Dieter Meier
Dieter Meier | |
|---|---|
 Meier in 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 4 March 1945 Zürich, Switzerland |
| Genres | Electronic |
| Occupations |
|
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Website | www |
Dieter Meier (born 4 March 1945) is a Swiss musician, conceptual artist and entrepreneur. He is the frontman of the electronic music group Yello, which was co-founded (with ex-member Carlos Perón) by music producer Boris Blank. He is a vocalist and lyricist, as well as manager and producer of the group.
Biography and career
[edit]Early life
[edit]Meier was born on 4 March 1945 in Zürich, Switzerland. He started studying law at university but dropped out without a degree. After that he tried working at a bank and as a professional gambler. Due to his father, who Meier claims rose from poor origins to become a successful private banker, by the time he went to university, Meier was already a millionaire.
Musical career
[edit]In the late 1970s Meier was brought in when the two founders of the Swiss electronic band Yello required a singer. The band was originally formed by Boris Blank (keyboards, sampling, percussion, backing vocals) and Carlos Perón (tapes) in the late 1970s. Perón left the band in 1983 to pursue a solo career.[1] Meier provided almost all vocals, backing vocals and lyrics for "Oh Yeah", Yello's most commercially successful single. The song appears in numerous films and television shows, including Ferris Bueller's Day Off and an episode of South Park "Hell on Earth 2006".[2]
Along with Talking Heads vocalist David Byrne, Meier was a guest artist on the X-Press 2 album Muzikizum.[3] He also performed lead vocals on the single "I Want You Back".[4]
Artist
[edit]As a conceptual artist, he exhibits at art exhibitions.[5] He began his career as a performance artist in the late 1960s.[6] In 1972 as part of Documenta 5, Meier installed a commemorative plaque at the railway station in Kassel (Germany) which read: "On 23 March 1994, from 3 to 4 pm, Dieter Meier will stand on this plaque". He honored the promise 22 years later.[7][8]
Meier has directed films and videos, including German music group Alphaville's "Big in Japan" video.[9] His wife Monique also took a part in the video.[citation needed]
In the 1990s Meier continued his performance art, designed silk scarves and was involved with ReWATCH, a company that recycles cans into watches.[10] In the late nineties, he bought 2,200 hectares (5,400 acres) of land in Argentina, a four-hour drive away from Buenos Aires. The ranch is named "Ojo de Agua".[11] His restaurant and store in Zürich has the same name from which he sells wine, meat, corn and soy products.[12]
Acting
[edit]In 1989 Meier played a demimonde businessman in the Swiss drama-comedy Leo Sonnyboy by Rolf Lyssy,[13] and in 1992 he had a part in the Daniel Schmid comedy, Hors Saison.[14] In 2006 he acted in the bit part of 'Gamsie' in National Lampoon's Pledge This![15] In 2013, he played a furrier in the film Finsterworld.[16]
Business ventures
[edit]Meier has invested in several companies in various industries. He acquired a controlling interest in Euphonix, a producer of digital mixing desks for recording studios, and became chairman of the board.[17] In 2010 he sold the company at a loss to Avid Technology.[18][19]
His successful investments in companies and business ventures during the last decades have brought Meier assets which are estimated around 150-200 million Swiss franc as of 2017[update].[20]
Personal life
[edit]Meier lives in Zürich with his wife Monique. He is the father of five children.[21]
References
[edit]- ^ swissinfo.ch, S. W. I. (12 May 2022). "Absurdist pop pioneer Yello wins Swiss music prize". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ "Yello | Composer, Actor, Music Department". IMDb. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ Muzikizum - X-Press 2 | Album | AllMusic, retrieved 16 October 2024
- ^ Muzikizum - X-Press 2 | Album | AllMusic, retrieved 16 October 2024
- ^ "Dieter Meier". Galerie Thomas Zander. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ "YELLO.com". www.yello.com.
- ^ "Dieter Meier | 1994 - datum II". www.dietermeier.com.
- ^ "Yello: A Situationist History (fawny.org: Joe Clark)". fawny.org.
- ^ "alphaville.de 20th anniversary edition". Archived from the original on 12 July 2007.
- ^ "Through time and space | Beyer Watches & Jewellery Zurich". www.beyer-ch.com. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ "Dieter Meier · Ojo de Agua Winery · Argentina". ojodeagua.global. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ "Dieter Meier's Ojo de Agua · Organic Wines & Beef". ojodeagua.global. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ Lyssy, Rolf (16 March 1991), Leo Sonnyboy (Comedy, Romance), Mathias Gnädinger, Christian Kohlund, Ankie Lau, DRS, Hubschmid, Edi, retrieved 16 October 2024
- ^ Schmid, Daniel (10 February 1993), Hors saison (Comedy, Drama), Sami Frey, Carlos Devesa, Ingrid Caven, T&C Film AG, Metropolis Filmproduction, Pierre Grise Productions, retrieved 16 October 2024
- ^ Heins, William; Hamilton, Strathford (8 February 2007), Pledge This! (Comedy), Paris Hilton, Simon Rex, Paula Garcés, Pledge This Holdings, National Lampoon, Paris Hilton Entertainment, retrieved 16 October 2024
- ^ Finsterwalder, Frauke (17 October 2013), Finsterworld (Drama), Gisela Aderhold, Christoph Bach, Margit Carstensen, ARTE, Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), Lhasa Films, retrieved 16 October 2024
- ^ "Euphonix goes private" (PDF). Mix. New York City: Primedia. April 2002. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ^ Wiggins, Peter (2 July 2012). "More bad news from Avid, is their NLE ship slowly sinking?". FCP.co. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
they bought Euphonix from Yello's Dieter Meier
- ^ Tribelhorn, Marc; Scherrer, Lucien (10 October 2020). "«Deine Musik ist scheisse. Aber geil, dass du dich Meier nennst!»". Beue Zürcher Zeitung (in German).
I had to sell the Euphonix company at a loss. It was a nightmare.
- ^ "Wie Dieter Meier es unter die Reichsten schaffte". Tages-Anzeiger (in German).
- ^ "Dieter Meiers Sohn will nicht vergessen werden". Bilanz (in German). Retrieved 14 January 2018.
