HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Neil Carlill (born 20 March 1967 in
Ripon Ripon () is a cathedral city in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. The city is located at the confluence of two tributaries of the River Ure, the Laver and Skell. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the cit ...
, England), is an English singer, lyricist, poet, composer, and musician. He is known for his work with
experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...
and
alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
bands including 1990s UK acts
Delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
and Lodger, and more recently with bands and collaborations including Vedette, Shoosh, 5 Little Elephants, Me Me the Moth, Chicanery, and Three on a Match. His lyrics reflect the influence of
DaDa Dada () or Dadaism was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century, with early centres in Zürich, Switzerland, at the Cabaret Voltaire (Zurich), Cabaret Voltaire (in 1916). New York Dada began c. 1915, and after 192 ...
and
James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the Modernism, modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important ...
, and his voice has a unique, multifaceted, "strangely alluring" character. Carlill founded the group
Delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
in Leicester, England in 1993, and joined the British supergroup Lodger in 1998. Both groups charted in the UK, with Lodger's single, ''I'm Leaving'', charting in the top 40. Lodger disbanded after one album, 1998's ''A Walk in the Park''.
Delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
, having released three critically acclaimed albums, broke up in late 2002. During the late 1990s, Carlill also contributed to
TV Mania TV Mania was a British-American electronic band founded in 1995 that consisted of keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist Warren Cuccurullo (both of Duran Duran), long-time Duran Duran keyboard tech and collaborator Mark Tinley (a.k.a. Mark Ty-Wha ...
, a side project of
Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger Taylor the following year the band wen ...
members
Nick Rhodes Nick Rhodes (born Nicholas James Bates, 8 June 1962) is an English keyboardist and producer, best known as a founding member, keyboardist, and only continuous member of the band Duran Duran. He is also informally monikered as "The Controller ...
and
Warren Cuccurullo Warren Bruce Cuccurullo (born December 8, 1956) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, restaurant owner and former body builder who first worked with Frank Zappa during the 1970s. He was also a founding member of Missing Persons in the 1980s ...
. Having relocated to the United States in 2000, Neil Carlill temporarily slowed his musical output until, in 2004, he resumed working with
Warren Cuccurullo Warren Bruce Cuccurullo (born December 8, 1956) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, restaurant owner and former body builder who first worked with Frank Zappa during the 1970s. He was also a founding member of Missing Persons in the 1980s ...
, this time on the eponymous debut album from the project titled Chicanery. During this period he also founded the bands Vedette, Shoosh, 5 Little Elephants, Me Me the Moth, and Three on a Match through collaborations with numerous musicians in the US and Europe. He has also developed a solo project dubbed Airport Studies, and performs live under the pseudonym Harvey Mapcase. As Airport Studies, Carlill contributed a song for the
Fire Records Fire Records was an American independent record label, set up in 1959 by Bobby Robinson. Amongst others, it released records by Lightnin' Hopkins, Elmore James, Buster Brown and Arthur Crudup. At one point it was thought Fire had issued the las ...
James Joyce Tribute album, ''Chamber Music (James Joyce)''. Under his own name Carlill was a featured vocalist on ''Lost-Wax'' (2008 Plush) by Lena and the Floating Roots Orchestra. Some of Neil Carlill's written work was also published in 2007 in Galleon (Volume 1, Number 1), a literary journal that features adventurous short fiction.


