Tim McIlrath
Encyclopedia
Timothy "Tim" James McIlrath (born November 3, 1978) is an American
punk rock
musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitar
ist, songwriter
and co-founder for the American punk rock band Rise Against
. McIlrath is known to support animal rights
and actively promotes PETA
with his band. He follows the straight edge
lifestyle, along with Rise Against bassist Joe Principe
and guitarist Zach Blair
.
by George Orwell
and Brave New World
by Aldous Huxley
, which would influence his later work. As a child he went to Our Lady of the Wayside
, where he was taunted for his left eye being blue and his right eye brown, known as heterochromia
. As a teenager, McIlrath's friends were interested in snowboarding
, so he saved his money for a snowboard. But, as his interest in music grew, he instead decided to spend the money he had saved on a Gibson SG
guitar.
in Rolling Meadows, IL
. This was also the set for the music video, "Make It Stop (September's Children)." In college (Northeastern Illinois University
), McIlrath majored in English and Sociology. In his junior year, he met Joe Principe at a Sick of It All
concert. Principe asked McIlrath to sing over a few tracks that he and Mr. Precision had recorded. It was at this time that Rise Against was formed, and McIlrath left college.
. He is a strict vegetarian, edging into a vegan lifestyle, and raises his children the same way.
McIlrath has been featured on many songs and albums outside of his main group Rise Against
.
/punk
scene. His first band was the post-hardcore
band Baxter
, formed in 1995 along with future The Lawrence Arms
drummer Neil Hennessy
and future Killing Tree and Holy Roman Empire bassist Geoff Reu.
Their first release was a full length, self released, cassette, Troy's Bucket
, which was released in 1996. Troy's Bucket was met with warm reception from the scene, and Baxter became a popular band in the Chicago underground scene.
In 1997 they released a 7" EP Lost Voices on Static Station Records. After some local touring, the band split up.
McIlrath played bass and sang backup in the first incarnation of The Honor System
. He sang on their demo and on some songs on their debut album Single File
. He and drummer Neil Hennesy could also be found in a brief lineup of the grind band Yellow Road Priest, whose members went on to form Pelican
. The band broke up in 1997.
, Chicago metalcore band fronted by Pete Wentz, who was to become bassist in mainstream pop punk
/emo
band Fall Out Boy
. McIlrath played bass with the band until 1999 when he quit to form Transistor Revolt, which would eventually become Rise Against
.
with former 88 Fingers Louie
bassist, Joe Principe
, guitarist Dan Precision (A.K.A. Mr. Precision), and drummer Toni Tintari under the name 'Transistor Revolt'. Drummer Brandon Barnes
did not join until 2001; it was at the same time the band was renamed Rise Against. They officially recorded their debut album The Unraveling
on Fat Wreck Chords
in 2001.
In 2003 guitarist Mr. Precison left due to arguments with the band, and Todd Mohney
filled his role. Later that year they released their second album Revolutions per Minute
which was greeted with warm success . They toured the U.S. steadily that year, though by the end of it, Mohney left. In order to replace him, former Reach the Sky
guitarist Chris Chasse joined in 2004 and they released their Geffen
debut Siren Song of the Counter Culture
.
With the release of the singles "Give It All
", "Swing Life Away
", and "Life Less Frightening
", Rise Against became more popular with mainstream fans, but still kept their underground sensibility. After more touring (including a European tour and spots on the Vans Warped tour), the band went back to the studio and recorded their fourth album The Sufferer & the Witness
, which included five singles ("Ready to Fall
, "Prayer of the Refugee
", "The Good Left Undone
", "Behind Closed Doors", and "The Approaching Curve".)
They had ended their tour and were back in the studio in the process of making their next album, when Chris Chasse decided to leave the band in order to pursue family life.
In 2008, Rise Against recorded their fifth album Appeal to Reason
with the help of guitarist Zach Blair
, who is now a permanent member and has known the band for many years. Appeal to Reason was released on October 7, 2008. The band recorded it at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado
with Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, who produced Revolutions Per Minute and The Sufferer & the Witness.
