Mike Black

Bio

Mike Black is an English singer/songwriter and professional composer born into a musical family in Liverpool in 1963. Mike's primary instrument is the guitar and after writing his first songs at the age of 14 he formed the band A.C.I.D. At 18 he joined the post punk band Hoi Polloi. During this period he developed his innovative song writing and arrangement style. Mike moved to London in 1981 where his tastes widened and his love for travel and the environment emerged. Soon influences from Africa, the Caribbean, India and elsewhere were impacting on his music. It was during his time in London that Mike started to compose pieces for stage productions and musicals. In 1987 Mike headed further South to Brighton and continued his musical career with the Ska and Reggae band Skippy the Fridge, who toured the UK for many years. While living in Brighton Mike studied Jazz composition. Mike's love for wildlife, the natural world and conservation led to him working on a range of ecological projects, including volunteer anti hunting and trapping duties on Malta and Gozo with CABS (Committee Against Bird Slaughter) and Birdlife Malta. After many years visiting all corners of the globe he now lives, writes and performs in his adopted home Bulgaria, where he and his wife Jerry run Pelican Lake Guesthouse Environmental Project & Information Centre and a tour company specialising in tailor made tours around Southern Europe Pelican Travel. Mike still plays with both A.C.I.D. and Skippy The Fridge, he also performs as a solo artist at musical festivals and concert venues around U.K., Bulgaria and Romania. He has worked on various collaborations with the musical directors of theatres in Silistra and Sofia and through his production company Black Box Music he composes music for TV and Films. He is currently working on a number of projects writing soundtracks, themes and incidental music for travel guides, wildlife films and historical documentaries.

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