Delicatessen

Delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
was formed by Neil Carlill (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Craig Bown (guitar, flute), Pete Capewell (bass) and Stuart Dayman (drums), taking their moniker from the 1991
French film French cinema consists of the film industry and its film productions, whether made within the nation of France or by French film production companies abroad. It is the oldest and largest precursor of national cinemas in Europe; with primary infl ...
. They started in Leicester, England in 1993 and while playing shows in London they were spotted by manager Tony Beard, and soon started to garner support from the
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...
and much of the UK music press. After signing to Starfish Records, the Indie offshoot of
Jazz Summers Gordon "Jazz" Summers (15 March 1944 – 14 August 2015) was a British music manager. He managed acts such as Snow Patrol, the Verve, Scissor Sisters and Klaxons. With Simon Napier-Bell, he co-managed Wham! and is credited with having enabled the ...
' Big Life Publishing, their debut single ''Inviting Both Sisters Out To Dinner'' was released in October 1994, followed by the single ''C.F. Kane'' in April 1995. In a
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...
review of ''C.F. Kane'', the reviewer placed
Delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
in the class of bands that were "influenced by good books or good films, rather than just their late-Sixties record collections." Subsequently, their single, "I'm Just Alive" charted.
Delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
also created the soundtrack to the Independent short film ''George and Ramona'' (starring Emily Dux and Gary Lydon, written by David Hill and Mika Kallwass) that was released in 1995. The first album, ''Skin Touching Water'', was released to stellar reviews in May 1995.
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...
called the band "The salvation of pop music". Early in 1995, bassist Pete Capewell left and was replaced by the multi-instrumentalist
Will Foster Will Foster is an English musician who is known as the former keyboardist for the English rock band The Tears. Previously, he played with UK art rock band Delicatessen before forming Lodger - alongside Delicatessen singer Neil Carlill, Super ...
. That summer saw
Delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
headlining the 3rd stage at
Reading Festival The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend. The Reading Fest ...
, and the addition of Jonny Wood on keyboards, percussion, backing vocals, and violin. With their live band complete, they toured in the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, Germany and France, and were featured at the
Phoenix Festival The Phoenix Festival was set up by John Vincent Power of the Mean Fiddler Music Group in 1993 as an alternative to the established Glastonbury and Reading Festivals. It was held at Long Marston Airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon and was one of t ...
in 1995. The second album ''Hustle into Bed'', characterised as a darker, more orchestral work, was issued in 1996, produced by longtime
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian rock band formed in 1983 by vocalist Nick Cave, multi-instrumentalist Mick Harvey and guitarist-vocalist Blixa Bargeld. The band has featured international personnel throughout its career and p ...
and The Birthday Party producer/engineer
Tony Cohen Anthony Lawrence Cohen (4 June 19572 August 2017) was an Australian music record producer and sound engineer. He worked with Nick Cave's groups the Birthday Party, and then the Bad Seeds from 1979 to 2001. In mid-1986 he had followed Cave to L ...
. After a great deal more touring there was a brief hiatus in which the Lodger 'supergroup' came about, and then
Delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
reappeared in early 1998 with a new label, Viper Records, and a third album, ''There's No Confusing Some People''. Carlill and Foster then continued with the Lodger project for the rest of 1998. Following Lodger's split, Carlill emigrated to the US, and despite attempts by him, Bown, and Dayman to keep recording,
Delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
finally called it quits late in 2002.
Delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
recorded two sessions for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show, both in 1995. The first was a four track studio session and the second six tracks recorded at the
Reading Festival The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend. The Reading Fest ...
.


Lodger

After the completion of Delicatessen's second album, Neil Carlill and
Will Foster Will Foster is an English musician who is known as the former keyboardist for the English rock band The Tears. Previously, he played with UK art rock band Delicatessen before forming Lodger - alongside Delicatessen singer Neil Carlill, Super ...
joined forces with
Pearl Lowe Pearl Lowe (born Pearl Samantha Davis; 7 April 1970) is an English fashion and textiles designer, and former singer-songwriter. Career Music Lowe was the vocalist of mid-1990s indie bands Powder and Lodger, which she fronted after a brie ...
, who had fronted the
Britpop Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. It produced brighter, catchier alternative rock, partly in reaction to the popularity of the darker lyrical themes of the US-led grunge music and to the ...
band
Powder A powder is a dry, bulk solid composed of many very fine particles that may flow freely when shaken or tilted. Powders are a special sub-class of granular materials, although the terms ''powder'' and '' granular'' are sometimes used to distin ...
, and
Danny Goffey Daniel Robert Goffey (born 7 February 1974) is an English musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the drummer and backing vocalist for Supergrass. He briefly toured with Babyshambles in 2010, following their drummer's departure. C ...
of
Supergrass Supergrass are an English rock band formed in 1993 in Oxford. For the majority of the band's tenure, the line-up consisted of brothers Gaz (lead vocals, guitar) and Rob Coombes (keyboards), Mick Quinn (bass, backing vocals) and Danny Goffey ...
to form one of the most noteworthy of
Britpop Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. It produced brighter, catchier alternative rock, partly in reaction to the popularity of the darker lyrical themes of the US-led grunge music and to the ...
superbands, Lodger. Signed to
Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, an ...
, Lodger released a 3 track single in 1997. Its a-side, "I'm Leaving", received heavy radio exposure nationally, and the single entered the UK singles charts in the top 40.the Zobbel website click on "Chart Log UK" at "CLUK 1994–2008 Artist Index" click on “L” and scroll to "Lodger"
/ref> Sometime thereafter came the album ''A Walk in the Park''. From that album, "Always Round Here" and "Small Change" also charted. The videos produced for "I'm Leaving" and the subsequent singles were highly praised in the media for their humour and originality. It is for these same qualities that Lodger's ''A Walk in the Park'' is considered an important release for 1990's British music. Lodger toured the UK in 1998 and played at that summer's
Reading Festival The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend. The Reading Fest ...
.


