Larry Fast is a pioneer in electronic music. He has recorded a number of albums under the project name: Synergy. He is also known for his work with Peter Gabriel, Nektar and does many works for many corporations.
He was born in New Jersey (USA), and spent most of my years growing up in the town of Livingston where he studied piano and violin. Be began experimenting with electronics and sound at a young age. In 1967, his love of electronics was enhanced when the first Moog synthesizers began to appear (about 1967).
In 1971, he was commissioned from Rick Wakeman of Yes to build custom keyboard modules while still a student at Lafayette College. During that time, he began to abandon the formal music education from his private teachers and joined a few semi-pro bands, playing bass and guitar. Later, at college he returned to formal training in composition. Soon after, Passport Records signed him to create his first Synergy album.
`Electronic Realizations for Rock Orchestra,' Larry's first album (and my personal favorite), was recorded in 1975 and showcased his use and manipulation of cutting edge synthesizers and electronics. His nine albums of electronic music have explored new developments of music technologies, styles and innovation.
The shimmering electronic textures of `Electronic Realizations for Rock Orchestra,' led to an invitation for Larry to come to Europe and work with the distinguished British-German band Nektar. The group enjpyed top 20 success in the US. Peter Gabriel asked Larry to contribute to his first solo album and tour. Larry's synthesizer playing is featured on the first PG album, but Fast's electronic production skills were showcased on Gabriel's third album. Larry also introduced Peter to programmable drum machines, which influenced Gabriel's African rhythm influences that are the basis to many of Gabriel's recent albums.
Larry's work as included working with such well-known people/bands as: Hall & Oates, Foreigner, Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora and David Bryan, Barbra Streisand, Peter Gabriel, Tony Levin, Annie Haslam's Renaissance, Randy Newman, Joan Armatrading, Meat Loaf and many others. He has also been the recipient of Keyboard Magazine's annual award for Best Synthesist.
Recently, the newly established Third Contact media label is reissuing Synergy CDs which are available for sale over the World Wide Web and thanks to advanced music-computer technology, the first live performances of Synergy pieces, 25 years after Synergy made its studio-only debut.
Recent commissions include new compositions for XM Satellite Radio and the Walt Disney Company.
Larry's work in television and film include: Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" (PBS); the sci-fi movie "The Jupiter Menace", "Netherworld" (co-scored with Bon Jovi's David Bryan); and contributing work for "Birdy" and "Gremlins" (with Peter Gabriel), "Streets of Fire" (with Jim Steinman), "Planes Trains & Automobiles" (with The Dream Academy), "About Last Night"(with John Oates), and "Conflict Of Interest"(co-scored with Bon Jovi's David Bryan) among others
In 1976, Larry served as a consultant to Moog Music in the development of the Polymoog (1976) and Memorymoog (1982) synthesizers. He helped introduce the first Fairlight CMI synthesizer/sampler on the third Peter Gabriel solo album in 1979-80. Larry was also involved with the development of microcomputer control of synthesizers. He developed his own computer software used both in live performances with Peter Gabriel and on the ambient SYNERGY "Computer Experiments Volume One" (1980). Later projects used the Universal Synthesizer Interface which later evolved into MIDI. This assured that Larry would be one of the earliest MIDI proponents. Larry currently beta tests computer programs for many music software companies, test flying their MIDI and audio software on his many projects.
Larry Fast also has been awarded patents for developments related to audio transmission systems used by the hearing impaired.
Larry Fast/Synergy (r) Discography:
ELECTRONIC REALIZATIONS FOR ROCK ORCHESTRA 1975 (Passport PB6001)
SEQUENCER 1976 (Passport PB6002)
CORDS 1978 (Passport PB6000
GAMES 1979 (Passport PB6003
AUDION 1981 (Passport PB6005)
COMPUTER EXPERIMENTS, VOLUME ONE 1981 (Passport PG1)
THE JUPITER MENACE 1982 (Passport PB6014) Film Soundtrack LP
SEMI-CONDUCTOR 1984 (Passport PB11002) Double LP
METROPOLITAN SUITE 1987 (Audion SYN204
45 RPM 7" SINGLES
* "Synergy/Classical Gas" 1975 SIRE 6078 600 UK only
* "Relay Breakdown" 1975 PASSPORT-GRT 1167-7906 Canada only
* "Classical Gas" 1976 PASSPORT PPA-7907 USA
* "Delta One/Delta 3A" 1979 METRONOME 0030.216 Germany only (picture sleeve)
12" SINGLES
"Phobos and Deimos Go To Mars" 1978 (Passport/Arista SP 30) promo only
"Redstone"/"Metropolitan Theme" 1986 (Audion SYN 12204 DJ)
OTHER RELEASES WHICH INCLUDE SYNERGY TRACKS OR ORCHESTRATIONS
BACK IN TIME, A SPACE ODYSSEY produced by Chris Abbot
MUSIC FOR THE 3rd MILLENNIUM (AMP-CD039)
REFUGE, a compilation to raise money for Kosovo refugees
THE MUSIC OF COSMOS 1981
FIRST EDITION 1986 (SYN105; 1st Audion Sampler
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS 1987 (SYN108; 2nd Audion Sampler)
NETHERWORLD 1992 Film Soundtrack; David Bryan & Larry Fast
