Tim Kinsella

Tim Kinsella (born October 22, 1974) is a musician from Chicago, Illinois. He has been a member of many bands, including Cap'n Jazz,[1] the Sky Corvair, Joan of Arc, Owls, Friend/Enemy, Everyoned, and Make Believe, and worked with a variety of musicians, from Marvin Tate and Leroy Bach to Angel Olsen and many more. He has also recorded solo material, some of it under the name Tim Kinsella(s).

Kinsella is known for his eccentric singing voice,[2] and bartends at the Rainbo Club in Chicago's Ukrainian Village neighborhood. His brother Mike Kinsella refers to his bartending in the song "Breaking Away" on Owen's (The EP) (2004).

Tim Kinsella is the writer-director of the feature film Orchard Vale,[3] which opened at the Chicago Underground Film Festival on August 15, 2007, and his first novel, entitled The Karaoke Singer's Guide to Self-Defense, was published by Featherproof Books in September 2011[4] (Eric Lutz of Newcity wrote, "Most of the time, it’s gripping. On a number of occasions, it’s shit-your-pants brilliant").[5] His second novel, Let Go and Go On and On (Curbside Splendor Publishing), which takes its inspiration from the late actress Laurie Bird's brief film career in the '70s, followed in April 2014.[6]

History

Tim Kinsella got his start musically around 1989 when he, his brother, Mike Kinsella, met Sam Zurick, and Victor Villarreal to form Cap'n Jazz.[1] They were all in school at the time, and it took them a while to get serious about playing music. After going through several name changes, and adding guitarist Davey von Bohlen, the group decided to make music seriously, ultimately garnering a cult following, and fame in the independent music scene of Chicago and the midwest.

Cap'n Jazz

Following the release of Cap'n Jazz's first and only album, Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards In The Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We've Slipped On and Egg Shells We've Tippy Toed Over (also known as Shmap'n Shmazz), and their last show on July 14, 1995 they disbanded, and member Davey von Bohlen left Chicago to focus on his side project The Promise Ring. Three years after the breakup, in 1998, Jade Tree Records put out a double disc compilation, called Analphabetapolothology, which included all the songs from Shmap'n Shmazz, as well as songs from various 7", singles, demos and outtakes. Victor Villareal went home, and after a year of playing music independently, Tim, Mike, and Sam recruited Erik Bocek and Jeremy Boyle for what would eventually be called Joan of Arc. On January 22, 2010, Cap'n Jazz played their first reunion show since the split in 1995 at the Empty Bottle in their hometown of Chicago. They have since released details of their shows at The Bottom Lounge for July 17 and 18th of 2010.[7]

The Sky Corvair

The Sky Corvair began as a side project for members of Braid, Cap'n Jazz, and Gauge. They played their first show in October 1994, and recorded nine songs that December. Shortly thereafter, Tim Kinsella left the band to pursue Cap'n Jazz full-time. Tim's credit on The Sky Corvair's only album includes, guitar, vocals, and mixing.

Discography

Albums

Joan of Arc

Main article: Joan of Arc (band)

After the demise of Cap'n Jazz, Kinsella began writing new material with keyboardist Jeremy Boyle. At this point, he was learning a new instrument (the guitar), and his songwriting began to take an abstract/experimental turn. Simultaneously, Sam Zurick was learning the drums, and playing in a band with Erik Bocek (a high school friend and former Cap'n Jazz roadie). The two were joined together, and after the addition of Mike Kinsella, Red Blue Yellow was born.

After difficulties, and a breakup after their first show, they threw away all of their old material, and started afresh, with a new name, and new songs. Three months later, Joan of Arc had their first show at Autonomous Zone in Chicago. After two promising 7" singles the band recorded their debut album A Portable Model of... for Jade Tree. The album introduced JOA's signature sound - a fondness for stark acoustic songs then altered with subtle electronics.

Discography

Owls

Owls were an indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois, from 2001-2002. The band was formed by the original lineup of seminal experimental indie rock band Cap'n Jazz soon after its second breakup (the first came in 1994); Cap'n Jazz guitarist Davey Von Bohlen, who played in the band's second incarnation, had gone on to found, and was now playing in The Promise Ring. The band's lineup consisted of brothers Tim Kinsella and Mike Kinsella (on vocals and drums, respectively), along with guitarist Victor Villareal and bassist Sam Zurick. Tim Kinsella and Zurick have also played together in Joan of Arc and Make Believe, and Villareal and Zurick have played together in the instrumental-rock Ghosts and Vodka.

