Alec Ounsworth
Encyclopedia
Alec Ounsworth is an American
singer, songwriter
, guitarist
and frontman of indie rock
band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
. He is also a member of The Pelican Picnic and Flashy Python
. Alec's first solo album, Mo Beauty
was released October 20, 2009, on Anti- Records.
and grew up in Mount Airy, Philadelphia. Around his mid-teens, he started writing and recording music; a hobby that would stay near to him throughout his academic career at Connecticut College
. In college, he shared a dorm room with Lee Sargent
during their freshman year. They would both graduate in 2000. Lee, who had a special interest in Alec's songs, contacted him in 2004 via Friendster
about starting a band. After several contacts, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
was fully formed, and the band started playing live shows and recording demos. To date, the band has released two self-distributed, full-length studio albums: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
and Some Loud Thunder
, as well as the internet-only live album release of Live at Lollapalooza 2007: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
.
, Alec released several home demos of his work onto the internet, many of them being early versions of songs that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
would record. All ties from Alec to the files have been severed, as both flashypython.com and Alec's MySpace
page have been deleted. All of the files are still distributed amongst fans over the internet.
guitars, a Fender Stratocaster
, a Gibson Hummingbird
, and a Gibson SG
. He also has at least four acoustic guitars, two of which are made by Gibson. Alec employs the Vox AC30
amp to produce the sound he desires. On his recent tours with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, he has been playing through a 4x10 Fender Hot Rod DeVille. On April 4, 2007, Alec sported a Gibson Flying V guitar on Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
.
. In 2008, they had a daughter, Rosemary.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and frontman of indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is an American indie rock group based in Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, was self-released in 2005.-History:...
. He is also a member of The Pelican Picnic and Flashy Python
Flashy Python
Flashy Python is a project by Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Their debut album, Skin and Bones, was self-released in 2009.-History:Skin and Bones was released on August 11, 2009 to absolutely no pre-release press...
. Alec's first solo album, Mo Beauty
Mo Beauty
Mo Beauty is the debut album by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah frontman Alec Ounsworth. It was released October 20, 2009, on Anti- Records. In August 2009, Ounsworth released Skin and Bones as Flashy Python....
was released October 20, 2009, on Anti- Records.
Background and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Alec, whose last name was originally Dounsworth (he later dropped the 'D'), was born in PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and grew up in Mount Airy, Philadelphia. Around his mid-teens, he started writing and recording music; a hobby that would stay near to him throughout his academic career at Connecticut College
Connecticut College
Connecticut College is a private liberal arts college located in New London, Connecticut.The college was founded in 1911, as Connecticut College for Women, in response to Wesleyan University closing its doors to women...
. In college, he shared a dorm room with Lee Sargent
Lee Sargent
Lee Sargent is a keyboardist/guitarist/backup vocalist for the indie rock band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.He attended college at Connecticut College along with the other members of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and prior to the group's formation he produced the Canine Tricycle Bereavement record Backseat...
during their freshman year. They would both graduate in 2000. Lee, who had a special interest in Alec's songs, contacted him in 2004 via Friendster
Friendster
Friendster is a social gaming site that is based in Malaysia, KL. The company now operates mainly from the three Asian countries namely in the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore....
about starting a band. After several contacts, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is an American indie rock group based in Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, was self-released in 2005.-History:...
was fully formed, and the band started playing live shows and recording demos. To date, the band has released two self-distributed, full-length studio albums: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (album)
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is the debut album by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, self-released in the U.S. in 2005, and released in the UK on 23 January 2006 by Wichita Recordings. Produced and mixed by Adam Lasus, the album and the band rose to fame after buzz and attention built up on various MP3 blogs...
and Some Loud Thunder
Some Loud Thunder
Some Loud Thunder is the second album by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, an indie rock band from Brooklyn. It was released on January 29, 2007, in the UK, and January 30 in the USA, but people who pre-ordered the album were able to legally download it from Insound starting January 16, 2007...
, as well as the internet-only live album release of Live at Lollapalooza 2007: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Live at Lollapalooza 2007: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Live at Lollapalooza 2007: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is a live album by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah recorded on August 4, 2007 at the Lollapalooza Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago, IL.The album was released on iTunes on September 18, 2007...
.
Home demos
Prior to the success of Clap Your Hands Say YeahClap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is an American indie rock group based in Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, was self-released in 2005.-History:...
, Alec released several home demos of his work onto the internet, many of them being early versions of songs that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is an American indie rock group based in Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, was self-released in 2005.-History:...
would record. All ties from Alec to the files have been severed, as both flashypython.com and Alec's MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page have been deleted. All of the files are still distributed amongst fans over the internet.
Musical equipment
Alec's collection of guitars includes, but is not limited to, two different Fender TelecasterFender Telecaster
The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
guitars, a Fender Stratocaster
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
, a Gibson Hummingbird
Gibson Hummingbird
The Gibson Hummingbird is an acoustic guitar model/series produced by the Gibson Guitar Corporation.Unlike the other flat-top Gibson acoustics, the Hummingbird was Gibson's first square-shoulder dreadnought, similar to the dreadnoughts produced by C.F. Martin & Company...
, and a Gibson SG
Gibson SG
At the launch of the SG in 1961, Gibson offered four variants of the SG; the SG Junior , the SG Special, the SG Standard, and the top-of-the-line SG Custom. However, Gibson's current core variants as of 2010 are the SG Standard and the SG Special...
. He also has at least four acoustic guitars, two of which are made by Gibson. Alec employs the Vox AC30
Vox AC30
The Vox AC30 is a guitar amplifier manufactured by Vox and known for its "jangly" high-end sound. First introduced in 1958 due to the growing demand for higher-wattage amplifiers, it became an iconic amplifier for British musicians and soon for others....
amp to produce the sound he desires. On his recent tours with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, he has been playing through a 4x10 Fender Hot Rod DeVille. On April 4, 2007, Alec sported a Gibson Flying V guitar on Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
.
Personal life
On January 12, 2007, Alec married Emily Jean Stock, who is the inspiration behind the song of the same name, as featured on the album Some Loud ThunderSome Loud Thunder
Some Loud Thunder is the second album by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, an indie rock band from Brooklyn. It was released on January 29, 2007, in the UK, and January 30 in the USA, but people who pre-ordered the album were able to legally download it from Insound starting January 16, 2007...
. In 2008, they had a daughter, Rosemary.
with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
- 2005: Clap Your Hands Say YeahClap Your Hands Say Yeah (album)Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is the debut album by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, self-released in the U.S. in 2005, and released in the UK on 23 January 2006 by Wichita Recordings. Produced and mixed by Adam Lasus, the album and the band rose to fame after buzz and attention built up on various MP3 blogs...
- 2007: Some Loud ThunderSome Loud ThunderSome Loud Thunder is the second album by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, an indie rock band from Brooklyn. It was released on January 29, 2007, in the UK, and January 30 in the USA, but people who pre-ordered the album were able to legally download it from Insound starting January 16, 2007...
- 2007: Live at Lollapalooza 2007: Clap Your Hands Say YeahLive at Lollapalooza 2007: Clap Your Hands Say YeahLive at Lollapalooza 2007: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is a live album by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah recorded on August 4, 2007 at the Lollapalooza Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago, IL.The album was released on iTunes on September 18, 2007...