Vinny Miller is a British

British people

The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...

 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...

 and record producer

Record producer

A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

, once signed to the 4AD

4AD

4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...

 label.

He first came to musical prominence in 1998 as a 4AD signing under the moniker Starry Smooth Hound, releasing a track co-produced by Guy Fixsen

Guy Fixsen

Guy Fixsen is a producer/engineer/musician based in London. He is best-known for his producing/engineering work with various indie rock, shoegazer, and experimental rock bands, and for forming the band Laika....

 (of Too Pure

Too Pure

Too Pure is a London-based independent record label that was formed in 1990 by Richard Roberts and Paul Cox.-History:Too Pure started off as a small experimental label and had built their reputation by releasing primarily alternative/independent music which they felt was being ignored by the major...

 band Laika

Laika

Laika was a Soviet space dog that became the first animal to orbit the Earth – as well as the first animal to die in orbit.As little was known about the impact of spaceflight on living creatures at the time of Laika's mission, and the technology to de-orbit had not yet been developed, there...

) on the label sampler Anakin.

Two singles, "Pigpen" and "Breaking Out of Your Arms," preceded Miller's debut full-length studio album On The Block in April 2004. Two tracks included drumming contributions from Clive Deamer, whose previous credits included recordings with Portishead and Roni Size

Roni Size

Roni Size is a British record producer and DJ, who came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and leader of Reprazent, a drum and bass collective...

. Miller states "Pigpen" was first demoed using the opening drum riff from the Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...

 classic recording of blues original When The Levee Breaks

When the Levee Breaks

"When the Levee Breaks" is a blues song written and first recorded by husband and wife Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. The song is in reaction to the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927....

.

He has provided guest vocals on tracks by Mark Van Hoen

Mark Van Hoen

Mark Van HoenMark Van Hoen is an electronic music artist. He has created music under his own name as well as Locust, and Autocreation. He was a founder member of the influential group Seefeel...

 and Sing Sing, toured the US briefly with John Darnielle

John Darnielle

John Darnielle is an American musician, best known as the primary member of the American band The Mountain Goats, for which he is the writer, composer, guitarist, and vocalist.-Places Darnielle has lived:...

 and Peter Hughes

Peter Hughes (musician)

Peter Hughes is a multi-instrumentalist currently with the band the Mountain Goats. During live performances, he accompanies leader John Darnielle on bass. His first official recording with the band was 2002's Tallahassee, but he also sang backup vocals on the song "Cubs in Five" from the 1995 EP...

 from American act 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....

, and recorded radio sessions with Mary Anne Hobbs

Mary Anne Hobbs

Mary Anne Hobbs is an English DJ and music journalist from Garstang, Lancashire. She launched a new Primetime show on Xfm on 9 July 2011-Early career:...

 for the BBC Radio 1

BBC Radio 1

BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...

 show Breezeblock, John Kennedy for XFM

Xfm

Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...

, and for British Council

British Council

The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...

's The Selector

The Selector

The Selector is a weekly two-hour radio show, which is sponsored by the British Council. Originally launched in 2001, The Selector is an international showcase for the best new music the United Kingdom has to offer, covering a variety of genres from indie, dubstep, folk, soul, hip hop and more...

. He has also collaborated with Steve Cobby

Steve Cobby

Steve Cobby is a British electronic musician, composer, DJ and producer, based in Kingston-upon-Hull, Yorkshire.Cobby co-founded Fila Brazillia with David McSherry in 1990. From 1990 to 1998 Fila Brazillia releases were on the Kingston-upon-Hull based Pork Recordings established by David 'Porky'...

, one-half of electronica

Electronica

Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...

 acts Fila Brazillia

Fila Brazillia

Fila Brazillia was an electronica collaboration from Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire in North-East England. Formed in 1990 by Steve Cobby and David McSherry...

 and The Cutler

The Cutler

The Cutler is an electronica collaboration from Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire. Formed by Steve Cobby, formerly half of Fila Brazillia, and David 'Porky' Brennand, founder of Pork Recordings, they play electronica and dub, and are sometimes described as being left field.Formed in 2006, their debut...

.

Of his prolonged silences Miller says: "I create when conditions are favourable. That could be soon, or it might be never."

Studio albums

• On the Block (19 April 2004)
  • 4AD, CAD 2404 CD
  1. "The Yes/No Game" – 1:27
  2. "Breaking Out of Your Arms" – 3:38
  3. "Roll Complete" – 3:32
  4. "Pigpen" – 4:05
  5. "Cromagno" – 0:36
  6. "Bagged and Tagged" – 4:58
  7. "Afternoon Nod" – 3:33
  8. "Bogeyeater" – 3:59
  9. "Millalude" – 0:40
  10. "Hogbreath Busts a Move" – 2:54
  11. "Alioth" – 5:33
  12. "On the Block" – 5:32

Singles

• "Pigpen" (AD 2305, 8 September 2003)
  1. "Pigpen" – 4:03
  2. "The Yes/No Game" – 1:22
  3. "Bagged and Tagged" – 4:59
• "Breaking Out of Your Arms" (22 March 2004)
  • CD (BAD 2413 CD)
  1. "Breaking Out of Your Arms" – 3:38
  2. "Tanglebot" – 2:49
  3. "Hastener" (Demo) – 2:18
  • 7" vinyl (AD 2413)
  1. "Breaking Out of Your Arms" – 3:38
  2. "Hastener" (Demo) – 2:18

Appearances on compilations

• "Dreamt U in a Dream" (as Starry Smooth Hound)
  • On the 4AD sampler Anakin (TAD 8001 CD, 26 January 1998)

External links

• Vinny Miller biography on 4AD.com
• Vinny Miller discography at Discogs