Will Wood (musician)

Last updated

Will Wood
Will Wood 2018.jpg
Will Wood performing live in 2018 (Roxy and Duke's Roadhouse, Dunellen, NJ)
Background information
Born (1993-06-26) June 26, 1993 (age 31)
New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, filmmaker, artist, comedian, podcaster
Instruments
Years active2011–
Labels Say-10
Members
  • Will Wood
  • Mike Bottiglieri
  • Matt Berger
  • Vater Boris
  • Mario Conte
  • Rob Schaefer [1]
Past membersDan Chetnik [2]
  • James Horvath [2]
  • Thomas Finch [2]
  • David Higdon [3]
  • Matt Olson [3]
  • Jonathon Maisto [3]
Website www.willwood.net

Will Wood is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and comedian. [4] [5] Wood has released five studio albums; Everything is a Lot in 2015, SELF-iSH in 2016, (both released under the name Will Wood and the Tapeworms). The Normal Album in 2020, [6] Camp Here & There: Campfire Songs Edition in 2021, and "In case I make it," [lower-alpha 1] in 2022, as well as two live albums.

Contents

Style

Wood's piano-led style often changes from one song to the next, drawing influence from folk, pop, jazz, rock and roll, latin music, and klezmer. He is also known for his unconventional use of tenor and baritone ukulele. When recording in studio or performing live with his band, "The Tapeworms", he has mostly been accompanied by Mike Bottiglieri on guitar, Matt Berger on alto saxophone, Mario Conte on drums, Vater Boris on bass, and Rob Schaefer on trumpet. [1] [7] The band is known for high energy live performances. [8]

Wood primarily performs solo, his shows featuring a combination of music, monologue, and stand-up comedy. [9]

Personal life

Wood has been described as "reclusive", [10] and is known to avoid social media. Little is known about his personal life, and sources about Wood contain conflicting accounts of even basic information about his personal and professional life. [11] He is also known for early in his career having fictionalized his life, and appearing in character in some press appearances or onstage, and engaging in experimental live performance art, with his acts featuring simulated mental breakdowns, conflict with audience plants, appearances from fictional characters, and intentionally botched performances. [12] His image in pop culture has been heavily influenced by this, but the artist has expressed that his work and persona will continue to change. [13]

Wood has consistently been open about his past struggles with drug addiction and mental illness, having entered recovery early in his career and later being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. [14] [15] He has stated he was undiagnosed around the time he turned 30. [16] Wood donated 50% of ticket sales from The Real Will Wood to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, a mental health charity, saying, "I’ve gotten a lot better. I want to try and do something to help others get there." [17]

Releases

Wood began releasing music under the eponymous band "Will Wood and the Tapeworms" with two studio albums: Everything is a Lot in 2015, SELF-iSH in 2016, along with the live album The Real Will Wood in 2018, which later served as the soundtrack to the mockumentary concert film of the same name.

In 2019, a crowdfunding campaign began for The Normal Album, which offered invitations to record gang vocals for the album in exchange for support, among other benefits. It raised $27,631 and was released in 2020 under his name. [18] Following the release of The Normal Album , Wood began to attract a more significant fanbase. The album featured Wood's most popular song to date, I/Me/Myself, which has been regarded by some as a source of controversy, due to the song's exploration of Wood's relationship with his gender identity. [19]

In 2021, Will Wood worked on the soundtrack for the fictional horror/comedy podcast Camp Here And There. A "Campfire Songs Edition" of the soundtrack, with lyrical versions of three of the initially instrumental tracks, was released in 2022.

His 2022 release In case I make it, was crowdfunded on Indiegogo in October 2021. Wood has described the collection of songs as being his most personal yet, saying: “I've always tried to consistently re-invent myself as an artist, I think. But this time is different, because for lack of a less dramatic phrase… I've reinvented myself as a person. I couldn’t be more different than I was even a year or two ago." [20]

Six singles from In case I make it, were released prior to the album's full release. [21] [22] In September 2021, prior to the crowdfunding of the album, Wood released the single entitled Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll, which would later appear on the album. [20] On June 10, Wood released the single You Liked This (Okay, Computer!), a spoken word black comedy track about social media platforms that pastiches the Radiohead track Fitter Happier, from their 1997 album OK Computer. [23] The track stars voice actress Bev Standing, whose voice was allegedly used by the video-sharing social media platform TikTok for their text-to-speech feature without her consent. [24] Other singles included Tomcat Disposables, Cicada Days, Euthanasia, and White Noise, all of which were accompanied by music videos co-created by Wood. On July 27, the full album was released to positive reviews. [25] [26]

On August 19, 2022, Wood released a single entitled Ferryman with singer-songwriter Shayfer James. [27] This single also appeared on Shayfer James' album Shipwreck released on March 10, 2023. [28]

On September 1, 2022, Wood was featured on the single Wealth & Hellness by Human Zoo. [29] This single was later included on an album by the same name, Wealth & Hellness, released on October 5, 2022. [30]

On January 13, 2023, Wood released the album IN CASE I DIE:, a live compilation of songs recorded at US tour dates in 2022. According to a guest blog post on V13, after the release, he would begin an "indefinite break or possibly retire from [his] music career." [31]