Vedette

Vedette began life in Los Angeles at the end of the Chicanery recordings, during which Carlill made the acquaintance of electronic artist Manuel Stagars. The pair conceived an album of bizarre musical sketches derived from ambient recordings of Stagars, which were cut to song length with Carlill adding inspired vocal concoctions laced with surrealist touches and evocatively weird lyrics.
Warren Cuccurullo Warren Bruce Cuccurullo (born December 8, 1956) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, restaurant owner and former body builder who first worked with Frank Zappa during the 1970s. He was also a founding member of Missing Persons in the 1980s ...
also contributed his singular guitar stylings to several tracks, and Carlill played ukulele and keyboards on select songs. Vedette's self-titled debut album was released on the Stilll label (Belgium) in 2007. jayrope joined Vedette in 2008 for a series of concerts in Germany which culminated in an appearance at the Donau Musical Festival in Austria. More European shows followed in 2009 with the highlight being their talked-about performance at the Klangbad Festival in Scheer, Germany, with the pared-down line-up of Carlill and jayrope. Recording of the second album is in progress.


5 Little Elephants

Carlill teamed up with French musician Charles-Eric Charrier for two albums recorded in 2007 and 2009. The first album is a collection of voice, percussion and noise using acoustic guitar to produce an otherworldly collection of folk abstraction. The second album is one forty-seven-minute song, featuring an epic narrative written and sung by Carlill. 5 Little Elephants' music has been referred to as unconventional hybrid pop with an intimate and beautiful mature, poetic scope. Both albums are being prepared for release.


Shoosh

In 2007, Neil Carlill joined Ed Drury (guitars) and Craig Murphy (synthesizers) to become the third member of Shoosh. Drury and Murphy were impressed with both Carlill's lyric writing style and his vocal delivery. The project pairs folk influenced ambient music with Carlill's Dadaist lyrics and his "unique, other-worldly vocal style." Shoosh contributed two tracks to a split album with another group, Cheju, in November 2007. The album, titled ''Cheju & Shoosh'' was released on the Awkward Silence label with a limited edition run of 300 CDs. Subsequently, the three released the album ''Orphem Circuit'' in 2008. An Igloo Magazine review described that album as "a sweltering sheet of low flying beauty," and an "Is This Music?" review explained the music as, "Soundscapes of uncomfortable beauty Pulses Dadaist in theory and practice..."