Rise Against's sixth album, Endgame
, contains singles "Help Is On The Way" and "Make it Stop (September's Children)" as well as "Satellite" and was released on March 15, 2011.
side project The Killing Tree
along with Rise Against old guitarist Todd Mohney
during the early years of the band, though all members used pseudonyms out of concern for it. The Killing Tree has not produced any music or toured since 2003, but contributed their previously unreleased song "Dressed to Fuck" on the 2006 Thick Records
compilation album Hair: Chicago Punk Cuts, featuring Emily Schambra of the alternative rock
band Holy Roman Empire.
With The Killing Tree
With Baxter
With Arma Angelus
With The Honor System
; a lifestyle that eliminates drugs, alcohol and promiscuous sex.
group PETA
. Tim often takes part in PETA protests and gives out PETA books and flyers at shows. Rise Against's fifth album, Appeal to Reason, even included a PETA sticker, encouraging people to stand up for the rights of animals. He has given many interviews on the matter along with other bands.
He has appeared in many videos made and distributed by PETA expressing their beliefs on vegetarianism
as well as issues and the meat industry and fast food industry, fur and fashion use of animal skins and animal testing
and dissection
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
ist, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and co-founder for the American punk rock band Rise Against
Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
. McIlrath is known to support animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
and actively promotes PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
with his band. He follows the straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
lifestyle, along with Rise Against bassist Joe Principe
Joe Principe
Joe Principe is the bass guitarist, backing vocalist and co-founder of the punk rock band Rise Against. He primarily uses Fender basses, Mesa amps and cabinets, and he uses pick-playing exclusively....
and guitarist Zach Blair
Zach Blair
Zach Blair is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for Chicago-based hardcore punk band Rise Against. He is originally from Sherman, Texas.Before joining Rise Against in early 2007, Blair was a member of hardcore punk group Only Crime along with his brother, Doni Blair, who currently plays with...
.
Personal life
Tim McIlrath was born November 3, 1979 in Indianapolis, IN. At a young age he read dystopian novels such as Nineteen Eighty-FourNineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
by George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
and Brave New World
Brave New World
Brave New World is Aldous Huxley's fifth novel, written in 1931 and published in 1932. Set in London of AD 2540 , the novel anticipates developments in reproductive technology and sleep-learning that combine to change society. The future society is an embodiment of the ideals that form the basis of...
by Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. Best known for his novels including Brave New World and a wide-ranging output of essays, Huxley also edited the magazine Oxford Poetry, and published short stories, poetry, travel...
, which would influence his later work. As a child he went to Our Lady of the Wayside
Our Lady of the Wayside
Our Lady of the Wayside refers to the patron saint of travelers, the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Catholic Church. Churches and schools may carry the name...
, where he was taunted for his left eye being blue and his right eye brown, known as heterochromia
Heterochromia
In anatomy, heterochromia refers to a difference in coloration, usually of the iris but also of hair or skin. Heterochromia is a result of the relative excess or lack of melanin...
. As a teenager, McIlrath's friends were interested in snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
, so he saved his money for a snowboard. But, as his interest in music grew, he instead decided to spend the money he had saved on a Gibson SG
Gibson SG
At the launch of the SG in 1961, Gibson offered four variants of the SG; the SG Junior , the SG Special, the SG Standard, and the top-of-the-line SG Custom. However, Gibson's current core variants as of 2010 are the SG Standard and the SG Special...
guitar.
Education
McIlrath attended Rolling Meadows High SchoolRolling Meadows High School
Rolling Meadows High School, or RMHS, is a public four-year high school located in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Township High School District 214. It is part of the second largest school district in Illinois, under Chicago...
in Rolling Meadows, IL
Rolling Meadows, Illinois
Rolling Meadows is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 24,607 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rolling Meadows is located at ....
