Play Bill Callahan Radio
Bill Callahan
On Tour
1,100,682 plays (66,938 listeners)
Austin, United States (2007 – present)
Bill Callahan (born 1966), also known as Smog and (Smog), is an american singer-songwriter born in Silver Spring, Maryland. Callahan began working in the lo-fi genre of underground rock, with home-made tape-albums recorded on four track tape recorders. Later he began releasing albums with the label Drag City, to which he remains signed today.
Callahan started out as a highly experimental artist, using substandard instruments and recording equipment. His early songs often nearly lacked melodic structure and were clumsily played on poorly tuned guitars (possibly influenced by Jandek, whom Callahan admired), resulting in the dissonant sounds on his self-released cassettes and debut album Sewn to the Sky. Much of his early output was instrumental, a stark contrast to the lyrical focus of his later work. Apparently, he used lo-fi techniques not primarily because of an aesthetic preference but because he didn’t have any other possibility to make music. Once he signed a contract with Drag City, he also started to use recording studios and a greater variety of instruments for his records.
From 1993 to 2000, Callahan’s recordings grew more and more “professional” sounding, with more instruments, and a higher sound quality. In this period he recorded two albums with the influential producer Jim O’Rourke and Tortoise’s John McEntire, and collaborated with Neil Hagerty. After 2000’s Dongs of Sevotion, Callahan began moving back to a slightly simpler instrumentation and recording style, while retaining the more consistent songwriting style he had developed over the years.
Callahan started out as a highly experimental artist, using substandard instruments and recording equipment. His early songs often nearly lacked melodic structure and were clumsily played on poorly tuned guitars (possibly influenced by Jandek, whom Callahan admired), resulting in the dissonant sounds on his self-released cassettes and debut album Sewn to the Sky. Much of his early output was instrumental, a stark contrast to the lyrical focus of his later work. Apparently, he used lo-fi techniques not primarily because of an aesthetic preference but because he didn’t have any other possibility to make music. Once he signed a contract with Drag City, he also started to use recording studios and a greater variety of instruments for his records.
From 1993 to 2000, Callahan’s recordings grew more and more “professional” sounding, with more instruments, and a higher sound quality. In this period he recorded two albums with the influential producer Jim O’Rourke and Tortoise’s John McEntire, and collaborated with Neil Hagerty. After 2000’s Dongs of Sevotion, Callahan began moving back to a slightly simpler instrumentation and recording style, while retaining the more consistent songwriting style he had developed over the years.
Top Albums
-
Woke On A Whaleheart
Bill Callahan
Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $8.91
- 7digital Search
- iTunes $8.91
- Buy Album
- Amazon $10.54
- eBay Search
-
Diamond Dancer
Bill CallahanBuy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $1.98
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon $2.58
- eBay Search
Shoutbox
-
GodShowMeMagic wrote:
Yep he does. He played Bathysphere when I saw him recently, for example...
-
davevegan wrote:
Does anyone know if he performs "Smog" material while performing as "Bill Callahan," or does he disregard the material he performed under the "Smog" moniker?
-
KOKOMOwebradio wrote:
you should watch this video shot last summer in France : http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/Bill_Callahan_en_direct_de_la_Route_du_Rock/
-
pennyeach wrote:
scratches that itch
-
touchmyichi wrote:
Bill Callahan/Smog/(smog) needs to settle on one name, he's making my music collection damn confusing.
-
hotterthanjuly wrote:
This needs to be merged with Smog.
-
east_river wrote:
does anybody know whether there's any recording of any of those solo in-store performances. i mean the whole show, not just some youtube videos.........anyone please?
-
eyegorVSighost wrote:
check out Eyegor, low-fi acoustic folk visions (inspired by mountain borderlands and Cormack Mccarthy). all songs available on free download, http://www.last.fm/music/eyegor hugs to you fellows.
-
kristeng02 wrote:
Mmm...that voice.
