Tyler Willman

Last updated

Ty Willman
Birth nameTyler Willman
Genres Alternative rock, post-grunge, psychedelic rock
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Guitar, vocals
Years active1989–present

Tyler "Ty" Willman is an American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter who lives in Seattle, Washington. He is probably best known for his work with the Seattle-based band Green Apple Quick Step. [1] [2] He briefly fronted the band Devilhead [3] and helped form Calm Down Juanita. [4]

Contents

Biography

Ty Willman was a founding member of the Tacoma, Washington-based band Inspector Luv and the Ride Me Babys, [1] [5] [6] [7] which he fronted, with guitarists Steve Ross and Dan Kempthorne, drummer Bob Martin and bassist Eric Munday. [5] They recorded a limited edition 7" purple vinyl four-song EP, called Another World and released 700 numbered copies of it on Aroma Records in 1989. [8] [9] By 1992 that band had become Seattle's Green Apple Quick Step, with mostly the same personnel and a new bassist. Willman, guitarists Kempthorn and Ross, drummer Bob 'Mink' Martin, and a new singer-bassist, Mari Ann Braeden, went on to record three albums, releasing only the first two: Wonderful Virus in 1993, and Reloaded in 1995, both on The Medicine Label.

Always involved in many side-projects, Willman worked on Mike McCready's project, $10,000 Gold Chain; a collaboration that also included Mari Ann Braeden and produced the song Oh! Sweet Nuthin' for the 1996 soundtrack to the film The Cable Guy and he worked with the rest of GAQS [10] on writing and performing Dizzy for the 1995 soundtrack to the film The Basketball Diaries . [3]

He sang with Devilhead, [3] with Kevin Wood and former members of Hater, recording lead vocals for one song, Buying Milk, on their album Pest Control, released in 1996 on Loosegroove Records. [11]

He recorded backing vocals on The Skies Magnify Me, with Brandon and Ben Curtis and Joseph Butcher for UFOFU, on their CD UFOFU, released on the Medicine Label in 1997.

Willman and session drummer kevtone formed the Seattle-based studio band Calm Down Juanita, a writing collaboration that produced two albums; an eponymous 7-song debut EP in 1998, [4] and a full-length CD in 2002, entitled Undertown. [12] [13] These albums featured several other notable musicians, including, again, fellow GAQS member, bassist Mari Ann Braeden, bassist and recording engineer Steve Feasley, Josh Freese, Stone Gossard, bassist Cole Peterson, and saxophonist Skerik. [4] [14]

Starting in 1998, Willman also worked with Stone Gossard on Gossard's first solo album, Bayleaf , recording during Gossard's visits to Willman's house and released in 2001. [15] Willman sang lead vocals on three songs, Cadillac, Unhand Me, and Fend It Off, as well as background vocals on the rest of the album. [15]

Willman also formed a number of other projects. In July 1999, he and former Gigolo Aunt, Phil Hurley formed Hula Bess. [16]

He wrote Leaving California; recorded with Shawn Smith on guitar and bass guitar and Michael Shrieve on drums, for Smith's 2003 album, Shield of Thorns, released on Establishmentstore Records.

He was frontman for the band Novatone, for its 2005 album release on Wax Orchard Records, Time Can't Wait, which also featured Dave Krusen and Cody Davis, as well as a guest appearance by Shawn Smith. [17] [18]

Later, in 2007–2008, he formed Mass Sugar, which was referred to as a "part acoustic indie rock, part groovy jam band". [19]

In 2009, he reconstituted Green Apple Quick Step for a few 2010 "reunion" performances, including gigs at Tacoma's Hell's Kitchen and Seattle's Crocodile Café. [7] [20] Their lineup as of May 2010 consisted of Willman on lead vocals, Christa Wells on vocals, Dana Turner on guitar, Geoff Reading on drums, and guest guitarist Mike Squires. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Ament</span> American bassist

Jeffrey Allen Ament is an American musician best known as the bassist of rock band Pearl Jam, which he co-founded alongside Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder. Ament wrote or co-wrote many of Pearl Jam's hits, including "Jeremy", "Oceans", "Dissident", "Nothingman" and "Nothing as It Seems".