. This was also the set for the music video, "Make It Stop (September's Children)." In college (Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University is a public state university located in Chicago, Illinois. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park with three additional campuses in the metropolitan area. Tracing its founding to 1867, it was first established as a separate branch of a...
), McIlrath majored in English and Sociology. In his junior year, he met Joe Principe at a Sick of It All
Sick of It All
Sick of It All is an American hardcore punk band from Queens, New York. Formed in 1986, the band consisted of brothers Lou Koller on vocals and Pete Koller on lead guitar, Rich Cipriano on bass, and Armand Majidi on drums. There have been only two member changes since their inception, with Max...
concert. Principe asked McIlrath to sing over a few tracks that he and Mr. Precision had recorded. It was at this time that Rise Against was formed, and McIlrath left college.
Current
McIlrath is now married and he and his wife Erin have two daughters, Blythe and Scarlet. They live with him in Arlington Heights, IllinoisArlington Heights, Illinois
Arlington Heights is a village in Cook and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it lies about 25 miles northwest of the city's downtown. The population was 75,101 at the 2010 census....
. He is a strict vegetarian, edging into a vegan lifestyle, and raises his children the same way.
McIlrath has been featured on many songs and albums outside of his main group Rise Against
Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
.
Baxter (1995–1997)
McIlrath began his musical career in his teenage years; he was very active in the Chicago local alternative rockAlternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
/punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
scene. His first band was the post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band Baxter
Baxter (punk band)
Baxter was a Chicago post-hardcore band. The band consisted of Tim McIlrath , Neil Hennessy, , Timothy Remis, and a bassist only referred to as J...
, formed in 1995 along with future The Lawrence Arms
The Lawrence Arms
The Lawrence Arms are an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. They have released five full-length albums and toured extensively.-Pre-history:...
drummer Neil Hennessy
Neil Hennessy
Neil Kevin Hennessy is a musician and music producer/engineer from Chicago, Illinois.Hennessy currently plays in The Lawrence Arms, Colossal, The Falcon, The Smoking Popes and Demon Beach. He has also been a member of Noise By Numbers, Baxter, The Killing Tree, and Quattro.Hennessy works at Atlas...
and future Killing Tree and Holy Roman Empire bassist Geoff Reu.
Their first release was a full length, self released, cassette, Troy's Bucket
Troy's Bucket
Troy's Bucket is the debut album by the Chicago post-hardcore band Baxter. It was later included on their complete discography Baxter. It was recorded and released in 1996 as a cassette and re-released on Astroboy Records....
, which was released in 1996. Troy's Bucket was met with warm reception from the scene, and Baxter became a popular band in the Chicago underground scene.
In 1997 they released a 7" EP Lost Voices on Static Station Records. After some local touring, the band split up.
McIlrath played bass and sang backup in the first incarnation of The Honor System
The Honor System (band)
The Honor System is a punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois that formed after the breakup of The Broadways.- History :The band initially consisted of former Broadways members Dan Hanaway and Rob DePaola , along with Nolan McGuire , and Tim McIlrath...
. He sang on their demo and on some songs on their debut album Single File
Single File (album)
Single File is the debut album by Chicago-based punk rock band The Honor System.- Track listing :# "Nails" – 4:33# "The Blaming Game" – 3:03# "Saints" – 4:05# "Decompose" – 3:55# "Facelift" – 3:35# "Flight" – 3:55# "Fool's Gold" – 2:09...
. He and drummer Neil Hennesy could also be found in a brief lineup of the grind band Yellow Road Priest, whose members went on to form Pelican
Pelican (band)
Pelican is a post-metal quartet from Chicago, Illinois.-Biography and description:The band is known for its dense combinations of different melodies and extended track lengths. Its distinctive sound draws from stoner rock, doom metal, post-rock, and other influences...
. The band broke up in 1997.
