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David Kilgour (musician)
Encyclopedia
David Kilgour is a musician from Dunedin
, a city in the South Island
of New Zealand
. He first started playing guitar as a teenager in the late 1970s. With brother Hamish
he formed The Clean
, a group that went on to become one of the most popular and most respected bands in New Zealand.
, which was centred around the Flying Nun record label
and produced other acts including The Verlaines
, The Chills
, Straitjacket Fits
, The Bats
(which included The Clean bassist Robert Scott
) and the Tall Dwarfs
. The Clean broke up in the early 1980s, and David Kilgour proceeded to form and play with other bands such as Stephen and The Great Unwashed. The Clean reformed in 1989 and produced the album Vehicle, arguably their strongest work to date.
In 1991, Kilgour struck out on his own and recorded his first solo CD, Here Come The Cars, which received much critical acclaim. 1994 showcased the release of his second solo lp, Sugar Mouth. In 1995 he released First Steps and False Alarms, a compilation of recordings & demos, so called the 'best of the worst',done between the late 80s and early 90s. In 1997 he recorded his 3rd lp David Kilgour and The Heavy Eights, made with the help of several other notable Dunedinites such as Martin Phillipps from The Chills
. In late 2000, after a four-year hiatus, The Clean reformed again to record Getaway, only their fourth full-length LP—along with Vehicle, Modern Rock (1994) and Unknown Country (1996)—in their 20+ year history.
David Kilgour has come to be known as one of the most respected and admired songwriters of his generation and certainly one of the greatest rock musicians to come out of New Zealand. His signature guitar twang and languid, carefree melodies are readily identifiable. His more obvious influences include Bob Dylan
and Lou Reed
, with other, less obvious influences including Brian Eno
, to whom an instrumental on First Steps and False Alarms is dedicated.
In January 2001, David was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit
in recognition and in honour of his contributions to the arts and cultural heritage of his homeland.
That same year, he released his 4th solo LP, A Feather In The Engine, hailed by many as his best work yet. His current U.S. label, Merge
, describes it as "pure psychedelic pop bliss".
In 2004, his fifth solo album Frozen Orange was released on Arch Hill Recordings
(NZ) and Merge Records (USA). For Frozen Orange, Kilgour left his native New Zealand and recorded in Nashville with members of Lambchop
and Jason Loewenstein of Sebadoh, along with his longtime backing band The Heavy Eights, consisting of Taane Tokona, Alan Haig, Tony De Raad and Thomas Bell. The album also marked the first recording that Kilgour did not produce himself, a task left to Mark Nevers (producer / engineer of Lambchop).
Kilgour released his sixth solo album, The Far Now, on February 5, 2007 on Arch Hill/Remote Control (NZ/Australia) and Merge
(USA). The new album was recorded in Kilgour's hometown of Dunedin with his backing band The Heavy Eights. Recording of the album was split into two parts, with some songs laid down in winter 2004 at the Tinshed, and the rest between 2005 and 2006 at Studio One.
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, a city in the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He first started playing guitar as a teenager in the late 1970s. With brother Hamish
Hamish Kilgour
Hamish Kilgour is a New Zealand musician notable for founding The Clean along with his brother David in 1978. He later moved to New York City and formed The Mad Scene in the early 1990s.-References:...
he formed The Clean
The Clean
The Clean are an influential Indie rock band that formed in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1978. Led through a number of early rotating line-ups by brothers Hamish and David Kilgour, the band settled down to their well-known and current line-up with bassist Robert Scott...
, a group that went on to become one of the most popular and most respected bands in New Zealand.
The Clean and The Great Unwashed
The Clean are recognised as one of the founders of the New Zealand independent rock scene and a pivotal band in the development of the Dunedin SoundDunedin Sound
The Dunedin sound was a style of indie pop music created in the southern New Zealand university city of Dunedin in the early 1980s.-Characteristics:...
, which was centred around the Flying Nun record label
Flying Nun Records
Flying Nun Records is an independent record label formed in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1981 by music-store proprietor Roger Shepherd.-History:The label was formed in the flurry of new punk rock-inspired labels forming in the early 1980s...
and produced other acts including The Verlaines
The Verlaines
The Verlaines are a rock band from Dunedin, New Zealand. Formed in 1981 by Graeme Downes, Craig Easton, Anita Pillai, Phillip Higham and Greg Kerr, the band went through multiple line-ups before going on an extended hiatus after their 1997 album Over The Moon. In 2003 a career retrospective, You're...
