Tired Pony
Encyclopedia
Tired Pony is a music supergroup
consisting of Gary Lightbody
, Richard Colburn
, Iain Archer
, Jacknife Lee
, Peter Buck
, Scott McCaughey
and Troy Stewart. Lightbody formed the group out of his appreciation for country music, and has during the early planning phase described the group's music once as "country-tinged" but explained later that in the end the album's development turned out much more to Americana
than country during the whole creative process in the studio. The group visited Portland, Oregon
in January 2010 to record this debut album, which was produced by member Lee; The Place We Ran From
was released on 12 July 2010.
), who had a "long-term ambition" of making a country album. He revealed the project's existence in May 2009. In the interview, he expressed his love for country music, which he said he had loved for a long time: "I always thought I had a country album in me and it turns out I did." The rest of Snow Patrol expressed excitement for their band-mate, "delighted that [Lightbody was] getting to exercise all his crazy ideas." In October 2009, Lightbody in his blog on Snow Patrol's website revealed the members of the group to be Richard Colburn
(of Belle & Sebastian
), Iain Archer
, singer Miriam Kaufmann (Archer's wife), and Jacknife Lee
. He talked about two more members whom he was very excited about, but didn't name them. He also stated that the album won't be country as was being reported, but would be "country-tinged". In January 2010, Hot Press
reported Peter Buck
(of R.E.M.
) to be a member of the group. Lightbody described Buck as one of his "all-time heroes" and admired his talent for playing a variety of instruments.
Lightbody looks at the project as something he has "wanted to get out of [his] system", and said that "[he doesn't] know whether people will dig it or not.". About the album he furthermore said he wanted to write a twisted love-letter to the States.
Tired Pony played their first ever live show at London's Forum venue in Kentish Town
on July 14, 2010 and were joined on stage by 2009 Mercury Music Prize nominee Lisa Hannigan
who stepped in for Zooey Deschanel
on song "Get On The Road". Editors
singer Tom Smith
also joined the group on stage.
On September 30, 2010, Tired Pony appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman, performing "Dead American Writers" from their album, The Place We Ran From.
is the first album by Tired Pony. It was released on July 12, 2010, in the United Kingdom and on September 28, 2010, in the United States. Its first single was be "Dead American Writers, released one week before the album on vinyl only." It was recorded in only one week on January 2010, in Portland, Oregon
, USA. It includes contributions from actress and singer Zooey Deschanel, guitarist M. Ward
, and Tom Smith of the indie rock group Editors
. Apart from playing on the album, Jacknife Lee is handling album production. The video for "Dead American Writers" stars British actor Joseph Gilgun
and was directed by Paul Fraser (a longtime collaborator of Shane Meadows
).
On 13 October 2009, Lightbody debuted a Tired Pony song during Snow Patrol's tour stop in Portland, called "I Finally Love This Town". While playing an acoustic session for radio station KINK
, he introduced the song, which he said he had written the previous night. He said that the song was "written in Portland, inspired by Portland."
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
consisting of Gary Lightbody
Gary Lightbody
Gary Lightbody is an Northern Irish musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol.- Early life :...
, Richard Colburn
Richard Colburn
Richard Colburn is the drummer of the Scottish indie band Belle & Sebastian. Before he joined Belle & Sebastian, he used to sell pies on match days outside Celtic Park and study Music Business at Stow College. He was also a semi-professional Snooker player. His nickname is "Rico" and he also...
, Iain Archer
Iain Archer
Iain Denis Archer is a singer–songwriter from Bangor, Northern Ireland, who was once a secondary lyricist for the indie band Snow Patrol. Archer comes from a musical background and released several solo albums in the mid 90s on the small Scottish independent label Sticky Music...
, Jacknife Lee
Jacknife Lee
Garret "Jacknife" Lee is an Irish music producer and mixer. He has worked with a variety of artists, including The Cars, U2, R.E.M., Snow Patrol, Bloc Party, AFI, The Hives, Weezer, Vega4 and Editors.-Biography:...
, Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
, Scott McCaughey
Scott McCaughey
As a singer and songwriter, Scott McCaughey is the leader of the Seattle and Portland-based bands The Young Fresh Fellows and The Minus 5.He is also bassist for Robyn Hitchcock's most recent touring band, The Venus 3, along with Bill Rieflin and Peter Buck....
and Troy Stewart. Lightbody formed the group out of his appreciation for country music, and has during the early planning phase described the group's music once as "country-tinged" but explained later that in the end the album's development turned out much more to Americana
Americana (music)
Americana is an amalgam of roots musics formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influential styles...
than country during the whole creative process in the studio. The group visited Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
in January 2010 to record this debut album, which was produced by member Lee; The Place We Ran From
The Place We Ran From
The Place We Ran From is the debut album by the alternative rock/alt country supergroup Tired Pony, released on July 5, 2010, through Polydor/Fiction in the United Kingdom and on July 28, 2010, in the United States by Mom and Pop...
was released on 12 July 2010.
History
Tired Pony was formed by Gary Lightbody (of Snow PatrolSnow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
), who had a "long-term ambition" of making a country album. He revealed the project's existence in May 2009. In the interview, he expressed his love for country music, which he said he had loved for a long time: "I always thought I had a country album in me and it turns out I did." The rest of Snow Patrol expressed excitement for their band-mate, "delighted that [Lightbody was] getting to exercise all his crazy ideas." In October 2009, Lightbody in his blog on Snow Patrol's website revealed the members of the group to be Richard Colburn
Richard Colburn
Richard Colburn is the drummer of the Scottish indie band Belle & Sebastian. Before he joined Belle & Sebastian, he used to sell pies on match days outside Celtic Park and study Music Business at Stow College. He was also a semi-professional Snooker player. His nickname is "Rico" and he also...
