic Friend, 1990) (keyboards)
- Kenny Loggins ("Playing with the Boys" from the films Top Gun and Side Out)
- Kenny Loggins (Back to Avalon, 1988)
- The Escape Club ("I'll Be There" No. 8 US, 1991)
- Starship ("Good Heart" No. 81 US, 1991)
- Indecent Obsession ("Kiss Me" No. 1 South Africa for 27 weeks, 1992)
- The Pointer Sisters ("Only Sisters Can Do That" 1993) (Producer)
- Cliff Richard ("Can't Keep this Feeling In" No. 10 UK, 1998 and album Real As I Wanna Be No. 10 UK, 1998) (Producer)
- Chicago (Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus, 2008) (producer, arrangements, keyboards, keyboard bass)
- Maurice White (Maurice White, 1985) (keyboards)
- Lou Gramm (Long Hard Look, 1989) (producer, keyboards)
- Laura Branigan (Laura Branigan, 1990) (producer, keyboards, keyboard bass, percussion, arrangements)
- Scorpions Eye II Eye 1999 (producer, piano, keyboards)
References
- ^ "Reply to a parliamentary question" (pdf) (in German). p. 1509. Retrieved December 21, 2013.