Roy Montgomery (born 1959) is a composer,
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...
ist and lecturer from
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
. Montgomery's mostly instrumental solo works have elements of
post-rock
Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation ...
,
lo-fi
Lo-fi (also typeset as lofi or low-fi; short for low fidelity) is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections in the context of a recording or performance are present, sometimes as a deliberate choice. The ...
, folk and avant-garde experimentation. His signature sound might be described as atmospheric or cinematic, often featuring complex layers of chiming, echoing and/or droning guitar phrases. He is currently head of the
Environmental management
Environmental resource management is the management of the interaction and impact of human societies on the environment. It is not, as the phrase might suggest, the management of the environment itself. Environmental resources management aims ...
department at
Lincoln University in New Zealand.
Montgomery has played in several New Zealand bands since 1980, most notably The Pin Group,
Dadamah
Dadamah were a band from New Zealand, active during the early 1990s. The band consisted of Kim Pieters, Peter Stapleton, Roy Montgomery
Roy Montgomery (born 1959) is a composer, guitarist and lecturer from Christchurch, New Zealand. Mont ...
,
Dissolve and
Hash Jar Tempo
Hash Jar Tempo is a collaborative musical project between the members of Philadelphia-based psychedelic band Bardo Pond and experimental guitarist and composer Roy Montgomery. The band was founded in March 1995 and have released two albums, '' ...
. He has also released solo albums on labels including
Kranky and
Drunken Fish
Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main ...
.
Biography
Montgomery was born in 1959 in London, England and moved with his family to
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
in Germany where he lived until the age of four.
His father was German and his mother was from the UK. As his mother worked for the
British Forces Broadcasting Service
The British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides radio and television programmes for His Majesty's Armed Forces, and their dependents worldwide. Editorial control is independent of the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces themsel ...
, Montgomery was exposed mostly to the pop music of the United States rather than the music of Germany.
In mid-sixties he moved with his mother to Christchurch, New Zealand. In 1980, he formed
The Pin Group
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in E ...
with bass player Ross Humphries and drummer
Peter Stapleton
Peter James Stapleton (25 April 1954 – 22 March 2020) was a musician from New Zealand who was best known as the drummer and co-founder of the alternative rock band The Terminals. Stapleton was also a member of the groups Vacuum, The Pin Group, ...
. The group debuted with the single ''Ambivalence'' in 1981, released through the newly founded label
Flying Nun Records
Flying Nun Records is a New Zealand independent record label formed in Christchurch in 1981 by music store manager Roger Shepherd. Described by ''The Guardian'' as "one of the world's great independent labels", Flying Nun is notable for bringing ...
. They recorded a handful of singles and performed only locally before disbanding in January 1982.
Montgomery later worked with Stapleton again in
Dadamah
Dadamah were a band from New Zealand, active during the early 1990s. The band consisted of Kim Pieters, Peter Stapleton, Roy Montgomery
Roy Montgomery (born 1959) is a composer, guitarist and lecturer from Christchurch, New Zealand. Mont ...
, formed in 1990.
Montgomery had been composing and recording acoustic work since 1982, much of which he would integrate into his 1990s work.
Although he enjoys collaborating with other artists, Montgomery is mostly drawn to working alone, which he attributes to growing up as an only child. In 1995 he issued his debut solo effort ''
Scenes from the South Island
''Scenes from the South Island'' is the debut studio album of guitarist and composer Roy Montgomery, released on 5 September 1995 by Drunken Fish Records. The album was remastered and reissued on 29 November 2019 by Liz Harris' label, Yellow E ...
'', which he recorded and performed by himself.
Montgomery completed a master's thesis titled ''"Thou shalt take into account the principles of the
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi ( mi, Te Tiriti o Waitangi) is a document of central importance to the history, to the political constitution of the state, and to the national mythos of New Zealand. It has played a major role in the treatment of the M ...
and/or consider
Maori cultural, traditional, and spiritual values": implications for research management'' at Lincoln University in 1990.
