J. Tillman
Encyclopedia
Joshua Tillman is an American
folk
singer, guitarist and songwriter. He is also the current drummer for the Seattle-based band Fleet Foxes
. He has maintained a steady output of recordings since 2004 and has toured the US and Europe extensively with Pacific Northwest
artists such as Damien Jurado
, Jesse Sykes
, and David Bazan
.
Western Vinyl writes about Joshua's career: "J. Tillman moved to Seattle in 2004 after dropping out college where he was studying god-knows-what. Upon moving there he found a job working at a bakery, where he was allowed to record at night before his 4:30AM shift began. This led to a cassette that maybe 20 people heard, one of whom was Seattle legend Damien Jurado
. Damien brought Tillman on tour about a year later, where every night he wowed audiences into exclaiming things like, 'Who is this weird mumbly kid' and/or 'Get off the stage.' Tillman would continue to tour through the US and Europe regardless of 'audiences', 'interest' and 'total lack of promotion or booking agencies'."
When asked about the beginning of his musical journey back in March 2009, Tillman said: "I started playing music with my brother when I was about 12 and he was 11. I was obsessed with music but the idea of becoming good at the guitar bored me to tears, I’m not really technically proficient on any instrument. I just learnt enough chords so I could write songs, although I have accidentally improved over the years. ... I was much more interested in song writing, I probably fancied myself as a person who really had something to say. I think it is just a bad habit I have stuck with really, as a way to identify myself. I don’t know why but every body seems to need a way to identify themselves, be it like “I’m Funny” or “I’m smart” or “I’m a songwriter” or “I’m a drummer”, I think we just cling on to that thing for dear life because if we don’t have it we’re lost. So I guess my musical journey has been all about figuring out who I am through the process of making records. I think I am now coming to the other side of that where I can just view myself as myself, and not get on stage and feel I have to present some false, disingenuous version of myself."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer, guitarist and songwriter. He is also the current drummer for the Seattle-based band Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes are a folk rock band which formed in Seattle, Washington. They are signed to the Sub Pop and Bella Union record labels. The band came to prominence in 2008 with the release of their second EP, Sun Giant, and their debut full length album Fleet Foxes...
. He has maintained a steady output of recordings since 2004 and has toured the US and Europe extensively with Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
artists such as Damien Jurado
Damien Jurado
Damien Jurado is an American indie rock singer/songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Over the years he has released albums on many labels; today, his primary label is Secretly Canadian.-Music career:...
, Jesse Sykes
Jesse Sykes
Christened Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter in 2002 , singer-songwriter Jesse Sykes and guitarist Phil Wandscher , began what has become their long lived musical partnership....
, and David Bazan
David Bazan
David Bazan is an indie rock singer-songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Bazan was the lead singer and creative force behind the now-defunct band Pedro the Lion and was the lead singer of Headphones, a band he formed out of his interest in synthesizers...
.
Western Vinyl writes about Joshua's career: "J. Tillman moved to Seattle in 2004 after dropping out college where he was studying god-knows-what. Upon moving there he found a job working at a bakery, where he was allowed to record at night before his 4:30AM shift began. This led to a cassette that maybe 20 people heard, one of whom was Seattle legend Damien Jurado
Damien Jurado
Damien Jurado is an American indie rock singer/songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Over the years he has released albums on many labels; today, his primary label is Secretly Canadian.-Music career:...
. Damien brought Tillman on tour about a year later, where every night he wowed audiences into exclaiming things like, 'Who is this weird mumbly kid' and/or 'Get off the stage.' Tillman would continue to tour through the US and Europe regardless of 'audiences', 'interest' and 'total lack of promotion or booking agencies'."
When asked about the beginning of his musical journey back in March 2009, Tillman said: "I started playing music with my brother when I was about 12 and he was 11. I was obsessed with music but the idea of becoming good at the guitar bored me to tears, I’m not really technically proficient on any instrument. I just learnt enough chords so I could write songs, although I have accidentally improved over the years. ... I was much more interested in song writing, I probably fancied myself as a person who really had something to say. I think it is just a bad habit I have stuck with really, as a way to identify myself. I don’t know why but every body seems to need a way to identify themselves, be it like “I’m Funny” or “I’m smart” or “I’m a songwriter” or “I’m a drummer”, I think we just cling on to that thing for dear life because if we don’t have it we’re lost. So I guess my musical journey has been all about figuring out who I am through the process of making records. I think I am now coming to the other side of that where I can just view myself as myself, and not get on stage and feel I have to present some false, disingenuous version of myself."
