Geoff Berner

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Geoff Berner


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Birth_name = Geoffrey Berner
Origin = Vancouver, British Columbia
Instrument = Accordion
Genre = Folk, Klezmer
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Years_active = 2000s-present
Label = Black Hen Music, Sudden Death Records, HoneyMilk Records, Jericho Beach Music
Associated_acts = Terror of Tiny Town
URL = http://www.geoffberner.com
Current_members = Geoff Berner
Diona Davies
Wayne Adams

Geoff Berner (early in his musical career known as "Potty Mouth" Berner) is a Canadian singer-songwriter on the accordion originating from Vancouver, British Columbia.

Berner has gained a cult following over the years, due to his insightful humor, politically flammatory compositions and showmanship, especially in Canada and Norway, in which he recorded his first live album, "Live in Oslo" (2004).

Musical career

Berner, in his youth, studied the piano. However, at a party, somebody asked him why he didn't play the accordion. Berner actually did not know, and as a result, he began learning how to play the accordion.

Following several years fronting the punk band "The Terror of Tiny Town" (its name borrowed from the 1938 film), Berner released his first solo EP, "Light Enough to Travel" (2000) on the Sudden Death Records label. "Light Enough to Travel" contained some of the songs he wrote while part of The Terror of Tiny Town. Vancouver band The Be Good Tanyas covered the title track, and had some chart success with their version in England, which helped to kickstart Berner's career. In 2000, Berner was deported to Norway, where he discovered the Norwegian band Kaizers Orchestra, for whom he would later become a support act. His first full-length album, "We Shall Not Flag or Fail, We Shall Go On to the End" (2003) featured the track "We All Gotta Be a Prostitute Sometimes", which has been covered by a surprising number of artists, considering Berner's relative obscurity.

In the years between "We Shall Not Flag or Fail, We Shall Go On to the End" and 2005, Berner travelled to Romania, to study the traditional musical style klezmer, from the many talented masters in Romania. In Romania, he suffered a severe gastrointestinal infection and was rushed to a Romanian hospital, which inspired him to write "Song Written in a Romanian Hospital". After his return, Berner released his second studio album, "Whiskey Rabbi" (2005) on Black Hen Music, with the help of Diona Davies of Po' Girl, on the violin, and Wayne Adams of Zolty Cracker, percussion. They would later join him occasionally on tour. "Whiskey Rabbi" is the first of a planned trilogy of Klezmer-themed records.

Berner released a humorous instructional booklet called "How to be an Accordion Player" in 2006. In 2007, Berner released "The Wedding Dance of the Widow Bride", a concept album with the theme of marriage, and second in his planned trilogy of klezmer records. He also collaborated with the Norwegian band Girl from Saskatoon on their 2007 album.

In 2008, he released "Official Theme Song for the 2010 Vancouver / Whistler Olympic Games (The Dead Children Were Worth It!)", a satirical song he promoted as the official theme song for the 2010 Winter Olympics, as an mp3 on February 19, 2008. The song asserts that the government of British Columbia closed a provincial coroner's office which investigated the deaths of children to help pay for the upcoming games.

He later attracted controversy at the Winnipeg Folk Festival in July when he opened his set with a performance of "The Dead Children Were Worth It!", followed by a speech which linked the festival's corporate sponsor, Volkswagen, to the politics of Nazi Germany. [ [http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/story/4198537p-4790195c.html "Singer skewers sponsor"] , "Winnipeg Free Press", July 14, 2008.]

Personal life

Berner is the father of Margot Berner, and stepfather of actress Genevieve Buechner. He is also close friends with American ukulele player Carmaig de Forest, and covers his compositions regularly on tour, and recorded his song "In the Year 2020" on his "We Shall Not Flag or Fail, We Shall Go On to the End" album. Additionally, Berner also often collaborates with fellow Canadian Carolyn Mark, and recorded a duet with her, for her "Just Married: An Album of Duets" album in 2005.

Politics

Between 1988 and 2001, Berner was active in the Green Party of British Columbia and was a member of former leader Stuart Parker's inner circle. He ran as a candidate at the federal and provincial levels in the general elections of 1991, 1993, 1996 and 1997. His most high profile campaign, however, was as a candidate for the Rhinoceros Party of Canada in the 2001 provincial general election against future premier Gordon Campbell.

Discography

Albums

* "We Shall Not Flag or Fail, We Shall Go On to the End" (2003)
* "Live in Oslo" (2004)
* "Whiskey Rabbi" (2005)
* "Wedding Dance of the Widow Bride" (2007)

EPs/Singles/Others

* "Light Enough to Travel" (2000)
* "It's All Just a Matter of (Where You Draw the Line) - Duet with Carolyn Mark, featured on her 2005 album "Just Married: An Album of Duets"
* "Don't Play Cards for Money with Corby Lund", non-album track released in 2006 as a download from his website
* "The Rich Are Going to Move to the High Ground", non-album track released in June 2007 as a download from his website
* "Official Theme Song for the 2010 Vancouver / Whistler Olympic Games (The Dead Children Were Worth It!)", non-album track released in February 2008 as a download from his website
* "How to be an Accordion Player" - instructional booklet (2006)

References

External links

* [http://www.geoffberner.com Geoff Berner's Official Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/geoffberner Geoff Berner's Official MySpace]