Colin Meloy

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Colin Meloy
Colinmeloy1.jpg
Colin Meloy performing with the Decemberists in Atlanta (2006)
Background information
Birth nameColin Patrick Henry Meloy
Born (1974-10-05) October 5, 1974 (age 49)
Helena, Montana, U.S.
Genres Indie rock, indie folk, folk rock, baroque pop, alternative country
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, guitarist, author
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, bouzouki, percussion, harmonica, keyboards
Years active1990–present
Labels Kill Rock Stars
Capitol
Member of The Decemberists
Formerly of Tarkio, Happy Cactus
Website colinmeloy.com
Meloy performing in Brussels (2006) ColinMeloyBrussels.jpg
Meloy performing in Brussels (2006)

Colin Patrick Henry Meloy (born October 5, 1974) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and author best known as the frontman of the Portland, Oregon, indie folk rock band the Decemberists. In addition to vocals, he performs with an acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bouzouki, harmonica and percussion instruments.

Contents

Early life and education

Meloy was born in Helena, Montana. [1] [2] He attended the University of Oregon in Eugene for two years, studying English and theatre, before "a longing to be back in Montana" led him to study creative writing at the University of Montana in Missoula. After graduating in 1998 he left Montana again for Oregon. [3]

Musical career

While in high school, Meloy was in the band Happy Cactus, and when in college, in Missoula, he was the lead singer and songwriter for Tarkio. Both were indie/folk/alternative country bands. Soon after graduation, he left Tarkio and moved to Portland with the hope of establishing himself among the city's music scene. There, Meloy worked in a pizza parlor to pay rent while starting his musicianship anew by performing at various open mics, sometimes with no one listening except for the bartender. He later reflected in an interview with The Montanan that this experience helped to develop his musical style in the long run: "'When I was in that position, with nobody to appeal to or scare away, I thought, 'I might as well do whatever I want to do'...And that created a new thing.'" [3]

The Decemberists formed in 2000 after Meloy met Nate Query, who introduced him to keyboardist Jenny Conlee, and the three scored a silent film together. Meloy had met multi-instrumentalist Chris Funk, who was a fan of Tarkio, at a solo show prior to meeting Conlee and Query. Since its formation, Meloy has served as the band's singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. His work with the Decemberists thus far entails eight studio albums, ten EPs, twenty-two singles, two compilations, and two live albums.

In 2003 Meloy contributed vocals to the track "The Lady From Reims" on Reclinerland's The Ideal Home Music Library. Meloy also contributed vocals on the tracks "Cemetery Row" and "Twilight Distillery" on The Minus 5's 2006 Yep Roc release. Meloy covered the Elliott Smith song "Clementine" for a compilation of Portland, Oregon artists to support a children's charity, and in mid-2006, he contributed the track "Lazy Little Ada" on the Kill Rock Stars compilation, The Sound the Hare Heard . In 2007, Meloy lent his voice to an episode of Lil' Bush . He appeared with Charlie Salas-Humara in the music video for "A Pillar of Salt" by The Thermals.

In 2005, Meloy went on his first solo tour to support the self-released six-song EP, Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey , consisting of six Morrissey covers. Only 1000 copies of the album were made and they were sold only on this tour. Meloy did a second solo tour in January 2006, playing with Laura Veirs and Amy Annelle. On this tour, he sold an EP featuring covers of British folk artist Shirley Collins. 2006 tour performances were recorded for a live release.

Meloy contributed an online bonus track for Lavender Diamond on their Imagine Our Love album, performing a solo version of "Oh No".

Meloy began another solo tour in April 2008. This coincided with the release of his debut solo album, Colin Meloy Sings Live! , on the Kill Rock Stars label. Singer-songwriter Laura Gibson was the supporting act for the full tour. As with previous EPs, Meloy sold an EP only available on this run: Colin Meloy Sings Sam Cooke , a collection of five Sam Cooke songs, arranged and performed by Meloy, with Gibson singing harmonies.

Meloy appeared in the 2013 documentary film Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of "Inside Llewyn Davis", which detailed a one-off concert in New York City honoring traditional American folk music in preparation for the release of the Coen brothers' film Inside Llewyn Davis . The concert, organized by T Bone Burnett, featured several notable musicians representing multiple generations; Meloy performed a cover of Jackson C. Frank's "Blues Run the Game" as well as a version of "Joe Hill" alongside Joan Baez and Gillian Welch. [4]

Literary career

In 2004, Meloy wrote a 100-page book about The Replacements' third album, Let It Be , released as part of the 33⅓ series. [5]

In 2010, Meloy wrote a short story, The Grievous Demise of Mr. Whitley Rackham, illustrated by his wife, Carson Ellis, and published as a limited (200 copies), numbered letterpress edition. [6] [7]

Meloy made his debut as a children's writer with Wildwood , also illustrated by Ellis. He kicked off the book tour as the keynote of the AJC Decatur Book Festival on September 2, 2011. [8] Meloy released a sequel, Under Wildwood , in 2012, and the third book in the series, Wildwood Imperium , was released in 2014.