Chicanery

The history of Chicanery extends back to the late 1990s in London, England. During his long stint as guitarist for
Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger Taylor the following year the band wen ...
,
Warren Cuccurullo Warren Bruce Cuccurullo (born December 8, 1956) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, restaurant owner and former body builder who first worked with Frank Zappa during the 1970s. He was also a founding member of Missing Persons in the 1980s ...
conceived a side project called
TV Mania TV Mania was a British-American electronic band founded in 1995 that consisted of keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist Warren Cuccurullo (both of Duran Duran), long-time Duran Duran keyboard tech and collaborator Mark Tinley (a.k.a. Mark Ty-Wha ...
with bandmate
Nick Rhodes Nick Rhodes (born Nicholas James Bates, 8 June 1962) is an English keyboardist and producer, best known as a founding member, keyboardist, and only continuous member of the band Duran Duran. He is also informally monikered as "The Controller ...
. The duo were searching for a lead vocalist to front the endeavour when, while working in the studio, they heard the voice of Neil Carlill, lead singer of the group
Delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
, emanating from the television, on which one of that band's music videos was being broadcast. Cuccurullo found Carlill through the group's record label, and invited him to record with them at the studio.
TV Mania TV Mania was a British-American electronic band founded in 1995 that consisted of keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist Warren Cuccurullo (both of Duran Duran), long-time Duran Duran keyboard tech and collaborator Mark Tinley (a.k.a. Mark Ty-Wha ...
was not commercially released at that time, but that meeting marked the beginning of a long-standing and currently active collaboration between Neil and
Warren A warren is a network of wild rodent or lagomorph, typically rabbit burrows. Domestic warrens are artificial, enclosed establishment of animal husbandry dedicated to the raising of rabbits for meat and fur. The term evolved from the medieval Angl ...
. When Cuccurullo relocated to Los Angeles after his time with
Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger Taylor the following year the band wen ...
ended in 2001, he reestablished contact with Carlill and exchanged with him demos of their latest music. With each deriving great inspiration from the other's work, and seeing the potential for a brilliant album, the two men met up in LA for the sessions that would result in '' Chicanery'', the album. The bulk of the tracks on the debut album were cut in Los Angeles' Red Rum Studios in 2005, while some of the music was done back in
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
. A portion of the material Cuccurullo had recorded with
Ustad Sultan Khan Ustad Sultan Khan (15 April 1940 – 27 November 2011) was an Indian ''sarangi'' player and classical vocalist belonging to ''Sikar Gharana''. He was one of the founding members of the Indian fusion group Tabla Beat Science, with Zakir Hus ...
back in 1998 was used on one track, "Cut Me from the Mirror". Often, tracks would be recorded at respective home studios and conveyed to producer
Simone Sello Simone Sello (born July 4, 1968) is an Italian born guitarist, music producer, composer, filmmaker and music journalist. He is known for his work with the Sanremo Festival Orchestra, Chicanery, Billy Sheehan, Aaron Carter, Disney, Hannah Montana, ...
, before moving on to yet another, larger studio for post-recording and mixing to perfect the finished product. '' Chicanery'', an energetic, diverse and somewhat genre-busting collection of avant-garde pop tunes, was released 11 May 2010. Carlill credits this period with the advent of some of his finest songwriting efforts to date, which are evidenced on the '' Chicanery'' tracks "Midnight Owls", "Hit the Wall", "IOD", and "Luminal Dark".


Me Me the Moth

This project is a collaboration between Carlill and musician/artist Marcelo Radulovich, who previously worked with David J and
Mike Keneally Michael Joseph Keneally (born December 20, 1961) is an American session guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and composer. Early years and musical influences Keneally started playing music at the age of 7 when he received an electric organ for h ...
, among others. Their self-produced debut album ''The Weirding Valley'' contains fourteen songs constructed via the internet, with tracks recorded by Neil in Salem, MA, and by Marcelo in Cardiff, CA. The process involved the exchanging of sound files, which were subsequently united at Radulovich's home studio. Taking inspiration from the best of the Fluxus movement, The Weirding Valley is described as a tapestry woven of DADA-esque sensibilities. Shades of Wire,
Pere Ubu Pere Ubu is an American rock group formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1975. The band had a variety of long-term and recurring band members, with singer David Thomas being the only member staying throughout the band's lifetime. They released their ...
and
Beefheart Don Van Vliet (; born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as Th ...
are apparent. The album was released in May 2010. Four videos were made by Radulovich for the songs "The Red Radio", "Hounds Are Sleepy", "In the Air Blind" and the album's title track "The Weirding Valley".


Airport Studies and Harvey Mapcase

Carlill used the name Airport Studies for his track on the Fire Records James Joyce tribute album ''Chamber Music (James Joyce)'' in 2008. The tribute album draws upon
James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the Modernism, modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important ...
's collection of poems titled ''
Chamber Music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small num ...
'', and sets all thirty six poems to music. Carlill selected Poem XI for his contribution and explained, "When I was asked to contribute to the Chamber Music album for Fire Records I was immediately drawn to Poem XI. The sexual conquest of a virgin is suggested in a bygone language of an earlier era that romantically evades the real facts of the matter. I tried to make the music slither a little, to pretend to sleaze but to support the almost polite nature of lines such as "Happy love has come to woo"." The track was produced by jayrope. Harvey Mapcase is a fake name Carlill uses for live solo shows.