(of Belle & Sebastian
Belle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. Belle and Sebastian are often compared with influential indie bands such as The Smiths, as well as classic acts such as Love, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. The name Belle & Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965...
), Iain Archer
Iain Archer
Iain Denis Archer is a singer–songwriter from Bangor, Northern Ireland, who was once a secondary lyricist for the indie band Snow Patrol. Archer comes from a musical background and released several solo albums in the mid 90s on the small Scottish independent label Sticky Music...
, singer Miriam Kaufmann (Archer's wife), and Jacknife Lee
Jacknife Lee
Garret "Jacknife" Lee is an Irish music producer and mixer. He has worked with a variety of artists, including The Cars, U2, R.E.M., Snow Patrol, Bloc Party, AFI, The Hives, Weezer, Vega4 and Editors.-Biography:...
. He talked about two more members whom he was very excited about, but didn't name them. He also stated that the album won't be country as was being reported, but would be "country-tinged". In January 2010, Hot Press
Hot Press
Hot Press is a fortnightly music and political magazine based in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it had a circulation of 19,215 during 2007...
reported Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
(of R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
) to be a member of the group. Lightbody described Buck as one of his "all-time heroes" and admired his talent for playing a variety of instruments.
Lightbody looks at the project as something he has "wanted to get out of [his] system", and said that "[he doesn't] know whether people will dig it or not.". About the album he furthermore said he wanted to write a twisted love-letter to the States.
Tired Pony played their first ever live show at London's Forum venue in Kentish Town
Kentish Town
Kentish Town is an area of north west London, England in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The most widely accepted explanation of the name of Kentish Town is that it derived from 'Ken-ditch' meaning the 'bed of a waterway'...
on July 14, 2010 and were joined on stage by 2009 Mercury Music Prize nominee Lisa Hannigan
Lisa Hannigan
Lisa Margaret Hannigan is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. For several years she was a member of Damien Rice's band before beginning her solo career in 2008. She has been the recipient of various award nominations and critical praise both in Ireland and the USA...
who stepped in for Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Claire Deschanel is an American actress, musician, and singer-songwriter. In 1999, Deschanel made her film debut in Mumford, followed by her breakout role as young protagonist William Miller's troubled older sister Anita in Cameron Crowe's 2000 semi-autobiographical film Almost Famous...
on song "Get On The Road". Editors
Editors
Editors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham, who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith , Chris Urbanowicz , Russell Leetch and Ed Lay .Editors have so far released two platinum studio...
singer Tom Smith
Tom Smith (musician)
Thomas Michael Henry Smith is an English musician. He is lead singer, lyricist, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist for the Birmingham-based indie rock band Editors....
also joined the group on stage.
On September 30, 2010, Tired Pony appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman, performing "Dead American Writers" from their album, The Place We Ran From.
Album
The Place We Ran FromThe Place We Ran From
The Place We Ran From is the debut album by the alternative rock/alt country supergroup Tired Pony, released on July 5, 2010, through Polydor/Fiction in the United Kingdom and on July 28, 2010, in the United States by Mom and Pop...
is the first album by Tired Pony. It was released on July 12, 2010, in the United Kingdom and on September 28, 2010, in the United States. Its first single was be "Dead American Writers, released one week before the album on vinyl only." It was recorded in only one week on January 2010, in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, USA. It includes contributions from actress and singer Zooey Deschanel, guitarist M. Ward
M. Ward
Matthew Stephen Ward, known by his stage name M. Ward, is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who rose to prominence in the Portland, Oregon music scene. In addition to his solo work he is known as a member of She & Him and Monsters of Folk.-Career:...
, and Tom Smith of the indie rock group Editors
Editors
Editors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham, who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith , Chris Urbanowicz , Russell Leetch and Ed Lay .Editors have so far released two platinum studio...
. Apart from playing on the album, Jacknife Lee is handling album production. The video for "Dead American Writers" stars British actor Joseph Gilgun
Joseph Gilgun
Joseph William Gilgun is an English actor best known for playing Eli Dingle in ITV's Emmerdale, Woody in the film This Is England and Rudy Wade in series 3 of E4's Misfits.-Biography:...
and was directed by Paul Fraser (a longtime collaborator of Shane Meadows
Shane Meadows
Shane Meadows is an English film director, screenwriter, occasional actor and BAFTA winner.-Background:Meadows grew up in the Westlands Road area of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. His father was a long distance lorry driver and his mother worked in a fish and chip shop...
).
On 13 October 2009, Lightbody debuted a Tired Pony song during Snow Patrol's tour stop in Portland, called "I Finally Love This Town". While playing an acoustic session for radio station KINK
KINK
KINK, also kink.fm, is an American commercial broadcast FM radio station in Portland, Oregon. The station began broadcasting Christmas Day, 1968 as “KINK – The Underground Link”...
, he introduced the song, which he said he had written the previous night. He said that the song was "written in Portland, inspired by Portland."
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
IRL Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
NL | BE | ||
| 2010 | The Place We Ran From The Place We Ran From The Place We Ran From is the debut album by the alternative rock/alt country supergroup Tired Pony, released on July 5, 2010, through Polydor/Fiction in the United Kingdom and on July 28, 2010, in the United States by Mom and Pop...
|
17 | 27 | 14 | 24 |
Singles
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Dead American Writers" | The Place We Ran From The Place We Ran From The Place We Ran From is the debut album by the alternative rock/alt country supergroup Tired Pony, released on July 5, 2010, through Polydor/Fiction in the United Kingdom and on July 28, 2010, in the United States by Mom and Pop... |
| "Get on the Road" (promo) |