Tim McIlrath | |
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 McIlrath performing in 2015 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Timothy James McIlrath |
| Also known as | James Kaspar |
| Born | November 3, 1978 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1995–present |
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Timothy James McIlrath (born November 3, 1978) is an American rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder of the punk rock band Rise Against. He is vegan and straight edge.
McIlrath was born in 1978 to Jim and Michelle McIlrath. He attended Rolling Meadows High School in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. [1] In college (Northeastern Illinois University), McIlrath majored in English and Sociology. [2] In his junior year, [2] he met Joe Principe at a Sick of It All concert. Principe asked McIlrath to sing over a few tracks that he and Dan Wleklinski had recorded. [3] It was at this time that Transistor Revolt was formed. [2] McIlrath left college after Transistor Revolt was signed onto Fat Wreck Chords in 1999. [2] In Fall of 2020, McIlrath returned to college to finish his Sociology degree. [2]
McIlrath has a condition called heterochromia, where his left eye is blue and his right eye is hazel. [4] [5]
McIlrath began his musical career in his teens and was active in the Chicago local punk rock scene. His first band was the post-hardcore band Baxter, formed in 1995 along with future The Lawrence Arms drummer Neil Hennessy and future Killing Tree and Holy Roman Empire bassist Geoff Reu. Their first release was a full length, self-released, cassette, Troy's Bucket , which was released in 1996. Troy's Bucket was met with warm reception from the scene, and Baxter became a popular band in the Chicago underground scene.
In 1997 they released a 7-inch EP Lost Voices on Static Station Records. After some local touring, the band split up.
McIlrath played bass and sang backup in the first incarnation of The Honor System. He sang one song on their demo. He and drummer Neil Hennesy were also in a brief lineup of the grindcore band Yellow Road Priest, whose members went on to form Pelican. The band broke up in 1999.
McIlrath joined the band Arma Angelus, a Chicago metalcore band fronted by Pete Wentz, who would later be bassist in the pop punk band Fall Out Boy. McIlrath played bass in the band until 1999 when he quit to form Transistor Revolt, which became Rise Against, and The Killing Tree.
In 1999, Tim McIlrath formed the band that would become Rise Against with former 88 Fingers Louie bassist, Joe Principe, guitarist Dan Precision (A.K.A. Mr. Precision), and drummer Toni Tintari under the name 'Transistor Revolt'. Drummer Brandon Barnes did not join until 2001; it was at the same time the band was renamed Rise Against. They officially recorded their debut album The Unraveling on Fat Wreck Chords in 2001. [6]
In 2002 guitarist Mr. Precision left due to arguments with the band, and Todd Mohney filled his role. Later that year they released their second album Revolutions per Minute which was greeted with warm success. They toured the U.S. steadily that year, though by the end of it, Mohney left. In order to replace him, former Reach the Sky guitarist Chris Chasse joined in 2004 and they released their Geffen debut Siren Song of the Counter Culture . [6]
With the release of the singles "Give It All", "Swing Life Away", and "Life Less Frightening", Rise Against became more popular with mainstream fans, but still kept their underground sensibility. After more touring (including a European tour and spots on the Vans Warped tour), the band went back to the studio and recorded their fourth album The Sufferer & the Witness , which included four singles ("Ready to Fall, "Prayer of the Refugee", "The Good Left Undone", and "Behind Closed Doors".)
As of 2021, McIlrath has recorded nine studio albums with Rise Against (The Unraveling, Revolutions per Minute, Siren Song of the Counter Culture, The Sufferer & the Witness , Appeal to Reason , Endgame , The Black Market , Wolves and Nowhere Generation ), as well as a compilation album ( The Ghost Note Symphonies, Vol. 1 ) and EP ( Nowhere Generation II ), and has remained as the main lyricist of the band.
McIlrath has played in his metalcore side project The Killing Tree along with former Rise Against guitarist Todd Mohney and former Baxter and Holy Roman Empire bassist, Geoff Reu. During the early years of the band, all members used pseudonyms (Tim's being James Kaspar) out of concern for it. The Killing Tree has not produced any music or toured since 2004, but contributed their previously unreleased song "Dressed to Fuck" on the 2006 Thick Records compilation album Hair: Chicago Punk Cuts, which featured Emily Schambra (of Holy Roman Empire) as guest vocals on the song. [7] Schambra also contributed backing vocals on Rise Against's album The Sufferer & the Witness for the songs "The Approaching Curve", "Roadside", and the b-side "But Tonight We Dance".
