Andy Desmond

{{Short description|British musician and songwriter (born 1947)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}} {{Use British English|date=March 2015}} {{Infobox person | image = Miten on stage.jpg | caption = Miten in concert, [[Munich]], in October 2010 | other_names = Miten | birth_date = {{birth month and age|1947|08}} | birth_place = [[Woking]], [[Surrey]] | spouse = [[Deva Premal]] | website = http://www.devapremalmiten.com/ }} '''Andy Desmond''' (born August 1947), also known as '''Miten''', is a British musician and songwriter. He performs primarily within [[yoga]] and [[Alternative medicine|alternative healing]] communities.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yogajane |date=2019-11-02 |title=Miten's album, Devotee, explores the themes of life, love, death, and devotion |url=https://yoginifrommanila.com/2019/11/02/mitens-album-devotee-explores-themes-life-love-death-devotion/ |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=The Yogini from Manila |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Background== In the late 1960s, Desmond founded the folk/rock duo "Gothic Horizon" with musical partner Richard Garrett. The band released two albums on UK Argo: ''The Jason Lodge Poetry Book'' (1971) and ''Tomorrow's Another Day'' (1972).<ref>Thubron, Dave. [https://time-has-told-me.blogspot.com/2007/01/gothic-horizon-andy-desmond.html ''Gothic Horizon & Andy Desmond''], "Time Has Told Me", 29 January 2007.</ref>

In 1973, Desmond began performing solo. He was part of a group of folk musicians signed by [[Ray Davies]] to his record label, Konk Records, which also included [[Tom Robinson]], [[Claire Hamill]] and Café Society. Desmond released ''Living on a Shoestring'' on Konk in 1975. The album featured members of [[The Kinks]] and was produced by [[Dave Davies]] and keyboardist [[John Gosling (The Kinks musician)|John Gosling]].<ref>''Kast Off Kinks'', [http://kastoffkinks.co.uk/John%20Gosling%20interview%20part%202.htm ''The John Gosling Interview, Pt 2''], ''KastOffKinks.com'', 2010.</ref>

Desmond was subsequently signed to Ariola Records in [[London]]. In 1976, Ariola released ''Andy Desmond'', an album of ten self-composed songs produced by Los Angeles producer [[Bones Howe]].<ref>''MusicStar'' [http://www.geocities.co.jp/MusicStar/1905/rock/disc/adesmond_st.html ''Andy Desmond''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010212722/http://www.geocities.co.jp/MusicStar/1905/rock/disc/adesmond_st.html |date=10 October 2012 }}, ''GeoCities.co''.</ref>

Following its release, Desmond opened for artists such as [[Fleetwood Mac]],<ref>Friars Aylesbury. ''[http://www.aylesburyfriars.co.uk/fleetwoodmac71.html Fleetwood Mac/Gothic Horizon Concert Poster June 12 1971]'', ''Friars Aylesbury Phase 2: 1971–1975''</ref> [[Randy Newman]], [[Hall & Oates]], The Cate Brothers and The Kinks. He was a guest performer on Fleetwood Mac’s UK [[Rumours Tour]] and opened for Ry Cooder on his 1978 European tour.

Desmond then explored [[meditation]] and [[Eastern philosophy]]. In 1980, he was initiated into sannyasa by the Indian mystic [[Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh]] and given the Sanskrit name ''Prabhu Miten'', meaning "Friend of God". He spent time at Osho’s ashram in [[Pune]], where he recorded and produced the album ''In Wonder'', described as a tribute to his guru. During this period, Desmond met record producer [[John Leckie]], known at the ashram as "Nagara". They collaborated on projects including the album ''Blown Away'' for Prabhu Music.<ref>Slovik, Sam. [http://devapremalmiten.com/images/stories/pdfs/miten_sings_LAYoga07.pdf ''Miten Sings: From A Rock To A Heart Place''], LA Yoga, Oct 2007.</ref> From 1992 onward, the German New Age label Tao Music (later New Earth Records) released three albums featuring Desmond: ''Heartbeat'', ''Shadow of Light'' and ''Tidal Wave''.

Desmond tours with his musical partner, [[Deva Premal]], whom he met in India in 1990. Known as Deva Premal & Miten, they perform Indian Sanskrit mantras and Desmond’s songs. They have collaborated with motivational speaker [[Anthony Robbins]],<ref>Attwood, Janet Bray. [http://www.healthywealthynwise.com/article.aspx?author=Janet%20Bray%20Attwood&title=Songs%20of%20the%20Divine:%0D%0AAn%20interview%20from%20the%20Dialogues%20with%20the%20Masters%20Series&Article=5394 ''Songs of the Divine: An interview from the Dialogues with the Masters Series''], ''Healthy Wealthy n Wise'', Feb 2008.</ref> author [[Eckhart Tolle]] and singer [[Cher]], who covered their version of the ancient prayer ''The Gayatri Mantra'' on her ''Farewell Tour'' album in 2002.<ref>Tsering, Lisa. [http://www.hvk.org/articles/0903/116.html ''Cher Chants Gayatri Mantra At Her Concerts''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214154045/http://www.hvk.org/articles/0903/116.html |date=14 February 2012 }}, ''Times of London'', Sept 5 2003.</ref>

==Discography== * ''The Jason Lodge Poetry Book'' (Gothic Horizon), UK Argo 1971 * ''Tomorrow's Another Day'' (Gothic Horizon), UK Argo 1972 * ''Living On A Shoestring'', Konk 1975 * ''Andy Desmond'', Ariola Records, 1976 * ''Global Heart, Native Soul'' (1996) * ''Strength of A Rose'' (with Deva Premal) (1996) * ''Trusting the Silence'' (with Deva Premal) (1997) * ''Blown Away'' (1999) * ''Dance of Life'' (1999) * ''Satsang'' (Deva Premal & Miten) (2002) * ''Songs for the Inner Lover'' (with Deva Premal) (2003) * ''More Than Music'' (Deva Premal & Miten) (2004) * ''Soul In Wonder'' (with Deva Premal) (2007) * ''Download Singles'' (with Deva Premal) (2009) * ''Deva Premal & Miten In Concert'' (Deva Premal & Miten with Manose) (2009) * Deva Premal & Miten with Manose - A Deeper Light (April 2013) co-produced with Joby Baker and Maneesh de Moor * Temple at Midnight (2016)

===Producer=== * Deva Premal - ''The Essence'' (executive producer) (1998) * Deva Premal - ''Love is Space'' (co-producer with Kit Walker) (2000) * Deva Premal - ''Embrace'' (co-producer with Kit Walker) (2002) * Deva Premal - ''Dakshina'' (co-producer with Martyn Phillips and Praful) (2005) * Deva Premal - ''Deva Premal Sings the Moola Mantra'' (co-producer with Ben Leinbach) (2007) * Deva Premal - ''Password'' (co-producer with Rishi) (Oct 2011) * Deva Premal & Miten with Manose - A Deeper Light (April 2013) co-produced with Joby Baker and Maneesh de Moor

== References ==  {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{Official website|http://www.devapremalmiten.com/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Desmond, Andy}} [[Category:British folk rock groups]] [[Category:British world music musicians]] [[Category:New-age musicians]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1947 births]]