- Mary Timony
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Mary B. Timony (born in Washington, D.C., 1970) is an American independent singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, and violist. She was a member of the bands Helium and Autoclave, and currently plays in Wild Flag.
Mary Timony Born 1970 Origin Washington, D.C., USA Genres Noise pop, post-punk, indie rock Years active 1990–present Associated acts Helium, Autoclave, Wild Flag Contents
Biography
Timony attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., where she played guitar in the jazz band and also studied viola.
In 1990-91 Timony played guitar and shared lead vocals in the Washington, D.C.-based all-female band Autoclave.[1] She later relocated to Boston, where she graduated from Boston University with a degree in English literature and formed the band Helium in the summer of 1992, recording two albums and three EPs with the group between 1994 and 1997. Helium disbanded in 1998, whereupon Timony embarked on her solo career, recording albums in 2000 and 2002 (Mountains and The Golden Dove).
In the mid 2000s, Timony moved back to D.C. In 2005, Timony joined with drummer Devin Ocampo; her album Ex Hex, released on the Lookout! Records label, features the two performing together as a duo. In the same year, she contributed vocals to Team Sleep's self-titled album on the tracks "Tomb of Liegia" and "King Diamond."
Her most recent album, The Shapes We Make, was released on the Kill Rock Stars label on May 8, 2007. A music video for "Sharp Shooter" was produced by the art collective Paper Rad.
In early 2009, Mary Timony formed a new band, Pow Wow, with Jonah R. Takagi and Winston H. Yu.[2] As of June 2009 the group added T. J. Lipple and changed its name to Soft Power.[3]
In September 2010, Mary Timony and members of Sleater-Kinney, The Minders, and Quasi announced that they were working on a new album under the moniker Wild Flag. It was released on Merge Records on September 13, 2011.[4]
Timony's music is often heavy and dark, frequently using drones, beats, and modal melodies reminiscent of European Medieval music. She uses a number of alternate guitar tunings, most prominent of which is DADGAE, which allows for the execution of melodic passages.
Her brother, Patrick Timony, is the keyboard player for the band The Picture is Dead.
There is a reference to Mary Timony in the lyrics to the song "Your Bruise" by the American indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie, from their 1998 debut album Something About Airplanes.
Side projects
In addition to her work with Autoclave, Helium, and the Mary Timony Band, Timony has occasionally collaborated or recorded with other groups. In 1999, Timony recorded a four-song vinyl EP with Carrie Brownstein of the band Sleater-Kinney, in a duo called The Spells. In 2000, she recorded a six-song CD with Anna Johansson and Erin Maclean, entitled Green 4.
In 1995, Timony recorded the song "All Dressed Up In Dreams" with Stephen Merritt, on The 6ths album Wasps' Nests. She also recorded vocals for a one-off alt-country project called Lincoln '65. This project's sole output was a 7" single released by Slow River Records in 1996, labeled simply Lincoln '65, and contained two tracks, "Dreams" and "Jellyfish".
Timony collaborated with Team Sleep on Tomb of Liegia and King Diamond on their 2005 self-titled album.
Films
Timony had a role in the 1997 independent film All Over Me as lead singer/guitarist of the fictional girl rock band Coochie Pop, along with another real-life singer/guitarist, Leisha Hailey. They performed the Helium song "Hole in the Ground" in the movie.
Discography
Wild Flag
- Wild Flag 2011
Soft Power
???
Mary Timony Band
- The Shapes We Make 2007
Mary Timony
- Ex Hex 2005
- The Golden Dove 2002
- Mountains 2000
Green 4
- Green 4 2000 (limited edition CD-R)
The Spells
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- International Pop Underground (K Records)
Mind Science of the Mind
- Mind Science of the Mind 1996
Helium
- The Magic City 1997
- No Guitars E.P. 1997
- Superball+ E.P. 1995
- The Dirt of Luck 1995
- Pirate Prude (EP) 1994
Autoclave
- Autoclave 2002
Combined CD of 10" and 7" originally released 1991
References
External links
Interviews
- Mary Timony interview from Ink 19 (April 2003)
- Mary Timony interview by Jenny Tatone, from Kitty Magik site
- Lazy-i Interview: May 2005
Mary Timony · Shawn King Devlin · Brian Dunton · Ash Bowie Albums Categories:- 1970 births
- American female singers
- American female guitarists
- Boston University alumni
- Female rock singers
- Living people
- People from Washington, D.C.
- Musicians from Washington, D.C.
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