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Danger Mouse | |
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 Danger Mouse performing withBroken Bells in 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Brian Joseph Burton (1977-07-29)July 29, 1977 (age 48) White Plains, New York, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1998–present |
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Brian Joseph Burton (born July 29, 1977), known professionally asDanger Mouse, is an American musician and record producer. He came to prominence in 2004 when he releasedThe Grey Album, which combined vocal performances fromJay-Z'sThe Black Album with instrumentals from the Beatles'The Beatles, also known asThe White Album.[1] In 2008,Esquire named him one of the "75 most influential people of the 21st century".
Danger Mouse formedGnarls Barkley withCeeLo Green[2] in 2006 and produced its albumsSt. Elsewhere andThe Odd Couple. In 2009, he collaborated withJames Mercer of the indie rock bandThe Shins to form the bandBroken Bells; the band released three albums since then, withInto the Blue (2022) being the most recent one. Burton collaborated with rapperMF Doom asDanger Doom onThe Mouse and the Mask and with emceeBlack Thought onCheat Codes.
Danger Mouse produced the secondGorillaz album (2005'sDemon Days),Beck's 2008 recordModern Guilt, and four albums withThe Black Keys (Attack & Release,Brothers,El Camino, andTurn Blue). In 2016, he produced, performed on, and co-wrote songs for the eleventh studio album by theRed Hot Chili Peppers titledThe Getaway. He has produced and co-written albums byNorah Jones (Little Broken Hearts),Electric Guest (Mondo),Portugal. The Man (Evil Friends),Adele (25), andASAP Rocky (At.Long.Last.ASAP). He has been nominated for 22Grammy Awards and has won six. He has been nominated in theProducer of the Year category five times, and won the award in 2011.
Brian Joseph Burton was born on July 29, 1977 inWhite Plains, New York.[3] He grew up inSpring Valley, New York. Burton moved toStone Mountain, Georgia, a suburb ofAtlanta, where he attended and graduated from Redan High School.[4] He lived inAthens, Georgia, where he pursued a degree in telecommunications at theUniversity of Georgia on scholarship,[4][5] and where histrip hop works (The Chilling Effect (1999),Rhode Island (2000), andPelican City / Scanner – Pelican City vs. Scanner (2002)) were released while he was a student.[6] While at the University of Georgia he was introduced toNirvana,Pink Floyd, andPortishead, and came to know theindie rock scene in Athens,[4] remixed work by several local artists, includingNeutral Milk Hotel,[7] and DJ'd for University of Georgia radio stationWUOG-FM.[5]
While in Athens, Burton took second place in a 1998 talent contest and was asked to open for a concert at theUniversity of Georgia featuringOutKast andGoodie Mob.[8] Afterwards, Burton says he approached CeeLo Green, a member of Goodie Mob, and gave him an instrumental demo tape.[8] He suggested and negotiated CeeLo's appearance on the 26' Remix of the Danger Mouse and Jemini record. When Burton met CeeLo for this project, he shared some beats which led them to collaborate as Gnarls Barkley.[9]
From 1998 to 2003, Burton created a series of remix CDs and records under the stage name Danger Mouse. He performed in a mouse outfit because he was too shy to show his face, and took his name from the English cartoon seriesDanger Mouse.[10]
Burton moved to Britain for a couple of years, living inNew Cross in London and working at the Rose pub[11] near London Bridge. While there, he sent a demo toLex Records, which signed him. Burton relocated to Los Angeles; his first original releases under the name Danger Mouse were his collaborations withrapperJemini, including the albumGhetto Pop Life, released in 2003 on Lex Records. The Danger Mouse debut was well received by critics, but he did not rise to fame until he createdThe Grey Album, mixinga cappella versions ofJay-Z'sThe Black Album over beats crafted from samples ofthe Beatles'eponymous album, also known asThe White Album. The remix album, originally created just for his friends, spread over the Internet and became very popular with both the general audience and critics, withRolling Stone calling it the ultimate remix record[12] andEntertainment Weekly ranking it the best record of that year.[13] He discussed his feelings about any controversy the album may have created in the documentaryAlternative Freedom.[14] Danger Mouse was named among the Men of the Year byGQ in 2004 and won a 2005Wired Rave Award.[15]
The Grey Album got the attention ofDamon Albarn, who enlisted Danger Mouse to produceGorillaz' second studio album,Demon Days.[16]Demon Days earned Burton aGrammy Award nomination forProducer of the Year.
Danger Mouse's next project wasThe Mouse and the Mask, a collaboration withMF Doom (asDanger Doom) about and forCartoon Network'sAdult Swim. The two had previously collaborated on the Danger Mouse remix ofZero 7's "Somersault", on thePrince Po track "Social Distortion", and onGorillaz' "November Has Come". A year later, Danger Doom released a follow-up EP calledOccult Hymn. The 7-track EP features new songs, and remixes fromThe Mouse & The Mask, and was released as a free download on Adult Swim's site.
