Mike Viola
| Mike Viola | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Michael A. Viola |
| Origin | Stoughton, Massachusetts, United States |
| Genres | Rock, alternative rock, singer-songwriter, pop, folk |
| Occupation(s) | Songwriter, producer, musician, singer |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano, bass |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Associated acts | Ryan Adams |
| Website | http://www.mikeviola.com/ |
Michael "Mike" Viola is a Grammy-nominated producer, musician, songwriter and singer best known for his work with Ryan Adams, Jenny Lewis, Andrew McMahon, New Politics, and Fall Out Boy.[1][2][3] His original music has been featured on soundtracks for movies such as Get Him to the Greek, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and That Thing You Do!.
Viola got his start in the mid-90s as the musical architect for New York-based band Candy Butchers, releasing three critically acclaimed albums with RPM/Sony Records before focusing on music production.[4]
Soundtrack work
Viola, along with friend Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, co-produced the title track for Tom Hanks's 1996 movie That Thing You Do! The selection received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song. Viola sang lead on the track, and as the accepted singing voice of Johnathon Schaech's character, Jimmy, also sang on other tracks in the film, such as "Little Wild One" and "All My Only Dreams."
For the 2007 Jake Kasdan/Judd Apatow film, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Viola wrote or co-wrote "A Life Without You (Is No Life At All)," "Darling," "(I Hate You) Big Daddy," "Dear Mr. President," "Beautiful Ride," "Sir Ringe The Marshmallow Elephant," and "Let Me Hold You Little Man." Viola served as musical director on a promotional tour for the film in December 2007, with John C. Reilly acting out his fictional character of Dewey Cox.
Viola also contributed songwriting for Russell Brand's character Aldous Snow in the movie Get Him to the Greek, including "African Child," "The Clap," "I Am Jesus," "Searching For a Father in America," "Little Bird," "Furry Walls."
Discography
| Year | Artist | Song | Album | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Panic! at the Disco | "Victorious" | Death of a Bachelor | Songwriter[5] |
| The Monkees | Good Times! | Musician[5] | ||
| Teddy Thompson and Kelly Jones | All songs | Little Windows | Producer, musician[5] | |
| 2015 | New Politics | "Pretend We're in a Movie" | Vikings | Songwriter[5] |
| Mike Viola | Stairway to Paradise | Songwriter, musician | ||
| Andrew McMahon | "High Dive," "Black & White Movies," "Driving Through A Dream," "Halls" "Rainy Girl," "Maps For The Getaway," "Lottery Ticket," "Art School Girlfriend," "Cecilia and the Satellite" | Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness | Songwriter, producer, engineer[6] | |
| Ryan Adams | "Magic Flag" | Vampires 7" | Songwriter, musician[6] | |
| 2014 | Ryan Adams | "Gimme Something Good", "Kim," "Trouble," "Am I Safe," "My Wrecking Ball," "Stay with Me," "Shadows," "Feels Like Fire," "I Just Might," "Tired of Giving Up," "Let Go" | Ryan Adams | Producer, musician[6] |
| Matt Nathanson | "Earthquake Weather," "Mission Bells," "Kinks Shirt," "Sky High Honey," "Kill The Lights," "Heart Starts" | The Last of the Great Pretenders | Songwriter, producer, musician, engineer[5] | |
| Jenny Lewis | The Voyager | Producer, musician[5] | ||
| Brett Dennen | "Out of My Head" | Smoke and Mirrors | Songwriter[6] | |
| 2013 | New Politics | "Harlem" | A Bad Girl in Harlem | Songwriter[5] |
| Fall Out Boy | Pax Am Days | Producer[6] | ||
| Lori McKenna | "Love Can Put it Back Together" | Songwriter[5] | ||
| 2012 | Rachael Yamagata | "Heavyweight" | Heavyweight EP | Songwriter, musician[5] |
