Mik Kaminski
Mik Kaminski | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Michael Kaminski |
Born | (1951-09-02) 2 September 1951 (age 72) |
Origin | Harrogate, England |
Genres | Rock, pop, classical |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Violin, viola, keyboards |
Years active | 1965–present |
Labels | Jet |
Website | Musical career |
Michael Kaminski (born 2 September 1951) is an English musician. He is best known for playing violin in the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) between 1973 and 1979 and touring from 1981 to 1986, as well as being a member of Electric Light Orchestra Part II from 1991 until its end in 2000, and then The Orchestra from 2000 until the present.
Early life
Kaminski was born in Harrogate, North Riding of Yorkshire, England. He made his first professional performance with the Leeds Orchestra when he was 14. During his time at the Leeds School of Music, he founded the band Cow, together with his friends John Hodgson, who played drums,[1] and John Marcangelo, who played keyboards and other percussion.
Career
In 1973, he joined Joe Soap and played violin on their Keep It Clean album. Their producer Sandy Roberton suggested Kaminski to Andy Roberts, who needed a violinist for his album. Thus Kaminski played in 1973 on Roberts' Andy Roberts and The Grand Stampede.[2]
After those albums Kaminski applied for the vacant post as ELO's violinist because of an advertisement in Melody Maker.[3] He was recruited after two interviews and was also the only person auditioning who did not play a wrong note. Bandleader Jeff Lynne held the audition.[2]
During his stint in ELO, Kaminski initially tried to imitate his predecessor Wilf Gibson by wearing a cape while playing the violin, but soon acquired his trademark blue violin, which he has played variants of ever since. Kaminski's own band is called Blue Violin.[4]
Kaminski was one of the three remaining string players for the group when Lynne decided to remove them in 1980. However, he performed on the tours for the ELO albums Time and Balance of Power, and on the 1983 single "Rock 'n' Roll Is King". Later, he joined the ELO offshoot ELO Part II, playing on both the group's studio albums and as part of the live touring band.[5]
Apart from the hits he had with ELO, in early 1979 Kaminski made the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart as the frontman of a one-hit wonder group called Violinski, with the single "Clog Dance".[6]
Kaminski was featured as violinist on a selection of tracks from the second studio album, Beauty In Chaos, by the Anglo-Irish acoustic duo Fay & Latta.
In 2000, Kaminski set out on tour under the moniker The Orchestra featuring former members of ELO and ELO Part II.
References
- ^ "ELO, ELO, ELO! Violinist Mik Kaminski back in Huddersfield for third gig". 18 March 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- ^ a b "INTERVIEW: ELO violinist Mik Kaminski talks about their Worthing gig" Archived 15 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Littlehampton Today, 19 September 2008.
- ^ "The Orchestra Official Website". Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ^ "ELO are back but not as you know them". Birminghammail.co.uk. 21 April 2013.
- ^ Danny Cox interviews Mik Kaminski, BBC, 2 February 2006.
- ^ Violinski: Clog Dance - The Very Best of Violinski Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine at Face The Music
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- Bev Bevan
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- Kelly Groucutt
- Melvyn Gale
- The Electric Light Orchestra (No Answer)
- ELO 2 (Electric Light Orchestra II)
- On the Third Day
- Eldorado
- Face the Music
- A New World Record
- Out of the Blue
- Discovery
- Time
- Secret Messages
- Balance of Power
- Zoom
- Alone in the Universe
- From Out of Nowhere
- The Night the Light Went On in Long Beach
- Live at Wembley '78
- Live at Winterland '76
- The BBC Sessions
- Live at the BBC
- Electric Light Orchestra Live
- Wembley or Bust
- Xanadu
- Showdown
- Olé ELO
- The Light Shines On
- Three Light Years
- The Light Shines On Vol 2
- ELO's Greatest Hits
- A Box of Their Best
- Four Light Years
- Afterglow
- ELO's Greatest Hits Vol. 2
- The Very Best of the Electric Light Orchestra
- Strange Magic
- Light Years
- Definitive Collection
- Friends & Relatives
- Flashback
- The Ultimate Collection
- The Essential Electric Light Orchestra
- All Over the World
- Ticket to the Moon
- The Essential Electric Light Orchestra (2 CD Edition)
- Mr. Blue Sky
- "10538 Overture"
- "Mr. Radio" (withdrawn)
- "Roll Over Beethoven"
- "Showdown"
- "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle"
- "Can't Get It Out of My Head" / "Illusions in G Major"
- "Boy Blue" / "Eldorado"
- "Evil Woman"
- "Strange Magic"
- "Nightrider"
- "Strange Magic"
- "Livin' Thing" / "Fire On High"
- "Rockaria!"
- "Do Ya"
- "Telephone Line" / "Poor Boy (The Greenwood)"
- "Turn to Stone" / "Mister Kingdom"
- "Mr. Blue Sky" / "One Summer Dream"
- "Sweet Talkin' Woman"
- "Wild West Hero"
- "It's Over"
- "Shine a Little Love"
- "The Diary of Horace Wimp"
- "Don't Bring Me Down"
- "Confusion"
- "Last Train to London"
- "I'm Alive"
- "Xanadu" (with Olivia Newton-John)
- "All Over the World"
- "Don't Walk Away"
- "Hold On Tight"
- "Twilight"
- "Here Is the News" / "Ticket to the Moon"
- "Rain Is Falling"
- "The Way Life's Meant to Be"
- "Rock 'n' Roll Is King"
- "Secret Messages"
- "Four Little Diamonds"
- "Stranger"
- "Calling America"
- "So Serious"
- "Getting to the Point"
- Out of the Blue: Live at Wembley (1980)
- Fusion – Live in London (1990)
- Zoom Tour Live (2001)
- ELO – Total Rock Review (2006)
- Live: The Early Years (2010)
- Jeff Lynne's ELO: Live in Hyde Park (2015)
- Wembley or Bust (2017)
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- Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO
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