Christopher McGuire
Encyclopedia
Christopher McGuire is an American drum set player, session drummer, drum teacher, and producer. He is based in Minneapolis
, Minnesota
, United States
.
. He grew up in Oxford
, Ohio
, United States.
In 1992, McGuire and other long-time friends and Oxford natives began the band 12 Rods
. The group moved to Minneapolis in 1995. McGuire served as the drummer for the band from the start of their career until late September 1999 when he left the group.
In the summer of 2003, McGuire was hired as a support musician by Japanese band Quruli
(くるり) to temporarily fill the position of drummer for the group for summer festival performances. However, in November 2003 he was hired by Quruli as a full-time member. He continued on with the group, both recording and touring, for the next 11 months. In October 2004 it was announced that Christopher would be leaving Quruli due to creative differences. Since his departure, the group has only filled the position of drummer with temporary support musicians.
He is also the ex-drummer for American band Kid Dakota
.
Other American bands and artists McGuire has performed and/or recorded with include the Legendary Jim Ruiz Group, The Melismatics, Alva Star, Great Girls Blouse, John Vanderslice
, Mark Mallman
, Willie Wisely, The Court & Spark, The Mountain Goats
, Née Née; She, Sir; questionsinletters, West Elliot, and Faux Jean.
As a producer, McGuire produced Tokyo band Squadcar's second CD while in Japan. He noted the experience as "killer". He has also done production work for Minneapolis bands Barfly and Great Girls Blouse.
McGuire is currently a member of the band Puppies who are from his native Oxford.
He is often recognized by his very visual playing and highly positioned crash cymbal.
In November 2009, McGuire returned to Japan to perform with Japanese band Luminous Orange
at a few of their concerts and record with them in the studio. One of the tracks he recorded, titled "Yueqin Spring Moon", is featured on the band's latest release Songs of Innocence.
Alva Star
Communist Daughter
The Court & Spark
Terry Eason
Great Girls Blouse
Kid Dakota
Luminous Orange
Mark Mallman
The Melismatics
The Mountain Goats
Puppies
questionsinletters
Quruli
Squadcar
John Vanderslice
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Early life and career
Christopher McGuire was raised in a musical family. His mother is a singer and his father is an organistOrganist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
. He grew up in Oxford
Oxford, Ohio
Oxford is a city in northwestern Butler County, Ohio, United States, in the southwestern portion of the state. It lies in Oxford Township, originally called the College Township. The population was 21,943 at the 2000 census. This college town was founded as a home for Miami University. Oxford...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States.
In 1992, McGuire and other long-time friends and Oxford natives began the band 12 Rods
12 Rods
12 Rods was an indie rock band formed in Oxford, Ohio, United States in 1992. The group went on to relocate to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1995 until its end in 2004.-History:...
. The group moved to Minneapolis in 1995. McGuire served as the drummer for the band from the start of their career until late September 1999 when he left the group.
In the summer of 2003, McGuire was hired as a support musician by Japanese band Quruli
Quruli
is a popular Japanese music group formed in 1996. As of March 2007, the lineup consists of Masashi Satoh and Shigeru Kishida. Their music is produced and distributed by Victor Entertainment.- Career :...
(くるり) to temporarily fill the position of drummer for the group for summer festival performances. However, in November 2003 he was hired by Quruli as a full-time member. He continued on with the group, both recording and touring, for the next 11 months. In October 2004 it was announced that Christopher would be leaving Quruli due to creative differences. Since his departure, the group has only filled the position of drummer with temporary support musicians.
He is also the ex-drummer for American band Kid Dakota
Kid Dakota
Kid Dakota is the musical moniker of Darren Jackson. He started performing as "Kid Dakota and the Tumbleweeds" in 1998 while living in Providence, Rhode Island. The name was chosen in homage to his home state of South Dakota and also as a parody of Kid Rock...
.
Other American bands and artists McGuire has performed and/or recorded with include the Legendary Jim Ruiz Group, The Melismatics, Alva Star, Great Girls Blouse, John Vanderslice
John Vanderslice
John Vanderslice is an American musician and songwriter. Previously a member of the band Mk Ultra, he now records and performs as a solo artist.-Early years:...
, Mark Mallman
Mark Mallman
Mark Mallman is a Minnesota musician and composer for film.-Education:Mallman graduated from Waukesha South High School in 1991. He studied jazz piano at The Milwaukee Conservatory of Music then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1991...
