Tim McIlrath
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| Tim McIlrath | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Born | November 3, 1979, Indianapolis, Indiana | |
| Occupation(s) | Vocalist, Songwriter, Musician | |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, Guitar, Bass | |
| Years active | 1996-present | |
| Label(s) | Fat Wreck Chords (2001-2003) Geffen Records (2003-present) | |
| Associated acts |
Rise Against .baxter. Arma Angelus The Killing Tree |
|
Tim McIlrath (born November 3, 1979) is the lead singer for the American melodic hardcore band Rise Against. He is known for his versatile voice, and is able to sing softly, scratchy and frantic, or an all out scream. He is also a competent guitarist; during Rise Against's time without a second guitarist, McIlrath filled this role.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Timothy J. McIlrath was born in 1979 in Indianapolis, Indiana. At a young age he read books such as 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, which would influence his later work. As a child in Catholic school, Our Lady of the Wayside in Arlington Heights, IL, he was taunted for having one brown eye and one blue eye[citation needed], known as heterochromia.
[edit] .baxter.
He began his musical career in his teenage years; he was very active in the Chicago local alternative rock/punk scene. His first band was the Post Hardcore band .baxter. along with future The Lawrence Arms drummer Neil Hennessy. Their first release was a full length, self released, cassete, 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" EP Lost Voices on Static Station Records. After some local touring, the band split up. Tim was then in the first incarnation of The Honor System. He sang on their demo and on some songs on their debut album Single File.
[edit] Arma Angelus
Tim then joined a hardcore band called Arma Angelus (playing bass) with Pete Wentz (now in Fall Out Boy) as their lead vocalist. Arma released an e.p. with Tim entitled The Grave End of the Shovel before he left the band. Arma went on to release their debut full length album Where Sleeplessness Is Rest From Nightmares on Eulogy records the same year that Rise Against released theirs. After touring around the midwest, Arma Angelus broke up in 2002. Also that year, Will not Clear man Records released the complete Discography for .baxter., entitled Baxter.
[edit] Rise Against
In 1999 he formed Rise Against with former 88 Fingers Louie bassist and guitarists, Joe Principe and Mr. Precision and drummer Brandon Barnes. They recorded their debut album The Unraveling on Fat Wreck Chords in 2001.
In 2003 guitarist Mr. Precison left, and Todd Mohney filled his role. Later that year they released their sophomore album Revolutions Per Minute, which was greeted with warm succes and is considered by many to be their best work. They toured the U.S. steadily that year, though by the end of it, Todd 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. 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 The Sufferer and the Witness, which included two singles (Ready to Fall and Prayer of the Refugee).
They are currently on tour. Tim is also active in a heavier, more hardcore type side-project band called The Killing Tree along with former Rise Against guitarist Todd Mohney, though all members use pseudonyms in concern to the band.
[edit] Role in Rise Against
Tim is known for his deep and melodic vocal style, which often sets them apart from other Hardcore bands. Tim also writes the lyrics for all Rise Against songs. His songs usually reflect his liberal political stand point, though his skills as a writer are broad enough to cover other genres, as well, such as love, uplifting, and reflection songs. He is also a competent guitarist but didn't start playing guitar for Rise Against until the "Revolutions Per Minute" writing sessions. This has been more evident in recent years.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Rise Against
[edit] The Killing Tree
- Bury Me At Make-Out Creek (EP) (2000)
- The Romance of Helen Trent (2002)
- We Sing Sin (EP) (2004)
[edit] .baxter.
- Troy's Bucket full-length cassette (1996)
- Lost Voices... 7" (Static Station Recordings, 1997)
- Baxter two-disc CD compilation (Will Not Clear Man, 2002)
[edit] Arma Angelus
- Things we Don't Like We Destroy (compilation) (2002)
- The Grave End of the Shovel
[edit] The Honor System
- Single File
[edit] PETA work
Tim and his fellow bandmembers are vegetarian and are active with the animal rights group PETA. Tim often takes part in PETA protests and gives out PETA books and flyers at shows. He has given many interviews along with other bands. The band serves PETA by offering them their time and money.
[edit] Trivia
- Tim has one child, a daughter, named Blythe with his longtime and current girlfriend, Erin.
- Tim is a vegetarian.
- Tim has heterochromia, meaning he has one blue eye and one brown eye.
- Tim is featured on the song "Denak ez du balio" by the Basque Country band Berri Txarrak from the album Libre (Free) (2003)
- McIlrath's father is a right wing ex-military intelligence officer as was his grandfather{AP220} and contrastingly, Tim himself is known for his left-wing political views.
- Tim sang the rap section of "Let Them Eat War" in Bad Religion's Live At The Palladium DVD
| Rise Against |
| Brandon Barnes | Zach Blair | Tim McIlrath | Joe Principe |
| Chris Chasse | Todd Mohney | Mr. Precision |
| Discography |
|---|
| The Unraveling | Revolutions Per Minute | Siren Song of the Counter Culture | The Sufferer and the Witness |
| Videography |
| Generation Lost |
| Singles |
| "Heaven Knows" | "Give It All" | "Swing Life Away" | "Life Less Frightening" | "Ready to Fall" | "Prayer of the Refugee" | "Under the Knife" |
| Labels |
| Geffen Records | Fat Wreck Chords |
