Jim Shelley (musician)
Encyclopedia
Jim Shelley is an American
singer-songwriter
, musician
, poet
, painter
, and teacher
. Since the release of his first album, 12 Songs, in 1979, Shelley has usually recorded his albums in his home studio on a four or eight track machine, more often than not performing all the instrumental and vocal parts himself, though in recent years he has employed a full band on a number of occasions.
Shelley is a relatively prolific writer, having released more than 500 songs on over forty records, most of them since 1989. He played a prominent role in the 1990s lo-fi music scene.
Over the last seventeen years, Shelley has performed live perhaps a hundred or so times on the East Coast, mostly in or near his home town of Harrisonburg, Virginia
, with various rock bands under the names of Book of Proles, The Plague Dogs
, The Karl Rove, Fear + Whiskey, and most famously, Book Of Kills.
On 10 February 2010, Shelley announced on the "official" band web page, that he was disbanding Book Of Kills "forever", though he left open the possibility that the group might play an occasional benefit in the future. A month later, on March 13, 2010, the group performed one final time at the Little Grill in Harrisonburg, the venue where they delivered their first live show in 1994.
In early 2010, Shelley created a new, more improvisational group called Fear + Whiskey.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, and teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
. Since the release of his first album, 12 Songs, in 1979, Shelley has usually recorded his albums in his home studio on a four or eight track machine, more often than not performing all the instrumental and vocal parts himself, though in recent years he has employed a full band on a number of occasions.
Shelley is a relatively prolific writer, having released more than 500 songs on over forty records, most of them since 1989. He played a prominent role in the 1990s lo-fi music scene.
Over the last seventeen years, Shelley has performed live perhaps a hundred or so times on the East Coast, mostly in or near his home town of Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
, with various rock bands under the names of Book of Proles, The Plague Dogs
The Plague Dogs
The Plague Dogs is the third novel by Richard Adams, author of Watership Down, about two dogs who escape an animal testing facility and are subsequently pursued by both the government and the media...
, The Karl Rove, Fear + Whiskey, and most famously, Book Of Kills.
On 10 February 2010, Shelley announced on the "official" band web page, that he was disbanding Book Of Kills "forever", though he left open the possibility that the group might play an occasional benefit in the future. A month later, on March 13, 2010, the group performed one final time at the Little Grill in Harrisonburg, the venue where they delivered their first live show in 1994.
In early 2010, Shelley created a new, more improvisational group called Fear + Whiskey.
Selected discography
- 12 Songs (1979)
- What I Did On My Summer Vacation (1983)
- Bloom Or Die (1989)
- For The Good Of The Cause (1991)
- Don't Stop The Scream (1992)
- The Haunted Life (1992)
- Wee Jim's Blackeye (1993)
- Big Business Monkey, Volume One (1993)
- Songs For A Gone World (1994)
- Detritus (1994)
- Big Business Monkey, Volume Two (1994)
- Saint Judas (1995)
- Writing On The Wall (1996)
- Splendid Trigger (1996)
- Nothing You Can Say (1997)
- So Far In Every Direction (1997)
- If I Should Fall (1998)
- Welcome To Concrete (1999)
- Songs - 1983-2000 (2000)
- E.P. (2001)
- Hoggett Heads (2002)
- All About You (2002)
- Wasp 51! (2003)
- Rockin' The Cheetah's Ass: Book Of Kills Live (2004)
- I Can't Give You Anything But Love (2005)
- The Monkeyclaus Sessions - The Karl Rove (2006)
- Monkeyclaus Plus - The Karl Rove (2006)
- Adventures Of An Inspired Amateur - Box Set (2006)
- Different (2007)
- The Plague Dogs (2008)
- This Is Your Book Of Kills (2008)
- Toward The Escape (2009)
- The Strange One (Outtakes & Demos) Volume One (2010)
- Bona Fide (2011)
Sources
- Alternative PressAlternative Press (music magazine)Alternative Press is an American music magazine based in Cleveland, Ohio. It generally provides readers with band interviews, photos, information on upcoming releases, and music charts. It was founded in 1985 by Mike Shea, who is the current president....
- issues 45, 49 and 61. - "For The Good Of The Cause" by Jim Santo for Jim Santo's DemoUniverse, http://www.demouniverse.com/twpicks/bok.html
- "School House Rock" by Jennifer Holl for The Daily News-Record, http://www.bookofkills.com/dnrfeature.html
- "Teacher/Musician Loves Walking Around Bridgewater" by Jennifer Bonds for The Daily News-Record, http://www.bookofkills.com/teacherwalks.html
- "More Stuff" by Bryan Baker for Gajoob.com,
- "Under The Radar" by Rob Christensen for TapeOp Magazine, http://www.bookofkills.com/tapeop.html
- Bookofkills.com http://www.bookofkills.com