Arma Angelus (1998–1999)
McIlrath joined the band Arma AngelusArma Angelus
Arma Angelus was a metalcore band from Chicago. The band formed in 1998 and broke up in 2002. Members of the band were Pete Wentz , Tim McIlrath , Jay Jancetic , Daniel Binaei , Adam Bishop Arma Angelus was a metalcore band from Chicago. The band formed in 1998 and broke up in 2002. Members of the...
, Chicago metalcore band fronted by Pete Wentz, who was to become bassist in mainstream pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
/emo
Emo
Emo is a style of rock music and its associated subcultureEmo may also refer to:- Businesses :* Emo , an Irish oil company and filling station chain* Emo Speedway, a racetrack in Emo, Ontario...
band Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
. McIlrath played bass with the band until 1999 when he quit to form Transistor Revolt, which would eventually become Rise Against
Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
.
Rise Against (1999–present)
In 1999 McIlrath formed the band that would become Rise AgainstRise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
with former 88 Fingers Louie
88 Fingers Louie
88 Fingers Louie is a band from Chicago, Illinois which was formed in 1993.They play a style of hardcore punk, melodic hardcore, and punk rock. In 1993 they released their debut 7", Go Away. After disbanding in 1999, members Joe Principe and Dan Wleklinski went on to form the punk rock band Rise...
bassist, Joe Principe
Joe Principe
Joe Principe is the bass guitarist, backing vocalist and co-founder of the punk rock band Rise Against. He primarily uses Fender basses, Mesa amps and cabinets, and he uses pick-playing exclusively....
, guitarist Dan Precision (A.K.A. Mr. Precision), and drummer Toni Tintari under the name 'Transistor Revolt'. Drummer Brandon Barnes
Brandon Barnes
Brandon Barnes is an American musician and producer from Denver, Colorado. He is best known as the drummer for the punk rock band, Rise Against. Barnes is the only member of the band who is not straight edge.-Biography:...
did not join until 2001; it was at the same time the band was renamed Rise Against. They officially recorded their debut album The Unraveling
The Unraveling
The Unraveling is the debut full-length album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on April 24, 2001, and distributed through Fat Wreck Chords. Mass Giorgini produced the album at Sonic Iguana Studios in Lafayette, Indiana, in December 2000. It is the only Rise Against studio album on...
on Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
in 2001.
In 2003 guitarist Mr. Precison left due to arguments with the band, and Todd Mohney
Todd Mohney
Todd Mohney is an American guitarist, who formerly played guitar for the melodic hardcore band Rise Against. He is from Joliet, Illinois and currently resides in Los Angeles. He was active in The Killing Tree side-project band with Rise Against vocalist Tim McIlrath. The Killing Tree hasn't played...
filled his role. Later that year they released their second album Revolutions per Minute
Revolutions per Minute (Rise Against album)
Revolutions per Minute is the second album by American punk rock band Rise Against. It features the single "Like the Angel" as well as a cover of Journey's single, "Any Way You Want It". The album is considered by many long-term fans to be overwhelmingly their best work.The album had a limited...
which was greeted with warm success . They toured the U.S. steadily that year, though by the end of it, Mohney left. In order to replace him, former Reach the Sky
Reach the Sky
-History:Reach the Sky formed in 1997, and they released two EPs in 1999; their debut full-length, So Far From Home, followed on Victory Records later that same year....
guitarist Chris Chasse joined in 2004 and they released their Geffen
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
debut Siren Song of the Counter Culture
Siren Song of the Counter Culture
-Personnel:Rise Against*Tim McIlrath – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar*Joe Principe – Bass, backing vocals*Chris Chasse – Lead guitar, backing vocals*Brandon Barnes – Drums, percussionArtwork*Shepard Fairey – Cover illustration...
.
With the release of the singles "Give It All
Give It All
"Give It All" is a song by American punk rock band Rise Against, the song is released as the first single from their third album, Siren Song of the Counter Culture. It is a fast paced song with a slower, chant-along bridge, with all running at two minutes and fifty seconds...