, Willie Wisely, The Court & Spark, The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats is an American indie rock band formed in Claremont, CA by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle himself, despite the plural moniker....
, Née Née; She, Sir; questionsinletters, West Elliot, and Faux Jean.
As a producer, McGuire produced Tokyo band Squadcar's second CD while in Japan. He noted the experience as "killer". He has also done production work for Minneapolis bands Barfly and Great Girls Blouse.
McGuire is currently a member of the band Puppies who are from his native Oxford.
He is often recognized by his very visual playing and highly positioned crash cymbal.
In November 2009, McGuire returned to Japan to perform with Japanese band Luminous Orange
Luminous Orange
Luminous Orange is a Japanese guitar rock band often categorized as Alternative, Dreampop, and Shoegaze, and from the fact that they had released some of their materials from Cornelius' label "Trattoria", often considered as one of the Shibuya-kei artists....
at a few of their concerts and record with them in the studio. One of the tracks he recorded, titled "Yueqin Spring Moon", is featured on the band's latest release Songs of Innocence.
Discography
12 Rods- BlissBliss (12 Rods album)- Track listing :# "Stella" - # "Repeat" - # "Choke" - # "When Comes Sunday" - # "Day By Day" - # "I Am Faster" - # "Come Down On Me" - # "Megabright" - # "Tell a Lie" - # "Mr. Whipple" -...
(1993) - gay?Gay?Gay? is the name of a 1996 EP released by 12 Rods, their first released on a label . It is notable for receiving a very rare 10.0 rating from Pitchfork Media upon its release, being one of the few albums to ever have done so.-Track listing:# "Red" # "Make Out Music" # "Gaymo" # "Mexico" # "Friend"...
(1996) - Split PersonalitiesSplit Personalities (album)Split Personalities is a 1998 album by 12 Rods. It was the band's second full length album.-Track listing:# "Split Personality" – 5:35# "Red" – 6:34# "I Am Faster" – 6:43# "Chromatically Declining Me" – 3:55# "Part of 2" – 3:23...
(1998) - Separation AnxietiesSeparation AnxietiesSeparation Anxieties is a 2000 album by 12 Rods. It was the band's third full length album.-Track listing:# "Kaboom" – 4:00# "What Has Happened?" – 2:56# "Astrogimp" – 3:57# "Radioaction" – 4:17# "I Think I'm Flying" – 3:56...
(2000)
Alva Star
- Alligators in the Lobby (2001)
Communist Daughter
- Soundtrack to the End (2010)
The Court & Spark
- Witch Season (2004)
Terry Eason
- Cry Baby EP (2002)
Great Girls Blouse
- EP No. 2 (2001)
Kid Dakota
- So PrettySo Pretty-Track listing:#"Crossin' Fingers" – 4:23#"Smokestack" – 4:53#"Bathroom" – 5:19#"So Pretty" – 5:05#"Summer Cold" – 4:59#"Pairin' Off" – 1:44#"Coalminer" – 6:21...
(2001) - The West Is the FutureThe West Is the Future-Track listing:#"Pilgrim" – 3:44#"Homesteader" – 7:30#"Pine Ridge" – 4:24#"Ivan" – 3:36#"Ten Thousand Lakes" – 5:06#"Starlight Motel" – 8:02#"Winterkill" – 6:05...
(2004)
Luminous Orange
- Songs of Innocence (2010)
Mark Mallman
- How I Lost My Life and Lived To Tell About It (2000)
- Live from First Avenue, Minneapolis (2003)
- Seven Years (2005)
The Melismatics
- Postmodern Rock (2001)
The Mountain Goats
- We Shall All Be HealedWe Shall All Be HealedWe Shall All Be Healed is a 2004 album by The Mountain Goats. The album focuses on semi-fictional accounts of band leader John Darnielle's years as a teenager, particularly his friends' and acquaintances' experiences in California and in Portland, Oregon as methamphetamine addicts...
(2004)
Puppies
- Sick Machine (2007)
questionsinletters
- - - intentionally left blank - - (2004)
Quruli
- Antenna (2004)
Squadcar
- Misses (producer) (2005)
John Vanderslice
- Cellar DoorCellar Door (album)Cellar Door is the fourth album by John Vanderslice, released in 2004. The name of this album is notable, as "cellar door" is one of the most beautiful phrases in the English language, according to J.R.R. Tolkien. The album contains a few songs based on recent films...
(2004)