Neil Halstead
Encyclopedia
Neil Halstead is a British
guitar
ist and singer, described as "one of Britain's most respected songwriters" by Allmusic. He was a founding member of Slowdive
, a band often associated with the shoegazer
musical genre. Following the disbanding of Slowdive, Halstead along with some other members of Slowdive (including longtime friend and musical collaborator Rachel Goswell
) formed Mojave 3
. Mojave 3 are stylistically distinct from Slowdive and may be regarded as British country/folk. Halstead is the principal singer and songwriter in Mojave 3 and also plays guitar.
In 2002, 4AD (a British independent record label)
released his debut solo album, Sleeping on Roads. Following his departure from 4AD
, a second solo album, Oh! Mighty Engine was released by Jack Johnson's
Brushfire Records
on July 29, 2008. The album was partly recorded in Johnson's solar power
ed studio in Los Angeles
before being completed at a Second World War
airfield in Britain
. The Guardian
has compared Oh! Mighty Engine to the work of Nick Drake
and Bert Jansch
. Halstead has said of his solo work that it's "really good doing something on my own", having been in Slowdive then Mojave 3 since he was 17 years old.
Currently, Halstead is recording with Holton's Opulent Oog, a band including Mojave 3 drummer Ian McCutcheon and Robin and Joe Bennett of Goldrush
. Their latest release "Love In The Mist" (2011) is being released on the boutique UK indie label Big Potato Records., a label founded in part by Halstead.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist and singer, described as "one of Britain's most respected songwriters" by Allmusic. He was a founding member of Slowdive
Slowdive
Slowdive were an English shoegaze band that formed in 1989. The band formed in Reading, Berkshire and primarily consisted of Nick Chaplin , Rachel Goswell , Neil Halstead , and Christian Savill...
, a band often associated with the shoegazer
Shoegazing
Shoegazing is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. It lasted there until the mid 1990s, with a critical zenith reached in 1990 and 1991...
musical genre. Following the disbanding of Slowdive, Halstead along with some other members of Slowdive (including longtime friend and musical collaborator Rachel Goswell
Rachel Goswell
Rachel Goswell is a singer-songwriter who was a vocalist with shoegazing pioneers Slowdive. Goswell, along with Neil Halstead, Ian McCutcheon and former Chapterhouse member Simon Rowe became Mojave 3 when Slowdive transitioned to a more country/folk rock style...
) formed Mojave 3
Mojave 3
Mojave 3 are a British band, consisting of Neil Halstead, Rachel Goswell, Simon Rowe, Alan Forrester, and Ian McCutcheon. Goswell, Halstead and McCutcheon previously played in Thames Valley shoegazing band Slowdive....
. Mojave 3 are stylistically distinct from Slowdive and may be regarded as British country/folk. Halstead is the principal singer and songwriter in Mojave 3 and also plays guitar.
In 2002, 4AD (a British independent record label)
4AD
4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
released his debut solo album, Sleeping on Roads. Following his departure from 4AD
4AD
4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
, a second solo album, Oh! Mighty Engine was released by Jack Johnson's
Jack Johnson (musician)
Jack Johnson was born May 18, 1975 is an American folk rock singer-songwriter, surfer and musician known for his work in the soft rock and acoustic genres. In 2001, he achieved commercial success after the release of his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales. He has since released four more albums, a...
Brushfire Records
Brushfire Records
Brushfire Records is a Haleiwa, Hawaii based record label owned by singer-songwriter Jack Johnson. The label, formerly known as The Moonshine Conspiracy Records, was originally made to release soundtracks for Woodshed Films, a surfing movie production owned by Jack Johnson, Emmett Malloy, and...
on July 29, 2008. The album was partly recorded in Johnson's solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
ed studio in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
before being completed at a Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
airfield in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
has compared Oh! Mighty Engine to the work of Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
and Bert Jansch
Bert Jansch
Herbert "Bert" Jansch was a Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle. He was born in Glasgow and came to prominence in London in the 1960s, as an acoustic guitarist, as well as a singer-songwriter...
. Halstead has said of his solo work that it's "really good doing something on my own", having been in Slowdive then Mojave 3 since he was 17 years old.
Currently, Halstead is recording with Holton's Opulent Oog, a band including Mojave 3 drummer Ian McCutcheon and Robin and Joe Bennett of Goldrush
Goldrush (band)
Goldrush are a rock band from Oxfordshire, England. Their music has been compared to Nick Drake, The Byrds, The Flaming Lips and Grandaddy. The band centres around brothers Robin and Joe Bennett. The other members are Garo , Growler and Graham Roby...
. Their latest release "Love In The Mist" (2011) is being released on the boutique UK indie label Big Potato Records., a label founded in part by Halstead.
Albums
- Sleeping on Roads (2002, 4AD4AD4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
) - Oh! Mighty Engine (2008, BrushfireBrushfire RecordsBrushfire Records is a Haleiwa, Hawaii based record label owned by singer-songwriter Jack Johnson. The label, formerly known as The Moonshine Conspiracy Records, was originally made to release soundtracks for Woodshed Films, a surfing movie production owned by Jack Johnson, Emmett Malloy, and...
)