Hayden (musician)

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Hayden
Background information
Birth name	Paul Hayden Desser
Also known as	Hayden Desser
Born	February 12, 1971 (1971-02-12) (age 37)
Origin	Thornhill, Ontario, Canada
Genre(s)	Acoustic Rock Alt Country Folk Rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter record label owner
Instrument(s)	vocals guitar piano harmonica
Years active	1994–present
Label(s)	Hardwood Records Sonic Unyon
Website	wasteyourdaysaway.com

Paul Hayden Desser (born February 12, 1971^[1]) who records as Hayden, is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Thornhill, Ontario^[2].

His early works are a largely eclectic mix of genres from grunge rock to alt country, as demonstrated by his first full album, Everything I Long For, released in 1995. Since then his work has become progressively quieter and more mature. His latest release, 2008's In Field & Town, is almost exclusively slow, acoustic, and more refined.

Hayden received a B.A.A. in Radio and Television Arts from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute (now Ryerson University) in 1993. His father is Sherwin S. Desser, a retired University of Toronto professor of parasitology and current visual artist.

[edit] History

In 1996, Hayden performed both nights of Neil Young's annual Bridge School Concert.

In 1998, Hayden toured North America with a full band in support of The Closer I Get. After the release of The Closer I Get, Hayden was inadvertently bought out from his contract with Universal Records for a large sum of money.^{[citation needed]} Full details have never become public.

In 2001 (and with no label support), Hayden very quietly distributed 100 hand-written, packaged and numbered copies of Skyscraper National Park to friends and independent record shops throughout Toronto. This was quickly followed by an additional 1,500 hand-numbered copies (this time with professionally printed liner notes). These copies were primarily sold at live shows. The critical success of these two limited-edition runs led to a full, commercial release of the recording later that same year.

In 2004, Hayden released his long awaited follow up album, Elk Lake Serenade, and toured North America with Oshawa's Cuff the Duke acting as his back-up band.

In 2006, Hayden contributed a t-shirt design to the Yellow Bird Project to raise money for the Acoustic Neuroma Association of Canada.

From 1-3 November 2007, Hayden performed three small pre-European tour "warm-up" shows in Ontario and Quebec.^[3] They were the singer-songwriter's first official performances in three years.^{[citation needed]}

Hayden's most recent studio album, In Field & Town, was released on 15 January 2008.^[4]

[edit] Hardwood Records

In Canada, each of Desser's albums have been issued by Hardwood Records, a small music label he owns. Hardwood had only released Desser's albums from its inception in 1994 until 2005. Cuff the Duke released their second album on Hardwood in 2005, and Basia Bulat released her first full-length album on Hardwood in 2007.

[edit] Discography

[edit] LP's

• In September (Cassette) — Paul Records/Hardwood Records (1994)
• Everything I Long For — Hardwood/Universal Music Canada (1995)
• The Closer I Get — Hardwood/Universal Music Canada (12 May 1998^[5])
• Skyscraper National Park — Hardwood (16 October 2001^[6])
• Live at Convocation Hall — Hardwood/Universal (2002)
• Elk-Lake Serenade — Hardwood (2004)
• In Field & Town — Hardwood/Universal (15 January 2008^[7])

[edit] EPs and singles

• Mild and Hazy (7") — Hardwood/Lunamoth (1996)
• Lunar Landing Confirmed (7" split with Poledo) — Squirtgun Records (1996)
• Moving Careful (EP) — Sonic Unyon/Hardwood (1996)
• Carry On Mentality (7") — Landspeed Records (1997)

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• Waste Your Days Away − Official Hayden website.
• Hardwood Records − Official Hardwood Records website.
• Sherwin S. Desser − Hayden's father and artist.
• "On His Sleeve: Hayden's Quiet Confessionals" CBC Radio 3 Session