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Neil MacIver
Frank Phillet
Based in Edmonton, Alberta, songwriter/musicians MacIver and Phillet teamed up musically in 1969 and professionally in 1970 with an original score and live performance Bertolt Brecht's 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle' under commission by the University of Alberta.
In 1971 they created another original score for the play 'Up Against the Wall Oedipus' by Marshall McLuan-colleague Wilfred Watson followed as well as two commissioned symphonic pieces for the University of Alberta Symphony Orchestra.
Beginning in 1972, the duo began composing incidental music for radio and theatre which included a thirteen part radio series for CKUA called 'Man And His Music'.
As songwriters they finally grabbed the attention of fledgling label Attic Records in 1974 for two 7" single releases in 1975. "Someone Like You" broke Top20 on the RPM Adult Contemporary Singles chart in August 1975 but their second single failed to chart.
Frustrated by a lack of commercial success, they found other jobs and other outlets for their musical talents and re-convened in 1979 to create their own First International Records label that allowed them to put out 7" singles as desired.
In 1995 they reworked the 1980s material and released it as a CD called 'Dark To Light' on Century II Records.
To mark more than 35 years together as musical partners, the duo released a retrospective of recordings from 1969 to 1996 called 'Not For Everyone' in 2007 which featured a new single released to radio entitled "Just A Passionate Guy".
Despite constant rejection by record labels, they have written two songs that were Canadian Top10 charted songs for others - "Carry On" (by Cliff & Anne Edwards in 1976) and "Baby Pictures" (by Chris Neilson in 1977). As well, Magic Music have won artist grants from the Canada Council and Ontario Arts Council commissions for theatre and radio.
They have also performed across Canada including appearances at Man And His World, the Hotel Iroquois, George's and Grossman'" in Toronto, and every university and college between Montreal and Victoria - including MoMo Latino's Striptease And Bar.
In 2011 Magic Music announced that they are working on a new studio album with engineer Jerry Woolsey.
Singles
1975 Someone Like You/Message of Love (Attic) AT-108
1975 Love Oh Love What a Feeling/In Love Forever (Attic) AT-122
1979 You Don't Remember Me (But That's All Right)/Never Stop Lovin' Me (First International) FI-1004
1983 Carry On/Tu'n te souvenirs pas de moi (First International) FI-1005
1984 Females on My Mind/Lay Me Down (First International) FI-1006
1984 Half Told Lies/It's Just My Foolish Hear//Love At Last/Victim of Love (First International) FI-1007
1987 Lifeforce; Deathforce/On A Stairway To The Stars//Under Another Moon/Friday Night At The Bookclub (First International) FI-1008
2007 Just A Passionate Guy (First International)
Albums
1995 Dark To Light (Century II)
2007 Not For Everyone (First International)
Video
Compilation Tracks
Official Magic Music Website