, The Chills
The Chills
The Chills are a guitar and keyboard-based rock band from Dunedin, New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, they were one of the proponents of the Dunedin Sound.- History :...
, Straitjacket Fits
Straitjacket Fits
Straitjacket Fits formed in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1986 and were a prominent band in the Flying Nun label's second wave of the Dunedin Sound.-Biography:...
, The Bats
The Bats
The Bats are an influential New Zealand rock band formed in 1982 in Christchurch by Paul Kean , Malcolm Grant , Robert Scott and Kaye Woodward...
(which included The Clean bassist Robert Scott
Robert Scott (musician)
Robert Scott is a New Zealand musician. He is a part of indie rock bands The Clean and The Bats, playing bass for The Clean, and guitar/vocals for The Bats.Both groups have been greatly influential beyond their limited commercial success....
) and the Tall Dwarfs
Tall Dwarfs
Tall Dwarfs are a New Zealand rock band formed in 1981 by Chris Knox and Alec Bathgate who, through their do-it-yourself ethic, helped pioneer the lo-fi style of rock music. The duo formed out of the ashes of Toy Love....
. The Clean broke up in the early 1980s, and David Kilgour proceeded to form and play with other bands such as Stephen and The Great Unwashed. The Clean reformed in 1989 and produced the album Vehicle, arguably their strongest work to date.
Solo career
The Chills
The Chills are a guitar and keyboard-based rock band from Dunedin, New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, they were one of the proponents of the Dunedin Sound.- History :...
. In late 2000, after a four-year hiatus, The Clean reformed again to record Getaway, only their fourth full-length LP—along with Vehicle, Modern Rock (1994) and Unknown Country (1996)—in their 20+ year history.
David Kilgour has come to be known as one of the most respected and admired songwriters of his generation and certainly one of the greatest rock musicians to come out of New Zealand. His signature guitar twang and languid, carefree melodies are readily identifiable. His more obvious influences include Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
, with other, less obvious influences including Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
, to whom an instrumental on First Steps and False Alarms is dedicated.
In January 2001, David was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
in recognition and in honour of his contributions to the arts and cultural heritage of his homeland.
That same year, he released his 4th solo LP, A Feather In The Engine, hailed by many as his best work yet. His current U.S. label, Merge
Merge Records
Merge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It began as a way to release music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends, and has expanded to include artists from around the world and records...
, describes it as "pure psychedelic pop bliss".
In 2004, his fifth solo album Frozen Orange was released on Arch Hill Recordings
Arch Hill Recordings
Arch Hill Recordings, formerly Arch Hill Studios, is a New Zealand recording studio and record label in Auckland. It was founded in 1998.Artists include David Kilgour The Clean, The Bats, Don McGlashan, Bachelorette, The Boxcar Guitars, Luke Buda, Dappled Cities Fly, Fang, Ghostplane, Grand Prix,...
(NZ) and Merge Records (USA). For Frozen Orange, Kilgour left his native New Zealand and recorded in Nashville with members of Lambchop
Lambchop (band)
Lambchop, originally Posterchild, is a band from Nashville, Tennessee. Lambchop is loosely associated with the alternative country genre...
and Jason Loewenstein of Sebadoh, along with his longtime backing band The Heavy Eights, consisting of Taane Tokona, Alan Haig, Tony De Raad and Thomas Bell. The album also marked the first recording that Kilgour did not produce himself, a task left to Mark Nevers (producer / engineer of Lambchop).
Kilgour released his sixth solo album, The Far Now, on February 5, 2007 on Arch Hill/Remote Control (NZ/Australia) and Merge
Merge Records
Merge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It began as a way to release music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends, and has expanded to include artists from around the world and records...
(USA). The new album was recorded in Kilgour's hometown of Dunedin with his backing band The Heavy Eights. Recording of the album was split into two parts, with some songs laid down in winter 2004 at the Tinshed, and the rest between 2005 and 2006 at Studio One.
Discography
- Here Come The Cars (1991)
- Sugar Mouth (1994)
- David Kilgour and Heavy Eights (September 9, 1997)
- A Feather in the Engine (January 29, 2002)
- Frozen Orange (August 24, 2004)
- Far Now (January 23, 2007)
- Left By Soft (April 26, 2011)
External links
- David Kilgour at Flying Nun
- Official David Kilgour website
- The Clean and David Kilgour discography