When the band first began, McIlrath stated how they weren't seeking to gather such a large audience in their pursuit for originality and social justice that defined them as the "black sheep" of punk rock. [8] The original goal of the band was only to create music, never seen as a long-term group until the band came to a realization of similar activist beliefs that led McIlrath to describe music as a vessel for change. These beliefs started to get integrated into the music most prominently after the release of The Sufferer & The Witness, when McIlrath said that he sought to make a difference in the world he lives in as opposed to being one of the bands in the punk/hardcore scene today that are[n't] saying anything important". [9]
Having not grown up in a political family, McIlrath says that he was never particularly involved until he began playing punk rock. [10] After entering the music scene, though, he began to feel a strong connection towards his convictions, specifically animal and human rights. While not all of Rise Against's material is political, songs such as "Swing Life Away" and "Make It Stop" have risen to prominence as McIlrath seeks to speak to a generation that he believes is lacking conviction towards their world, as explained throughout the storytelling narrative of the band's albums. The band has begun to seek after more politically and socially challenging lyrics as time progresses, responding to current events such as the song "Help Is On The Way" and its use of support for victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
McIlrath became a vegetarian at the age of eighteen as a result of his own understanding of the meat-industry as opposed to having it "shoved [...] down my throat". [11] The realization of PETA, an animal rights support group, came through the music scene and McIlrath's own realization of the events that occur within meat-processing and inhumane conditions that animals are forced to live in. As time went on, these beliefs got integrated into his lyric writing such as Rise Against video for the single "Ready to Fall" contains footage of factory farming, rodeos, and sport hunting, as well as deforestation, melting ice-caps, and forest fires. The group has called the video the most important video they have ever made. [12] In February 2012 the band released a cover of the Bob Dylan song "Ballad of Hollis Brown" as part of a benefit for Amnesty International. [13] After the release of the film Black Fish , McIlrath worked with PETA to create a video in support of releasing animals in captivity, exclaiming how "I make a choice every time I go out on stage, I choose to perform. Animals in captivity don't get to make that choice". [14]
McIlrath, along with most of the rest of Rise Against, follows the subculture ideology of "straight edge", a belief that promotes refraining from using alcohol, tobacco and other recreational drugs, in a reaction to the excesses of punk subculture. [15]
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Siren Song of the Counter Culture is the third studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against. Released on August 10, 2004, it was Rise Against's first album on a major record label, after the band signed with DreamWorks Records in September 2003. The recording sessions for the album with producer Garth Richardson were mostly split between two studios in British Columbia. These sessions were marred by numerous distractions and inconveniences, such as the absorption of DreamWorks into Geffen Records, the arrival of a new guitarist, accusations of the band selling out, and the birth of lead vocalist Tim McIlrath's child.
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. The group's current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe and drummer Brandon Barnes. Rooted in hardcore punk and melodic hardcore, Rise Against's music emphasizes melody, catchy hooks, an aggressive sound and playstyle, and rapid tempos. Lyrically, the band is known for their outspoken social commentary, covering a wide range of topics such as political injustice, animal rights, humanitarianism, and environmentalism.
The Unraveling is the debut studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on April 24, 2001 by Fat Wreck Chords. Following the release of the extended play Transistor Revolt in 2000, the band signed with Fat Wreck Chords and began working on the album at Sonic Iguana Studios with producer Mass Giorgini. Musically, The Unraveling is rooted in melodic hardcore, which later came to be the band’s signature style; conversely, its lyrics differ from their more politically-driven later work, focusing more on personal relationships and issues.
Revolutions per Minute is the second studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on April 8, 2003, by Fat Wreck Chords. After establishing a fanbase with their 2001 debut, The Unraveling, the band members wanted to record an album that distinguished them from other Fat Wreck Chords bands of the time. They chose Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore to produce the album, with whom they developed a strong rapport. Recording took place from November to December 2002 at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Joseph Daniel Principe is an American musician. He is the bassist, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the punk rock band Rise Against.
The Sufferer & the Witness is the fourth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on July 4, 2006. A melodic hardcore album, it comprises thirteen tracks that focus on melody, catchy hooks, and rapid-paced tempo. Social and political issues as well as the concept of self-reflection constitute the majority of the lyrical content.
"Ready to Fall" is the first single by the punk rock band Rise Against from their fourth studio album, The Sufferer & The Witness (2006).
