Gary Jules

For the lawyer and former SEC investigator, see Gary J. Aguirre.
Gary Jules

Gary Jules performing live at the Hotel Café on December 9, 2008
Background information
Birth name Gary Jules Aguirre, Jr.
Born March 19, 1969 (1969-03-19) (age 42)
San Diego, California, United States
Genres Rock, folk, alternative rock
Instruments Vocals, guitar, piano, mandolin, harmonica, ukulele
Website www.garyjules.com

Gary Jules (born March 19, 1969 as Gary Jules Aguirre, Jr.) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his cover version of the Tears For Fears classic "Mad World", which he recorded together with friend Michael Andrews for the film Donnie Darko. It became the UK Christmas Number One single of 2003. Since then it has been used on popular American TV shows, in a commercial for the critically acclaimed video game Gears of War, an episode of CSI: Las Vegas, and a Season 5 episode of the medical drama House.

Some of Jules' early projects/bands were The Ivory Knights, Our Town Pansies, Woodenfish, Kofi, The Origin, Invisible, No poetry, and Heroes and Heroin. His 2003 residency at the Los Angeles Hotel Café helped develop the venue as a successful singer/songwriter venue.

Contents

Songs

Gary Jules recorded the song "Mad World" for the film Donnie Darko and later released it as a single in December 2003. It was a huge success becoming the Christmas No. 1 in the UK. It has also become a popular choice for background music in numerous television dramas. The song was used repeatedly during James Franco's acting stint on General Hospital, playing the part of a homicidal artist named Franco. In one episode of the television show Without a Trace, the Jules' version of Mad World was played during the last part of the episode and into the credits. The song was also featured in the TV series Smallville, and during the beginning of the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode, the trailer for The Crazies,"[1] as well as in The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps' 2010 Production "Mad World." Most recently, it was used on the new series Stolen voices, Buried secrets from Investigation Discovery and also in Silent Witness episode 61 (3rd episode of season 10), part one of Terminus.

American Idol contestant Adam Lambert sang Jules's version of "Mad World" for the top 8 performance, which was highly praised by the judges and viewers, and repeated the song in a different dramatic presentation for the top 2 performance, as well as during the American Idols Live! 2009 tour. Following the performance, Jules's version of "Mad World" shot up to #11 on the iTunes store.

His song "Gone Daddy" is based upon his family and himself relocating to North Carolina. When living in L.A. a neighbor was gunned down at night. While the police were investigating the shooting, Gary approached one of the officers and explained that his child was trying to take a nap. Gary asked if the officer knew when they would be finished. The officer told Gary he did not know, but he could always leave L.A. So, Gary did.

His song "Wichita" was inspired by a class Gary took at UCLA regarding Native American history. There was a story about how the Native Americans followed the buffalo around the nation to survive, and when the "white men" finished the intercontinental railroad, the buffalo started to head back south. When they came upon the railroad, the buffalo would not cross it, and millions of them died. Gary has only spent one night in the actual city of Wichita.

Gary has stated that "No Poetry" is possibly his favorite song he has written. His song "Something Else" was featured on the Season 5 episode "My Fallen Idol" of the NBC TV show Scrubs.

Gary also sang on the Esquimaux song "Honey & Dear" from their album Perfecto!.

Career

Music videos

Television appearances

Appearances on television as himself

Television placements

Movie placements

Trailers

Documentaries

Theater

Playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis refers to Gary Jules in his play The Little Flower of East Orange. This show, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman and starring Ellen Burstyn, premiered at the Public Theater in New York on April 6, 2008. The songs “Goodnight Billie” and “Little Greenie” were featured in this production. In the acknowledgments section of the Faber and Faber, Inc. published version of the play, Guirgis writes, “SPECIAL THANKS TO GARY JULES FOR THE MUSIC.”[2]

Act one, scene three:
NADINE hits Play. It’s “Little Greenie” by Gary Jules.
NADINE:Okay...One time, I was gonna kill myself, but then I played this Gary Jules song like twenty-seven times.[3]

Discography

Albums

EPs

Compilations

Collaborations

Quotations

References

  1. ^ CSI: Room Service Episode Summary on TV.com
  2. ^ Guirgis, Stephen Adly (2009). The Little Flower of East Orange p.106
  3. ^ Guirgis, Stephen Adly (2009). The Little Flower of East Orange p.36
  4. ^ Billboard, Allmusic
  5. ^ Thorn, Simon: "Interview with Gary Jules", Wicked Info. Retrieved on 04-22-2010.
  6. ^ Glide Staff: "Glide Anniversary Quotes", Glide Magazine. Retrieved on 04-22-2010.
  7. ^ Thorn, Simon: "Interview with Gary Jules", Wicked Info. Retrieved on 04-22-2010.
  8. ^ Day, Tom: "Interview: Gary Jules", musicOMH. Retrieved on 04-22-2010.

External links