Simon Tam (musician)
| Simon Tam | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Simon Shiao Tam |
| Born | March 30, 1981 |
| Origin | San Diego, California, California, United States |
| Genres | Indie rock, dance-rock, electro, post-punk revival |
| Occupations | Musician, author |
| Instruments | bass, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, vocals, MIDI programming |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Labels | The Slants, Pacifiction Records, SBG Records, Boot to Head Records |
| Associated acts | The Slants, The Stivs, Last Stop Tokyo, Rockaway Teems |
| Website | aslantedview.tumblr.com |
| Notable instruments | |
|
Fender Jaguar Bass Fender Jazz Bass Eastwood Guitars | |
Simon Tam (born March 30, 1981) is an American musician, author, record producer, and activist.He is best known as the founder of Asian American dance-rock band, The Slants. As a musician, he also goes by the name "Simon Young." He has been involved with many albums and has won "Album of the Year" awards from the Portland Music Awards, Willamette Week, Rockwired Magazine, and others.
In addition to his music, Tam also is actively involved with the music industry as a regular contributor for Music Think Tank, ASCAP, Lifehacker.org, and Last Stop Booking. In 2012, he published the book "How to Get Sponsorships and Endorsements." Tam is also an activist, dedicated to raising awareness of racial disparities, social justice, and issues that affect the Asian American community.[1]
In 2013, Tam was featured for taking a case against the United States Patent and Trademark Office to Federal Courts [2][3] on the grounds of being denied rights based on his race.[4]
Music career
Last Stop Booking (1997–present)
In 1997, Simon Tam founded a label called SBG Records. He released compilation albums and produced live events in San Diego, CA before moving to Murrieta, CA. In Murrieta, he re-branded the company and began working under Populuxe Entertainment and Last Stop Booking, with a greater focus on booking and promoting shows for touring bands. Later, he relocated the company to Portland, OR and began a blog that focused on helping artists navigate the music industry.
The Stivs (2003-2006)
In 2003, Tam joined punk rock outfit, The Stivs. While with the band, he worked on releases "T.B.I.L Revisited" and "Sweet Heartache and the Satisfaction." The band made a short appearance on The Price is Right with Bob Barker and used his voice as the introductory track to an album.[5]
The Slants (2006-present)
In 2006, Simon Tam founded Asian dance rock band, The Slants, using the stage name "Simon Young." The band quickly gained notoriety for being one of the world's only all-Asian American rock acts and for touring anime conventions.[6] They were also launched into the spotlight for turning down a million dollar recording contract and offer at a reality TV show [7] as well as for fighting the United States Patent and Trademark Office over the right to use and protect their name.[8]
In 2009, The Slants released "Slants! Slants! Revolution," which was a collection of remixes and donated 100% of the profits to charity.[9]
In 2011, The Slants were invited by the Department of Defense to headline a series of concerts for U.S troops serving in Eastern Europe, an effort dubbed "Operation Gratitude." [10]
Discography
- 2004: The Stivs (The Stivs) - T.B.I.L. Revisited
- 2005: The Stivs (Boot to Head Records) - Sweet Heartache and the Satisfaction
- 2007: The Slants (The Slants) - Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts
- 2008: The Slants (The Slants) - Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts (remixed, remastered)
- 2009: The Slants (The Slants) - Slants! Slants! Revolution
- 2010: The Slants (The Slants) - Pageantry
- 2012: The Slants (The Slants) - The Yellow Album
Bibliography
- 2012: How to Get Sponsorships and Endorsements
- 2012: Where Are You From?: An Anthology of Asian American Writing (Volume 1)
References
External links
- Simon Tam's author website
- Last Stop Booking website
- Simon Tam's personal blog/Tumblr
- Simon Tam on Linkedin