Green Apple Quick Step, often abbreviated as GAQS, is an American rock band from Seattle. Their sound was described as hard-edged, post-grunge rock. The band began as Inspector Luv and the Ride Me Babys in Tacoma, Washington before becoming Green Apple Quick Step, in Seattle, by 1992. The initial lineup under the new name consisted of lead vocalist Tyler Willman, guitarists Daniel Kempthorne and Steve Ross, singer-bassist Mari Ann Braeden, and drummer Bob 'Mink' Martin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stone Gossard</span> American guitarist

Stone Carpenter Gossard is an American musician who serves as a guitarist for the rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Wood (singer)</span> American rock musician (1966–1990)

Andrew Patrick Wood was an American musician who was the lead singer and lyricist for the alternative rock bands Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone. He formed Malfunkshun in 1980 with his older brother Kevin Wood on guitar and Regan Hagar on drums. The band used alter ego personas onstage; Wood performed as Landrew the Love Child. Though the band only released two songs before going on an extended hiatus, "With Yo' Heart " and "Stars-n-You", on the Deep Six compilation album, they are often cited as being among the originators of the Seattle grunge movement. While in Malfunkshun, Wood started using drugs, entering rehab in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malfunkshun</span> American rock band

Malfunkshun is an American rock band formed in 1980 by brothers Andrew and Kevin Wood. Combining glam influences with distortion, they were one of the earliest grunge bands, forming alongside the U-Men and Melvins. Their definitive lineup consists of the brothers and drummer Regan Hagar. After interactions with fellow grunge act Green River, Andrew would become the frontman for successor Mother Love Bone. Malfunkshun dissolved without having released much material, although they recorded demos and appeared in the landmark grunge compilation Deep Six.

<i>Dry As a Bone</i> 1987 EP by Green River

Dry as a Bone is the second and final EP by the American rock band Green River. It was released in June 1987 through Sub Pop Records.

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

Skerik, is an American saxophonist from Seattle, Washington. Performing on the tenor and baritone saxophone, often with electronics and loops, he is a pioneer in a playing style that has been called saxophonics.

<i>Allroy Saves</i> 1990 studio album by All

Allroy Saves is the third studio album by the American punk rock band All, released in 1990 through Cruz Records. It was the first album that the band members recorded, mixed, and produced entirely on their own. A music video, the band's first, was released for the song "Simple Things".

World Entertainment War was an American funk rock band, formed in 1986. They recorded four records before disbanding in 1993, and then played reunion concerts in 2000 and 2001, and again in 2009. The band describes itself as “a benevolent media virus programmed to prevent the entertainment criminals from stealing your imagination."

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

Sweet Water is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington.

Devilhead were an American alternative rock group formed by brothers Kevin Wood (guitar) and Brian Wood (vocals), who were both elder brothers of the late Andrew Wood, the singer of Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone, in 1994 in Seattle, Washington following the breakup of their previous group The Fire Ants. Both Kevin and Brian were the only permanent members of the group and they released two albums, Your Ice Cream's Dirty in 1994 on Loosegroove Records, with album art by Regan Hagar; and Pest Control in 1996, which featured a number of contributors including bassist John Waterman and guitarist John McBain, both of the band Hater. For a period in 1997, former Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd was a member of the band. They were also briefly fronted by Green Apple Quick Step front man Tyler Willman before eventually disbanding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Squires (musician)</span> American guitarist (born 1971)

Mike Squires is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist in the hard rock group Loaded, the group led by Velvet Revolver and Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geoff Reading</span> American drummer (born 1968)

Geoff Reading is an American drummer. In his career, he has been a member of a number of groups, including Loaded, Green Apple Quick Step, New American Shame, The Disciples and Top Heavy Crush while he also recorded with The Pin-Ups.

Nevada Bachelors were an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1997. The band's lineup consisted of Robb Benson, Mike Squires and Ben Brunn. Dusty Hayes was the band's drummer from their formation until 1999, and was replaced by Jason Finn. They released two studio albums, Carrots & So On (1998) and Hello Jupiter (2000), before disbanding in 2001.

