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Austin, United States
Bill Callahan, born in Silver Spring, Maryland. Callahan pioneered the lo-fi genre of underground rock, with homemade tape-albums recorded on four track tape recorders. Later he signed a record contract with the label drag city.
Callahan started out as a highly experimental artist, utilizing sub-standard instruments and recording equipment. His reason for using the lo-fi approach was not so much an aesthetic choice, rather it came from his lack of knowledge of recording studios, and fear of giving up control to professional engineers.
His later work saw him overcoming his fear of studios and producers, and in this period he recorded two albums with the influential producer Jim O’Rourke and musicians from the circles around drag city, as well as collaborating with the similar-minded Neil Hagerty.
His songs are based on simple, repetitive structures, strikingly characterized by his baritone vocal. His lyrics are often centered around themes of spiritual searching and the complexity of emotions, with the use of subtlety and dark irony in the classic sense. There is also a broad swathe of joy throughout Callahan’s work (and a singular obsession with horses that he shares with Will Oldham). He is a keen storyteller using simple words to project large and deeply echoing tales.
Callahan’s love life has been documented with vigor in numerous hipster publications, including his romantic relationship with Chan Marshall (Cat Power), who allegedly penned “To Be a Good Woman” in tribute to Callahan while referencing his song “To Be Of Use.
Callahan started out as a highly experimental artist, utilizing sub-standard instruments and recording equipment. His reason for using the lo-fi approach was not so much an aesthetic choice, rather it came from his lack of knowledge of recording studios, and fear of giving up control to professional engineers.
His later work saw him overcoming his fear of studios and producers, and in this period he recorded two albums with the influential producer Jim O’Rourke and musicians from the circles around drag city, as well as collaborating with the similar-minded Neil Hagerty.
His songs are based on simple, repetitive structures, strikingly characterized by his baritone vocal. His lyrics are often centered around themes of spiritual searching and the complexity of emotions, with the use of subtlety and dark irony in the classic sense. There is also a broad swathe of joy throughout Callahan’s work (and a singular obsession with horses that he shares with Will Oldham). He is a keen storyteller using simple words to project large and deeply echoing tales.
Callahan’s love life has been documented with vigor in numerous hipster publications, including his romantic relationship with Chan Marshall (Cat Power), who allegedly penned “To Be a Good Woman” in tribute to Callahan while referencing his song “To Be Of Use.
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A River Ain't Too Much to Love
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Red Apple Falls
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Wild Love
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Shoutbox
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ithinkx wrote:
i'm really feeling Smog today. must be the cold, grey, Autumn weather.
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Julian_pa wrote:
,',',',',',',',',',',',','55 6 6 6 66 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 666 mr 6 6 6 6 6 6 2 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6megahitler megahitler satan
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sirianmorgan wrote:
I recently saw the tiny desk concert thing too. It's seriously worth a look - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHVNUrcyJy8 'Too many birds' is just amazing.
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insurGENTLEMAN wrote:
i just saw a great live performance of Bill on npr.org. Its called "Tiny desk concerts."
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DominiqueTheFox wrote:
His music makes me feel complete inside. The world is safe as long as Bill plays.
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instazome wrote:
oh no, they meant that he pioneered highly experimental musicologies
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ewgumz wrote:
Looks interesting, but this guy did not "pioneer" low-fi.
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PascaGabi wrote:
there is another band called SMOG
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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.
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ketchupagogo wrote:
Not sure about the last few albums but Knock Knock always breaks my heart. In a good way. Supper too.
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IamianaimaI wrote:
Most speculative bio I've seen on lastfm.
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ilikethedoors89 wrote:
Jack Johnson is a cheap ripoff of Bill Callahan.
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Mokami wrote:
i break horses, i don't tend them
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Lord_Krichian wrote:
love the knock knock pic
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Himmelhost wrote:
what a voice! great bicycling music
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viciadoemarroz wrote:
Here a short comic about one Smog song. http://richardthere.blogspot.com/2009/08/smog-say-valley-maker.html After the great concert in Cologne!
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famkeZ wrote:
Ik heb nog een kaartje over voor zijn uitverkochte concert in Paradiso eind augustus, neem even contact met me op als je een kaartje zoekt.. : )
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messo wrote:
Full hour stream of his performance on La Route de Rock festival in France here.
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marcodeboer wrote:
Best music to drive through hills ... :-)
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drawmountains wrote:
Thankyou for all of your great work Mr Bill Callahan. You inspire me so. Take care, Simon
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Bill Callahan
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(smog)
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