Editing Brian Ritchie

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Brian Ritchie
| image           = Brian_Ritchie_Benefit.jpg
| caption         = Ritchie performing at a benefit for Wayne Goodwin, Sydney, Australia, August 2008
| birth_name      =
| alias           =
| birth_date      = {{birth date and age|1960|11|21}}
| birth_place     = [[Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]], U.S.
| death_date      =
| origin          =
| instrument      = [[Bass guitar]], [[shakuhachi]]
| genre           = [[Rock music|Rock]], [[punk rock]], [[folk music]]
| occupation      = [[Musician]], [[songwriter]]
| years_active    =
| label           = Thylacine, Unhip, Slash, Warners, Reprise, Electra, Rough Trade, London
| associated_acts = [[Violent Femmes]], [[Zen Circus]]
| website         = 
}}
[[File:Brian Ritchie 2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|At Day on the Meadow on July 2nd, 2006 in San Jose, California]]

'''Brian Ritchie''' (born November 21, 1960) is an American musician, best known as the bassist for the [[alternative rock]] band [[Violent Femmes]]. Ritchie was born and raised in the United States and is currently a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia, with his full-time residence in Australia.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/ritchieaussie |title=Femmes' Brian Ritchie to become an Aussie |date=25 January 2012 |publisher=onmilwaukee.com |access-date=2022-05-10}}</ref>

In 2007 the Violent Femmes broke up acrimoniously after an argument between Ritchie and singer [[Gordon Gano]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/the_weird_story_of_why_the_violent_femmes_broke_up_in_2007-157726 |title=The Weird Story of why the Violent Femmes Broke up in 2007 |publisher=Ultimate-Guitar.com |access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref> 
The band eventually re-formed and still tours today. It has since released several albums including Hotel Last Resort in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jul/26/violent-femmes-hotel-last-resort-review |title=Violent Femmes Hotel Last Resort Review |work=The Guardian |date=26 July 2019 |access-date=2024-05-28 |last1=Hann |first1=Michael }}</ref>    

Ritchie was curator of MONA FOMA festival at Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Tasmania from 2007 until it was discontinued in 2024.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-05/tas-mona-foma-calls-it-quits-david-walsh/103675398 |title=MONA FOMA Calls It Quits |publisher=ABC |date=2024-04-05 |access-date=2024-05-25}}</ref>  

In addition to his bass playing, Ritchie is proficient at the [[shakuhachi]], a [[Music of Japan|Japanese]] [[bamboo]] flute. He acquired a Jun Shihan (shakuhachi teaching license) in March 2003 from [[James Nyoraku Schlefer]], and his professional name is "Tairaku" ("big music" in [[Japanese language|Japanese]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bigappleshak.com/bas/bio-ritchie.shtml |title=Biographies – Brian Ritchie |publisher=Bigappleshak.com |access-date=2011-07-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721042315/http://www.bigappleshak.com/bas/bio-ritchie.shtml |archive-date=2011-07-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Ritchie has released three solo albums: in 1987, "The Blend," in 1989, "Sonic Temple & Court of Babylon" and "I See A Noise" in 1990.

In 2007 Ritchie produced and toured with the Italian punk/folk band [[Zen Circus|The Zen Circus]], which subsequently changed its name to The Zen Circus and Brian Ritchie. The first international album of the band, ''[[Villa Inferno]]'', was released in 2008 for the Italian record label Unhip Records.

In 2008, Ritchie and his wife, Varuni Kulasekera, moved to [[Hobart]], [[Tasmania]], [[Australia]], where he has guested in a band called [[The Green Mist]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/news/aust/5093/ |title=Violent Femmes' Brian Ritchie moves to Australia on |publisher=Fasterlouder.com.au |date=2006-06-27 |access-date=2011-07-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321212529/http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/news/aust/5093/ |archive-date=2012-03-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=nyt_hobart>{{cite news|last=Otterman|first=Sharon|title=Tasmania Goes Boutique, Nice and Slow|url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/07/29/travel/29next.html|access-date=2 September 2011|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=29 July 2007}}</ref> Ritchie does most of his work in DV (David Vartanian) Studios.

On Australia Day 2012, Ritchie and his wife were naturalised as Australian citizens.<ref name=auscitizen>{{cite news|last=Darby|first=Andrew|title=Tasmania more fun than blisters in the sun|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/tasmania-more-fun-than-blisters-in-the-sun-20120126-1qjt7.html|access-date=17 July 2013|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 January 2012}}</ref>

In 2009 he curated the first [[MONA FOMA|Mona Foma]] (MoFo) festival<ref>[http://www.australianstage.com.au/component/option,com_events/Itemid,35/agid,6334/catids,142/day,8/month,1/task,view_detail/year,2010// ]{{dead link|date=July 2011}}</ref> in Hobart, Tasmania. Since 2009 he has curated Mona Foma every year until 2024. At the 2012 MoFo, he organised an impromptu performance of the entire Violent Femmes first album by a 'super band' consisting of musicians playing at MoFo: the [[Dresden Dolls]] ([[Amanda Palmer]], vocals, and [[Brian Viglione]], drums), two musicians touring with [[PJ Harvey]]'s band ([[Mick Harvey]], guitar, and [[John Parish]]) and with Brian Ritchie himself on bass guitar and vibraphone.

In 2010 he toured as bassist with the Australian surf instrumental band called The Break, composed of [[Midnight Oil]] members [[Rob Hirst]], [[Jim Moginie]] and [[Martin Rotsey]].
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebreak.net.au/bio.html |title=The Surf Instrumental Will Never Be The Same |publisher=The Break |access-date=2011-07-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716081849/http://www.thebreak.net.au/bio.html |archive-date=2011-07-16 }}</ref> 
Their debut album ''Church of the Open Sky'' was released on April 16, 2010, on the independent label [[Bombora]], distributed by [[MGM]].

In 2011 his home in Tasmania, designed by architect Stuart Tanner, was featured on the TV series ''Sandcastles''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sandcastlestv.com/episode/05 |title=Episode 05 &#124; Sandcastles |publisher=Sandcastlestv.com |date=2012-04-19 |access-date=2013-06-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710194700/http://www.sandcastlestv.com/episode/05 |archive-date=2013-07-10 }}</ref>

== Discography ==
*1987 – ''The Blend'' (LP)
*1989 – ''Sonic Temple & Court of Babylon'' (LP)
*1989 – "Sun Ra – Man from Outer Space" (single)
*1990 – ''I See a Noise'' (LP)
*2004 – ''Shakuhachi Club NYC'' (LP)
*2006 – ''Ryoanji'' (LP)
*2007 – ''Taimu'' (LP)
*2008 – ''[[Villa Inferno]]'' (LP with The Zen Circus)
*2010 – ''Church of the Open Sky'' (with The Break)
* 2011 – ''Tea Life'' (with Silas Be Ritchie)
* 2012 – ''Tea Life 2'' (with Silas Be Ritchie)
* 2013 – ''Space Farm'' (with The Break)
* 2013 – ''Tea Life 3 / Teenage Strangler'' 12" vinyl split (with Silas Be Ritchie)
* 2019 – ''Hotel Last Resort'' / (with Violent Femmes)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{VFemmes}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ritchie, Brian}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American bass guitarists]]
[[Category:Shakuhachi players]]
[[Category:Guitarists from Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Musicians from Milwaukee]]
[[Category:American emigrants to Australia]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of Australia]]
[[Category:Violent Femmes members]]
[[Category:American male guitarists]]
[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:American male bass guitarists]]
[[Category:20th-century American flautists]]