Sweet Billy Pilgrim

Last updated

Sweet Billy Pilgrim
Origin Aylesbury, England
Genres Art rock, progressive rock, folk, folktronica, alternative rock, pop
Years active2003–present
LabelsLuxor Purchase, Samadhi Sound, Wonderland Avenue, K-Scope, Deco Audio Records.
MembersAnthony Bishop
Jana Carpenter
Tim Elsenburg
Alistair Hamer
Website sweetbillypilgrim.com

Sweet Billy Pilgrim are an English genre spanning band, composed of bassist/banjo player Anthony Bishop, guitarist and singer Jana Carpenter, guitarist and singer Tim Elsenburg, and drummer/percussionist Alistair Hamer. Often described as rock, folk rock, folktronica, Americana, alternative, art rock, electronica, pop or prog, they describe their sound as "thrash pastel".

Contents

Biography

The original three members met while at school. Elsenburg and Bishop are from Wingrave and Hamer from Wendover, both near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. American born Carpenter joined the band in 2010.

Sweet Billy Pilgrim formed in 2003 after their previous band, Cordisto, came to an end. [1] The band are named after the main character in Kurt Vonnegut's book Slaughterhouse 5 . [2]

After repeated rejections from both major and independent record labels, Elsenburg bought a Power Book, they installed Logic, and the band began to record themselves. Due to financial restraints, the early Sweet Billy Pilgrim recordings up until 2012's Crown and Treaty were (apart from the acoustic drums) produced in a garden shed using a laptop and one quite good microphone. The band feel this has had a positive influence on their sound. [3]

Their first release "Experience", was distributed amongst fans and was followed up by the Stars Spill Out of Cups EP. Released on their own label (Luxor Purchase) and featuring hand-stamped artwork, it contains three songs: "Stars Spill Out of Cups", "God in the Details", and "Atlantis". The band also gave away a recording called "Forget to Breathe" as an mp3.

We Just Did What Happened and No One Came was released in 2005 and awarded four stars by Mojo magazine, and The Sunday Times called it "a rather special debut", [4] making the track "Stars Spill Out of Cups" one of their songs of the year. [5]

Twice Born Men was released in 2009 and was awarded five stars by Italian magazine Rockstar and made CD of the Week by The Sunday Times; [6] later that year it made The Sunday Times top 100 albums of 2009 list. [7] The album was also awarded four stars by Mojo [8] and Uncut , [9] and was made a Mercury Prize [10] album of the year for 2009.

Crown and Treaty was released on 30 April 2012. Critical response was positive, with all major UK national papers awarding the record four or five stars out of five. It was awarded five stars and Instant Classic by Mojo and four stars by Q magazine. The majority of the recording for this album took place at Elsenburg's cottage, with the exception of the acoustic drums which were recorded at Earth Terminal studios and the choir which was recorded at Grove Studios. Crown and Treaty was self-released on their own label (Luxor Purchase) much like the early recordings, but distributed through EMI label services.

Besides their work as Sweet Billy Pilgrim, Bishop, Hamer, and Elsenburg have worked together as session musicians, having toured as members of Martin Grech's band during the Open Heart Zoo era, and playing on the Toyah Willcox album Velvet Lined Shell . Carpenter writes for, sings, and performs with folk band Piefinger.

Bishop currently plays electric bass in The Boy Least Likely To's touring band, and his playing is featured on both of the band's albums. [11] Hamer toured with The Boy Least Likely To until 2008, and his drumming is featured on the James Dean Bradfield album The Great Western . [12] Elsenburg has recorded and performed with Steve Jansen, recorded with Adem Ilhan, [13] remixed for David Sylvian and Steve Adey, and written with Toyah Willcox.

Due to the complexity and layering of sounds used on the recordings, recreating the songs live requires the members to play many different instruments on stage. Bishop plays electric bass, banjo, and vocals. Carpenter plays acoustic guitar, cymbals, samples, keyboards and vocals. Elsenburg plays guitar, keyboards, harmonica, and vocals. Hamer plays drums (usually a Yamaha Rock Tour Custom), samples, and vocals. They are typically joined live by musician Dan Garland playing piano, keyboards, samples, vocals, and square waves, Barney Muller on electric guitar and backing vocals; and sometimes by Adam Chetwood (I Am Arrows) playing acoustic guitar, electric guitar and banjo.

On 9 July 2010, Sweet Billy Pilgrim appeared as themselves in series four, episode three ("Something Happened") of The IT Crowd . The band performed with fictional keyboardist Norman, who Jen dated until he was kicked out of the band. On 13 July 2010, their song "Future Perfect Tense" was made available as a download for the game Rock Band 2. In August 2010, they recruited Jana Carpenter and started recording their third studio album.