In 2006, Danger Mouse and CeeLo asGnarls Barkley released their first album,St. Elsewhere, which includes the international hit single "Crazy".[1] "Crazy" became the firstUK number-one single based solely ondownloads.[17] Gnarls Barkley set out on tour and was one of the main opening acts on theRed Hot Chili Peppers'Stadium Arcadium World Tour. The Gnarls Barkley touring lineup featured future Chili Peppers guitarist,Josh Klinghoffer. He produced two tracks onThe Rapture's 2006 albumPieces of the People We Love. In the autumn of 2006, Sparklehorse released his fourth album,Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain, a collaboration with Danger Mouse and Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips. In August and September 2006, Danger Mouse collaborated with British graffiti artistBanksy to replace 500 copies ofParis Hilton's albumParis in British music stores with altered album artwork and a 40-minute instrumental song containing various statements she had made.[18]
In January 2007, Danger Mouse produced another collaboration withDamon Albarn onThe Good, the Bad & the Queen, along withThe Clash bassistPaul Simonon, formerThe Verve guitaristSimon Tong andafrobeat pioneer and Africa 70 drummerTony Allen.
In March 2008,The Odd Couple, the second album of his and CeeLo Green's Gnarls Barkley project, was released. In May 2008, an album withMartina Topley-Bird, titledThe Blue God, was released.[19] Topley-Bird collaborated on "All Alone", one song on the Danger Mouse producedGorillaz second LP,Demon Days. Also released in May 2008 wasReplica Sun Machine, an album with the bandThe Shortwave Set, including a collaboration withVan Dyke Parks and theVelvet Underground'sJohn Cale, according to British music magazineNew Musical Express.
Upcoming releases include a follow-up toGhetto Pop Life entitledKill Your Heroes. It was scheduled to be released in summer of 2006, but its release was pushed back to an undetermined date. He was also working on an album withThe Black Keys andIke Turner. Turner's death was expected to cancel the album, but The Black Keys and Danger Mouse releasedAttack & Release in April 2008. Some songs must have been recorded by Turner, however, as a posthumous Danger Mouse produced album has been mentioned, and another collaboration with MF Doom.[20]
Danger Mouse produced and crafted beat structures with Beck forBeck's albumModern Guilt, which was released in July 2008.[21] In April 2009, he and Helena Costas released an album asJoker's Daughter titledThe Last Laugh. Danger Mouse was listed as one ofEsquire's 75 most influential people of the 21st century.
Danger Mouse andSparklehorse were due to release an album in the summer of 2009 entitledDanger Mouse and Sparklehorse Present: Dark Night of the Soul (together with a 100+ photo book with photographs byDavid Lynch).[22][23] Due to a dispute withEMI the album was not released officially until July 12, 2010.[24] However, the BBC reported that Danger Mouse planned to release a full illustrated jewel case with a blank CD-R included in it.[22][23][25] The CD-R was to be labeled: "For Legal Reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will."[22][23][25]
On November 8, 2009,Paste magazine named Danger Mouse the "Best Producer of the Decade (2000–2009)."[26]
Together withJames Mercer, Danger Mouse (billed by his real name, Brian Burton) formedBroken Bells. The project was first announced on September 29, 2009.[27] On December 21, 2009, the band informed fans in an e-mail message of the release of their debut single "The High Road", which was made available as a free download on their official site.[28] Theself-titled debut album was released in the U.S. on March 9, 2010.
In 2010, Danger Mouse began producingU2's thirteenth studio albumSongs of Innocence, released in 2014. U2's frontman,Bono, said in 2010, "We have about 12 songs with him. At the moment that looks like the album we will put out next because it's just happening so easily."[29] Ultimately, Danger Mouse was credited as co-producer on 7 of the album's 11 tracks, and sole producer on "Sleep Like a Baby Tonight" and "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now". During this period, he produced the band's single "Ordinary Love", released in 2013 as part of the soundtrack toMandela: Long Walk to Freedom, and their single "Invisible", which was released on Super Bowl Sunday, February 2, 2014.
In 2005, Danger Mouse began composing a "Spaghetti Western" album with composerDaniele Luppi and main vocalistsJack White andNorah Jones. Instrumentation was done mainly by musicians who played on the originalEnnio Morricone scores.[30] Danger Mouse does not play any instruments on the album. The style of the album reflects much of Danger Mouse's work since 2005, such as segments of Beck'sModern Guilt, aspects ofDark Night of the Soul, and songs like "Mongrel Heart" off of the self-titledBroken Bells album. The album was titledRome and was released on May 16, 2011.[31]
On February 13, 2011, Danger Mouse won a Grammy for Best Producer for his work on theBlack Keys'Brothers, Broken Bells' self-titled album, and the Danger Mouse andSparklehorse albumDark Night of the Soul.
On November 1, 2011, Los Angeles-based indie bandElectric Guest released their first single, "Troubleman/American Daydream", produced by Danger Mouse. Danger Mouse produced the band's whole debut albumMondo which was released on April 24, 2012.
