Wooden Wand
Encyclopedia
Wooden Wand is one moniker of singer-songwriter James Jackson Toth, who has recorded under his given name as well as the name WAND
. Having over 100 releases from proper albums to handmade CDRs to limited-edition vinyl, Toth is by all accounts an astoundingly prolific artist. The style of music recorded by Toth and his many incarnations has drawn on a variety of both conventional and experimental folk and rock influences, including psych folk
, acid folk, freak-folk, free folk, and indie
. Though he was significant player in the New Weird America
trend of the early- to mid-2000s along with Devendra Banhart, Akron/Family, Joanna Newsom, and collaborators The Vanishing Voice, Toth has been difficult to pigeonhole in one genre; recent releases have been identified as acid-folk, free-jazz, outlaw country, and country-tinged rock.
Wooden Wand's collaborations have been nearly as wandering and nomadic as Toth himself, a New York native who attended Purchase College before relocating to Knoxville, TN; Murfreesboro, TN and most recently, Lexington, KY. He has recorded with the Vanishing Voice (who went on to form Woods and Jex Thoth), the Sky High Band, the Omen Bones Band, and the Briarwood Virgins (a Birmingham, AL supergroup featuring members of the Gum Creek Killers, Through the Sparks, Plate Six, and the now-defunct Verbena). Toth has appeared on such labels as Kill Rock Stars
, Ecstatic Peace!, Rykodisc
, and Young God
. In November 2011, Fire Records in the UK will release Wooden Wand's latest record Briarwood, which was initially fan-funded through Kickstarter and recorded in Birmingham, AL in April of 2011.
WAND
WAND, virtual channel 17, is an NBC-affiliated television station serving the Decatur–Springfield–Champaign area. It is owned by Block Communications...
. Having over 100 releases from proper albums to handmade CDRs to limited-edition vinyl, Toth is by all accounts an astoundingly prolific artist. The style of music recorded by Toth and his many incarnations has drawn on a variety of both conventional and experimental folk and rock influences, including psych folk
Psych folk
Psychedelic folk or psych folk is a loosely defined form of psychedelic music that originated in the 1960s through the fusion of folk music and psychedelic rock...
, acid folk, freak-folk, free folk, and indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
. Though he was significant player in the New Weird America
New Weird America
New Weird America describes a subgenre of psychedelic and indie music, often psych folk, of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.-Origin of the term:...
trend of the early- to mid-2000s along with Devendra Banhart, Akron/Family, Joanna Newsom, and collaborators The Vanishing Voice, Toth has been difficult to pigeonhole in one genre; recent releases have been identified as acid-folk, free-jazz, outlaw country, and country-tinged rock.
Wooden Wand's collaborations have been nearly as wandering and nomadic as Toth himself, a New York native who attended Purchase College before relocating to Knoxville, TN; Murfreesboro, TN and most recently, Lexington, KY. He has recorded with the Vanishing Voice (who went on to form Woods and Jex Thoth), the Sky High Band, the Omen Bones Band, and the Briarwood Virgins (a Birmingham, AL supergroup featuring members of the Gum Creek Killers, Through the Sparks, Plate Six, and the now-defunct Verbena). Toth has appeared on such labels as Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...
, Ecstatic Peace!, Rykodisc
Rykodisc
Rykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...
, and Young God
Young God
Young God could refer to:* Young God Records, a record label run by Michael Gira* Young God , an EP by New York band Swans* The Young Gods, a band* Young Gods , a comic...
. In November 2011, Fire Records in the UK will release Wooden Wand's latest record Briarwood, which was initially fan-funded through Kickstarter and recorded in Birmingham, AL in April of 2011.
Cassettes
- Book of FM (Polyamory)
- Folk Audio Tapes Vol. 1 (WWVV #1)
- Live At Pasture reissue (Skullfucking Tapes)
- Michel's Portal and Crow Jane Variations (Fuckit Tapes)
- Split with Kasvien Ystavat (Polyamory)
CD-R
- Angel Hair (Chocolate Monk)
- Live At Pasture (tour only) (23 Productions)
- Supplication Jam for Brother Greh 3-inch CD-R (Chondritic Sound)
- Town on the Edge of Darkness (Audiobot)
- From The Road Vol. 1 - Born Free (23 Productions)
- From The Road Vol. 2 - The Philosophy of Fuck It (23 Productions)
- From The Road Vol. 3 - Dead Lecturing (23 Productions)
Albums
- Buck Dharma CD/2xLP (5RC / Time-Lag)
- L'un Marquer Contre La Moissonneuse CD (Three Lobed Recordings)
- Sunset Sleeves LP (Weird Forest)
- Xiao LP (DeStijl)
- Xiao CD/LP (Troubleman Unlimited)
- Gipsy Freedom CD/LP (5RC)
- The Flood CD/LP (Troubleman)
- James & The Quiet CD (Ecstatic Peace!/UniversalUniversal RecordsUniversal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
) - Waiting in Vain CD (RykodiscRykodiscRykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...
) - Born Bad LP (People in a Position to Know)
- Hard Knox CD (Ecstatic Peace!)
- Death Seat CD (Young God RecordsYoung God RecordsYoung God Records is an independent record label formed by Michael Gira in 1990 that specializes in experimental, avant-garde and often non genre-specific releases...
)
Compilations
- Satya Sai Baba Plays The Ring of Spells on the Heart Liver & Lungs compilation (???)
- Liberty on Animal Power Magic compilation (Nature Tape Limb)
Other & Related Releases
- A Cut Above featuring Wooden Wand & Satya Sai Baba Cemetery of Life CS (Polyamory)
- The Diehls Noise at the Diehls CD-R (WWVV #2)
- Ego Plummet No Shoes CD-R (virgin eye blood brothers + son of earth + wwvv) (Polyamory)
- Heidi Diehl Old Times / Year of the Stone VHS (Polyamory / WWVV #5)
- Heircraft Totem September 1-4, 2004 CS (Polyamory)
- Night Moves bookBookA book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
(WWVV#6) - The Jones Gang High Eye: Live in Nashville CDR (Polyamory)
- The Vanishing Voice Nordic Visions LP (Gipsy Phinx)
- The Vanishing Voice Jarvis Hall" CDR (VV)
- The Vanishing Voice Road Of Trials" CDR (VV)
- The Vanishing Voice Vellum one sided c50 CS (Meudiademorte)
- Time Life (Crane & Diehl] Doubled Blackberry CS (Meudiademorte)
- Time Life (Crane & Diehl] Gripstone CS (Night People)
- Vanishing (Crane & Diehl) s/t CS (WWVV #3)
- Voice (Crane & Taveniere) s/t CS(WWVV #4)
- Wooden Wand Harem of the Sundrum CS (Polyamory)
- Wooden Wand & Satya Sai Baba Moray Elk Themes 7" (Gold Soundz)
- Wooden Wand & Satya Sai Baba Crow’s Feet Modifier on Cottage Industrial, Vol.3 comp (Humbug)
- Wooden Wand & The Sky High Band Second Attention CD (Kill Rock Stars)
- Wooden Wand & Tovah D Day Bad News Bearers CS (Polyamory)
- Castanets/I Heart Lung 12" (Crane & Tavaniere w/Castanets) (Sounds Are ActiveSounds Are ActiveSounds Are Active is an independent record label based in Long Beach, CA. It was founded in 1999 by Chris Schlarb. The label has focused on releasing music in the genres of free jazz, avanthop, ambient and other experimental music....
) - The Blood Group Everything Forgotten Gathers At The Ceiling (Le Grand Magistery)
- The Blood Group Volunteers (Le Grand Magistery)