Life and Career
Bland was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated from Minneapolis South High School in 1987. He still lives in Minneapolis, but plays in Los Angeles as a session drummer for such artists as Mandy Moore, Clay Aiken, Backstreet Boys, and the Anchorman Soundtrack.
He played with Prince 1989-1996, Paul Westerberg in 1996, Chaka Khan in 1997, and Maxwell 1998-2000.
In 2000, he played in the Minneapolis project of French reed player Michel Portal (the rest of the band was Tony Hymas, Sonny T., Vernon Reid and Jef Lee Johnson). With Jef Lee Johnson and Sonny T., Michael Bland created News from the Jungle which recorded one album for Universal also produced by Jean Rochard. Both bands, Michel Portal's and News from the jungle, toured in France (Paris Olympia). Michael will also play on several tracks of the Michel Portal album Birdwatcher in 2006.
In 2005, Bland was the drummer for Paul Westerberg's tour, and he recently played on the Hurricane Katrina Relief telethon with the Dixie Chicks. Bland is also now working as a producer, currently working with the upcoming rock-pop band Catchpenny, also from Minneapolis.
He is the drummer on Soul Asylum's album The Silver Lining. He also tours with them.
Bland, with colleague and ex-NPG member Sonny T. (Thompson) teamed up with Prince once again to provide drumming for the title track of Prince's 3121 album.
Bland also played drums on Indigenous's 2006 album, Chasing the Sun.
In 2007 Bland & Thompson laid down the rhythmtracks for some tracks on Prince's 2007 CD 'Planet Earth'.
When not on tour, Bland can usually be found every Sunday and Monday night at the nightclub "Bunker's" in downtown Minneapolis performing with Dr. Mambo's Combo. Bland also performs in the area with pop/R&B band, The Rule.
During the fall of 2007 Michael Bland has been busy working on a release by his own protégé, Mayda, performing with her regularly in the Minneapolis area as well as recording a studio album. Her first release, the Stereotype EP, was released in 2007. Michael Bland continued working with Mayda and played on and produced a full length album with her in 2009, titled The Interrogation.
Currently, Michael Bland is the drummer of the band Nick Jonas and The Administration. He is also rehearsing with The Peterson Family (which includes St. Paul Peterson, a former member of The Family, a Prince protégé band from 1985) as the Peterson's prepare to go on an Australian tour in the summer of 2010. He is also currently touring with Soul Asylum.
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