In April 2013, in collaboration with Mojo magazine the band gave away a free download of Crown and Treaty with the full artwork in exchange for signing up to their mailing list. [14]

In March 2014, they began recording their fourth studio album. In March 2015, it was announced that the band had signed to Kscope, and that they would be releasing the new album – Motorcade Amnesiacs – on 25 May 2015. [15] The first single from the album, "Coloma Blues", was premiered at the same time as the album announcement. [16] The band also launched a release campaign for Motorcade Amnesiacs on direct-to-fan platform PledgeMusic. [17]

In April 2015, the band revealed the video for their new single "Just Above Midtown". [18]

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cake (band)</span> American rock band

Cake is an American rock band from Sacramento, California, consisting of singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Daniel McCallum, and drummer Todd Roper. The band has been noted for McCrea's sarcastic lyrics and deadpan vocals, and their wide-ranging musical influences, including norteño, country music, mariachi, disco, rock, funk, folk music, and hip hop.

<i>Amnesiac</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Radiohead

Amnesiac is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 30 May 2001 by EMI. It was recorded with the producer Nigel Godrich in the same sessions as Radiohead's previous album Kid A (2000). Radiohead split the work in two as they felt it was too dense for a double album. As with Kid A, Amnesiac incorporates influences from electronic music, 20th-century classical music, jazz and krautrock. The final track, "Life in a Glasshouse", is a collaboration with the jazz trumpeter Humphrey Lyttelton and his band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anathema (band)</span> British rock band

Anathema were an English rock band from Liverpool. The group was formed in 1990 by Vincent and Daniel Cavanagh, bassist Jamie Cavanagh, drummer/keyboardist John Douglas, and vocalist Darren White.

<i>Secret Treaties</i> 1974 studio album by Blue Öyster Cult

Secret Treaties is the third studio album by American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on April 5, 1974 by Columbia. It features the same band members and production team as their previous album.

<i>The Good Son vs. The Only Daughter</i> 2005 remix album by David Sylvian

The Good Son vs. The Only Daughter is a remix album by David Sylvian featuring his previous album Blemish. Despite the title, not all the pieces have been remixed; some songs have been re-recorded with new musicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Boy Least Likely To</span> English indie pop duo

The Boy Least Likely To is an English indie pop duo, composed of composer/multi-instrumentalist Pete Hobbs and lyricist/singer Jof Owen.

<i>Encouraging Words</i> 1970 studio album by Billy Preston

Encouraging Words is the fifth studio album by American soul musician Billy Preston, released in September 1970 on Apple Records. It was the last of Preston's two albums for the Beatles' Apple label, after which he moved to A&M Records. The album was co-produced by George Harrison and Preston. Harrison's songs "All Things Must Pass" and "My Sweet Lord" were issued here for the first time, two months before his own recordings appeared on his triple album All Things Must Pass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engineers (band)</span>

Engineers are a British shoegazing/dream pop band. The band was formed in London in 2003 by bassist/guitarist/keyboardist Mark Peters, singer/guitarist Simon Phipps, bassist/guitarist Dan MacBean (previously known as guitarist of The Shining, and drummer Andrew Sweeney. After the release of their second album Three Fact Fader in 2009, MacBean and Sweeney left the band, and were replaced by bassist/vocalist Daniel Land, drummer Matthew Linley, and keyboardist Ulrich Schnauss. Phipps and Land would later leave the band before the release of 2014's Always Returning. Engineers' sound has been described as "hazy, ethereal and atmospheric" and the band often cites the works of The Beach Boys, Brian Eno, Cocteau Twins, Spiritualized and Pink Floyd as influences.

<i>Velvet Lined Shell</i> 2003 studio album by Toyah

Velvet Lined Shell is a mini-album by the British singer Toyah Willcox, released in 2003 by her independent label Vertical Species.

Admiral Twin is an American pop rock/power pop band, formed in 1997 by members of the Mellowdramatic Wallflowers in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Hyra</span> American singer/songwriter (born 1964)

Andrew Michael Hyra is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is one half of the folk rock duo Billy Pilgrim with singer, songwriter, and record producer Kristian Bush, and one half of the band Smokin' Novas with Atlanta, Georgia guitarist Brian Bristow.

