Tim Curtis (Musical Artist)
Tim Curtis | |
|---|---|
| File:Tim Curtis Bio Pic.jpg Tim Curtis in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 1970 (age 55–56) Wisconsin, United States |
| Genres | electronic, rock, indie rock, indie pop, alternative rock, punk rock |
| Occupation(s) | Recording engineer, record producer, musician, remixer |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Website | The Blinky Room |
Tim Curtis (born 1970) is an American musician, record producer, and studio engineer. He has worked with Prince, Miley Cyrus, Ambrosia, King Washington, Chris Walla, and Butch Vig. Originally from Wisconsin, Curtis spent his early career working with Prince at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen and Smart Studios in Madison, later moving to Los Angeles to become an independent producer and engineer. He is a multi-instrumental artist and was half of the synth-pop duo 200 Memories.
Life and career
Early life
Tim Curtis was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin and grew up in southeast Wisconsin. Curtis took piano, voice, and guitar lessons, played in his high school band, and played in various bands as a teenager while learning the process of making records. A mentor at an early job at a movie theater introduced Tim to audio electronics, leading him to build his home studio, The Blinky Room, which continues to this day.
Curtis started working as a studio musician in 1986 in the Milwaukee area. He attended the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in 1989 and the University of Wisconsin in 1990, where he pursued a music performance major. Shortly thereafter, he acquired a Fairlight CMI, his dream instrument and was guided by Fairlight guru and composer, Clive Smith[1]. Curtis quickly became respected for his musical and technical abilities with the instrument[2]. His relationship with the Fairlight led to technical work for and with many major artists. In 1996, he was asked to come to Minneapolis to work as a Fairlight CMI programmer for the artist Prince, which led to an opportunity to work with one of his heroes[3].
In 2005, Curtis began working at Smart Studios in Madison Wisconsin, serving as the chief technical engineer until the studio closed in 2010. Shortly thereafter, Curtis relocated to Los Angeles to accept a position as Chief Technical Officer at The Village Recorder[4]. After focusing on the technical side of recording studios, he desired to return to more creative work. Curtis left to become a partner in the newly reopening Cherokee Studios[5], a relationship that lasted about 2 years. He then made the decision to part ways with Cherokee and become a freelance engineer, producer, and musician. He has worked in various capacities at Electrovox, Barefoot, EastWest, and ARC.
Production career
Curtis’ production career began in 1989 with the self released album Calling on Blue Horizon by 200 Memories. Through his recording and studio career he has worked with such artists as Prince, Miley Cyrus[6], The Conventional Wisdom, King Washington[7], and Ambrosia. He has created music for film and television such as The Weekly Show and Jobbers.
200 Memories
Curtis also produces new wave/synth pop music, as part of the musical duo 200 Memories with his childhood friend, Michael Heagle. This project started in 1989 and has continued on and off since, producing music for records and films such as “You’re a Fighter” from the 2009 film Jobbers. In 2019 production started on another 200 Memories album at The Exchange Recording Complex[8] in Milwaukee Wisconsin.
The Blinky Room
The Blinky Room started off as a songwriting studio, but grew far beyond it’s original purpose. Since relocating to Los Angeles the Blinky Room has been operating as a portable studio.
Discography
Producer/engineer/mixer/songwriter
Selected credits
- 200 Memories, Calling on Blue Horizon (1991) – Production, Writer, Artist
- Ambrosia, Hopes and Dreams (2010) – Production, Engineering
- The Conventional Wisdom, Unreleased (2008) – Production, Writer, Artist
- Prince, Unreleased (1996) – Fairlight, Programming
- George Krikes, Robbed at Cherokee (2016) – Production, Engineering
- CFS, Self Titled (2009) – Production, Writer, Artist
- King Washington, The Gears (2012) – Engineering 9
- King Washington, The Overload (2013) – Engineering
- Vaudeville Riot, Love Is Dead (2016) – Engineering
- Carrie McGowan, Self Titled (2016) – Engineering
- The Weekly Show, Opening and closing titles (2014) – Engineering
- This is Me Smiling, Untitled Sessions (2008) – Production, Engineering
- Rudolf Blitzen, Barely Christmas Without You (2009) – Artist
- Miley Cyrus, Something Beautiful (2025) – Fairlight CMI and Moog 55 Programming[9]
References
- ↑ mattanniss (2016-11-14). "THE FAIRLIGHT CMI STORY". Matt Anniss. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ↑ "The Fairlight: A Photo Essay". daily.redbullmusicacademy.com. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ↑ "For the love of the Fairlight". www.fortheloveofthefairlight.com (in Nederlands). Archived from the original on 2020-11-23. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ↑ "Tim Curtis Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More ..." AllMusic. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ↑ Miley Cyrus (2025). Something Beautiful (booklet). Columbia Records.
- ↑ King Washington (2012). The Gears (booklet). Beneath the Cabbage Records.
- ↑ "The Exchange Recording Complex | Book Our Studio Today". www.legacyrecordingstudios.com. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ↑ "Tim Curtis Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More ..." AllMusic. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
External Links
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