Magnetic Fields
Keynote Speaker: Indie Pop Group; Founded & Led By Stephin Merritt
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Magnetic Fields Biography
The Magnetic Fields (named after the André Breton novel, Les Champs Magnétiques) is the principal creative outlet of singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt. While the particular musical style of the band is usually as malleable as Merritt's songwriting, they are commonly attributed to pop genres and subgenres, including synthpop, indie pop, noise pop, and, most recently, folk-pop.
Earlier in the band's career, The Magnetic Fields were characterized by synthesized instrumentation by Merritt with lead vocals provided by Susan Anway (and then by Stephin Merrit himself). A more traditional band later materialized, currently composed of Merritt, Claudia Gonson, Sam Davol, and John Woo, with occasional guest vocals by Shirley Simms. The band is recognizable for Merrit's lyrics, often about love, that are by turns ironic, bitter, and humorous.
Their debut album, Distant Plastic Trees was issued in 1991 and re-released by Merge Records in 1994 as a double album compilation with the band's following release, The Wayward Bus. The Merge reissue included a silence of four minutes and thirty-three seconds before “Railroad Boy” which could be an unlisted cover of John Cage's silent piece, “4′33″.” “The Wayward Bus” had been released first in 1992 and was the last album to feature Susan Anway as lead vocalist.
“Holiday” followed in 1994 on Feel Good All Over. Merge Records reissued it in 1999. The first Magnetic Fields album to have its original release with Merge Records, The Charm of the Highway Strip, was also released in 1994. Merge issued Get Lost in 1995.
The 1999 triple album 69 Love Songs showcased Merritt's songwriting abilities and the group's musicianship, demonstrated by the use of such varied instruments as ukulele, banjo, accordion, cello, mandolin, flute, xylophone, and Marxophone, in addition to their usual setting of synthesizers, guitars, and effects. The album featured vocalists Shirley Simms, Dudley Klute, L.D. Beghtol, and Claudia Gonson, each of whom sings lead on six songs as well as various backing vocals, plus Daniel Handler on accordion, and longtime collaborator Christopher Ewen as guest arranger/synthesist.
The band's recent albums, i and Distortion, both followed the album theme structure of “69 Love Songs” with the song titles on I begin with the letter “I,” while Distortion was an experiment in combining noise music with their typically unconventional musical approach. The liner notes claim the album was made without synthesizers. Realism was released in January 2010, concluding what Merritt termed the “no-synth” trilogy.
The band released its tenth full-length album, Love at the Bottom of the Sea, on March 6, 2012 to critical acclaim. This album, sometimes compared to 69 Love Songs, brought back the use of a synthesizer. Merritt told fans on his website, "I was very happy to be using synthesizers in ways that I had not done before. Most of the synthesizers on the record didn't exist when we were last using synthesizers." The song "Andrew in Drag" has garnered much attention, receiving play from entities such as CBS News and NPR's "All Songs Considered." In 2012, the Magnetic Fields celebrated its new album by launching a North American and European tour. It began on March 6, the release date of Love at the Bottom of the Sea, and continued for two months.
In 2016 it was announced that the band's eleventh studio album, 50 Song Memoir would contain fifty songs, akin to the 69 Love Songs concept, one to commemorate each year since Stephin Merritt was born. It was released in March 2017.
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Magnetic Fields Videos
How do I book Magnetic Fields to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Magnetic Fields for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Magnetic Fields, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Magnetic Fields or any other speaker of your choice.
How much does it cost to book Magnetic Fields for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Magnetic Fields, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $30,000 - $50,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Magnetic Fields, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
What topics does Magnetic Fields speak about?
Magnetic Fields is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Music and Celebrity.
Where does Magnetic Fields travel from?
Magnetic Fields generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
Who is the agent for Magnetic Fields?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Magnetic Fields for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Magnetic Fields for your next private or corporate function.
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Magnetic Fields or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Magnetic Fields is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Music and Celebrity. The estimated speaking fee range to book Magnetic Fields for live events is $30,000 - $50,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Magnetic Fields generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Chappell Roan, Deniece Williams and Ximena Sariñana. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Magnetic Fields for an upcoming event.
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Magnetic Fields Videos
NEWS
Magnetic Fields News
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The Magnetic Fields' 50 Song Memoir, reviewed.
The reticent Magnetic Fields impresario returns to the jumbo-sized .... preferred to operate under band names (“bandonyms,” as I've dubbed them), not their own ...
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A Life In Music: The Magnetic Fields' '50 Song Memoir' : The Record ...
The Magnetic Fields' 50 Song Memoir is, just as the title says, an autobiography of songwriter Stephin Merritt, with one song for each year of his life, and a tribute ...
FAQS
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How do I book Magnetic Fields to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Magnetic Fields for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Magnetic Fields, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Magnetic Fields or any other speaker of your choice. -
How much does it cost to book Magnetic Fields for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Magnetic Fields, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $30,000 - $50,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Magnetic Fields, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Magnetic Fields speak about?
-
Where does Magnetic Fields travel from?
Magnetic Fields generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. -
Who is the agent for Magnetic Fields?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Magnetic Fields for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Magnetic Fields for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Magnetic Fields or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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