On May 1, 2012, Norah Jones released her Danger Mouse-produced fifth studio albumLittle Broken Hearts (Blue Note/EMI).[32]
Danger Mouse co-wrote the song "Keep It for Your Own" byPOP ETC.[33]
Danger Mouse producedPortugal. The Man's seventh studio album,Evil Friends, released in June 2013.[34]
Danger Mouse producedAt.Long.Last.ASAP, the 2015 album by rapperASAP Rocky.[35]
In November 2015 Danger Mouse launched his own record label, 30th Century Records.[36]
Danger Mouse was announced as the producer for theRed Hot Chili Peppers eleventh album and that he would replaceRick Rubin, the producer of the band's previous six albums dating back to 1991. Production began in February 2015. The production was halted due to an injury the band's bassistFlea suffered during a skiing trip. It resumed in August 2015 and continued into early 2016.The Getaway was released in June 2016 with Danger Mouse performing on and having co-writing credits on many of the songs.[37][38]
In March 2017,Red Hot Chili Peppers singerAnthony Kiedis indicated that the band would likely want to work again with Danger Mouse on the follow-up toThe Getaway. Kiedis stated "I think it's good to work with the same guy again to um, you know you had your freshman experience. I think we owe it to ourselves to start from the beginning with this guy and see what we can accomplish."[39] However, their follow-up albums, 2022'sUnlimited Love andReturn of the Dream Canteen, featured the return of longtime producerRick Rubin.
In April 2017, he releasedResistance Radio: The Man in The High Castle, a compilation produced alongside 30th Century Records-signee producer Sam Cohen. Connected toAmazon'seponymous TV series, this album contains covers of 1960s classics by contemporary artists like Beck, Norah Jones,Kelis,Andrew VanWyngarden, The Shins, and more.[40]
In June 2017, Portugal. The Man releasedWoodstock, their follow-up to 2013'sEvil Friends; both of which featured production from Danger Mouse.
In June 2017, he collaborated withRun the Jewels andBig Boi to create the song "Chase Me" for the 2017 filmBaby Driver.[41]
In May 2018, he produced the acclaimed albumWide Awake! byParquet Courts and in 2019 he collaborated withKaren O to create the albumLux Prima. The album has been met with generally favorable review by critics.[42]
On August 12, 2022, he released a collaborative studio albumCheat Codes withThe Roots emceeBlack Thought. The same year, he released a third Broken Bells album with James Mercer entitledInto the Blue.
In an interview forThe New York Times magazine, Danger Mouse was compared to a filmauteur, basing his music production philosophy on the cinematic philosophy of directors likeWoody Allen. "Woody Allen was an auteur: he did his thing, and that particular thing was completely his own", he said. "That's what I decided to do with music. I want to create a director's role within music, which is what I tried to do on this album (St. Elsewhere)... I can create different kinds of musical worlds, but the artist needs the desire to go into that world... Musically, there is no one who has the career I want. That's why I have to use film directors as a model."[9]
| This section of abiography of a living personneeds additionalcitations forverification. Please help by addingreliable sources.Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced orpoorly sourcedmust be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentiallylibelous. Find sources: "Danger Mouse" musician – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(February 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Since 2005, Danger Mouse (as a producer and as an artist with Gnarls Barkley) has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards: Producer of the Year (2005, 2006 and 2008), Record of Year (2006), Album of Year (2006), Best Alternative Album (2006 and 2008), Best Urban Alternative Performance (2006), Best Short Form Music Video (2007 and 2008) and Best Pop Performance (2008). He won two Grammy Awards in 2006 for Best Alternative Album and Best Urban Alternative Performance. He won in 2017 for his work as a producer on Adele's25.[43]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Danger Mouse | Producer of the Year, Non-Classical | Nominated |
| "Feel Good Inc." | Record of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2007 | "Crazy" | Nominated | |
| Best Urban/Alternative Performance | Won | ||
| St. Elsewhere | Album of the Year | Nominated | |
| Best Alternative Music Album | Won | ||
| Danger Mouse | Producer of the Year, Non-Classical | Nominated | |
| 2008 | "Gone Daddy Gone" | Best Short Form Music Video | Nominated |
| 2009 | "Who's Gonna Save My Soul" | Nominated | |
| "Going On" | Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals | Nominated | |
| The Odd Couple | Best Alternative Music Album | Nominated | |
| Danger Mouse | Producer of the Year, Non-Classical | Nominated | |
| 2011 | Broken Bells | Best Alternative Music Album | Nominated |
| Danger Mouse | Producer of the Year, Non-Classical | Won | |
| 2012 | Danger Mouse | Nominated | |
| 2013 | El Camino | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| Best Rock Album | Won | ||
| "Lonely Boy" | Record of the Year | Nominated | |
| Best Rock Song | Won | ||
| 2015 | "Fever" | Nominated | |
| 2017 | 25 | Album of the Year | Won |
| 2018 | "Chase Me" | Best Rap Song | Nominated |
| 2020 | "Woman" | Best Rock Performance | Nominated |
| 2021 | Kiwanuka | Best Rock Album | Nominated |
| Studio albums | |
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| Compilations | |
| Extended plays | |
| Video albums | |
| Remix albums | |
| Singles |
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| Other songs | |
| Tours | |
| Touring members | |
| All contributors | |
| Related articles | |