In October 2017, Meloy released his fourth children's book, The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid, also illustrated by Ellis. [9]

In September 2022, Meloy released his fifth children's book, The Stars Did Wander Darkling. [10]

Meloy has also released two picture books, The Golden Thread: A Song for Pete Seeger (2018), illustrated by Nikki McClure, [11] and Everyone's Awake (2020).

Television

In the 2014 two-part episode of Parks and Recreation entitled "Moving Up: Part 1" and "Moving Up: Part 2", Meloy made a cameo appearance as himself with the rest of the Decemberists at the Unity Concert along with other notable artists such as Jeff Tweedy, Ginuwine, and Yo La Tengo. [12]

Personal life

On February 24, 2006, Carson Ellis, Meloy's wife, gave birth to a son, Henry "Hank" Meloy. Ellis shares her birthday with Meloy, and produces much of the Decemberists' album and promotional artwork. [13] In 2010, Meloy revealed that Hank has high functioning autism. [14] On March 14, 2013, Ellis gave birth to another child, Milo Cannonball Meloy. [15]

Meloy's sister is Maile Meloy, a fiction writer often published in The New Yorker and The New York Times , and his aunt is Ellen Meloy, who was also a writer.

Work with the Decemberists

See: The Decemberists discography

Solo discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Decemberists</span> American indie rock band

The Decemberists are an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon, formed in 2000. The band consists of Colin Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query (bass), and John Moen (drums).

<i>Castaways and Cutouts</i> 2002 studio album by The Decemberists

Castaways and Cutouts is the first full-length album by The Decemberists, originally released on May 21, 2002, on Hush Records and reissued on May 6, 2003, on Kill Rock Stars. The album's title is taken from a lyric of the song "California One/Youth and Beauty Brigade".

<i>5 Songs</i> (The Decemberists EP) 2001 EP by The Decemberists

5 Songs is a six-track EP by the Decemberists initially self-released in 2001. It is the first record the band released. The misleading title owes to the fact that the final track, "Apology Song", was written after the original self-produced CD was released. Meloy liked it so much that it was added to the album when it was re-released by Hush Records in 2003.

Maile Meloy is an American novelist and short story writer.

<i>Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey</i> 2005 EP by Colin Meloy

Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey was the first solo project released by Portland musician Colin Meloy of The Decemberists. The album was released in January, 2005 and was available exclusively on Meloy's first solo tour. Copies of it were later made available to raise money to benefit The Decemberists after their trailer with all their instruments was stolen in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenny Conlee</span> American musician

Jennifer Lynn Conlee-Drizos is an American musician, best known as the accordionist, pianist, organist, keyboardist, melodica player, and occasional backup singer and harmonicist for the indie rock quintet The Decemberists.

Carson Friedman Ellis is a Canadian-born American children's book illustrator and artist. She received a Caldecott Honor for her children's book Du Iz Tak? (2016). Her work is inspired by folk art, art history, and mysticism.

Tarkio was an indie rock band from Missoula, Montana which included Colin Meloy prior to his forming The Decemberists. Tarkio broke up in 1999, but found new popularity in a retrospective released by Kill Rock Stars in 2006.

<i>The Crane Wife</i> 2006 studio album by The Decemberists

The Crane Wife is the fourth album by the Decemberists, released in 2006. It was produced by Tucker Martine and Chris Walla, and is the band's first album on the Capitol Records label. The album was inspired by a Japanese folk tale, and centers on two song cycles, The Crane Wife and The Island, the latter inspired by William Shakespeare's The Tempest. National Public Radio listeners voted The Crane Wife the best album of 2006.

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<i>Colin Meloy Sings Live!</i> 2008 live album by Colin Meloy

Colin Meloy Sings Live! is the first live album released by Portland musician Colin Meloy, frontman for the Decemberists. The album was released in April 2008, and is a collection of live recordings from various nights on the artist's solo tour in early 2006. It includes stripped down versions of songs by the Decemberists, a song that dates back to Meloy's college band Tarkio, live banter and covers of The Smiths, R.E.M., Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, and Shirley Collins. It includes two previously unreleased songs, "Dracula's Daughter" and "Wonder", the latter of which makes reference to Meloy's first—and recently at the time—born son.

<i>Her Majesty the Decemberists</i> 2003 studio album by The Decemberists

Her Majesty the Decemberists is the second full-length album by The Decemberists, released on September 9, 2003, by Kill Rock Stars. The song "Song for Myla Goldberg" was written years earlier, after Colin Meloy had been a media escort for the novelist Myla Goldberg during a tour following the publication of her first book, Bee Season.

