John Roderick
Encyclopedia
John Roderick is an American
musician and writer. Born in Seattle, Washington, he grew up in Anchorage
, Alaska
. He is currently the lead singer and guitarist in the band The Long Winters
and was formerly a touring member of the band Harvey Danger
. He is also a frequent guest musician on recordings by other bands, appearing on the Death Cab for Cutie
album Transatlanticism
, the Nada Surf
album The Weight Is a Gift
, The Decemberists
album Picaresque
, and the David Bazan
album Curse Your Branches
, as well as recordings by BOAT, Visqueen
, Say Hi, Denver Dalley
, and Ken Stringfellow
. He most recently collaborated with Jonathan Coulton
for Coulton's album, "Artificial Heart
," released in September, 2011.
In June 2006, Roderick covered the Bonnaroo festival as a correspondent for CMJ magazine, and then reprised his role for MSNBC
the following year. He has also written about music and film for The Stranger
and in early 2008 began writing a weekly column
for the Seattle Weekly
.
Roderick is a frequent collaborator with 826 Seattle
, hosting the event People Talking and Singing with Dave Eggers
in 2007, and teaching a course in writing called How to Write Like I Do. in 2009. Roderick also took part in the Revenge of the Bookeaters tour appearing at the Beacon Theater for 826NYC
and at Park West for 826 Chicago.
Roderick has also appeared with John Hodgman
as a "feral mountain-man" alongside longtime Hodgman accomplice Jonathan Coulton
at shows in Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles, and made guest appearances on live recordings of the You Look Nice Today podcast
with Merlin Mann
, Adam Lisagor and Scott Simpson
in Seattle and Portland. Roderick is a frequent guest on Oregon Public Radio's Live Wire! and on KEXP
. He narrated the Venue Songs
for They Might Be Giants
at the Moore Theater and has performed readings of his own prose at John Wesley Harding
's Cabinet of Wonders in Seattle and NYC. Roderick is the co-host of Roderick on the Line, a podcast with Merlin Mann
.
Roderick was voted #3 on Seattle's "Sexiest Man" list of 2006.
His first book of extremely short prose, Electric Aphorisms was published in November, 2009.
Roderick is currently working on the project Mt. Desolation
with Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley
and Jesse Quin
. He is also touring with John Hodgman
on Hodgman's book tour, filling in for Hodgman's normal musical act, Jonathan Coulton
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician and writer. Born in Seattle, Washington, he grew up in Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. He is currently the lead singer and guitarist in the band The Long Winters
The Long Winters
The Long Winters is an American indie rock band based in Seattle, Washington.-Early history:Singer-songwriter John Roderick was born in Seattle, Washington, and grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. He later returned to Seattle, formed the Bun Family Players and the The Western State Hurricanes...
and was formerly a touring member of the band Harvey Danger
Harvey Danger
Harvey Danger was an American indie rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1993, and rose to prominence in 1998 with the single "Flagpole Sitta." On August 29, 2009, the band played its final show at the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle....
. He is also a frequent guest musician on recordings by other bands, appearing on the Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
album Transatlanticism
Transatlanticism
Transatlanticism is the fourth studio album by Death Cab for Cutie, released October 7, 2003 on Barsuk Records. Prior to the album's release, Ben Gibbard stated: "...unlike The Photo Album, I feel like this record is definitely more like a proper album...
, the Nada Surf
Nada Surf
Nada Surf is an American alternative rock band. Formed in 1992, the New York band consists of Matthew Caws , Ira Elliot and Daniel Lorca .-Early years:...
album The Weight Is a Gift
The Weight Is a Gift
The Weight Is a Gift is Nada Surf's fourth full-length album. It was produced by Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Chris Walla and mixed by Geoff Sanoff. It was released in 2005 and features vocals from the Long Winters frontman John Roderick...
, The Decemberists
The Decemberists
The Decemberists are an indie folk rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy. The other members of the band are Chris Funk , Jenny Conlee , Nate Query , and John Moen .The band's...
album Picaresque
Picaresque (album)
Picaresque is an album by The Decemberists released in 2005 on the Kill Rock Stars record label. It was produced by Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie....
, and the 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...
album Curse Your Branches
Curse Your Branches
Curse Your Branches is the first full-length album by David Bazan, the former lead singer of the indie rock band Pedro the Lion. It was released on September 1, 2009, on Barsuk Records...
, as well as recordings by BOAT, Visqueen
Visqueen
Visqueen is a power pop/punk rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 2001. It is named after a brand of polyethylene film that United States Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge once recommended as a defense against bioterrorism....
, Say Hi, Denver Dalley
Denver Dalley
Denver Dalley is an accomplished singer-songwriter who got his start in Omaha, Nebraska.Dalley collaborated with Conor Oberst of the band Bright Eyes in the politically-charged indie rock band Desaparecidos. Dalley was the main songwriter while Oberst provided lyrics. The band released one album on...
, and Ken Stringfellow
Ken Stringfellow
Kenneth Stuart Stringfellow is an American musician, best known for his work with The Posies, R.E.M., and the re-formed Big Star.-Musical career:...
. He most recently collaborated with Jonathan Coulton
Jonathan Coulton
Jonathan Coulton is an American singer-songwriter, known for his songs about geek culture and his use of the Internet to draw fans...
for Coulton's album, "Artificial Heart
Artificial Heart (album)
Artificial Heart is the eighth studio album by rock musician Jonathan Coulton. After taking a long hiatus from songwriting after his successful 2006 Thing a Week project , Coulton started production on Artificial Heart after encouragement from John Flansburgh , also the...
