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may be considered the first
American synth-pop act who can claim similar “technological firsts”: playing and singing on stage completely solo, accompanied only by a computer, 5 ¼-inch floppy disks and synthesizers. With health issues looming and without chart support from his debut single, Solitaire’s notoriety never reached that of his UK solo synth counterparts. Despite heavy tour schedules up until 1986 and national promotion in American publications such as
258:, in Germany. German critics appreciated Solitaire's early dark electronic synth-pop. One European critic wrote, "The American solo project Solitaire is bringing his despair into sound with a catchy dark electropop". In 2002, Solitaire formed Solitaire Music, a studio project, with keyboardist Paul Demme releasing records into the 2000s, including the Baltimore release entitled
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somewhat compromised mixture of new wave. 'System
Overload' is top heavy with beat box and electronic percussions a synth laden metronomic melody". In contrast 'Nothing Left to Say' is a wistful little ballad whose lyrics preen with a clever romanticism". In 1986 Callahan played keyboards and recorded for the new wave rock band Toy Soldier, whose album
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Tracks: 1. System
Overload 2. Nothing Left to Say 3. Don't Be Afraid of the Rain (Re-mix) 4. Ă…sa 5. You Treat Me Like a Silent Movie 6. After Darkness 7. Explain Yourself Again 8. 1940 London 9. All I Can Do 10. Just More Reasons to Cry (Demo) 11. Dick Loves Jane (Demo) 12. This Nightmare Don't Ever
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mastered and released a number of previously unreleased
Solitaire tracks on a CD entitled "Solitaire: Selected Tracks” on Woods own e-pop label in Australia. The Solitaire CD released by e-pop renewed international interest in Solitaire. The original 7-inch single "System Overload" was "discovered"
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tour 1983–84 decided to forgo a band and perform solo using only automated accompaniment. Howard Jones notes that during early performances he, “triggered sequencers live on stage whilst playing and singing, something that no one had done before". Although Jones's claim is not disputed, Solitaire
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In 1985 Solitaire released the 7-inch single "System
Overload" b/w "Nothing Left to Say". The single enjoyed limited success locally but was later "discovered" by European DJ's and became a highly sought after record. Upon its initial release a regional critic described it as "an ambitious but
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to form one of the earliest known MIDI-based performance systems. In 1984 the system used by
Solitaire was said to "create instruments that have never been heard before," at that time "musicians just beginning to tap its potential". However, by modern computer standards the electronic rhythm
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section used by
Solitaire was crude and had several limitations. For example, the SCI Model 64 Sequencer was limited to six voice sequencing. To play back more songs required sequences be saved to disk (loading of disk sequences had to be done live, on stage, during the performance).
149:, United States; who performed, wrote and recorded solo synth-pop music between 1983 and 1986. James Callahan (aka Solitaire) was the first “truly computerized” artist in the Baltimore area. As Solitaire, Callahan played keyboards and electronic drum machines as a one-man show.
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From 84–85 Solitaire performed at numerous clubs and colleges in the USA mid-Atlantic region, both as a headliner and as a supporting act for bands such as MCA recording artists The Ravyns. Many of
Solitaire's early club performances were documented by rock journalists from
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Tracks: 1. High
Fashion Radio 2. When She Moves 3. Control Freak 4. It Don’t Matter 5. Lullaby 6. Feed Me Technology 7. How Many Times? 8. Hey Gabrielle 9. Time to Escape 10. Moon Mobiles 11. Retrophaze (The Man That Time Forgot) 12. Welcome to the New
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was produced by Rob Fahey (Ravyns) and recorded at
Sheffield Studios, MD. The group released the single "Never my Love" on the Texas-based Yellow Rose Records Label. In late 1986 his music career was halted due to ill health, after being diagnosed with
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Tracks: 1. System Overload 2. Nothing Left To Say 3. Don't Be Afraid Of The Rain 4. Ă…sa 5. After Darkness (Cassette Single) 6. Explain Yourself Again 7. Just More Reasons To Cry 8. This Nightmare Don't Ever Sleep
242:). Prescott helped Solitaire gain global exposure by introducing his early works to Australian sound engineer Mark Woods. Woods known for his indie label e-pop, and work as sound engineer for 1980s Aussie-based bands such as
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a six-voice, polyphonic, analogue synthesizer that was among the first MIDI instruments designed to be used with a computer. The computer and software allowed Solitaire to program the Six-Trak sequencer and
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2001 saw the first reappearance of Solitaire’s music. Solitaire attributes the international interest to his longtime friend and collaborator Tony Prescott (keyboardist for Liverpool 1980s synth-pop band
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Solitaire's live performances continued to be met positively and in 1986 Solitaire was voted Maryland's "Best keyboard player" in the Maryland Musician Magazine 2nd Annual Readers poll.
