Larry Heard

Larry Heard (born May 31, 1960,^[1] Chicago, Illinois) is a Memphis, Tennessee-based DJ, record producer and musician,^[1] widely known for the Chicago-based house music he produced during the mid-1980s and continues to produce today. He was leader of the influential group Fingers Inc. and has recorded solo under various names, most notably Mr. Fingers. He is regarded as a pioneer of deep house music,^[2] moving house music away from its "posthuman tendencies" back towards the lush soulful sound of early disco music (particularly that of old Philadelphia International and Salsoul records).^[3]

Biography

Born on the South Side of Chicago, Heard grew up hearing jazz and Motown at home, and could play several instruments from a young age.^[1] Before beginning his solo musical career in 1983, he was drummer, at the age of 17,^[4] in the band Infinity (a jazz fusion cover group that included Adonis). He is sometimes cited as having been a member of the Manhattan Transfer,^[1] but Heard has denied this, saying, "[I] filled in for somebody on one show."^[5] He also worked for the US government as a benefit authorizer, which enabled him to buy his first studio equipment.^[1] Although he has created much music and his career is ongoing, he is best known for recording these songs, mostly from the mid-1980s:

• "Can You Feel It?"
• "Bring Down the Walls" (ft. Robert Owens)
• "Mystery of Love"
• "Washing Machine"
• "Donnie" (as the It)
• "Closer"
• "What About this Love"

Much of Heard's music is released and re-released under different names, which include Fingers Inc., Mr. Fingers, Loosefingers, Fingers, House Factors, and Trio Zero. Robert Owens was the vocalist on many of those tracks. Heard was also part of the duo known as the It, along with street poet Harry Dennis.^[1]

In October 2004, "Can You Feel It" appeared in popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on house-music radio station SF-UR and the song "Cosmology Myth" appeared in the 2009 video game Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, playing on the ambient/chillout radio station Self-Actualization FM.

Selected discography

Albums

• Another Side (1988) (featuring Robert Owens & Ron Wilson)
• Amnesia (1988)
• Introduction (1992)
• Sceneries Not Songs Volume 1 (1994)
• Back to Love (1994)
• Sceneries Not Songs Volume Tu (aka Ice Castles) (1995)
• Alien (1996)
• Dance 2000 Part 1 (1997)
• Dance 2000 Part 2 (1998)
• Genesis (1999)
• Ice Castles (album) (1999)
• Love's Arrival (2001)
• Where Life Begins (2003)
• Loose Fingers (soundtrack from the Duality Double-Play) (2005)

Singles/EPs

• "Mystery of Love" (1985, DJ International)
• "Bring Down the Walls" (1986, Trax)
• "Can You Feel It" (1986, Trax)
• "A Path" (1987, Alleviated)
• "Distant Planet" (1988, Alleviated)
• "A Love of My Own" (1988, Alleviated)
• "On a Corner Called Jazz" (1992, MCA)
• "What About this Love?" (1992, MCA)
• "Closer" (1992, MCA)
• "The Complete "Can You Feel It" (2004)
• "Dead-End Alley" (1989, MCA)
• "Changes" Track Mode
• "25 Years From Alpha" (2008, Alleviated)
• "Outer Acid" (2016, Alleviated)^[6]

Other appearances

• Acid LP (1988)
• Inspirations (2001)
• We Call it Acieeed (2002)
• The Wild Bunch: The Original Underground Massive Attack (2002)
• Original Chicago House Classics (2002)
• Mastercuts Bar Social, Vol. 2 (2002)
• Serie Noire 2 (2003)
• Move Your Body: The Evolution of Chicago House (2003)
• Ministry of Sound: Late Night Sessions (2003)
• Inspirations (2 CDs) (2003)
• Culture Club Compilation (2003)
• FabricLive.67 (2013)

See also

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References

External links

• Alleviated Records—official Web site
• Official MySpace page
• Larry Heard RBMA video lecture session
• Robert Owens RBMA video lecture session
• Larry Heard artist page on Discogs
• Mr. Fingers artist page on Discogs
• Live at DISK/CTM festival in Berlin