," released in September, 2011.
In June 2006, Roderick covered the Bonnaroo festival as a correspondent for CMJ magazine, and then reprised his role for MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
the following year. He has also written about music and film for The Stranger
The Stranger (newspaper)
The Stranger is an alternative weekly newspaper in Seattle, Washington, USA. It runs a blog known as Slog.-History:The Stranger was founded by Tim Keck, who had previously co-founded the satirical newspaper The Onion, and cartoonist James Sturm. Its first issue came out on September 23, 1991...
and in early 2008 began writing a weekly column
Column (newspaper)
A column is a recurring piece or article in a newspaper, magazine or other publication. Columns are written by columnists.What differentiates a column from other forms of journalism is that it meets each of the following criteria:...
for the Seattle Weekly
Seattle Weekly
Seattle Weekly is a freely distributed newspaper in Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded by Darrell Oldham and David Brewster as The Weekly...
.
Roderick is a frequent collaborator with 826 Seattle
826 Seattle
826 Seattle is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. It is a regional chapter of the 826 National organization, founded by authors Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida...
, hosting the event People Talking and Singing with Dave Eggers
Dave Eggers
Dave Eggers is an American writer, editor, and publisher. He is known for the best-selling memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and for his more recent work as a screenwriter. He is also the co-founder of the literacy project 826 Valencia.-Life:Eggers was born in Boston, Massachusetts,...
in 2007, and teaching a course in writing called How to Write Like I Do. in 2009. Roderick also took part in the Revenge of the Bookeaters tour appearing at the Beacon Theater for 826NYC
826nyc
826NYC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write...
and at Park West for 826 Chicago.
Roderick has also appeared with John Hodgman
John Hodgman
John Kellogg Hodgman is an American author, actor, and humorist. In addition to his published written works, such as The Areas of My Expertise, More Information Than You Require, and That Is All, he is known for his personification of a PC in contrast to Justin Long's personification of a Mac in...
as a "feral mountain-man" alongside longtime Hodgman accomplice Jonathan Coulton
Jonathan Coulton
Jonathan Coulton is an American singer-songwriter, known for his songs about geek culture and his use of the Internet to draw fans...
at shows in Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles, and made guest appearances on live recordings of the You Look Nice Today podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
with Merlin Mann
Merlin Mann
Merlin Dean Mann III writes the blog . He received a B.A. from New College of Florida, and he currently resides in San Francisco, California with his wife, Madeline Mann, and their daughter, .-Writing:...
, Adam Lisagor and Scott Simpson
Scott Simpson
Scott Simpson may refer to:*Scott Simpson , Welsh pole-vaulter*Scott Simpson *Scott Simpson *Scott Simpson , New Zealand National Party MP*Scott Simpson...
in Seattle and Portland. Roderick is a frequent guest on Oregon Public Radio's Live Wire! and on KEXP
KEXP
KEXP-FM is a public radio station based in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in alternative and indie rock programmed by its disc jockeys. Its broadcasting license is owned by the University of Washington, which operates the station in a partnership with Paul Allen's Experience Music Project...
. He narrated the Venue Songs
Venue Songs
Venue Songs is a 2004 album by the group They Might Be Giants. Although technically it is a live album, as all the tracks were performed live, it is different than a standard live album in that, instead of live versions of the band's popular songs, it is composed of all new songs...
for They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
at the Moore Theater and has performed readings of his own prose at John Wesley Harding
John Wesley Harding
John Wesley Harding may refer to:* John Wesley Harding , a 1967 Bob Dylan album* John Wesley Harding , the title track of this album* John Wesley Harding , English singer...
's Cabinet of Wonders in Seattle and NYC. Roderick is the co-host of Roderick on the Line, a podcast with Merlin Mann
Merlin Mann
Merlin Dean Mann III writes the blog . He received a B.A. from New College of Florida, and he currently resides in San Francisco, California with his wife, Madeline Mann, and their daughter, .-Writing:...
.
Roderick was voted #3 on Seattle's "Sexiest Man" list of 2006.
His first book of extremely short prose, Electric Aphorisms was published in November, 2009.
Roderick is currently working on the project Mt. Desolation
Mt. Desolation
Mt. Desolation are an alt-country duo from England.It is the side project of Tim Rice-Oxley and Jesse Quin, members of the rock band Keane.Their self-titled debut album was released on October 18, 2010....
with Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley
Tim Rice-Oxley
Timothy James Rice-Oxley , is an English multi-instrumentalist, best known as co-founder, the principal composer and pianist, backing vocalist of piano rock band Keane.-Life and career:...
and Jesse Quin
Jesse Quin
Jesse Joseph Quin is an English multi-instrumentalist, best known as the bass and percussion player of the British rock band Keane. He is the youngest member of the band.-Life and career:...
. He is also touring with John Hodgman
John Hodgman
John Kellogg Hodgman is an American author, actor, and humorist. In addition to his published written works, such as The Areas of My Expertise, More Information Than You Require, and That Is All, he is known for his personification of a PC in contrast to Justin Long's personification of a Mac in...
on Hodgman's book tour, filling in for Hodgman's normal musical act, Jonathan Coulton
Jonathan Coulton
Jonathan Coulton is an American singer-songwriter, known for his songs about geek culture and his use of the Internet to draw fans...
.