The band released an album, Owls, in 2001. Unfortunately, the band dissolved after one tour. Rumours circulated that this was largely due to the complications arising from guitarist Victor Villareal's heroin dependency. When Mike Kinsella left to continue his solo project Owen and to play guitar for Maritime, he was replaced for a few live shows by Ryan Rapsys.

Friend/Enemy

Friend/Enemy was formed in 2001 as the next in a series of projects fronted by Kinsella. The band's core members include Kinsella, Todd Mattei (also of Joan of Arc), and Jim Becker (Califone). Friend/Enemy can best be described as a loose folk-punk somewhere between T.V. Smith and Captain Beefheart. Kinsella's trademark postmodern beat poet routine takes a sharper, more adult turn and Becker adds a host of incidental noises including banjo, pedal steel, and percussion. The first release, 10 Songs, was recorded at the Slabb in Chicago and had a handful of the city's musical intelligentsia adding sounds. These included vocals by Caryn Culp (Plastic Crime Wave), keyboards by Andy Lansagan (the 90 Day Men), bass by Nick Macri (Euphone, Sunny Day Real Estate), piano by Azita Youssefi (Bride of No No), and bass by Sam Zurick (Joan of Arc, Owls).[8]

Everyoned

Tim has participated in Everyoned, a supergroup which also includes members from Pigface, TV Pow, Joan of Arc, Town & Country, Revolting Cocks, and Central Falls. Though a Chicago favorite, album sales never translated and each band mate went back to their preoccupying gig.

Discography

Albums

Make Believe

Make Believe is 2003's touring version of Joan of Arc, consisting of singer Tim Kinsella, guitarist Sam Zurick, bassist Bobby Burg, and drummer Nate Kinsella. After 3 months of touring solidified their playing together, they returned home and decided to follow this impulse and write new songs with a more aggressive approach. But they all knew it had to be something different than Joan of Arc. For it to be represented as a true collaboration and reflect its totally different approach to songwriting and speak for itself it had to shake whatever connotations the band name Joan of Arc had acquired. Their first full-length Shock of Being was released on October 4, 2005. In June 2007 Kinsella left the band to focus on other projects and married life. However, months after his departure from the band, Kinsella rejoined his bandmates and recorded their third album in fall 2007. On February 22, 2008 the band played their first show since Kinsella's departure at Chicago's Subterranean. The third full-length Goin' to the Bone Church was released on April 29, 2008.

Collaborations

Tim has also worked on numerous collaborations. He has worked with an array of Chicago heavyweights including the prolific poet Marvin Tate and multi-instrumentalist (& former Wilco member) LeRoy Bach. Kinsella worked on an album released on Joyful Noise Recordings called "Tim Kinsella sings the songs of Marvin Tate by LeRoy Bach featuring Angel Olsen". Kinsella is the album's narrator, walking the line between judgment and sympathy, and shepherding all of the characters through their various struggles. Themes of race, private culture, and psychological stress rise throughout the work. Eventually the consensus was made that some of the stories could be enhanced by an additional singer. The trio enlisted their friend Angel Olsen Jagjaguwar Records. The release is limited to just 1000 copies on splatter vinyl.[2]

Tim Kinsella(s)

After the release of the Gap, Tim started to do some solo work for Troubleman Unlimited, and decided that this new era should coincide with a name change. He released 4 works under Tim Kinsellas for various labels. Tim had a falling out with the head of Troubleman Unlimited over royalties and currently the two are not speaking even though Tim admits his error on the issue. Tim's solo release entitled "Crucifix/Swastika" was written while he was on his honeymoon. Field Recordings of Dreams was recorded late at night.

Discography

Albums

EPs/7"

A Set

Tim contributed his guitar work to the A Set CD "The Science of Living Things" released on the now defunct label Tree Records. Albert Menduno is the lead man behind this band and has released CDs without the contribution of Tim Kinsella.

Discography

"Albums"

"Comps"

References

  1. 1 2 Jade Tree | Press
  2. 1 2 http://www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com/epk-tim-kinsella-sings-the-songs-of-marvin-tate-by-leroy-bach-featuring-angel-olsen.html
  3. ↑ "Orchard Vale". Chicago Underground Film Festival. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  4. ↑ Featherproof Books. Fall 2011 Accessed 24 September 2011.
  5. ↑ Lutz, Eric. "Fiction Review: "The Karaoke Singer's Guide to Self-Defense" by Tim Kinsella". Newcity Communications, Inc. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  6. ↑ "Curbside Catalog Spring/Summer 2014" (PDF). Curbside Splendor Publishing. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  7. ↑ Jade Tree. News. Accessed 24 September 2011.
  8. ↑ Adapted from band bio on Joan of Arc website
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