-
tomholcroft wrote:
you couldn't have a better name for this type of music
-
palanwen wrote:
haha, bill callahan's voice for a GPS device. that is the most awesome idea ever.. i wonder why 'sometimes i wish i were an eagle' isn't listed under albums. i've listening to it for the first time, it's ok. not as good as woke on a whale heart so far.. however i'm only half through the thing.
-
ustipacna wrote:
Thanks to the concert in Kutna Hora from me...
-
Aesthete24 wrote:
Interview from April '09 in which he explains a lot: http://www.avclub.com/articles/bill-callahan,26516/
-
Soviet-Kitsch wrote:
I'd like Bill Callahan to be the voice on my GPS.
-
Martyr410 wrote:
Yes! Tremendous version of "All Thoughts Are Prey To Some Beast" at the Chateau. Kiekevel!
-
Bierbak wrote:
Great show @ Pukkelpop!
-
lerizzi wrote:
The new album is one of the ten best albuns of 2009, obviously.
-
sxadrenaleen wrote:
Bill Callahan's concert @ Route du Rock will be available here (august, 15th): http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/Bill_Callahan_en_direct_de_la_route_du_rock/
-
matthewrrr wrote:
bury me in stone and i will quake...
-
doyone wrote:
TE AMO BILL
Videos
See more
Events
-
Dec
4
Bill Callahan
Granada Theater, Dallas TX, United States
Add shout
| 10 attendees
-
Dec
7
Bill Callahan
Cosmic Charlies, Lexington, KY, United States
Add shout
| 2 attendees
-
Dec
8
Bill Callahan
Pilot Light, Knoxville TN, United States
Add shout
| 6 attendees
News
in-store performance at waterloo records
6 May 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/toomuchtolove
Friday, May 8th at 5:30 pmWaterloo600 N. LamarAustin, TX
78703
-
1 Jan 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/toomuchtolove -
1 Jan 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/toomuchtolove -
14 Dec 2008 | from blog.myspace.com/toomuchtolove
Listeners
-
klosteris
Listening now
to The Wind And The Dove -
conorschild
Listening now
to My Friend -
costellofan89
Listening now
to Jim Cain -
number9cph
Top Listener
-
Radek_H
Top Listener
-
TheBirdCalls
Top Listener
Recent Activity
-
Gedankenhaufen wrote about Bill Callahan in Meine TOP30 Alben.. 3 hours ago
-
jmdgremu, J0CK1, annemasu and 3 other people added Bill Callahan to their libraries. yesterday evening
-
vignira tagged Bill Callahan with ‘seen live’. yesterday afternoon
-
SirronoC, lovemycat, folkartists and 5 other people added Bill Callahan to their libraries. yesterday morning
-
tastystuff1 added Bill Callahan to the lineup of Bill Callahan at Legitimate Business. Tuesday afternoon
-
MRSBUNNY2, eMcK01, Whiskeyhorse and 2 other people added Bill Callahan to their libraries. Tuesday morning
-
pad-58 tagged Bill Callahan with ‘bill callahan’. Sunday evening
-
pad-58 and brickabrack added Bill Callahan to their libraries. Sunday evening
-
ariedirk tagged Bill Callahan with lo-fi, folk, alt-country and one other tag. Sunday afternoon
-
heixingxing, Mirkocho, volleybal1 and 12 other people added Bill Callahan to their libraries. Sunday morning
Related Journals
-
Meine TOP30 Alben.
by Gedankenhaufen |
27 Nov 2009 | Add comment
-
Best Albums Of 2009: Longlist
by pzantingh |
17 Nov 2009 | Add comment
-
Vote for your favourite LP cover from 2009
by thisisall1word |
11 Nov 2009 | 1 comment
Groups (31)
-
Bill Callahan
44 members
-
(smog)
161 members
-
Shearwater
107 members
-
Austin TX
883 members
-
Quiet Music Should Be Played Loud: A group for people who like quiet songs and loud…
721 members
More Information
- Links
