- Tim McIlrath
Infobox musical artist |
Name = Tim McIlrath
Img_capt = Tim McIlrath performing at Warped Tour 2006 in Marysville, CA.
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Background = solo_singer
Born = Birth date and age|1979|11|3|mf=y,Indianapolis ,Indiana
Died =
Instrument =Vocals ,Guitar , Bass
Genre =Punk rock Melodic hardcore Hardcore punk Post-hardcore Metalcore
Occupation =Vocalist ,Songwriter ,Musician
Years_active = 1995-present
Label =Fat Wreck Chords (2001-2003)
Geffen Records (2003-present)
Associated_acts =Rise Against
BaxterArma Angelus The Killing Tree
URL =
Notable_instruments =Tim McIlrath (born
November 3 ,1979 ) is theguitarist and leadsinger for the Americanmelodic hardcore bandRise Against .He is also avegetarian , supportsanimal rights and actively promotesPETA with his band. [http://www.peta2.com/OUTTHERE/o-top10rise.asp PETA2 // Out There // Top 10 Reasons PETA2 Loves Rise Against ] ]Biography
Early life
Timothy J. McIlrath was born in 1979 in
Arlington Heights, IL . At a young age he read books such as 1984 byGeorge Orwell andBrave New World byAldous Huxley , which would influence his later work. As a child in Catholic school, he was taunted for having one brown eye and one blue eyeFact|date=February 2007, known asheterochromia . As an early teenager, all of Tim's friends were intosnowboarding , so Tim saved up money until he had $400 to buy asnowboard . He had his heart set on becoming a snowboarder (even though he had never snowboarded before), until the day he went to buy one. One day he walked to the snowboard shop, but entered a nearby guitar shop instead. He fell in love with a 1984 cherry redGibson SG and bought it for $425.Baxter
He began his musical career in his teenage years; he was very active in the
Chicago localalternative rock /punk scene. His first band was thepost hardcore band Baxter, formed in 1995 along with futureThe Lawrence Arms drummerNeil Hennessy and future Killing Tree and Holy Roman Empire bassist Geoff Reu.Their first release was a full length, self released, cassette, "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.Baxter was introduced to the greater Chicago scene as the local opening act for national touring acts like
Good Riddance , Braid,Hot Water Music ,Slapstick ,Alkaline Trio , andStrife .In 1997 they released a 7" EP "
Lost Voices " on Static Station Records. After some local touring, the band split up.Tim played bass and sang backup in the first incarnation ofThe Honor System . He sang on their demo and on some songs on their debut album "Single File". He and drummer Neil Hennesy could also be found in a brief lineup of the grind band Yellow Road Priest, whose members went on to form Pelican.Arma Angelus
Tim then joined a hardcore band called
Arma Angelus (playing bass) withPete Wentz (now inFall Out Boy ). Arma released a full length with Tim on bass and backup vocals entitled "The Grave End of the Shovel" before he left the band to focus on The Killing Tree and what would eventually become Rise Against. 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".Rise Against
In 1999 he formed
Rise Against with former 88 Fingers Louie bassist,Joe Principe , guitarist Dan Precision (A.K.A.Mr. Precision ), and drummer Brandon Barnes. They recorded their debut albumThe Unraveling onFat Wreck Chords in 2001.In 2003 guitarist Mr. Precison left, and
Todd Mohney filled his role. Later that year they released their second album "Revolutions Per Minute" which was greeted with warm success 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 their fourth album "The Sufferer & the Witness ", which included five singles ("Ready to Fall , "Prayer of the Refugee ", "The Good Left Undone ", "Behind Closed Doors" and "The Approaching Curve ").They had ended their tour and were back in the studio in the process of making their next album, when Chris Chasse, left the band to pursue family life. Tim is also active in a heavier, more hardcore type side-project band called
The Killing Tree along with former Rise Against guitaristTodd Mohney , though all members use pseudonyms in concern to the band.Rise Against Recorded their latest album "Appeal to Reason" with the help of guitarist Zack Blair who is now a permanent member, it was released on
October 7 ,2008 . The band recorded it at TheBlasting Room inFort Collins, Colorado withBill Stevenson andJason Livermore , who produced "Revolutions Per Minute" and "The Sufferer & the Witness".Role in Rise Against
Tim's vocals and word choice often set Rise Against apart from other Hardcore bands. Tim is credited exclusively for the lyrics of 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 topics as well, such as love, inspiration, and reflection.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.
Discography
Rise Against
The Killing Tree
*"Bury Me At Make-Out Creek EP" (2000)
*"The Romance of Helen Trent " (2002)
*"We Sing Sin EP " (2004)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)Arma Angelus
*"Things we Don't Like We Destroy (compilation)" (2002)
*"The Grave End of the Shovel"The Honor System
*"Single File" (four song cassette demo only)
PETA work
Tim is a strict
vegetarian , as are his fellow bandmembers. They are active with theanimal rights groupPETA . 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.Trivia
*Tim and his girlfriend Erin have two daughters, Blythe and Scarlet. They live with him in
Chicago .
*Tim is featured on the song "Denak ez du balio" by Basquealternative rock bandBerri Txarrak from their album "Libre © ".
*Tim sang the rap section of "Let Them Eat War" in Bad Religion's Live At The Palladium DVD
*Tim has one blue eye and one brown, known asheterochromia , as he stated in an MTV program which he was featured in.
*Tim sings vocals in theCancer Bats song, "Harem of Scorpions". From their 2008 album "Hail Destroyer ".
*Tim was in a heavy-metal band with Pete Wentz, which was called Arma AngelusReferences
External links
*imdb|2843707
* [http://www.thekillingtree.com The Killing Tree's Website] (Hasn't been updated since 2003)
* [http://www.riseagainst.com Rise Against's Official Website]
* [http://www.giveitall.org Rise Against's Fansite]
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