Liam O'Neil
Encyclopedia
Liam O'Neil is a Canadian
musician who was the keyboardist
and percussionist
for Montreal
-based band The Stills
. He met the group's lead songwriter, Dave Hamelin
, at school through a mutual friend. In 1996, the pair formed a ska
band, in which O'Neil played saxophone. He later spent 18 months away from Montreal while he played in a jazz
trio on a cruise ship, but he stayed in contact with the members of The Stills. After initially touring with the band, he became a full-time member when band-mates heard him play a half-hour piano solo in a hotel bar. His first album with the band was Without Feathers
. A talented multi-instrumentalist, he played piano
, organ
, saxophone
and tambourine
on the record, as well as providing backing vocals on a number of tracks.
Liam contributed synth, piano, B3 organ, baritone & tenor sax to various tracks on the Kings of Leon's 2010 album "Come Around Sundown”.
Liam is also involved with the semi-obscure hip-hop act Da Gryptions
who feature members of Stars and Young Galaxy
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
musician who was the keyboardist
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
and percussionist
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
for Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
-based band The Stills
The Stills
The Stills were a Canadian rock band from Montreal, Quebec, formed in 2000. The band consists of Tim Fletcher , Dave Hamelin , Olivier Corbeil , and Liam O'Neil , Gregory Paquet .-History:The band members have known each other since the age of...
. He met the group's lead songwriter, Dave Hamelin
Dave Hamelin
Dave Hamelin is a vocalist and guitarist for Canadian rock band The Stills. The principal songwriter and lyricist for the band made the move up from behind the kit after guitarist Greg Paquet left the band in 2005.-References:...
, at school through a mutual friend. In 1996, the pair formed a ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band, in which O'Neil played saxophone. He later spent 18 months away from Montreal while he played in a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trio on a cruise ship, but he stayed in contact with the members of The Stills. After initially touring with the band, he became a full-time member when band-mates heard him play a half-hour piano solo in a hotel bar. His first album with the band was Without Feathers
Without Feathers (album)
-UK edition:-Personnel:The Stills*Olivier Corbeil — bass guitar, cowbell*Tim Fletcher — vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar*Dave Hamelin — vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, percussion, additional recording, mixing...
. A talented multi-instrumentalist, he played piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and tambourine
Tambourine
The tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
on the record, as well as providing backing vocals on a number of tracks.
Liam contributed synth, piano, B3 organ, baritone & tenor sax to various tracks on the Kings of Leon's 2010 album "Come Around Sundown”.
Liam is also involved with the semi-obscure hip-hop act Da Gryptions
Da Gryptions
Da Gryptions is a Canadian hip-hop band from Montreal, Quebec, formed in 2009. The band consists of Future Shark , Dark Science , Apsobibi , and Ripples Da Gryptions is a Canadian hip-hop band from Montreal, Quebec, formed in 2009. The band consists of Future Shark (aka Trevor Barnes)...
who feature members of Stars and Young Galaxy
Young Galaxy
-External links:**...
.