Tall Firs
Encyclopedia
Tall Firs are a New York City
based underground electric folk rock
band, originally formed in 1990 by Dave Mies and Aaron Mullan in Annapolis, Maryland
. Their self-titled full-length album was finally completed and released sixteen years later in 2006 on the independent music label Ecstatic Peace!.
Tall Firs grew out of an over-the-phone collaboration between teenaged David Mies and Aaron Mullan, who were school friends that lived too far away to walk to one another's houses. Allegedly, the two would sit at home and cue up cassettes from the Circle Jerks
and Sex Pistols
to play over simultaneously. They would not play their first concert until eleven years later.
. Their first self-titled album was made in the Sonic Youth studio, and after Moore and Andrew Kesin, heads of Ecstatic Peace! heard the album, they asked to release it.
The band is based in Brooklyn New York. Over the past 10 years they have shared stages with Thurston Moore, Silver Apples, Jeff Mangum, Shellac, Awesome Color, Emily Haines, Sonic Youth, Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, Magic Markers, Kurt Vile, and a host of others.
Tall Firs' second album, entitled Too Old to Die Young, was released in March 2008 and includes the contribution of drummer, vocalist Ryan Sawyer who toured and collaborated with the band as a full time member until 2011.
Tall Firs have been chosen by Jeff Mangum
of Neutral Milk Hotel
to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties
festival that he will curate in March 2012 in Minehead, England.
before moving on to work as a sound engineer and instrumentalist. He also plays bass guitar in the trio Hallogallo with Michael Rother and Steve Shelly. Dave Mies fronted a blues-rock band in Baltimore, backed by Emo legends Colin Seven (Universal Order of Armeggedon) and Monica DiGialleonardo (Moss Icon) before joining Mullan in New York to begin Tall Firs. Drummer Ryan Sawyer hails from Texas
and was one of the first drummers in the band At the Drive-In
. He moved to New York City in 1997 and has recorded or played live with acts such as Mekons, Massive Attack
, TV on the Radio
, and The Fiery Furnaces
. In addition to his role in Tall Firs, he serves as a member of Stars Like Fleas
and Eye Contact
. Ryan participated as drummer 62 in the Boredoms 77 Boadrum
performance which occurred on July 7, 2007 at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park
in Brooklyn.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
based underground electric folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
band, originally formed in 1990 by Dave Mies and Aaron Mullan in Annapolis, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Their self-titled full-length album was finally completed and released sixteen years later in 2006 on the independent music label Ecstatic Peace!.
Tall Firs grew out of an over-the-phone collaboration between teenaged David Mies and Aaron Mullan, who were school friends that lived too far away to walk to one another's houses. Allegedly, the two would sit at home and cue up cassettes from the Circle Jerks
Circle Jerks
The Circle Jerks are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Los Angeles, California. It was formed by Black Flag's original singer, Keith Morris, and future Bad Religion guitarist Greg Hetson. They were among the preeminent hardcore punk bands of the L.A. scene in the late 1970s.The band...
and Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
to play over simultaneously. They would not play their first concert until eleven years later.
History
In 2006, the band was signed to Ecstatic Peace!, the record label of Thurston MooreThurston Moore
Thurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label...
. Their first self-titled album was made in the Sonic Youth studio, and after Moore and Andrew Kesin, heads of Ecstatic Peace! heard the album, they asked to release it.
The band is based in Brooklyn New York. Over the past 10 years they have shared stages with Thurston Moore, Silver Apples, Jeff Mangum, Shellac, Awesome Color, Emily Haines, Sonic Youth, Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, Magic Markers, Kurt Vile, and a host of others.
Tall Firs' second album, entitled Too Old to Die Young, was released in March 2008 and includes the contribution of drummer, vocalist Ryan Sawyer who toured and collaborated with the band as a full time member until 2011.
Tall Firs have been chosen by Jeff Mangum
Jeff Mangum
Jeff Mangum is a musician best known for being the lyricist, vocalist and guitarist of the band Neutral Milk Hotel, as well as being one of the cofounders of The Elephant 6 Recording Company. Mangum, along with the other founding members of the Elephant 6, attended Ruston High School in the late...
of Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel was an American indie rock band formed by singer, guitarist and songwriter Jeff Mangum in the early 1990s. The band was noted for its experimental sound, obscure lyrics and eclectic instrumentation....
to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
festival that he will curate in March 2012 in Minehead, England.
Members
Aaron Mullan began collaborating with Chris CorsanoChris Corsano
Chris Corsano is a drummer from New England, USA. He often performs in an improvisation duo with saxophonist Paul Flaherty. He has also recorded material with artists such as Evan Parker, Dredd Foole, Sunburned Hand of the Man, Six Organs of Admittance, Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Matt Valentine,...
before moving on to work as a sound engineer and instrumentalist. He also plays bass guitar in the trio Hallogallo with Michael Rother and Steve Shelly. Dave Mies fronted a blues-rock band in Baltimore, backed by Emo legends Colin Seven (Universal Order of Armeggedon) and Monica DiGialleonardo (Moss Icon) before joining Mullan in New York to begin Tall Firs. Drummer Ryan Sawyer hails from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and was one of the first drummers in the band At the Drive-In
At the Drive-In
At the Drive-In was an American rock band from El Paso, Texas, considered part of the post-hardcore genre and active from 1993 to 2001. They were known for their extremely energetic stage shows which hearkened back to the 1980s hardcore scene...
. He moved to New York City in 1997 and has recorded or played live with acts such as Mekons, Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
, TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio is an American art rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans numerous diverse genres, from post-punk to electro and free jazz to soul music....
, and The Fiery Furnaces
The Fiery Furnaces
The Fiery Furnaces are a U.S. indie rock band formed in 2000 in Brooklyn, New York. The band's primary members are Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger. The siblings are originally from Oak Park, Illinois, a near-western suburb of Chicago.- Band biography :...
. In addition to his role in Tall Firs, he serves as a member of Stars Like Fleas
Stars Like Fleas
Stars Like Fleas is a Brooklyn-based band formed by multi-instrumentalist Shannon Fields and vocalist Montgomery Knott in the winter of 1998. Frequently compared to later Talk Talk and Robert Wyatt, their music blends avant-jazz and free improvisation with electronic textures and several...
and Eye Contact
Eye contact
Eye contact is a meeting of the eyes between two individuals.In human beings, eye contact is a form of nonverbal communication and is thought to have a large influence on social behavior. Coined in the early to mid-1960s, the term has come in the West to often define the act as a meaningful and...
. Ryan participated as drummer 62 in the Boredoms 77 Boadrum
77 Boadrum
77 Boa Drum was a concert held on July 7, 2007 at 7:07 PM consisting of 77 drummers. The concert was organized by Boredoms. The title of the concert was a portmanteau of "Boredoms", "boa", "drum", and "77"...
performance which occurred on July 7, 2007 at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park
Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park
Empire–Fulton Ferry Park, formerly Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, is a park in Brooklyn, New York, United States. The park is located next to the East River, extending north and south of the Brooklyn Bridge...
in Brooklyn.
External links
- Official site
- Ecstatic Peace! page for Tall Firs
- Interview: January 7, 2007
- Listen to "The Woods" by Tall Firs
- 77 Boadrum Site Profile Viva Radio, Sep 2007. (FlashAdobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
)