Strong roots in progressive rock, as well as intelligent pop
music. It is a refreshing mix of creative lyrics and memorable compositions.

10 MP3 Songs
POP: 90's Pop, EASY LISTENING: Soft Rock



Details:
REM. David Gray. Sting. U2. These are the groups that fans have said Michael Wu's music sounds similar to. Yet, people who have known him for years can still hear Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) or Geddy Lee (Rush) somewhere in the bass lines. Michael's music has strong roots in progressive rock, as well as intelligent pop music. It is a refreshing mix of creative lyrics and memorable compositions. His debut solo CD combines creative vocal melodies and progressive guitar riffs with modern rock structures.

Michael Wu was born in the Bronx, NY and moved to Westchester County, NY, with his family when he was a young boy. Michael got an early start on his musical education when he began piano lessons at age 6. He played piano for several years, with a couple short-lived stints on saxophone and clarinet. At about 13 years old, he heard the classic Iron Maiden song, "The Number of the Beast." The sounds he heard left a big impression. That grinding, ever-present bass sound blew him away: "I didn't know exactly what that sound was, but I knew that was the sound I wanted to make." Michael quickly abandoned the piano and starting studying the bass guitar, which he took to very quickly, "It just made sense to me. I was almost immediately better at it than piano."

Shortly after adopting the bass as his main instrument, Michael relocated to the Binghamton area, NY. Being in a new place and not knowing many people, Michael occupied his time with playing and practicing. "Once I picked up bass guitar, I was never one that needed to be forced to practice. I loved to play. I wanted to play, all the time." The move didn't turn out so badly. It was in the new town that Michael met some musicians that he frequently collaborates with today.

After graduating from the high school, Michael attended Mansfield University. There he teamed up with a high school friend and few other musicians to form Trajik Playground, a classic British-metal band.

After a two-year tenure and one 4-song demo, Trajik Playground disbanded to form The Visionary Project, a progressive rock/metal act. TVP recorded three demos and played many regional shows over the next 5 years.

When The Visionary Project disbanded, Michael took some time off from playing with groups. It was during this time that he seriously took up guitar. This was also when he decided that being a solo artist was the way for him to really express himself musically. Becoming less influenced by the progressive rock music that "taught" him to play, and studying more and more artists such as Sting, David Gray, and REM, Michael started to write the beginnings of what would become his first solo CD.

After a year of studio time, the CD was released in December of 2002.

Michael lives in upstate NY where he is a software engineer for the Lockheed Martin Corporation during the day. When he's not at his day gig, he's working on his songs, learning, practicing, playing, performing with the local theater group, "and watching baseball."