<i>The King Is Dead</i> (album) 2011 studio album by The Decemberists

The King Is Dead is the sixth studio album by The Decemberists, released on Capitol Records on January 14, 2011. Described as the "most pastoral, rustic record they've ever made" by Douglas Wolk of Rolling Stone, the album reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart for the week ending February 5, 2011. The song "This Is Why We Fight" reached number 19 on the U.S Alternative Songs Chart, while the song "Down by the Water" also charted in the United States. In November 2011, the band released an EP of album out-takes, entitled Long Live the King.

The Decemberists: A Practical Handbook is a 2007 film featuring indie rock band The Decemberists. The film includes music videos, a live concert, and documentary footage.

<i>Long Live the King</i> (EP) 2011 EP by The Decemberists

Long Live the King is an EP by the American indie rock band The Decemberists, released on November 1, 2011, on Capitol. The release is composed of out-takes from their sixth studio album, The King Is Dead. The titles of both combine to create the traditional proclamation, "The king is dead, long live the king!"

<i>Wildwood</i> (novel) 2011 novel by Colin Meloy

Wildwood is a 2011 children's fantasy novel by The Decemberists' Colin Meloy, illustrated by his wife Carson Ellis. The 541-page novel, inspired by classic fantasy novels and folk tales, is the story of two seventh-graders who are drawn into a hidden, magical forest, while trying to rescue a baby kidnapped by crows. They get caught up in an epic struggle, and learn of their connection to a magical parallel world while confronting adult authorities who are often cowardly or dishonest. The natural beauty and local color of Portland, Oregon, features prominently in the book.

<i>Under Wildwood</i> 2012 novel by Colin Meloy

Under Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book Two is a 2012 children's fantasy novel by The Decemberists' singer-songwriter Colin Meloy, illustrated by his wife Carson Ellis. The 576-page novel, the sequel to Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book One, continues the tale of Prue McKeel and her adventures in the "Impassable Wilderness," a fantastical version of Portland, Oregon's Forest Park. The natural beauty and local color of the city figure prominently. Ellis contributed 80 illustrations to the novel.

<i>What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World</i> 2015 studio album by The Decemberists

What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World is the seventh studio album from The Decemberists, released on January 20, 2015. The album's title comes from a line in the song "12/17/12", a reference to the date of Barack Obama's speech in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and lead singer Colin Meloy's conflicting feelings about the shooting and his happy personal life.

<i>Ill Be Your Girl</i> 2018 studio album by The Decemberists

I'll Be Your Girl is the eighth studio album by the American indie rock band The Decemberists, released on March 16, 2018 on Capitol and Rough Trade. Produced by John Congleton, the band experimented with new instrumentation during the album's recording sessions, including several synth-based compositions inspired by New Order and Depeche Mode. The album was preceded by the singles "Severed" and "Once in My Life".

References

  1. ↑ "Colin Meloy". Montana Kids. Montana Office of Tourism. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
  2. ↑ Monger, James Christopher. "Biography: Colin Meloy". Allmusic. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
  3. 1 2 Schweber, Nate (Winter 2009). "The Making of Meloy". Montanan . Vol. 26, no. 1. University of Montana. Archived from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Jack White, Patti Smith, Colin Meloy, Conor Oberst, More to Play Inside Llewyn Davis Concert". Pitchfork Media. August 19, 2013. Archived from the original on February 25, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  5. ↑ Meloy, Colin (August 10, 2004). The Replacements' Let It Be. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN   9780826416339. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  6. ↑ Meloy, Colin (2010). "The Grievous Demise of Mr. Whitley Rackham". Illustrated by Carson Ellis. Clatskanie, Oregon: Rebecca Gilbert. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  7. ↑ "The Decemberist's Colin Meloy & Carson Ellis Prep Children's Book". TwentyFourBit.com. November 2, 2009. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Colin Meloy". Atlanta Journal-Constitution Decatur Book Festival. June 21, 2011. Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  9. ↑ Meloy, Colin (2017). The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid. Illustrated by Carson Ellis. Balzer + Bray. ISBN   9780062342454. Archived from the original on March 24, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018. On Sale: 10/24/2017
  10. ↑ Meloy, Colin (2022). The Stars Did The Wander Darkling. Balzer + Bray. ISBN   9780063015517. Archived from the original on March 24, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2022. On Sale: September 13, 2022
  11. ↑ Meloy, Colin (2018). The Golden Thread: A Song for Pete Seeger. Illustrated by Nikki McClure. Balzer + Bray. ISBN   9780062368256. Archived from the original on March 24, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  12. ↑ Evan Minsker (April 25, 2014). "Jeff Tweedy, the Decemberists, Ginuwine, Yo La Tengo Appear on "Parks and Recreation"". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Biography". Carson Ellis. Archived from the original on August 24, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  14. ↑ "The Decemberists – Meloy Opens Up About Autistic Son". January 28, 2011. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Twitter / colinmeloy: Accord has been reached". Twitter.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2013. [self-published]
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