| The Corner Laughers | "Bells of El Camino" | Poppy Seeds | Musician[5] | |
| 2011 | Will Dailey and the Rivals | "Best Friend" | Will Dailey and the Rivals | Songwriter[5] |
| Rachael Yamagata | "You Won't Let Me," "Dealbreaker," "I Don't Want to Be Your Mother" | "Chesapeake" | Songwriter, musician[5] | |
| "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday" | Muppets: The Green Album | Producer, musician[6] | ||
| Gin Wigmore | "Dirty Love" | Gravel and Wine | Songwriter[6] | |
| Mike Viola | All songs | Electro De Perfecto" | Songwriter, musician, producer[5] | |
| 2010 | Jeremy Fisher | "All We Want is Love" | Flood | Songwriter, musician, producer[5] |
| Infant Sorrow (From Get Him to the Greek) | "Furry Walls", "The Clap", "I Am Jesus", "African Child (Trapped In Me)", "Little Bird", "Searching For a Father" | Get Him to the Greek: Soundtrack | Songwriter, musician[6] | |
| 2009 | Mandy Moore | "Merrimack River," "Fern Dell," "I Could Break Your Heart Any Day Of The Week," "Pocket Philosopher," "Song About Home," "Love To Love Me Back," "Indian Summer," "Nothing Everything," "Bug" | Amanda Leigh | Songwriter, producer, musician[6] |
| John Wesley Harding | "Love Or Nothing," "Sick Organism," "Congratulations (On Your Hallucinations)" | Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead | Songwriter, musician[6] | |
| 2007 | Dewey Cox (Soundtrack to Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) | "A Life Without You (Is No Life at All)", "Beautiful Ride", "Dear Mr. President", "Mulatto Song", "Let Me Hold You Littel Man", "I Hate You (Big Daddy)", "Darling", "Hole In My Pants", "Who Wants To Party", "Weeping On The Inside" | Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story | Songwriter[6] |
| Mike Viola | All songs | Lurch | Songwriter, musician, producer[5] | |
| 2005 | Mike Viola | All songs | Just Before Dark | Songwriter, musician, producer[5] |
| 2004 | The Figgs | Palais | Musician[5] | |
| 2003 | Candy Butchers | All songs | Hang On Mike | Songwriter, musician producer[6] |
| Rasputina | "Bad Moon Rising", "Wish You Were Here", "Tourniquette", "Fire and Ice", "This Little Piggy", "All Tomorrow's Parties", "Rock N Roll" | The Lost and Found | Musician, producer[6] | |
| 2002 | The Figgs | Slow Charm | Musician[5] | |
| 2001 | Candy Butchers | All songs | Play With Your Head | Songwriter, musician, producer[6] |
| 1999 | Candy Butchers | All songs | Falling Into Place | Songwriter, musician, producer[6] |
| 1998 | Rasputina | "The Olde HeadBoard" | How We Quit The Forest | Musician[5] |
| 1996 | Mono Puff | Unsupervised | Musician[5] | |
| The Wonders | "That Thing You Do" | That Thing You Do soundtrack | Producer, musician[5] | |
| Candy Butchers | "Bells On a Leper," "California Girl," "Cupid Complained To Venus," "Till You Die, "Canned Hunt" | "Live at La Bonboniere | Songwriter, producer, musician[6] | |
References
- ↑ Armstrong, Chuck. "Mike Viola on Working With Ryan Adams: 'It's Paid Off for Both of Us in Artistic Ways'". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
- ↑ Gordon, Jeremy and Pelly, Jenn. "Jenny Lewis Works With Beck, Ryan Adams on New Album The Voyager, Reveals Release Details". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
- ↑ Helman, Peter. "Mike Viola - "Stairway To Paradise" (Stereogum Premiere)". Stereogum. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
- ↑ Bacino, Mark. "Songcraft: Mike Viola Talks Songwriting Triage, Movie Music and Arcade Backlines". GuitarWorld.com. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "Mike Viola credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-06-30.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Mike Viola discography". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-06-30.