Joseph Arthur

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Joseph Arthur

Background information
Born September 28, 1971
Origin Akron, Ohio, USA
Genre(s) singer-songwriter
Instrument(s) Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
Years active 1997–present
Label(s) Lonely Astronaut
Website www.josepharthur.com www.lonelyastronautrecords.com

Joseph Arthur (born September 28, 1971) is a contemporary singer-songwriter from Akron, Ohio, known for his melodic compositions combined with swirling choruses. He was discovered by Peter Gabriel in the mid-'90s, and signed to Gabriel's Real World label.

Contents

[edit] Musical history

In the early 90's Joseph Arthur was recording home demos, playing local Atlanta clubs and working at Clark Music Store. As luck should have it, Peter Gabriel's A&R associate Harvey Schwartz was presenting him some new artists at his apartment in New York City. Once Gabriel heard the lyrics to "History" he repeated the line "your history acts as your gravity" over and over realizing the talented songwriter was a great fit for his label Real World. Both he and Schwartz arranged a live audition at the Fez in NYC, where Arthur flew up from Atlanta. The night was clearly a success as Gabriel had enlisted friend Lou Reed to record the show. Within a few months Arthur was signed and Big City Secrets was recorded at his Real World Studios with Marcus Dravs (expermental Bjork engineer) producing the album. Two years later, he recorded an EP called Vacancy, which earned him a Grammy nomination for the artistic packaging.

2000 saw the release of Come to Where I'm From, the album that, for the first time, exposed him to a larger audience (also thanks to opening up for Ben Harper and Gomez). During the same period, a live album recorded at the Gypsy Tea Room in Dallas saw the light.

After releasing 4 EPs called Junkyard Hearts, his third album, called Redemption's Son, came out in May 2002.

In the middle of a long and successful tour during which performances were, to a large extent, recorded and sold immediately after the last note had been played, he found time to release one more album: an alternative rock project called Holding The Void.

Summer 2003 saw him on tour with Tracy Chapman in the US. After signing a new recording contract with Vector Recordings, Arthur finished working on what is his fourth 'official' full album, Our Shadows Will Remain.

While touring the US alone and with Joan Wasser, a new EP called And The Thieves Are Gone came out in December 2004. Shortly afterwards, Arthur went on a brief tour with R.E.M. throughout Europe.

Arthur spent 2005 again on tour in both the US and Europe

Arthur staged his first art exhibition in 2006 at the Vertigo Gallery in London on February 10 to February 12.

Arthur also contributed a design to the Yellow Bird Project for the benefit of Mercy Corps.

His song "In the Sun" was recently covered by Michael Stipe (of R.E.M.) and Coldplay singer Chris Martin for a Hurricane Katrina Relief program. The EP includes 6 versions of the cover, one of which has Arthur himself singing with Stipe. It was also covered by Peter Gabriel himself for the Diana and Dodi Tribute CD.

On March 26, 2007, 14th Floor Records released a special single for the 2002 song "Honey And The Moon" in the UK only. The single is in anticipation for the UK release of his albums Nuclear Daydream and Let's Just Be. April 17, 2007 will see the US release of his sixth studio album, Let's Just Be, the first album recorded with his band The Lonely Astronauts.

[edit] Live performances

Arthur’s one man band live performances incorporate looping techniques and several distortion techniques. Many people have commented that his live performances, when performed in this fashion, are in fact superior to his studio recordings. However, beginning with his fall 2006 tour, Arthur has incorporated a full band, The Lonely Astronauts.

The Lonely Astronauts are:

  • Joseph Arthur - vocals, guitar
  • Kraig Jarret Johnson - guitar, keyboards
  • Jennifer Turner - guitar
  • Sibyl Buck - bass
  • Greg Wieczorek - drums

Arthur’s live performances are recorded through to the last note and then burnt to CD. They are sold immediately to fans after the concert as a cherishable souvenir of the event.

[edit] Musical instruments

He owns two guitars, his main one being an Irish guitar named Lowden. The model is “0-12”.

Arthur’s harmonica is a diatonic harmonica in the key of G.

[edit] Sound processors

To incorporate his looping techniques, Arthur uses 4 rackmounted units of the Lexicon JamMan.

He plays his guitars through an impressive floor of effects pedals including a Vox Tonelab SE multi-effects, a Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler, a Moogerfooger MF-102 Ring Modulator, a MXR Phase 100, a Z. Vex Seek Wah, an Electro-Harmonix POG, a Big Muff Pi, and a DigiTech Whammy.

Vocals are processed by a TC-Helicon VoiceLive floor unit.

[edit] Song appearances in television and film

Joseph Arthur soundtracked the 1998 film Hell's Kitchen. He also makes a cameo appearance in said film. His songs have made other television and film appearances.

  • "Electrical Storm"

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] EPs

[edit] Singles

[edit] Singles: B-Sides

  • "Heavy Bullets" ("Chemical" single)
  • "Ask The Dust" ("Chemical" single)
  • "The Other Side" ("In The Sun" single)
  • "Cocaine Blind" ("In The Sun" single)
  • "Real As Rain" ("Can't Exist" single)
  • "Even Tho" (Live) ("Even Tho" CD single)
  • "Even Tho" (Dan The Automator Remix) ("Even Tho" 10" single)
  • "Papa" ("Devil's Broom" CD single)
  • "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" (Live) ("Devil's Broom" 7" single)
  • "Can't Exist" (Remarkables Remix) ("Can't Exist" re-issue 7" single #1)
  • "Can't Exist" (Acoustic) ("Can't Exist" re-issue 7" single #2)
  • "More To Give" ("Can't Exist" re-issue 7" single #2)
  • "Can't Exist" (Live) ("Can't Exist" re-issue 7" single #3)
  • "Jump Out Boy" ("Can't Exist" re-issue 7" single #3)
  • "Enough To Get Away" (album version) ("Honey And The Moon" 2007 CD single)
  • "Take Me Home" (album version) ("Honey And The Moon" 2007 7" single)

[edit] Contributions

[edit] External links

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