Bill Baird (musician)
| Bill Baird | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Genres | Neo psychedelia, psych pop, Experimental |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, tape machine, keyboard |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Labels | Moon Glyph, Pau Wau, Autobus, Capitol Records |
| Associated acts | Sound Team |
| Website | www.billbillbillbillbill.com |
Bill Baird is an American experimental musician. Formerly a member of Sound Team, Baird began performing solo in 2006, first as {{{Sunset}}} and later under his own name. He appeared in the 2010 documentary Echotone, a chronicle of the Austin, Texas music scene, where he offered a negative assessment of his time signed to a major record label. He is currently studying experimental music at Mills College in Oakland, California.
Performances and bands
Baird first achieved success as the frontman for Sound Team (2001–2007), which was signed to Capitol Records in 2005 but dropped from the label after the commercial failure of their album Movie Monster.[1] In 2006, Baird left Sound Team and began performing as {{{Sunset}}}, as well as under his own name, releasing numerous records. He played at the South by Southwest music festival in 2011.[2]
In 2013, Baird moved from Austin, Texas to Oakland, California to pursue an MFA in experimental music at Mills College;[3] there, he released the albums Spring Break of the Soul and Diamond Patch.[4] He was named "Best Newly Arrived East Bay Musician" by East Bay Express.[3] In 2014, he performed at the Phono Del Sol music festival in San Francisco.[5]
Notable appearances
In 2006, Baird gained notoriety by mocking the music review site Pitchfork Media, recording himself taking a pitchfork to a dummy branded with his band's name and uploading the video to YouTube.[6] He has also criticized the experience of commercial music production; in 2010, he appeared in Echotone, a documentary about the commercialization of the music scene in Austin, Texas. In the film, he recounted his negative experiences with being signed to a major record label.[7]
Baird participated in the annual San Francisco Music Video Race competition in July 2014. The music video for his song "Soggy Soul," directed by Dan Lichtenberg of "Slow Clap Productions," was the runner up in the competition and also won "Best Concept" and "Best Use of Song Provided."[8]
Selected discography
With Sound Team
- Sound Team (2000)
- I'm Getting Laid Tonight b/w Folkswinger (2000)
- Into The Lens (2002)
- Yes Special Cassette (2004)
- Movie Monster (2006)
- Born To Please (2006)
- Empty Rooms (2007)
- Work (2007)
As Sunset
- {{{Sunset}}} (2007)
- Pink Clouds (2008)
- Loveshines/Looks Like I Fucked Up Again (2009)
- Loveshines But The Moon Is Shining Too (2010)
As Bill Baird
- Spring Break of the Soul (2013)
- Diamond Eyepatch (2014)
References
- ↑ Hoffberger, Chase. "Sound Team's 'Marathon'". austinchronicle.com. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
- ↑ "Bill Baird". SxSW schedule. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Best Newly Arrived East Bay Musician". East Bay Express. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
- ↑ Ranta, Alan. "Bill Baird: Diamond Eyepatch". PopMatters. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
- ↑ Char, Amy. "Live Shots: Phono del Sol 2014". SF Bay Guardian online. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
- ↑ Shaer, Matthew. "Die, Pitchfork, Die!". Slate. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
- ↑ Webster, Andy. "A Story as Old as Gentrification". The New York Times online. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
- ↑ Pereira, Alyssa. "SF's Music Video Race Releases Winning Videos". Retrieved August 1, 2014.