DARREL TREECE-BIRCH
-KEYBOARDS-
BIOGRAPHY
Darrel began learning piano at age seven, buying his first synthesizer KORG DW6000 at 17, joining Fleetwood based Progressive Rock Band ‘Purple on the Storm’ in 1985 (featuring long-time collaborator Michael Alan Taylor also singer with Nth Ascension). One of the founding members of Nth Ascension (which began in 2010, one year before joining Melodic Hard Rockers ‘TEN’). Darrel released 4 albums with Nth Ascension before leaving in March 2021. As a solo artist specialising at this point primarily on ambient instrumental material but also touching on his more progressive roots Darrel has also released 4 solo albums to date. Debut album ‘Celestial’ in 2015, ‘No More Time’ in 2016, ‘Healing Touch’ in 2017 and ‘The first step is to take one’ in 2018. Joining TEN in 2011 just prior to their Fleetwoodstock appearance commemorating the start of the Stormwarning mini-tour, Darrel has played on 7 albums to date. ‘Heresy & Creed’ 2012, ‘Albion’ 2014, ‘Isla de Muerta’ 2015, ‘Gothica’ 2017, ‘Illuminati’ 2019, ‘Here Be Monsters’ 2021, and ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ 2022. Darrel has also collaborated on fellow Ten bandmate Steve Grocott’s ‘Signal Red’ album ‘Under the Radar’ in 2018, plus Gary Hughes solo album Waterside 2021 playing keyboards and drums, and Gary’s producer project TAO album ‘Prohecy’ 2021 sung by Ten backing Vocalist Karen Fell. Darrel has also contributed keyboards on the 2021 Scar for Life album ‘Sociophobia’ 2022, and his home-town friends album Mitchell’s Kiss of The Gypsy ‘Unfinished Business’ 2022. In 2023 Darrel embarked on a more expansive song writing exploration under the guise of ‘Darrel Treece-Birch’s Atlantea’ releasing his first album ‘Choices’ in October 2023, with several guest singers and guitarists from far and wide. A sophomore release is due late 2024 or early 2025. Also on the horizon is a new project with oldest friend Alan Allcock under the band name of ‘Dark Matter Theory’. Darrel is producing, arranging and playing several instruments of this new Rock project. This is also due for release in late 2024 or early 2025. More news to follow.
As a fine & graphic artist Darrel has also worked on several sleeves and booklets either in painting, designing or graphic art.
Sleeve/booklets etc designed for:
Nth Ascension: Frequencies of Day and Night and Ascension of Kings
Ten: Opera Omnia (internals), Here Be Monsters, Something Wicked This Way Comes
Gary Hughes: Waterside
Michael Alan Taylor: Avalonia
Darrel Treece-Birch: No More Time, The first step is to take one (painting by Luke Treece-Birch)
Darrel Treece-Birch’s Atlantea: Choices
Cover Art:
Darrel Treece-Birch: Celestial (painting), Healing Touch (painting)
TAO: Prohecy: Original Sleeve Cover -Graphic Art
Darrel Treece-Birch’s Atlantea: Choices
DISCOGRAPHY (Release Order):
Nth Ascension: Frequencies of Day and Night: 11.11.05 - keyboards
Ten: Heresy & Creed: 12.10.19 - keyboards
Ten: Albion: 14.11.21 - keyboards
Nth Ascension: Ascension of Kings: 14.12.13 - keyboards
Ten: Isla De Muerta: 15.05.20 - keyboards
Ten: The Dragon & St. George (EP): 15.09.04 - keyboards
Darrel Treece-Birch: Celestial: 15.10.02 - keyboards
Ten: Battlefield: 16.06.17 - keyboards
Darrel Treece-Birch: No More Time: 16.018.19 – keyboards, programming
Nth Ascension: In Fine Initium: 16.10.14 - keyboards
Ten: Gothica: 17.07.07 - keyboards
Darrel Treece-Birch: Healing Touch: 17.10.27 – keyboards, drums, guitars, bass
Signal Red: Signal Red: 18.02.23- keyboards (selected tracks)
Michael Alan Taylor: Avalonia: 18.06.29- production & keyboards
Ten: Illuminati: 18.11.09- keyboards
Darrel Treece-Birch: The first step is to take one: 18.12.14 – keyboards, drums, guitars, bass
Nth Ascension: Stranger Than Fiction: 19.05.31- keyboards
Ten: Opera Omnia (boxset): 19.04.26- keyboards (selected albums)
Gary Hughes: Waterside: 21.03.12- keyboards & drums
Tao: Prophecy: 21.10.15- keyboards
Ten: Here Be Monsters: 22.02.18- keyboards
Scar For Life: Sociophobia: 22.07.22- keyboards
Mitchell’s Kiss Of The Gypsy: Unfinished Business: 22.09.29- keyboards
Ten: Something Wicked This Way Comes: 23.01.20- keyboards
Darrel Treece-Birch’s Atlantea: Choices: 23.10.06 - keyboards, drums, guitars, bass