<i>Wonderful Virus</i> 1993 studio album by Green Apple Quick Step

Wonderful Virus is the debut album by post-grunge group Green Apple Quick Step. It was released in 1993 on the Medicine label. The album was produced by Daniel Rey.

Kevtone is an American musician, percussionist, and songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Performing live and in studio, his rhythm style may best be described as improvisational, melodic, progressive, and bluesy, over a wide variety of styles, reflecting influences from many genres of music.

Calm Down Juanita is a Seattle, Washington studio band writing partnership between vocalist Tyler Willman and drummer Kevin Guess, catalyzed and engineered by Steve Wilmans, that has featured several other notable players. Their sound is progressive psychedelic alternative rock. They recorded and released two albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with different bass players and multiple guests on each album. The band was described as "acid-y, slinky and soulful," and as having a style somewhere between The Flaming Lips and later-period Marvin Gaye.

<i>Calm Down Juanita</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Calm Down Juanita

Calm Down Juanita is the eponymous first album by psychedelic rock group Calm Down Juanita, released in 1998 through Echo Records. The album was recorded entirely at the Fremont House in Seattle, Washington on 4-track cassette. Ty Willman played keyboard and guitar and sang vocals, while Kevin Guess played drums, keyboard, and loops.

<i>Undertown</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Calm Down Juanita

Undertown is the second album by psychedelic rock group Calm Down Juanita, released in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Wood (guitarist)</span> Musical artist

Kevin David Wood is an American musician known for playing lead guitar in various Seattle-based bands he founded during the Grunge era in the Pacific Northwest.

References

  1. 1 2 Reading, Geoff (December 16, 2009). "Green Apple Quick Step Redux". Weekly Volcano. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  2. ↑ Borzillo, Carrie (January 31, 1998). "Green Apple Ripens on 'Disaster'". Billboard Magazine. 110 (5): 2, 22. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 DePasquale, Ron. "Green Apple Quick Step Biography". AMG. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 Calm Down Juanita (CD Liner). Calm Down Juanita. Seattle, Washington, US: Echo Records. 1998. inside front cover.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. 1 2 Humphrey, Clark (1995). Loser: The Real Seattle Music Story. Feral House. ISBN   0-922915-27-X.
  6. ↑ Macdonald, Patrick (November 20, 1992). "Sweet Water Will Stream Into The Moore Theatre". The Seattle Times . Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 Driscoll, Matt (March 17, 2010). "Coming Home: Green Apple Quick Step's Ty Willman and his Tacoma roots". Weekly Volcano . Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  8. ↑ Another World (vinyl). Inspector Luv and the Ride Me Babys. Aroma Records. 1989.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ↑ "Tombstone Records:Music Too Tough to Die".
  10. ↑ "Discogs: The Basketball Diaries (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Discogs.
  11. ↑ "Discogs: Devilhead, Pest Control". Discogs.
  12. ↑ Undertown (CD Booklet). Calm Down Juanita. Seattle, Washington, US: Gizmo and Toony (Feasley & Guess). 2002. inside front booklet.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ↑ Asher, Justin, Calm Down Juanita – Undertown, SYFFAL Album Reviews, archived from the original on July 26, 2011, retrieved June 14, 2011
  14. ↑ Undertown (CD Booklet). Calm Down Juanita. Seattle, Washington, US: Gizmo and Toony (Steve Feasley & Kevtone Guess). 2002. inside front booklet.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. 1 2 Stout, Gene. "Gossard Picks Up the Mike on Solo Album". Seattle Post-Intelligencer . September 11, 2001.
  16. ↑ "Up & Coming". The Stranger . July 1–7, 1999. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  17. ↑ Unterberger, Richie. "Novatone: Biography". AMG. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  18. ↑ "All Hail the Crown". Shawn Smith Collective. 2011. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  19. ↑ Seling, Megan (July 25, 2007). "Block Party Bands of the (Yester)Day: Speaker Speaker and Mass Sugar". The Stranger . Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  20. ↑ Izenman, Joe (March 27, 2010). "Green Apple Quick Step – Live Reviews". Weekly Volcano . Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
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.