Michael Sheridan
Background information
BornMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Instrument(s)Guitars, Programmable Devices
Years active1975–present

Michael Sheridan is an Australian guitarist. Having played and recorded with an array of artists his versatility in original music spans the styles of rock, jazz/punk, industrial, metal, and sonic art including glitch & noise. He has released solo works such as Scaleshack, Digital Jamming and collaborations with Nicholas Littlemore and associates. He has been a member of several bands since 1975 including No (1987–1989) with Ollie Olsen and Marie Hoy, which were described as "One of Australias most compelling stage acts incorporating speed metal, hip hop and electro funk".[1] In 1989 he followed Olsen to join Max Q with Michael Hutchence of INXS on vocals.[2] He runs the label Zenith Wa Records https://zenithwarecords.bandcamp.com/

Biography

Michael Sheridan was born and raised in Melbourne. In the 1970s, whilst still at secondary school, he became fascinated by the guitar playing of Jimi Hendrix and others. He has been a member of several bands since 1975.[3][4] Sheridan moved to Sydney to further his interest in improvised music. In 1982 he formed a jazz - punk outfit, Great White Noise, which included Sandy Evans, Diane Spence, Lenny Bastiaans, Tony Buck, John Gillies,[5] soon followed by an improvisation group, Slaughter House 3, with Jon Rose and John Gillies. By the mid-1980s Sheridan had moved back to Melbourne and formed Transwaste with Jamie Fielding and Peter Jones. He also played in Whaddya Want? with David Chesworth.

In 1987 Sheridan, on lead guitar, joined an electro-punk band, No, with Marie Hoy on keyboards and samples, Kevin McMahon on bass guitar and Ollie Olsen on vocals, samples and keyboards.[6] Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described them as "the ultimate crossover act due to its confrontational fusion of hardcore energy, abrasive heavy metal guitar riffs, electro-funk beats and acid-house grooves."[6] Sheridan and Olsen also work with Michael Hutchence (of INXS) in Max Q (1989–90).[7][8][9] While still a member of No, Sheridan formed Dumb and the Ugly (1987–93) with John Murphy on drums and noise tapes (ex-the Wreckery) and David Brown on bass guitar.[6]

In 1990 Sheridan released a solo CD, Scaleshack, utilising sampling and dub techniques. Soon after he joined Peril, with Tony Buck, Otomo Yoshihide, and Kato Hideki.[6] From 1991 to 1993 he was also a member of RAW with Barry Deenik on bass guitar, Ross Wilson on lead vocals (ex-Mondo Rock) and Craig Waugh on drums (ex-Uncanny X-Men).[10][11] McFarlane observed that they "played an aggressive blend of rock and funk but, aside from building up a strong cult following on the Australian pub circuit, the band did not issue any recordings before breaking up."[10]

Sheridan's next solo CD, Digital Jamming, was released in 1996 also features performances by Jon Rose and Jim Denley.[12] Both Scaleshack and Digital Jamming were later re-released by Shame File Music.[12] Sheridan also studied and completed a Bachelor of Music degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music 2000, and qualified as a teacher and composer. In March 2012 a quartet with Sheridan on eight-string guitar, Chris Abrahams on piano, John Gillies on percussion and Jon Rose on violin performed and recorded Improvisation at People's Republic in Sydney.[13]

Discography

Albums

Solo projects

Collaborative and compilation albums

Film soundtracks

Music videos

Australian television

References

General
  • McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Whammo Homepage". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 5 April 2004. Retrieved 3 October 2013. Note: Archived [on-line] copy has limited functionality.
  • Spencer, Chris; Nowara, Zbig; McHenry, Paul; Nimmervoll, Ed (2002) [1987]. The Who's Who of Australian Rock. Noble Park, Vic: Five Mile Press. ISBN 1-86503-891-1.[14] Note: [on-line] version of The Who's Who of Australian Rock was established at White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd in 2007 and was expanded from the 2002 edition. As from September 2010 the [on-line] version shows an 'Internal Service Error' and was no longer available.
Specific
  1. ^ Spencer et al (2007), "No" entry.
  2. ^ Spencer et al (2007), "Max Q" entry
  3. ^ Spencer et al (2007), "Sheridan, Michael" entry.
  4. ^ Spencer et al (2007), "SHERIDAN, Michael" entry.
  5. ^ "Great White Noise". Discogs. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d McFarlane, 'Ollie Olsen' entry. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  7. ^ McFarlane, 'Max Q' entry. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  8. ^ McFarlane, 'INXS' entry. Archived from the original on 30 September 2004. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  9. ^ Holmgren, Magnus; Shaw, Julian. "Max Q". hem2.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 12 November 2004. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  10. ^ a b McFarlane, 'Ross Wilson' entry. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  11. ^ Holmgren, Magnus; Warnqvist, Stefan. "Ross Wilson". hem2.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 15 October 2003. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  12. ^ a b "Shame File Music - specialising in Australian experimental". www.shamefilemusic.com. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  13. ^ Gillies, JD; Rose, J; Abrahams, C; Sheridan, M (17 March 2012), Improvisation, retrieved 20 June 2017
  14. ^ "Who's Who of Australian Rock / Compiled by Chris Spencer, Zbig Nowara & Paul McHenry". catalogue. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
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