Albums
- I Will ReturnI Will ReturnI Will Return is J. Tillman's first album. It was originally released personally in 2004. Later in 2005 it was re-released in limited edition of 150 copies through Keep Recordings. In 2007 it was again re-released together with Long May You Run, J...
(Keep Recordings, 2005) - Long May You Run, J. TillmanLong May You Run, J. TillmanLong May You Run, J. Tillman is J. Tillman's second album. It was originally released in limited edition of 150 copies through Keep Recordings...
(Keep Recordings, 2006) - Minor WorksMinor WorksAfter two limited CDr albums and a tour EP Minor Works is the first album by J. Tillman released on an official label: Fargo....
(FargoFargo-Military:* Fargo, the ammunition compound next to the Royal School of Artillery* Fargo-class cruiser, ship design of the United States Navy** , the first ship of the Fargo-class cruisers...
, 2006) - Cancer And DeliriumCancer and DeliriumCancer and Delirium is J. Tillman's fourth album. This time it was released via the Yer Bird label. The cover photo was taken by Dominique Jaquin....
(Yer Bird, 2007) - Vacilando Territory BluesVacilando Territory BluesJ. Tillman's fifth album. It was released via the Western Vinyl label. The label writes: "Vacilando Territory Blues, came as the result of three different recording attempts in 2008, in which entire sessions were scrapped, and ultimately the majority of the final material would surface and be...
(Western VinylWestern VinylWestern Vinyl is an independent record label based in Austin Texas. It was founded in 1998.-Bands and Artists Associated with Western Vinyl:*Anomoanon*Appendix Out*Balmorhea*Bexar Bexar*Botany*Bonnie Prince Billy*Callers*Carter Tanton*Chas. Mtn....
, 2009) - UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#191 - Year In The KingdomYear In The KingdomYear in the Kingdom is J. Tillman's sixth album. It was released via Western Vinyl. On the label's website you can read: "Unknown to just about everyone, Tillman started recording in April, tracking most of the instruments during the two week session himself...
(Western VinylWestern VinylWestern Vinyl is an independent record label based in Austin Texas. It was founded in 1998.-Bands and Artists Associated with Western Vinyl:*Anomoanon*Appendix Out*Balmorhea*Bexar Bexar*Botany*Bonnie Prince Billy*Callers*Carter Tanton*Chas. Mtn....
, 2009) - Singing AxSinging AxSinging Ax is J. Tillman's 7th album and it is again released via Western Vinyl. The album is an LP and Mp3 release only. It was recorded in 3 days in February 2010 by Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago and was mastered by Bob Weston....
Sept 14th, 2010 (Western VinylWestern VinylWestern Vinyl is an independent record label based in Austin Texas. It was founded in 1998.-Bands and Artists Associated with Western Vinyl:*Anomoanon*Appendix Out*Balmorhea*Bexar Bexar*Botany*Bonnie Prince Billy*Callers*Carter Tanton*Chas. Mtn....
, 2010)
EPs
- DocumentedDocumented (album)This EP was a give away at the tour in 2006. It was a limited edition of 300 hand-numbered copies. The first two songs were taken from I Will Return, tracks 3 and 4 are from Long May You Run, J...
(self-released, 2006) - Isle LandIsle LandIsle Land is a DVD EP recorded and filmed on Vashon Island. It was released by Bella Union.-External links:**...
(DVD/EP) (Bella UnionBella UnionBella Union is an independent record label that was started up by Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie in 1997.After releasing records with 4AD for a large part of their career, Cocteau Twins decided to take a step towards independence and started up the Bella Union record label, through which they...
, 2008) - Laminar Excursion Monthly #8 (Procession at Night)Laminar Excursion Monthly No. 8 (Procession at Night)This EP was released via Crossroads of America Records and Flannelgraph Records in 2010. It comes as the eighth part of a 24 CDr series called Laminar Excursion Monthly ....
(Crossroads of America Records/Flannelgraph Records, 2010)
Singles
- Wild Honey Never Stolen / Borne Away On a Black Barge 7"Wild Honey Never Stolen / Borne Away On a Black Barge 7"This 7" single was released via Western Vinyl and comes on 70 gram vinyl. It's the following release to the Year In The Kingdom album. Bill Patton is featured on ukulele and bass voice. The label writes the following about the two tracks: "These two tiny songs [...] are little stories about a...
(Western VinylWestern VinylWestern Vinyl is an independent record label based in Austin Texas. It was founded in 1998.-Bands and Artists Associated with Western Vinyl:*Anomoanon*Appendix Out*Balmorhea*Bexar Bexar*Botany*Bonnie Prince Billy*Callers*Carter Tanton*Chas. Mtn....
, 2009)