In 2024, Wood announced he would be remixing The Normal Album [32] , and on July 26 released a live demo version of the song 'I / Me / Myself' from 2018 in stereo, [33] showcasing new art, [34] which advertises itself as containing '33% MORE "CONTENT!"', implying the addition of 3 new songs. He later released a single including the 2018 live demos of "Laplace's Angel", "Memento Mori" and "I / Me / Myself". [35] This single also included new art, this time with a message saying "NOW IN RECOVERY! ~plus~ THREE BONUS DIAGNOSES" [35] on the fake sticker, confirming the addition of these three demos as bonus tracks. On August 9th, he revealed the final album cover for the remix, with the sticker saying "~13~ MOOD SWINGIN' TUNES & EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS! ~NOW WITH~ 400% MORE HINDSIGHT!" The album was released on YouTube later that day at Noon.

Discography

Under the name "Will Wood"
Under the name "Will Wood and The Tapeworms"
Soundtracks
Singles
Collaborations
Covers

Notes

  1. ↑ The album title does, in fact, include a comma at the end.
  2. ↑ Despite the name, this single also includes the earlier released "I / Me / Myself (2018 Live in Studio Demo)" and another previously unreleased live demo for the song "Memento Mori", also from 2018

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References

  1. 1 2 From In case i make it, liner notes.
  2. 1 2 3 From Everything is a Lot liner notes.
  3. 1 2 3 From SELF-iSH liner notes.
  4. ↑ "Avant-pop artist Will Wood stimulates discussion on how pop culture regards mental health". PalabasTayo. August 19, 2020. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Will Wood Talks Process, Funding, and New Tune "Love, Me Normally"". American Songwriter. May 28, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  6. ↑ "A Perfectly "Normal" Interview With Musician Will Wood". bleedingcool.com. July 4, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Under the Radar: Will Wood and the Tapeworms". The Smoke Signal. January 30, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  8. ↑ Reilly, Erin. "Morris County musician performing at Rock Circus". Daily Record. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  9. ↑ Hsu, Caitlin (December 2, 2021). "Review: Will Wood's live show was as delightfully unhinged as expected". Washington Square News. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Bringin' it Backwards: Interview with Will Wood". American Songwriter. July 8, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  11. ↑ Makin, Bob. "Makin Waves with Will Wood & the Tapeworms". MyCentralJersey.com. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Interview: Who is The Real Will Wood?". thepopbreak.com. September 5, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Will Wood Releases the Long-awaited Full-length Album 'In Case I Make It'". July 29, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  14. ↑ Backwards, Bringin' It (July 8, 2020). "Bringin' it Backwards: Interview with Will Wood". American Songwriter. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  15. ↑ Armus, Isabella; Hsu, Caitlin (April 29, 2022). "Will Wood wants to be authentic, whatever it takes". Washington Square News. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  16. ↑ Life in The World to Come (July 13, 2024). 31 Year Old Men . Retrieved July 24, 2024– via YouTube.
  17. ↑ "A Real Interview with The Real Will Wood on The Real". New Jersey Racket. January 16, 2018. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Will Wood Launches Massive Indiegogo Campaign for 'The Normal Album". PalabasTayo. August 19, 2021. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  19. ↑ "I/Me/Myself". July 10, 2020.
  20. 1 2 Louis (September 22, 2021). "WILL WOOD HATES "SEX, DRUGS, ROCK N ROLL" – exclusive interview!". The After Hours Review. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  21. ↑ "PreludePress: Will Wood – Cicada Days". www.preludepress.com. May 26, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  22. ↑ "PREMIERE: Will Wood and the feral folk chamber poised "Tomcat Disposables" (Official Video) – AMERICAN PANCAKE". www.americanpancake.com. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Will Wood – You Liked This (Okay, Computer!) Lyrics | Genius Lyrics" . Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  24. ↑ Kastrenakes, Jacob (September 29, 2021). "TikTok settles lawsuit with actress over its original text-to-speech voice". The Verge. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  25. ↑ Smith, Graeme (July 29, 2022). "Album Review: Will Wood – "In case I make it,"". York Calling. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Will Wood In Case I Make It Review". July 29, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Shayfer James & Will Wood: Ferryman". shayferjames.com. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Shayfer James' album "Shipwreck"". spotify.com. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Human Zoo's single, Wealth & Hellness, featuring Will Wood". spotify.com. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Human Zoo's album, Wealth & Hellness, featuring Will Wood on the song "Wealth & Hellness". spotify.com. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  31. ↑ Gonda, Christopher (January 8, 2023). "Will Wood Details His (Final?) Album 'In Case I Die' and Indefinite Hiatus from Music". V 13. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved August 12, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ↑ Will Wood - Topic (July 26, 2024). I / Me / Myself (2018 Live in Studio Demo) . Retrieved July 27, 2024– via YouTube.
  34. ↑ Cappahere (July 27, 2024). "The Normal Album, Original vs Remaster album cover. 2020 vs 2024". r/willwood. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  35. 1 2 Laplace's Angel - 2018 Live in Studio Demo, July 29, 2024, retrieved July 30, 2024
  36. ↑ Big Ears Glenn (December 28, 2017). Big Ears Glenn - Hey ft. Will Wood (Official Music Video) . Retrieved August 7, 2024– via YouTube.
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