- Active: '70s, '80s
- Genres: Rock
- Instrument: Engineer
Biography
Producer and composer Keith Miller was born April 15, 1947, in Manchester, England. Taught piano by his great aunt Frances, herself a violinist in the Halle Orchestra, he briefly attended All Saints College of Art before quitting school to play guitar with the beat group St. Louis Union. After winning a 1965 competition sponsored by Melody Maker magazine, St. Louis Union was awarded a contract with Decca in addition to an appearance in the low-budget feature The Ghost Goes Gear. After the group split in 1967, Miller signed on with Rod Stewart, moonlighting as a guitarist and keyboardist with the groups Locomotive and the Raymond Froggatt Band.During the 1970s he turned to session work, becoming one of the first musicians to adopt the synthesizer. In the years to follow, he backed the likes of Robert Plant, Paul McCartney, Pete Townshend, and Culture Club, enjoying only sporadic success as a producer (although he did manage to helm Arthur Louis' hit 1975 reggae cover of "Knockin' On Heaven's Door," which featured Eric Clapton on guitar). In 1978 Miller played keyboards on Sniff 'n' the Tears' international hit "Driver's Seat," subsequently touring with the group as well. Upon returning to London, he founded his own studio and began focusing on his composing, co-writing Divine's camp hit "You Think You're a Man" as well as contributing to film and television projects including Star Wars, Chariots of Fire, and The Young Ones. Miller died of a brain hemorrhage on May 17, 2005. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