Three on a Match

Three on a Match is a songwriting project by Carlill, Jeff Mellin, and Jamal River, who uses the name King Toad. Having met in 1995, Carlill and Mellin shared an appreciation of old Hollywood movies and discussed collaborating on a project. The idea for their album came from a box set of
Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...
films that Mellin owned. They selected Three on a Match, from the
Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...
movie of that name, as the name of the album. Since there were three main characters associated with the superstition that was central to the movie's plot, Carlill and Mellin decided they needed a third contributor. Carlill recruited singer and songwriter King Toad. The album contains thirteen songs, all with their titles and inspiration from
Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...
' filmography. The genre is categorised as alt/folk and acoustic pop with each of the members having written a set of songs for the album. The CD for Three on a Match was released on Stereorrific Recordings on 26 May 2011 at the Gulu Gulu Café in
Salem, Massachusetts Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports tr ...
. The limited-edition CD designed by Mellin is packaged in a film canister-like container that houses the CD, a twenty eight-page booklet, and a set of "imagined movie stills" starring Niki Luparelli photographed by John Soares, and liner notes by
Garrett Caples Garrett Caples (born 1972) is an American poet and former music and arts journalist. Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, he currently lives in San Francisco, California, after fifteen years in Oakland. An editor at City Lights Books, Caples cura ...
. The album was also released as custom Three on a Match matchboxes containing download codes. To commemorate
Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...
' 103rd birthday, the album was pre-released via download on 5 April 2011. A music video by Mellin and Soares for one of Mellin's tracks, ''Dark Victory'', also starring Luparelli, was selected for Philadelphia Independent Film Festival. About writing the songs for the project Carlill said, "I really tried to evoke the themes and characters, and to echo how the films make me feel. Bette Davis has such an amazing screen presence, it feels very natural to write through her performances."


Influences and artistic development

Neil Carlill is inspired by
James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the Modernism, modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important ...
,
Captain Beefheart Don Van Vliet (; born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as Th ...
,
Max Ernst Max Ernst (2 April 1891 – 1 April 1976) was a German (naturalised American in 1948 and French in 1958) painter, sculptor, printmaker, graphic artist, and poet. A prolific artist, Ernst was a primary pioneer of the Dada movement and Surrealism ...
, the
DaDaists Dada () or Dadaism was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century, with early centres in Zürich, Switzerland, at the Cabaret Voltaire (Zurich), Cabaret Voltaire (in 1916). New York Dada began c. 1915, and after 192 ...
,
Kurt Schwitters Kurt Hermann Eduard Karl Julius Schwitters (20 June 1887 – 8 January 1948) was a German artist who was born in Hanover, Germany. Schwitters worked in several genres and media, including dadaism, constructivism, surrealism, poetry, sound, pain ...
,
Alfred Jarry Alfred Jarry (; 8 September 1873 – 1 November 1907) was a French symbolist writer who is best known for his play '' Ubu Roi'' (1896). He also coined the term and philosophical concept of 'pataphysics. Jarry was born in Laval, Mayenne, France, ...
,
Hannah Höch Hannah Höch (; 1 November 1889 – 31 May 1978) was a German Dada artist. She is best known for her work of the Weimar Republic, Weimar period, when she was one of the originators of photomontage. Photomontage, or fotomontage, is a type of collag ...
, and
Georges Perec Georges Perec (; 7 March 1936 – 3 March 1982) was a French novelist, filmmaker, documentalist, and essayist. He was a member of the Oulipo group. His father died as a soldier early in the Second World War and his mother was killed in the Holo ...
.Salvo Zuppard
"duranasty.com interviews Chicanery"
"duranasty.com" response to 3rd question
Concerning his writing lyrics, he has stated in one interview, "...it's a connection to the sub-conscious a side-stepping of the rational brain to let what's in you spiritually manifest itself in your creative medium. I mess with words as they come flying out of my brain uninvited. I think it's more like prose-poetry sometimes, hypertext, concentrated meaning in a seemingly abstract construction. It can be a little puzzling but there is a narrative but not in the literal sense we are used to... You have to absorb and translate..."; and in another, "...you have to make the words count, but the order in which you put them is the really fun time. It's all code, puzzles, concentrated meaning. It has a surreal coloring but it's much less random than you'd expect." About how his writing style has changed over the years, he has said, "...I began with a much more structured style of writing that fit the conventional pop song structure, I think within that structure you can create puzzles and language is a beautiful instrument to manipulate in this way. I have tried to move into more abstract, DADA territory with some of the later work, the meaning becomes coded like hypertext. The narrative is back to front or a zig-zag pattern of small movies. Tone Poet is a balance that can be achieved between narrative and nonsense, they're interchangeable and I really have no idea sometimes what is going to happen until I sing, it's instinctive mostly but occasionally the words are written down randomly and call to you in a sequence that fits."Kitty Amsbur
"Chicanery – Interview with Warren Cuccurullo and Neil Carlill"
"GIMME A WRISTBAND!" response to 3rd question


