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Michael & Spider

Soundscape, Soundtrack & New Age Artists
and Big Blend Radio CoHosts

Tucson-based musicians Michael Ely and Spider Taylor first began making music together over 30 years ago, and what they are doing currently could loosely be described as new age/ambient/exotica. From 1981-1985, they gained notoriety in Los Angeles fronting the post-punk band Red Wedding, and in 1987 they moved to Tucson.

In 2003, Michael and Spider began recording as soundscape artists 'Smoke & Mirrors', signing with the newly-formed indie label Aural Fixation Records. Their first release, 2003's "The Perfume of Creosote," a collection of 23 soundscapes inspired by the Sonoran Desert, caught the ear of David Burrows, a TV/film producer, who asked them to record a campy cover of "Happy Trails" for the documentary "Walking with Freedom" which unofficially screened at Sundance in 2005.

Smoke & Mirrors went on to release "Deities" (a double-disc collection of 22 soundscapes based on Hindu gods and goddesses) in 2004 and "White Roses Painted Red" (a collection of 23 soundscapes based on Alice in Wonderland characters) in 2005. All three CDs received rave reviews as well as indie radio airplay all across the States and in Europe.

In 2006, Michael and Spider abandoned the name Smoke & Mirrors in favor of their own names "Michael and Spider" and began work on a CD collection of lush and exotic soundscapes entitled "Iridescent Garden: Exotica Reinvented," which was released in 2008. "Iridescent Garden" is an enchanting album with beautiful and uncluttered instrumentals that coax your brain into a calm and peaceful place, where magical images take over and lead you on mystical journeys. Michael’s intriguing keyboard notes and samples delicately dance around Spider’s winding guitar leads, creating a fabulously rhythmic swirl of sounds and vibrant colors. No doubt about it, Michael and Spider are a creative force to be reckoned with.

Michael and Spider's music has appeared in the following film productions:

'Step Up 2 The Streets' Touchstone Pictures, 2008  

'Hunt the Dogman' Grendel Films, 2007

'Walking With Freedom' Barking Harley Productions, 2005  

'Ride with Pride' City of Louisville, CO

"Crossroads" Louisville Community Park City of Louisville, CO

Currently Michael & Spider are working on various soundtrack projects for Independent Film and Online Video projects. Besides creating numerous sound tracks and voice overs for Big Blend Radio, they also frequently guest co-host on Big Blend Radio along with Big Blend Magazine editors Nancy Reid and Lisa Smith.

Keep up with Michael & Spider, listen to their music, or contact them for Film Projects at www.MichaelandSpider.com  or www.TempleoftheMoonPublishing.com

Just Ask Michael:Michael Ely joins Big Blend as an “advice columnist” on Champagne Sundays! To  read Michael’s column or ask him questions, please click here.