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on various MP3 download and streaming media sites. However James Callahan’s ill health once again came into issue, and SolitaireMusic.Net closed permanently in 2008, shortly after the
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by European DJs and became a highly sought after record. Solitaire landed a distribution deal with EraRecords, Netherlands who re-released the original 7" recording.
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International attention for Solitaire continued when his 1984 recording "After Darkness" was released on the 2007 Anna Logue Records compilation LP
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Magazine. Vol. 18 No. 2, Toy Soldier Debut LP "Forward March". Birmingham, MI: Cambray Publishing Inc., 1986. p. 2 inside cover. Print
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was an American one-man project with pioneering live-electronics created by James L. Callahan (born 1965) from
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Baltimore sounds: an illustrated encyclopedia of Baltimore area pop musicians, bands and recordings
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Solitaire's performance system was manufactured by Sequential Circuits (SCI). It consisted of the
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Solitaire was often compared to English solo synth-pop artists of the period such as the UK’s
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Kidd, Bill. (November 1985). Sammie's jammin. Maryland Musician Magazine, 11(85). Print
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in 2004. In 2008, SolitaireMusic.Net released a 12 song digital LP entitled
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Limited, Steve Cripps / Glenn Kelly - Howard Jones Music.
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Solitaire Music Net Official Archive. Retrieved from
540:"Sequential circuits music sequencer for commodore 64"
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LP+7” Anna Logue Records ANNA 009.2007/ANNA 009-7.2007
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Production Credits: Callahan/Czerwinski/Mingle/Woods
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Production Credits: Callahan/Czerwinski/Mingle/Woods
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588:Staff. (August 1986). 2ND Annual reader's poll.
601:Gill, Doug. (November 1985). Record reactions.
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298:Tracks: System Overload b/w Nothing Left To Say
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438:"Copyright Catalog (1978 to present)"
279:System Overload / Nothing Left To Say
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496:Model 64 sequencer operations manual
354:Track: b4 Solitaire – After Darkness
494:Salyer, S., & Bowen, J (1984).
790:. Beverstedt GERMANY: Chain D.L.K.
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466:Vaccarino, Joe (September 2012).
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838:Singer-songwriters from Maryland
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436:United States Copyright Office.
304:Solitaire: Selected Tracks 84–86
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719:Star Hits Staff (July 1986).
637:http://www.solitairemusic.net
37:Solitaire performing live at
833:American synth-pop musicians
782:Pustianaz, M (26 May 2008).
721:"Get ready for the invasion"
325:RETROPHAZE: Digital Folklore
260:Retrophaze: Digital Folklore
159:Sequential Circuits Six-Trak
727:. Pilot Communications Inc.
65:1965 (age 58–59)
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603:Maryland Musician Magazine
590:Maryland Musician Magazine
364:Label: SolitaireMusic.Net
284:Distribution: ERA Records
264:Solitaire – Best Of: 83–86
178:Maryland Musician Magazine
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329:Label: SolitaireMusic.Net
288:Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
171:Live performance reaction
153:Live electronics overview
70:, Maryland, United States
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741:"Bald Hill Music Studio"
561:Billboard Staff (2012).
360:Solitaire: Best of 83–86
337:Credits: Callahan/Demme
308:Label: E-pop – EPOPSOL1
296:Engineered: Brent Mingle
294:Produced: James Callahan
660:5 November 2013 at the
290:Country: US/Netherlands
828:Singers from Baltimore
47:Background information
655:Howard Jones Fan Site
538:Mansfield, R (1984).
739:Woods, Mark (2008).
642:25 June 2013 at the
523:Forrest, P. (2013).
256:Echoes From Our Past
370:- ASIN B0037J984K,
312:Country: Australia
206:Musical comparisons
111:Analog synthesizers
771:. Zink Media, Inc.
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248:Men at Work
220:Human's Lib
101:Keyboards,
802:Categories
684:2 February
391:References
374:, TuneCore
368:Amazon MP3
340:Millennium
331:Format: CD
188:Recordings
80:electropop
53:Birth name
725:Star Hits
567:Billboard
504:cite book
226:Star Hits
143:Baltimore
139:Solitaire
129:1983–1986
68:Baltimore
25:Solitaire
694:cite web
658:Archived
640:Archived
544:Compute!
147:Maryland
88:new wave
84:synthpop
550:(104).
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418:9 June
372:iTunes
119:Vocals
115:keytar
75:Genres
41:, 1985
615:CREEM
78:Pop,
788:2012
706:help
686:2017
510:link
472:ISBN
420:2007
246:and
244:INXS
214:and
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