"Swing Life Away" is a song by American punk rock band Rise Against. It is an acoustic ballad, with a sharp guitar sound and optimistic lyrics about daily life and the working class. The song was first included in the 2003 compilation album Punk Goes Acoustic, and was later expanded upon in the band's 2004 album Siren Song of the Counter Culture.
"Give It All" is a song by American rock band Rise Against. It was originally recorded for the 2004 compilation album Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1, while a slightly altered version appeared on the band's third studio album Siren Song of the Counter Culture later that year. It is a hardcore punk song, with lyrics that are about "being a punk rocker in today's world," according to lead vocalist Tim McIlrath. It was released as Siren Song of the Counter Culture's first single in October 2004.
"Prayer of the Refugee" is a song by American punk rock band Rise Against, featured on their fourth studio album The Sufferer & the Witness (2006). The lyrics were written by lead vocalist Tim McIlrath, and deal with the themes of forced displacement and the societal issues surrounding refugees. The song uses a contrasting verse-chorus form, with slow and melancholic verses against fast-paced and chaotic choruses. It was released as The Sufferer & the Witness's second single on December 6, 2006.
Baxter was an American, Chicago-based post-hardcore band. The band consisted of Tim McIlrath, Neil Hennessy, Anthony Fiore, later replaced by Timothy Remis, and a bassist only referred to as J. Wood.
Brandon Barnes is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the punk rock band Rise Against. Barnes is also a strict vegetarian, an animal rights advocate and actively promotes PETA with his band.
Appeal to Reason is the fifth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against. It was released on October 7, 2008. A melodic hardcore album, Appeal to Reason marked a musical shift from the gritty hardcore punk sound that had previously defined the band's career to what some have viewed as a more radio-friendly sound, with greater emphasis on production and bigger, more anthemic choruses. The album's lyrics primarily focus on political issues in the United States, such as the Iraq War and the Bush administration.
The Killing Tree were a hardcore punk band from Chicago, Illinois. They were a side project of Tim McIlrath during the early days of Rise Against and featured former Rise Against guitarist Todd Mohney and bassist Geoff Reu of Baxter and Holy Roman Empire.
"I Was a Teenage Anarchist" is a song by the Gainesville, Florida-based punk rock band Against Me!, released as the first single from their 2010 album White Crosses. The single was released as a four-track digital download through various online music stores on April 6, 2010, including the additional album track "Rapid Decompression" and two B-sides from the album's sessions, "One by One" and "Bitter Divisions". A 7" single was released on April 17 in conjunction with Record Store Day, with an acoustic version of "I Was a Teenage Anarchist" featuring as the B-side.
Endgame is the sixth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against. It was released on March 15, 2011, by DGC Records and Interscope Records. A melodic hardcore album, Endgame continues the trend by Rise Against towards more crisp, polished production, which began with the band's previous album Appeal to Reason. Social and political commentary constitute the majority of the lyrical content on Endgame, and a major theme revolves around the end of humanity.
"Satellite" is a song by American punk rock band Rise Against, featured on their sixth studio album Endgame (2011). Written by lead vocalist Tim McIlrath, "Satellite" is a melodic hardcore song expressing the idea that the band stood by their social and political beliefs, and that they would not conform to mainstream media. The song first premiered on March 4, 2011 in a webisode series detailing the recording process of Endgame, but was not released as the album's third single until November 1, 2011. The song impacted radio on the same day.
"Wait for Me" is a song by American rock band Rise Against, featured on their sixth studio album Endgame (2011). The song impacted radio on June 12, 2012. Written by lead vocalist Tim McIlrath, the track is notable for being one of the slower songs off the album. It was released as a promotional single in 2012, and was the final single released for Endgame. The song received positive reviews, with praise for its slower and methodical nature. It reached number 14 on the US Rock Songs chart, and was featured on the "Best Songs of the year" lists by KROQ-FM and WSUN-FM.
"Tragedy + Time" is a song by American punk rock band Rise Against. The song was released on October 21, 2014 as the second single from their seventh album, The Black Market. According to lead singer Tim McIlrath, its title comes from the phrase "tragedy plus time equals comedy". The song is a playable track in the video game Guitar Hero Live.
Nowhere Generation is the ninth studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on June 4, 2021, on Loma Vista Recordings. It is the band's first album in four years, serving as the follow-up to 2017's Wolves. Four singles were released for the album: "Broken Dreams, Inc", "Nowhere Generation", "The Numbers", and "Talking to Ourselves". The album was produced by Bill Stevenson, Jason Livermore, Andrew Berlin, and Chris Beeble. The album's single of the same name was released on March 18, 2021, and the album was announced that day.
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