Alex Paterson

Alex Paterson (also known as Dr Alex Paterson, born Duncan Alexander Robert Paterson; 15 October 1959) is an English musician and co-founder of ambient house group the Orb, in which he has worked since its inception.^[1]

Alex Paterson
Paterson at a 2006 performance with the Orb at the Walt Disney Concert Hall
Background information
Birth name	Duncan Alexander Robert Paterson
Also known as	Dr Alex Paterson
Born	(1959-10-15) 15 October 1959 (age 65) Battersea, London, England
Genres	Electronic trip hop dub IDM
Occupation	Musician
Instruments	Keyboards turntables sampler programming
Member of	The Orb Transit Kings FFWD

Life and work

Paterson attended private boarding school Kingham Hill School in Oxfordshire between 1970 and 1979, at the same time as Killing Joke bassist Martin "Youth" Glover. Paterson was a roadie for Killing Joke^[2] in the 1980s and later worked in the A&R department of E.G. Records, to whom the band were signed.

New York radio stations were a force driving his musical direction, especially the Chuck Chillout shows on 98.7 KISS FM. In the late 1970s Paterson sang for the band 'Bloodsport' while also DJing at Killing Joke gigs.

In 1989, Youth and Alex Paterson started the WAU! Mr. Modo label.^[3] Their early releases of a selection of industrial techno dubs and heavy sound system dubs from artists such as Napthali, Manasseh, Bim Sherman and Jah Warrior are long deleted and fetch high sums in private sales.

In 1990, Paterson's collaborations with his fellow Orb co-founder Jimmy Cauty ended, following Paterson's concerns about the Orb being perceived as a side-project of The KLF. Paterson retained the Orb name. More recently, Cauty and Paterson collaborated again, as Transit Kings. Paterson was also involved in FFWD, a collaboration with Kris Weston, Robert Fripp, and Thomas Fehlmann, and SCREEN alongside music producer Gaudi.

In 2021 Paterson started his own record label, Orbscure Recordings.^[4]

References

1. Simpson, Dave (19 January 2001). "'If you print that, I'll come looking for you'". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
2. Baines, Josh (15 July 2016). "Alex Paterson From The Orb Picked His 10 Favorite Punk Records Ever". Vice. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
3. "Alex Paterson & Youth discuss "Impossible Oddities" Album OUT NOW". Year Zero Records. 26 November 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
4. Durston, Tom (18 March 2021). "Alex Paterson launches Orbscure Recordings, announces biography and collaborative Sedibus LP". Inverted Audio Ltd. Retrieved 1 September 2021.

Sources

• Prendergast, Mark (2003). The Ambient Century: From Mahler to Moby-The Evolution of Sound in the Electronic Age. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC. pp. 407–412. ISBN 1-58234-323-3.

External links

• Alex Paterson discusses his vinyl collection on BBC radio
• Alex Paterson discography at Discogs