James Canty is a Brooklyn, New York-based multi-instrumentalist

Multi-instrumentalist

A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...

 musician from Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 Canty is the younger brother of Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty

Brendan Canty

Brendan Canty is an American musician, composer, producer and film maker, best known as the drummer for the band Fugazi....

 and writer Kevin Canty

Kevin Canty

Kevin Canty is an American author of novels and short stories. He is a faculty member in the English department at the University of Montana at Missoula, where he currently resides. Canty received his Masters degree in English from the University of Florida in 1990. He received his M.F.A. in...

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Canty is currently known for playing guitar in the band Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are an American rock band formed in 1999 in Washington, D.C. and currently recording for Matador Records. They have released six full-length studio albums and have toured internationally...

. He is also known for playing drums with Nation of Ulysses

Nation of Ulysses

The Nation of Ulysses was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in spring 1988 with four members. Originally known as simply "Ulysses," the first mark of the group consisted of Ian Svenonius on vocals and trumpet, Steve Kroner on guitar, Steve Gamboa on bass guitar, and James...

, The Make-Up, French Toast

French Toast (band)

French Toast is a band from Washington, D.C., formed in 2001 as a duo consisting of James Canty and Jerry Busher. They added a third member, Ben Gilligan, in 2005. Dischord's website has James Canty credited with guitar, vocals, keyboards and drums, and Jerry Busher is credited with bass, drums,...

, All Scars,, Georgie James

Georgie James

Georgie James was an indie pop/rock group from Washington D.C. composed of John Davis and Laura Burhenn.When Q and Not U called it quits in 2005 after releasing three albums, the band split into three different projects: Ris Paul Ric, a folk/electronic solo effort from Chris Richards; Harris Klahr...

 and Cupid Car Club.

Most of Canty's work has been with the bands signed to Dischord Records

Dischord Records

Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in the independent punk music of the D.C.-area music scene. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release Minor Disturbance by The Teen Idles...

; however, he has also released music with K Records

K Records

K Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...

, Lookout Records, Kill Rock Stars

Kill Rock Stars

Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...

, Matador Records

Matador Records

Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...

 and Drag City

Drag City (record label)

Drag City is a Chicago-based independent record label. It was established with a Royal Trux release in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn.Drag City specializes in experimental indie rock acts...

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In 2008, Canty recorded a digital EP called Rapid Response with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. The EP was created as a benefit for Democracy Now!

Democracy Now!

Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...

 and the Minneapolis chapter of Food Not Bombs

Food Not Bombs

Food Not Bombs is a loose-knit group of independent collectives, serving free vegan and vegetarian food to others. Food Not Bombs' ideology is that myriad corporate and government priorities are skewed to allow hunger to persist in the midst of abundance...

, in response to police brutality during the 2008 Republican National Convention

2008 Republican National Convention

The United States 2008 Republican National Convention took place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from September 1, through September 4, 2008...

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