Discography
Albums
* ''
Scenes from the South Island
''Scenes from the South Island'' is the debut studio album of guitarist and composer Roy Montgomery, released on 5 September 1995 by Drunken Fish Records. The album was remastered and reissued on 29 November 2019 by Liz Harris' label, Yellow E ...
'' (
Drunken Fish
Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main ...
, 1995)
* ''
Temple IV
''Temple IV'' is the second studio album by guitarist and composer Roy Montgomery, released on 1 January 1996 by Kranky.
Track listing
Personnel
Adapted from the ''Temple IV'' liner notes.
*Roy Montgomery – guitar
;Production an ...
'' (
Kranky, 1996)
* ''
'' (Drunken Fish, 1998)
* ''
The Allegory of Hearing
''The Allegory of Hearing'' is the fourth studio album by Roy Montgomery, released on 29 August 2000 by Drunken Fish Records. The album artwork features a section of '' The Five Senses'' by Jan Brueghel the Elder and Peter Paul Rubens.
Trac ...
'' (Drunken Fish, 2000)
* ''
Silver Wheel of Prayer
''Silver Wheel of Prayer'' is the fifth album by guitarist and composer Roy Montgomery, released on 13 February 2001 through VHF Records.
Track listing
Personnel
*Arnold Van Bussell – engineering
*Roy Montgomery – guita ...
'' (
VHF
Very high frequency (VHF) is the ITU designation for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves (radio waves) from 30 to 300 megahertz (MHz), with corresponding wavelengths of ten meters to one meter.
Frequencies immediately below VH ...
, 2001)
* ''
Music from the Film Hey Badfinger'' (Yellow Electric, 2012)
* ''
RMHQ: Headquarters'' (Grapefruit, 2016)
* ''
Suffuse'' (Grapefruit, 2018)
* ''
Refuse
Waste (or wastes) are unwanted or unusable materials. Waste is any substance discarded after primary use, or is worthless, defective and of no use. A by-product, by contrast is a joint product of relatively minor economic value. A waste pr ...
'' (Grapefruit, 2018)
* ''
Island of Lost Souls'' (Grapefruit, 2021)
* ''
Rhymes of Chance
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds (usually, the exact same phonemes) in the final stressed syllables and any following syllables of two or more words. Most often, this kind of perfect rhyming is consciously used for a musical or aestheti ...
'' (Grapefruit, 2021)
* ''
That Best Forgotten Work
''That'' is an English language word used for several grammatical purposes. These include use as an adjective, conjunction, pronoun, adverb, and intensifier; it has distance from the speaker, as opposed to words like ''this''. The word did not ori ...
'' (Grapefruit, 2021)
* ''
Audiotherapy'' (Grapefruit, 2022)
Compilations
*''
324 E. 13th Street #7'' (Drunken Fish, 1999)
*''
Inroads: New and Collected Works'' (Rebis, 2007)
*''
324 E. 13th Street #7'' (Yellow Electric, 2014)
Collaborations
*with
Kim Pieters
Kim Pieters (born 1959) is a New Zealand painter, musician and digital filmmaker.
Background
Born in Rotorua, New Zealand, she was the eldest of six children and grew up on the Bombay Hills. In the early 1980s, she led a peripatetic life, ...
and
Peter Stapleton
Peter James Stapleton (25 April 1954 – 22 March 2020) was a musician from New Zealand who was best known as the drummer and co-founder of the alternative rock band The Terminals. Stapleton was also a member of the groups Vacuum, The Pin Group, ...
and
Janine Stagg
Janine may refer to:
People and characters
* Janine (given name) Janine is a given name and may refer to:
People
* Janine Balding (1967–1988), Australian murder victim
* Janine Bazin (1923–2003), French film and television producer
* Ja ...
as
Dadamah
Dadamah were a band from New Zealand, active during the early 1990s. The band consisted of Kim Pieters, Peter Stapleton, Roy Montgomery
Roy Montgomery (born 1959) is a composer, guitarist and lecturer from Christchurch, New Zealand. Mont ...
: ''
This is not a Dream
''This Is Not A Dream'' is an album by New Zealand band Dadamah. It was originally released on vinyl by the Majora label in 1992, and later re-released on CD by Kranky label in 1995. The CD compiles the material they recorded for Majora; the ...