<i>Insurgentes</i> (album) 2008 studio album by Steven Wilson

Insurgentes is the debut full-length solo album released by British musician and record producer Steven Wilson, known for being the founder and frontman of progressive rock band Porcupine Tree. The album was recorded all over the world in studios from Mexico City to Japan and Israel, between January and August 2008, and released in November 2008 as a special deluxe multi disc mail order version, with retail release to follow in February 2009. According to Wilson himself, the album contained "the most experimental song-based music [he had] made." The album is named after the Avenida de los Insurgentes, the longest avenue in Mexico City near which part of it was recorded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Grech</span> English musician

Martin Grech is an English singer, songwriter and musician from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Kscope is an independent record label that is part of Snapper Music, and a sister-label of Peaceville. It is dedicated to artists in the progressive rock genre. The label has released albums by Steven Wilson and his projects Porcupine Tree, No-Man and Blackfield. In 2008 it branched out and has since signed the post-progressive artists Anathema, Lunatic Soul and Ulver, and progressive rock stalwart Ian Anderson to their roster. In 2013, the Steven Wilson release The Raven That Refused to Sing received the Album of the Year award at the Progressive Music Awards.

<i>Twice Born Men</i> 2009 studio album by Sweet Billy Pilgrim

Twice Born Men is an album by English experimental rock band Sweet Billy Pilgrim. It was shortlisted for the 2009 Mercury Prize, and the Sunday Times named it one of their top 100 albums of 2009.

Eye Empire was an American rock band formed in 2009, consisting of Corey Lowery and B.C. Kochmit, Donald Carpenter, Garrett Whitlock and Dixie Duncan. Will Hunt joined the band in 2010 before departing in 2011, replaced by Ryan Bennett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Atlantic Oscillation (band)</span>

North Atlantic Oscillation are a post-progressive rock and electronica band from Edinburgh, Scotland. They are signed to the Kscope record label and released their debut album Grappling Hooks on 22 March 2010. The band currently consists of Sam Healy, Ben Martin and Chris Howard.

<i>Crown and Treaty</i> (album) 2012 studio album by Sweet Billy Pilgrim

Crown and Treaty is an album by English band Sweet Billy Pilgrim. It is the follow-up album to Twice Born Men, a Mercury Music Prize album of the year 2009. It is named after the Crown and Treaty pub in Uxbridge, London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Police Dog Hogan</span> British band

Police Dog Hogan are a British band whose music combines elements of country, folk and bluegrass. The band have been active since 2008 and released five albums and three EPs.

Down I Go are an experimental hardcore band from London.

References

  1. ↑ "Exclusives! – SBP's Tim Elsenburg | David Sylvian :: davidsylvian.net :: Expect Everything and Nothing less!". Davidsylvian.net. 8 July 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  2. ↑ "Video Sweet Billy Pilgrim estão pela primeira vez em Portugal van MyPortugal – Myspace Video". Vids.myspace.com. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "Sweet Billy Pilgrim : Interview". Pennyblackmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  4. ↑ "From Sunday Times Photos from Sweet Billy Pilgrim (Sweet Billy Pilgrim) on Myspace". Viewmorepics.myspace.com. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  5. ↑ "From Sunday Times Songs of the Year 2006 Photos from Sweet Billy Pilgrim (Sweet Billy Pilgrim) on Myspace". Viewmorepics.myspace.com. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  6. ↑ Edwards, Mark (22 March 2009). "Sweet Billy Pilgrim Twice born men". The Times. London. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
  7. ↑ "The Sunday Times albums of the Year 2009". Sweetbillypilgrim.com. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  8. ↑ "Mojo". Sweetbillypilgrim.com. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  9. ↑ "Uncut". Sweetbillypilgrim.com. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  10. ↑ "Barclaycard Mercury Prize". Mercuryprize.com. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  11. ↑ "Boy Least Likely To, The – The Law of the Playground (CD, album) at Discogs". Discogs. 14 April 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  12. ↑ "James Dean Bradfield – The Great Western (CD, album) at Discogs". Discogs. 24 July 2006. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  13. ↑ "Radio 3 – Late Junction". BBC. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  14. ↑ "Mojo Magazine Blog". Mojo. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  15. ↑ "Sweet Billy Pilgrim announce new album 'Motorcade Amnesiacs'". Mysticsons.com. 13 March 2015.
  16. ↑ "Sweet Billy Pilgrim – "Coloma Blues"". Feckingdaily.com.
  17. ↑ "Want To Host A Gig at Your Home? Sweet Billy Pilgrim Can Make It Happen With New Album". Everyrecordtellsastory.com. 19 March 2015.
  18. ↑ "View video for track from 4th album Motorcade Amnesiacs". Teamrock.com.
  19. 1 2 "SVC Artist – Sweet Billy Pilgrim". Svcrecords.co.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.