Jerry Harrison

Posted by Thurston in Jerry Harrison, New Wave, Sire Records

Jerry Harrison (born Jeremiah Griffin Harrison, 21 February 1949, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American songwriter, musician and producer. He was the keyboardist and guitarist for the influential New Wave group, Talking Heads. He was also an original member of The Modern Lovers.

Harrison played with Jonathan Richman in The Modern Lovers when he was an architectural student at Harvard University. Harrison was introduced to Richman by mutual friend and journalist Danny Fields, and the pair bonded over their shared love of the Velvet Underground. He joined the Modern Lovers in early 1971, playing on their debut album in 1972 (not released until 1976), and leaving in February 1974 when Richman wished to perform his songs more quietly.

Subsequent to his work with The Modern Lovers, Harrison joined Talking Heads; the latter band already had a single out when Harrison left the Modern Lovers to join them. While at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Harrison dated Elisabeth Post (now Elisabeth Post-Marner). Harrison confided in Post as to whether or not stay with the Talking Heads or become an architect at Harvard. Post advised that he stay with the Talking Heads and that he could always get involved with architecture later on in life. Harrison took Post's advice, and became part of a legend.

Harrison's solo albums include The Red and the Black, Casual Gods, and Walk on Water. The last of these albums actually is credited to "Jerry Harrison: Casual Gods," apparently in an attempt to create a new "band" identity by linking it to the previous record.

After the break-up of Talking Heads, Harrison turned to producing and has helmed numerous successful albums by such bands as Violent Femmes, Foo Fighters, The Von Bondies, General Public, Live, Crash Test Dummies, The Verve Pipe, Rusted Root, The Bogmen, Black 47, Of A Revolution, No Doubt and most recently The Black and White Years, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Bamboo Shoots.