", "Swing Life Away
Swing Life Away
"Swing Life Away" is a song by hardcore punk band Rise Against, from their 2004 album Siren Song of the Counter Culture. Originally written by Tim McIlrath and Neil Hennessy, the song is distinguished from the majority of Rise Against's catalog because it is performed and recorded acoustically...
", and "Life Less Frightening
Life Less Frightening
"Life Less Frightening" is the third song from the Chicago melodic hardcore band Rise Against's 2004 album Siren Song of the Counter Culture...
", Rise Against became more popular with mainstream fans, but still kept their underground sensibility. After more touring (including a European tour and spots on the Vans Warped tour), the band went back to the studio and recorded their fourth album The Sufferer & the Witness
The Sufferer & the Witness
-Personnel:Rise Against* Tim McIlrath – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar, guitar solo on "Prayer of the Refugee"* Joe Principe – Bass guitar, backing vocals* Chris Chasse – Lead guitar, backing vocals* Brandon Barnes – Drums, percussion...
, which included five singles ("Ready to Fall
Ready To Fall
"Ready to Fall" is the first single by the punk rock band Rise Against from their fourth studio album, The Sufferer & The Witness .An acoustic version of this song was performed live on the CJZN Radio station in Victoria, British Columbia, on January 18, 2007, before a Billy Talent concert...
, "Prayer of the Refugee
Prayer of the Refugee
"Prayer of the Refugee" is the second single from Rise Against's album The Sufferer and The Witness, and was released worldwide in 2006. The song was originally titled "Diaspora", with advance copies of the album using that title instead of "Prayer of the Refugee".The song is featured as a...
", "The Good Left Undone
The Good Left Undone
"The Good Left Undone" is the third single from Rise Against's fourth full-length album, The Sufferer & the Witness. In June 2007, they announced that they would be holding a contest to determine who could make the best video for the song...
", "Behind Closed Doors", and "The Approaching Curve".)
They had ended their tour and were back in the studio in the process of making their next album, when Chris Chasse decided to leave the band in order to pursue family life.
In 2008, Rise Against recorded their fifth album Appeal to Reason
Appeal to Reason
The Appeal to Reason was a weekly political newspaper published in the American Midwest from 1895 until 1922. The paper was known for its radical politics, lending support over the years to the Farmers' Alliance and Populist movement before becoming a mainstay of the Socialist Party of America...
with the help of guitarist Zach Blair
Zach Blair
Zach Blair is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for Chicago-based hardcore punk band Rise Against. He is originally from Sherman, Texas.Before joining Rise Against in early 2007, Blair was a member of hardcore punk group Only Crime along with his brother, Doni Blair, who currently plays with...
, who is now a permanent member and has known the band for many years. Appeal to Reason was released on October 7, 2008. The band recorded it at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
with Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, who produced Revolutions Per Minute and The Sufferer & the Witness.
Rise Against's sixth album, Endgame
Endgame (Rise Against album)
Endgame is the sixth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against. Produced by Bill Stevenson, it was released on March 15, 2011. Rise Against began work on the album in September 2010, after completing touring in support of its previous album, Appeal to Reason, in mid-2010...
, contains singles "Help Is On The Way" and "Make it Stop (September's Children)" as well as "Satellite" and was released on March 15, 2011.
The Killing Tree (2000–2004)
McIlrath has played in his metalcoreMetalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
side project The Killing Tree
The Killing Tree
The Killing Tree was a post-hardcore band from Chicago, Illinois. They were another band of Tim McIlrath , and also contain a former guitarist from Rise Against, Todd Mohney....
along with Rise Against old guitarist Todd Mohney
Todd Mohney
Todd Mohney is an American guitarist, who formerly played guitar for the melodic hardcore band Rise Against. He is from Joliet, Illinois and currently resides in Los Angeles. He was active in The Killing Tree side-project band with Rise Against vocalist Tim McIlrath. The Killing Tree hasn't played...