Discography


Delicatessen

Albums *''Skin Touching Water'' (1995, Starfish) *''Hustle into Bed'' (1996, Starfish) *''There's No Confusing Some People'' (1998, Viper) Singles *''Inviting Both Sisters To Dinner'' (1994 Starfish) *''C.F. Kane'' (1995 Starfish) *''I'm Just Alive'' (1995 Starfish) *''Monkey Suit'' (1996 Starfish)


Lodger

Album *''A Walk in the Park'' (1998 Island Records) Singles *''I'm Leaving'' (1997 Island Records) *''Always Round Here'' (1997 Island Records) *''Small Change e.p.'' (1997 Island Records)


Vedette

Album *''Vedette'' (2007 Stilll) *''I slept moments for you'' (2012 Herb Recordings)


5 Little Elephants

Single from compilation album *''Dawn on the morning drive'' from album ''Mixtape 01'' (2010 Twin Daisies Records) Album *''5 Little Elephants CD'' (2012 Twin Daisies Records) *''5 Little Elephants cassette'' (2013 Haute Magie)


Shoosh

Album *''Orpheum Circuit'' (2008 Herb Recordings) Single *''Split single Cheju/Shoosh'' (2008 Awkward Silence)


Chicanery

Album *'' Chicanery'' (2010) Singles *''Hubert Selby Song'' (2010) *''Gold Pavilions'' (2010)


Me Me the Moth

Album *''The Weirding Valley'' (2010 dPulse Recordings)


Airport Studies

Album On Compilation *''XI'' ''Chamber Music: James Joyce'' (2008 Fire Records)


Three On A Match

*''Burnt Offerings: A Preview of Three On A Match'' (2011 independent) *''Three On A Match'' (2011 Steroerrific Recordings)


Videography and filmography


Delicatessen

*''George and Ramona'' soundtrack to the short film (1995 independent) *''C.F. Kane'' (Skin Touching Water – 1995 Starfish) *''I'm Just Alive'' (Skin Touching Water – 1995 Starfish) *''Chomsky'' (Skin Touching Water – 1995 Starfish) *''Buy A Chance To Breathe'' (Hustle Into Bed 1996 Starfish) *''Vanilla Folders'' (Hustle Into Bed – 1996 Starfish) *''Monkey Suit'' (Hustle Into Bed – 1996 Starfish)


Lodger

*''Small Change'' (A Walk in the Park 1998 Island Records) *''I’m Leaving'' (A Walk in the Park 1998 Island Records) *''Always Round Here'' (A Walk in the Park 1998 Island Records)


Vedette

*''They’re Only Gardening'' (2006) *''His Arm Glowing'' (2009)


Shoosh

*''Elastic Soil'' by Marcin Czajka (Myppa) *''Snake Eyes'' *''Come In From The Cold'' *''Pestilence''


Chicanery

*''Cut Me From the Mirror''


Me Me the Moth

*''The Weirding Valley'' Q(2008) *''The Red Radio'' (2008) *''In the Air Blind'' (2008) *''Hounds are Sleepy'' (2008)


References


External links


Neil Carlill's myspace site

Neil Carlill's official site

Delicatessen's official website

Lodger facebook site

Vedette myspace site

Shoosh myspace site

5 Little Elephants myspace site

Chicanery official site

Me Me The Moth's official site

AIRPORT STUDIES myspace site

Chamber Music James Joyce myspace site

Three On A Match's official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carlill, Neil Living people 1967 births English male singers