David Vandervelde is an American indie pop songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is known for his solo work and his studio collaborations with

Wilco Wilco is an American Rock music, rock band based in Chicago. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo after singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently during its fir ...

Jay Bennett Jay Walter Bennett (November 15, 1963 – May 24, 2009) was an American multi-instrumentalist, engineer, producer, and singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the band Wilco from 1994 to 2001. Biography Early life and work with Wilco Jay ...

. As of 2014, Vandervelde has been a member of

Father John Misty Joshua Michael Tillman (born May 3, 1981), better known by his stage name Father John Misty, is an American musician. He is known for his satirical lyrics and eccentric performance style. Tillman began his career in Seattle in the early 2000s. O ...

's touring band. He appears on Misty's studio albums, ''

God's Favorite Customer ''God's Favorite Customer'' (or ''Mr Tillman's Wild Ride'') is the fourth studio album by American musician Josh Tillman under the stage name Father John Misty. It was released by Sub Pop and Bella Union on June 1, 2018. The album was primarily ...

'' (2018) and ''

Mahashmashana ''Mahashmashana'' is the sixth studio album by American musician Josh Tillman under the stage name Father John Misty, released through Sub Pop and Bella Union on November 22, 2024. The album was produced in Los Angeles by Tillman and Drew Ericks ...

'' (2024), where he has a co-writing credit on the track, "Being You".

Career

In 2003, Vandervelde moved to

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

where he began recording local bands and friends in his basement studio. When Fonic Records heard the demo Vandervelde recorded for Brie Stoner, the label signed Stoner, pairing Vandervelde with ex-Wilco guitarist

to produce a debut at Bennett's Pieholden Studio in Chicago. After the album's release in 2004, Vandervelde began living at Piehoden, working with Bennett on solo work and other recording projects. Living and working at Pieholden, Vandervelde began a writing and recording streak that would provide the bulk of the material on his debut solo record. During this period, Vandervelde also played on the Jay Bennett albums ''Bigger than Blue'' and ''The Magnificent Defeat.'' In 2007,

Secretly Canadian Secretly Canadian is an American independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana, part of the Secretly Group. The Secretly Group includes record labels Dead Oceans and Jagjaguwar as well as a music publisher known as Secretly Publis ...

Records released the first David Vandervelde solo album, ''The Moonstation House Band''. Culled from the one-man band sessions at Bennett's studio, the album won praise for its winning melodies and dense arrangements. Vandervelde's sound drew comparisons to T. Rex. Following its release, Vandervelde relocated to

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

. In 2008, he released his sophomore effort, ''Waiting for the Sunrise''. In April 2008, he moved to

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

. Since 2015, he has been touring with

Josh Tillman Joshua Michael Tillman (born May 3, 1981), better known by his stage name Father John Misty, is an American musician. He is known for his satirical lyrics and eccentric performance style. Tillman began his career in Seattle in the early 2000s. O ...

("Father John Misty") on the '' I Love You, Honeybear'' the ''

Pure Comedy ''Pure Comedy'' is the third studio album by American folk musician Josh Tillman under his pseudonym Father John Misty. Its release was announced on January 23, 2017. It was released on April 7, 2017 on Bella Union in the UK and Europe and on S ...

,'' and ''the

'' tours as a guitarist, but also playing additional instruments on stage. In 2016, as part of the duo ''Tess and Dave'', he opened for Father John Misty across many of the North American tour dates. Over the course of 2015–2016, he also engineered and produced ''Book of Changes'' by

Entrance Entrance generally refers to the place of entering like a gate, door, or road or the permission to do so. Entrance may also refer to: * ''Entrance'' (album), a 1970 album by Edgar Winter * Entrance (display manager), a login manager for the X wi ...

(2017). Vandervelde now resides in the

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...

area when not on tour.

Discography

''Jacket/Murder in Michigan P'

Released only as a 7" record and as a digital download on November 21, 2006, on the

label.

Track listing

''The Moonstation House Band''

His first full-length album, ''The Moonstation House Band'', was released as both a CD and LP on the Secretly Canadian Label in January, 2007. From this, he launched a six-week tour.

Track listing

''Waiting for the Sunrise''

His second full-length album was released on August 5, 2008. It was released on the Secretly Canadian label.

Track listing

Touring

Vandervelde toured the United States in March and April 2007 as a tour release for his first album, ''The Moonstation House Band'', along with Secretly Canadian Performing Artist, Richard Swift. He played

Lollapalooza Lollapalooza () is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991, with Chicago becoming its permanent location beginning in 2005. Music genres i ...

in Chicago in 2007, and the FuckYeah Festival in Los Angeles in 2008. He has been touring the US and worldwide, playing with

. In 2016, Vandervelde opened Father John Misty shows in the US as one half of the duo Tess & Dave.

Mastering

He helped mix and master a limited edition release on Joyful Noise with Tim Kinsella. The project was called "Tim Kinsella Sings the Songs of Marvin Tate by Leroy Bach featuring Angel Olsen". The album was mixed in Leroy Bach's home studio in Humboldt Park, Chicago and was limited to 1000 copies on splatter vinyl.

References

External links

Secretly Canadian Label

Daytrotter Interview

Daytrotter recordings

David Vandervelde on Sundays
* at The Wheel's Still In Spin
David Vandervelde live on WOXY.com, February 23, 2007review at www.spin.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vandervelde, David American alternative rock musicians Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Musicians from Michigan Secretly Canadian artists