during the early years of the band, though all members used pseudonyms out of concern for it. The Killing Tree has not produced any music or toured since 2003, but contributed their previously unreleased song "Dressed to Fuck" on the 2006 Thick Records
Thick Records
THICK RECORDS is a Chicago based independent record label formed in 1994 by Detroit native Zak Einstein. Early label releases include influential albums from Chicago ska-punkers The Blue Meanies, Alton, IL’s Judge Nothing, and the Omaha based Commander Venus, whose members included Conor Oberst,...
compilation album Hair: Chicago Punk Cuts, featuring Emily Schambra of the alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Holy Roman Empire.
Discography
With Rise AgainstRise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
- Transistor RevoltTransistor Revolt (demo)-Personnel:Rise Against*Tim McIlrath - lead vocals*Mr. Precision - guitar, backing vocals*Joe Principe - bass, backing vocals*Toni Tintari - drums, percussion...
(2000) - The UnravelingThe UnravelingThe Unraveling is the debut full-length album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on April 24, 2001, and distributed through Fat Wreck Chords. Mass Giorgini produced the album at Sonic Iguana Studios in Lafayette, Indiana, in December 2000. It is the only Rise Against studio album on...
(2001) - Revolutions per MinuteRevolutions per Minute (Rise Against album)Revolutions per Minute is the second album by American punk rock band Rise Against. It features the single "Like the Angel" as well as a cover of Journey's single, "Any Way You Want It". The album is considered by many long-term fans to be overwhelmingly their best work.The album had a limited...
(2003) - Siren Song of the Counter CultureSiren Song of the Counter Culture-Personnel:Rise Against*Tim McIlrath – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar*Joe Principe – Bass, backing vocals*Chris Chasse – Lead guitar, backing vocals*Brandon Barnes – Drums, percussionArtwork*Shepard Fairey – Cover illustration...
(2004) - The Sufferer & the WitnessThe Sufferer & the Witness-Personnel:Rise Against* Tim McIlrath – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar, guitar solo on "Prayer of the Refugee"* Joe Principe – Bass guitar, backing vocals* Chris Chasse – Lead guitar, backing vocals* Brandon Barnes – Drums, percussion...
(2006) - This Is NoiseThis Is NoiseThis Is Noise is the first EP by Rise Against. It was released on July 3, 2007 in Canada, and January 15, 2008 on iTunes by Geffen Records. The EP features 5 songs....
(2007) - Appeal to ReasonAppeal to ReasonThe Appeal to Reason was a weekly political newspaper published in the American Midwest from 1895 until 1922. The paper was known for its radical politics, lending support over the years to the Farmers' Alliance and Populist movement before becoming a mainstay of the Socialist Party of America...
(2008) - Rise Against / Anti-Flag (2009)
- Rise Against 7"Rise Against 7""Grammatizator" / "Voice of Dissent" is a single by the American punk rock band Rise Against, released May 12, 2009, on Fat Wreck Chords.According to the band, the single was a result of a bet the band lost to NOFX frontman and Fat Wreck Chords chairman Fat Mike, to release an exclusive 7" vinyl on...
(2009) - EndgameEndgame (Rise Against album)Endgame is the sixth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against. Produced by Bill Stevenson, it was released on March 15, 2011. Rise Against began work on the album in September 2010, after completing touring in support of its previous album, Appeal to Reason, in mid-2010...
(2011)
With The Killing Tree
The Killing Tree
The Killing Tree was a post-hardcore band from Chicago, Illinois. They were another band of Tim McIlrath , and also contain a former guitarist from Rise Against, Todd Mohney....
- Bury Me At Make-Out Creek (2000)
- The Romance of Helen TrentThe Romance of Helen Trent (album)-External links:**...
(2002) - We Sing SinWe Sing Sin EPWe Sing Sin is the second EP and final release by the post-hardcore band The Killing Tree. The name of the EP came from a line in a poem by Gwendolyn Brooks, entitled "We Real Cool". The poem is featured on the inside of the CD's case...
