Curt Kirkwood
Encyclopedia
Curtis Matthew Kirkwood is an American
singer, guitarist
, and songwriter
. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona
, but currently resides in Austin, Texas
.
Curt has been the lead singer and founding member for the alternative rock
group Meat Puppets
since 1980. He formed the band along with his brother Cris
on bass, and drummer Derrick Bostrom
. The trio went in a hiatus in 1996 after a long career where the band became hailed as one of the premier and innovative indie bands as well as briefly achieving mainstream success in the early 90s. Curt re-formed the Meat Puppets with Kyle Ellison (guitar), Andrew Duplantis (bass) and Shandon Sahm (drums) to complete one studio album, Golden Lies
in 2000 before disbanding. After the Meat Puppets, Curt toured as a solo act before banding together with Nirvana
bassist Krist Novoselic
and Sublime
drummer Bud Gaugh
to form Eyes Adrift
. They released a self-titled album in 2002 and toured the United States before going separate ways. Curt then formed another band, Volcano, which only released one album, before he decided to focus on his solo career. His first solo album Snow
was released in October 2005.
He is also an artist and created the cover art for several Meat Puppets
albums, as well as for Stephen Beachy
's novel The Whistling Song.
In 2006, the Meat Puppets re-formed with Cris back on bass and new drummer Ted Marcus
as the replacement for Derrick Bostrom
. The band has since released three new albums, Rise to Your Knees
(2007), Sewn Together
(2009), and Lollipop (2011).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, but currently resides in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
Curt has been the lead singer and founding member for the alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
group Meat Puppets
Meat Puppets
The Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980, in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood , his brother Cris Kirkwood , and Derrick Bostrom . The Kirkwood brothers met Bostrom while attending Brophy Prep High School in Phoenix...
since 1980. He formed the band along with his brother Cris
Cris Kirkwood
Christopher "Cris" Kirkwood is an American musician who is the bassist and a founding member of the Meat Puppets, an alternative punk rock band.-Biography:...
on bass, and drummer Derrick Bostrom
Derrick Bostrom
Derrick Bostrom is an American musician. He was the original drummer of the band Meat Puppets, which he founded together with the Kirkwood brothers, Cris and Curt, in 1980....
. The trio went in a hiatus in 1996 after a long career where the band became hailed as one of the premier and innovative indie bands as well as briefly achieving mainstream success in the early 90s. Curt re-formed the Meat Puppets with Kyle Ellison (guitar), Andrew Duplantis (bass) and Shandon Sahm (drums) to complete one studio album, Golden Lies
Golden Lies
Golden Lies is a 2000 album by the Meat Puppets. After the You Love Me EP, in 1999, this was the second release from the second line-up of the Meat Puppets.-Track listing:All songs written by Curt Kirkwood, unless otherwise noted....
in 2000 before disbanding. After the Meat Puppets, Curt toured as a solo act before banding together with Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
bassist Krist Novoselic
Krist Novoselic
Krist Anthony Novoselic II is a Croatian-American rock musician, best known for being the bassist and co-founder of the grunge band Nirvana. After Nirvana ended, Novoselic formed Sweet 75 and then Eyes Adrift, releasing one album with each band...
and Sublime
Sublime (band)
Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
drummer Bud Gaugh
Bud Gaugh
Floyd "Bud" I. Gaugh IV is a rock music drummer who played in the bands Sublime , Long Beach Dub Allstars , Eyes Adrift Volcano , Del Mar and Sublime with Rome...
to form Eyes Adrift
Eyes Adrift
Eyes Adrift was a three piece rock supergroup consisting of Krist Novoselic , Curt Kirkwood , and Bud Gaugh...
. They released a self-titled album in 2002 and toured the United States before going separate ways. Curt then formed another band, Volcano, which only released one album, before he decided to focus on his solo career. His first solo album Snow
Snow (Curt Kirkwood album)
Snow is the first solo album of Curt Kirkwood, of the alternative rock band Meat Puppets. In his solo career, short though it was, Curt has pursued a more countrified aspect of his music. "Golden Lies" was originally written as the title track for the previous Meat Puppets album, hower, it was...
was released in October 2005.
He is also an artist and created the cover art for several Meat Puppets
Meat Puppets
The Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980, in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood , his brother Cris Kirkwood , and Derrick Bostrom . The Kirkwood brothers met Bostrom while attending Brophy Prep High School in Phoenix...
albums, as well as for Stephen Beachy
Stephen Beachy
Stephen Beachy is a writer. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1965. His first novel, The Whistling Song, was published by W. W. Norton with cover illustrations by Curt Kirkwood in 1991 and his second, Distortion, by Harrington Park Press, in 2000 and was reprinted in December 2010 by Rebel...
's novel The Whistling Song.
In 2006, the Meat Puppets re-formed with Cris back on bass and new drummer Ted Marcus
Ted Marcus
Ted Marcus is an American drummer formerly of the Meat Puppets. Marcus replaced original drummer Derrick Bostrom, for the band's 2006 reunion. He was present on their 2007 reunion album Rise to Your Knees and its follow-up Sewn Together...
as the replacement for Derrick Bostrom
Derrick Bostrom
Derrick Bostrom is an American musician. He was the original drummer of the band Meat Puppets, which he founded together with the Kirkwood brothers, Cris and Curt, in 1980....
. The band has since released three new albums, Rise to Your Knees
Rise to Your Knees
Rise to Your Knees is the Meat Puppets' eleventh full-length studio album, which was released on July 17, 2007. Not only was it their first studio release since 2000's Golden Lies, it was also their first to feature the original bassist Cris Kirkwood since his departure after the release of 1995's...
(2007), Sewn Together
Sewn Together
Sewn Together is the Meat Puppets' twelfth full-length studio album. It was released on May 12, 2009, both on CD and vinyl. It was the follow-up to their 2007 reunion album Rise to Your Knees.-Album information:...
(2009), and Lollipop (2011).
External links
- Interview with Curt Kirkwood by Jarrod Dicker
- Meat Puppets' new official website, maintained by the band and Anodyne Records.
- Meat Puppets' original website, maintained by original drummer Derrick Bostrom
- Live Repository
- Moonglampers Ramble - a music blog primarily focusing on live Meat Puppets.
- Little Dog Records' Curt Kirkwood Page
- Silver Wonder Press, Kirkwood designed cover for book by Lee Ranaldo, "Hello From the American Desert"