ABOUT THE BLAXCOTSMAN
Mike Ogletree | The Blaxcotsman
With decades of musical experience, Mike Ogletree enters a new creative era, using contemporary technology, music and storytelling to bring what is past into what is now, with hope for the future.
Scottish-born musician Mike Ogletree — The Blaxcotsman — has spent a lifetime moving between musical worlds, countries and creative identities. From the early days of Scottish new wave to the possibilities of AI-assisted music and visual storytelling, his work has always followed the next idea rather than simply looking back.
-
He first came to prominence in the 70s as the drummer for Edinburgh favourites Café Jacques. Then, in the 80s he went on to perform with Simple Minds and Fiction Factory, before moving to Italy for 8 years of session work and growth.
In the early90's, Mike moved to Los Angeles where he played and trained as a sound engineer working with such luminaries as Al Schmidt, Bruce Swedien, Isaac Hayes, Edgar Winter and more.
-
Relocating to New York in 2006, Mike developed Anacoustic Mind, a project drawing on his Afro-Scottish musical heritage and the cultural energy of one of the world's most vibrant and diverse cities.
-
Today, Mike is creating a new chapter through The Blaxcots — an original music and multimedia project that brings together music, video and AI-assisted production.
Rather than recreating the past, with The Blaxcots Mike is looking forward, using today's technology to explore identity, creativity and the changing relationship between the artist and the tools he uses to make art.
-
"AI isn't replacing the musician. It's another instrument in the studio another string in one's bow — just like the synthesizer, the Mellotron, the sampler and the drum machine, one that opens up possibilities and opportunities that simply weren't there before."