(2003) - Hair: Chicago Punk Cuts ("Dressed to Fuck" only) (2006)
With Baxter
Baxter (punk band)
Baxter was a Chicago post-hardcore band. The band consisted of Tim McIlrath , Neil Hennessy, , Timothy Remis, and a bassist only referred to as J...
- Troy's BucketTroy's BucketTroy's Bucket is the debut album by the Chicago post-hardcore band Baxter. It was later included on their complete discography Baxter. It was recorded and released in 1996 as a cassette and re-released on Astroboy Records....
full-length cassette (1996) - Lost Voices... 7" (Static Station Recordings, 1997)
- Baxter two-disc CD compilation (Will Not Clear Man, 2002)
With Arma Angelus
Arma Angelus
Arma Angelus was a metalcore band from Chicago. The band formed in 1998 and broke up in 2002. Members of the band were Pete Wentz , Tim McIlrath , Jay Jancetic , Daniel Binaei , Adam Bishop Arma Angelus was a metalcore band from Chicago. The band formed in 1998 and broke up in 2002. Members of the...
- Things We Don't Like We Destroy (compilation) (2002)
- The Grave End of the Shovel
With The Honor System
The Honor System
The Honor System is a punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois that formed after the breakup of The Broadways.- History :The band initially consisted of former Broadways members Dan Hanaway and Rob DePaola , along with Nolan McGuire , and Tim McIlrath...
- Single FileSingle File (album)Single File is the debut album by Chicago-based punk rock band The Honor System.- Track listing :# "Nails" – 4:33# "The Blaming Game" – 3:03# "Saints" – 4:05# "Decompose" – 3:55# "Facelift" – 3:35# "Flight" – 3:55# "Fool's Gold" – 2:09...
(four song cassette demo only).
Guest appearances
- Tim provided vocals for the song "The Gre(A)t Depression" by Anti-FlagAnti-FlagAnti-Flag is a punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States, formed in 1988. The band is well known for its outspoken political views. Much of the band's lyrics have focused on fervent anti-war activism, criticism of United States foreign policy, corporatism, U.S. wealth...
. - Tim is featured on the song "Denak ez du balio" by BasqueBasque languageBasque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Berri TxarrakBerri TxarrakBerri Txarrak is a Basque rock power trio whose songs are sung in Basque. It was founded in 1994 in Lekunberri, Navarre, Spain.-History:...
from their album Libre ©. - Tim was also in "Lords of DogtownLords of DogtownLords of Dogtown is a 2005 biographical film directed by Catherine Hardwicke, written by Stacy Peralta. The film is based on the story of "The Z-Boys", an influential group of skateboarders who revolutionized the sport...
" a film in which he performs "Nervous Breakdown" of Black FlagBlack Flag (band)Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
. - Tim sang on the song "Let Them Eat War" in Bad ReligionBad ReligionBad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
's Live at the Palladium DVD - Tim sings vocals in the Cancer BatsCancer BatsCancer Bats are a hardcore punk/sludge metal band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-Background:Cancer Bats originated in May 2004 with singer Liam Cormier and guitarist Scott Middleton, former member of Toronto heavy metal band At the Mercy of Inspiration...
song, "Harem of Scorpions". From their 2008 album Hail DestroyerHail DestroyerHail Destroyer is Cancer Bats' second full-length album. It was released on April 22, 2008 by Distort Entertainment in Canada and on June 24, 2008 by Metal Blade Records in USA....
. - Tim is featured on the song "Resuscitation of a Dead Man" by ThursdayThursday (band)Thursday were an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. Formed in 1997, the group has released six full-length albums, their most recent being No Devolución, which was released in April 2011 on Epitaph Records...
from their album Common ExistenceCommon ExistenceCommon Existence is the fifth full-length album from post-hardcore band Thursday. It was released on February 17, 2009 on Epitaph Records. The band began recording at Dave Fridmann's Tarbox Road Studios on August 11, 2008...
