David Kilgour (musician)

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David Kilgour
Birth nameDavid Auld Kilgour
Born1961/1962(age 60–61)
Ranfurly, New Zealand
Genres Indie rock
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar, vocals
Labels Flying Nun Records, Arch Hill Recordings, Merge Records

David Auld Kilgour MNZM (born 1961/1962) [1] is a New Zealand songwriter, musician and recording artist from Dunedin. He first started playing guitar as a teenager in the late 1970s. With brother Hamish he formed The Clean, a group that went on to become one of the most popular and most respected bands in New Zealand.

Contents

Early life and family

Born in Ranfurly, Kilgour is the son of McGregor Kilgour and Helen Stewart Kilgour (née Auld). He was educated at Otago Boys' High School from 1974 to 1976. [2]

Career

1980s: The Clean and The Great Unwashed

In 1980, Kilgour was one of the founders of New Zealand independent rock band, The Clean. The Clean broke up in the mid- 1980s and David Kilgour proceeded to form and play with other bands such as Stephen and The Great Unwashed. The Clean reformed in 1989 and produced the album Vehicle.

1990s-present: Solo career

In 1991, Kilgour released his debut solo album Here Come the Cars, which received much critical acclaim and peaked at number 35 on the New Zealand chart. In 1994 Kilgour released his second studio album, Sugar Mouth.

In 1995 Kilgour released First Steps and False Alarms, a compilation of recordings and demos, the so-called "best of the worst", between the late '80s and early '90s. In 1997 he released his third album, David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights.

At the 2001 New Year Honours, Kilgour was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to music. [3] That same year, he released his 4th studio album, A Feather in the Engine.

In 2004, Kilgour released his fifth solo album Frozen Orange. The making of Frozen Orange was documented by filmmaker Bridget Sutherland in the film Far Off Town: Dunedin to Nashville. The film screened at Raindance Film Festival, London; Nashville Film Festival, San Francisco Film Festival, Aarhus Festival of Independent Arts, Denmark and was nominated for ‘Best Feature Documentary’ at DOCNZ, 2007. [4] [5]

In February 2007 Kilgour released his sixth solo album, The Far Now.

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with New Zealand chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart
positions
NZ
[6]
Here Come the Cars 21
Sugar Mouth
  • Released: May 1994
  • Label: Flying Nun Records (FN282)
  • Format: LP, CD
45
David Kilgour & The Heavy Eights
(as David Kilgour & The Heavy Eights)
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: Flying Nun Records (FN397)
  • Format: CD
-
A Feather in the Engine
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Arclife Records (arclife 016)
  • Format: CD
-
Frozen Orange
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: Arch Hill Recordings (AHR013)
  • Format: CD
-
The Far Now
  • Released: February 2007
  • Label: Arch Hill Recordings (AHR025)
  • Format: CD, DD
-
Falling Debris
(with Sam Hunt)
  • Released: 2008
  • Label: Arch Hill Recordings (AHR039)
  • Format: CD, DD
-
Left by Soft
(as David Kilgour & The Heavy Eights)
  • Released: April 2011
  • Label: Arch Hill Recordings (AHR047)
  • Format: CD, DD
31
End Times Undone
(as David Kilgour & The Heavy Eights)
  • Released: 2014
  • Label: Merge Records (MRG519)
  • Format: CD, DD, LP
-
Bobbie's a Girl
(as David Kilgour & The Heavy Eights)
  • Released: September 2019
  • Label: Merge Records (MRG688)
  • Format: CD, DD, LP, streaming
25

Demo albums

List of demo albums
TitleAlbum details
David
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: Alley Oop (ALLEY OOP 1)
  • Format: Cassette
First Steps & False Alarms
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Ajax
  • Format: CD

Extended plays

List of EPs
TitleAlbum details
Pop Art Toasters
(with The Chills)
  • Released: 1994
  • Label: Flying Nun (FNCD288)
  • Format: CD
Spiritual Gas Station
  • Released: 1994
  • Label: Flying Nun (FNCD308)
  • Format: CD
Cracks in the Sidewalk
  • Released: 2002
  • Label: Arclife Records (arc 017)
  • Format: CD

See also

Awards and nominations

Aotearoa Music Awards

The Aotearoa Music Awards (previously known as New Zealand Music Awards (NZMA)) are an annual awards night celebrating excellence in New Zealand music and have been presented annually since 1965.

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
1993David KilgourSong writer of the YearNominated [7]
1995David KilgourMale Artist of the YearNominated
2017David Kilgour (as part of The Clean) New Zealand Music Hall of Fame inductee [8]

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References

  1. Smithies, Grant (15 September 2019). "David Kilgour offers up warm sounds from the chilly south on Bobbie's A Girl". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  2. Taylor, Alister, ed. (2001). "New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001". New Zealand Who's Who, Aotearoa. Auckland: Alister Taylor Publishers. ISSN   1172-9813.
  3. "New Year honours list 2001". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 30 December 2000. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  4. "Far off Town Dunedin to Nashville". 24 May 2006.
  5. "Fourteenth Raindance Film Festival | 27.09.06 - 08.10.06".
  6. "David Kilgour Discography". charts.nz. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  7. "Aotearoa Music Awards". aotearoamusicawards.nz. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  8. "HOME INDUCTEES". www.musichall.co.nz. Retrieved 16 August 2021.