. - Tim sang vocals on the Bullet Treatment 7" on Fat Wreck Chords in 2009.
- Tim provided vocals for the song "Mute Hearts" by Holy Roman Empire.
- Tim was featured at the end of the NOFXNOFXNOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
music video for "Cokie the Clown". - Tim sings vocals in the Anti-FlagAnti-FlagAnti-Flag is a punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States, formed in 1988. The band is well known for its outspoken political views. Much of the band's lyrics have focused on fervent anti-war activism, criticism of United States foreign policy, corporatism, U.S. wealth...
song, "The Gre(A)t Depression". From their 2009 album "The People or the GunThe People or the GunThe People or the Gun is Anti-Flag's seventh studio album. The album was released on June 9, 2009. It was their first album released on independent label SideOneDummy Records after the band's two-record contract ended with RCA Records. The first track, "Sodom, Gomorrah, Washington D.C...
" - Tim is featured on the FlobotsFlobotsThe Flobots are a political rock and hip hop musical group from Denver, Colorado, formed in 2000 by Jamie Laurie. Flobots found mainstream success with their major label debut Fight with Tools , featuring the single "Handlebars", which became a popular hit on Modern Rock radio in April 2008.-Early...
song, "White Flag WarriorWhite Flag Warrior"White Flag Warrior" is the official first single from Flobots' album Survival Story. It is about the U.S. troops and war. It's currently charting on the Alternative Songs, and has so far peaked at #22. The song features a guest appearance from Tim McIlrath, lead singer of band Rise Against.-Charts:...
" on their album, Survival StorySurvival Story-Singles:"White Flag Warrior" was the first single from the album, released digitally on 2 February 2010.-Personnel:Group members*Jamie Laurie – vocals, songwriter, guitar, drums, bass, keyboard*Andy Guererro – guitars, background vocals*Kenny Ortiz – drums...
. - Tim is featured in "The Sims 3 - Ambitions". He sings the song called "SaviorSavior (Rise Against song)"Savior" is the eleventh track from Rise Against's 2008 fifth studio album Appeal to Reason. It was released as the album's third single on June 3, 2009...
" in Simlish. - Tim sang vocals on Stephen Egerton's song "South for the Winter" from his album, The Seven Degrees of Stephen Egerton.
- Tim is featured on the song "Achtung" by BasqueBasque languageBasque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Berri TxarrakBerri TxarrakBerri Txarrak is a Basque rock power trio whose songs are sung in Basque. It was founded in 1994 in Lekunberri, Navarre, Spain.-History:...
from their album PayolaPayolaPayola, in the American music industry, is the illegal practice of payment or other inducement by record companies for the broadcast of recordings on music radio, in which the song is presented as being part of the normal day's broadcast. Under U.S...
.
Straight Edge
Tim and his bandmates, except for Barnes, are straight edgeStraight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
; a lifestyle that eliminates drugs, alcohol and promiscuous sex.
PETA work
Tim is Vegeterian, as are his fellow band members. They are active with the animal rightsAnimal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
group PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
. Tim often takes part in PETA protests and gives out PETA books and flyers at shows. Rise Against's fifth album, Appeal to Reason, even included a PETA sticker, encouraging people to stand up for the rights of animals. He has given many interviews on the matter along with other bands.
He has appeared in many videos made and distributed by PETA expressing their beliefs on vegetarianism
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
as well as issues and the meat industry and fast food industry, fur and fashion use of animal skins and animal testing
Animal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
and dissection
Dissection
Dissection is usually the process of disassembling and observing something to determine its internal structure and as an aid to discerning the functions and relationships of its components....
.
External links
- The Killing Tree's Website (Hasn't been updated since 2003)
- Rise Against's Official Website
- The Killing Tree's Website (archived)
- Tim Mcllrath Interview