'' (Majora, 1992)
*with
Kim Pieters
Kim Pieters (born 1959) is a New Zealand painter, musician and digital filmmaker.
Background
Born in Rotorua, New Zealand, she was the eldest of six children and grew up on the Bombay Hills. In the early 1980s, she led a peripatetic life, ...
and
Peter Stapleton
Peter James Stapleton (25 April 1954 – 22 March 2020) was a musician from New Zealand who was best known as the drummer and co-founder of the alternative rock band The Terminals. Stapleton was also a member of the groups Vacuum, The Pin Group, ...
and
Janine Stagg
Janine may refer to:
People and characters
* Janine (given name) Janine is a given name and may refer to:
People
* Janine Balding (1967–1988), Australian murder victim
* Janine Bazin (1923–2003), French film and television producer
* Ja ...
as
Dadamah
Dadamah were a band from New Zealand, active during the early 1990s. The band consisted of Kim Pieters, Peter Stapleton, Roy Montgomery
Roy Montgomery (born 1959) is a composer, guitarist and lecturer from Christchurch, New Zealand. Mont ...
: ''
This is not a Dream
''This Is Not A Dream'' is an album by New Zealand band Dadamah. It was originally released on vinyl by the Majora label in 1992, and later re-released on CD by Kranky label in 1995. The CD compiles the material they recorded for Majora; the ...
'' (Kranky, 1995)
*with
Chris Heaphy
Chris Heaphy is a New Zealand artist who is based in Auckland. His work explores cultural issues with a greater focus on the relationship between Maori and Pakeha due to the artist's background.
Early life and education
Chris Heaphy was ...
as
Dissolve: ''
That that is, is (not)'' (Kranky, 1995)
*with
Chris Heaphy
Chris Heaphy is a New Zealand artist who is based in Auckland. His work explores cultural issues with a greater focus on the relationship between Maori and Pakeha due to the artist's background.
Early life and education
Chris Heaphy was ...
as
Dissolve: ''
Third Album for the Sun
Third or 3rd may refer to:
Numbers
* 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3
* , a fraction of one third
* 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute''
Places
* 3rd Street (disambiguation)
* Third Avenue (disambiguation)
* Hig ...
'' (Kranky, 1997)
*with
Bardo Pond
Bardo Pond are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1991, and who are currently signed to London-based label Fire Records. The current members are Michael Gibbons (guitar), John Gibbons (guitar), Isobel Sollenberger (flute and vocals), ...
as
Hash Jar Tempo
Hash Jar Tempo is a collaborative musical project between the members of Philadelphia-based psychedelic band Bardo Pond and experimental guitarist and composer Roy Montgomery. The band was founded in March 1995 and have released two albums, '' ...
: ''
Well Oiled'' (Drunken Fish, 1997)
*with
Bardo Pond
Bardo Pond are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1991, and who are currently signed to London-based label Fire Records. The current members are Michael Gibbons (guitar), John Gibbons (guitar), Isobel Sollenberger (flute and vocals), ...
as
Hash Jar Tempo
Hash Jar Tempo is a collaborative musical project between the members of Philadelphia-based psychedelic band Bardo Pond and experimental guitarist and composer Roy Montgomery. The band was founded in March 1995 and have released two albums, '' ...
: ''
Under Glass
''Under Glass'' is the second studio album by Hash Jar Tempo, released on March 23, 1999 by Drunken Fish Records.
Track listing
Personnel
Adapted from the ''Under Glass'' liner notes.
;Hash Jar Tempo
* Joe Culver – drums
* John G ...
'' (Drunken Fish, 1999)
*with
Flying Saucer Attack
Flying Saucer Attack is an English space rock band formed in Bristol in 1992, led by songwriter David Pearce. Rachel Brook (now Rachel Coe) of Movietone was a member during the band's early incarnation; other musicians contributing to the g ...
: ''
Goodbye'' (VHF, 1996)
*with
Chris Heaphy
Chris Heaphy is a New Zealand artist who is based in Auckland. His work explores cultural issues with a greater focus on the relationship between Maori and Pakeha due to the artist's background.
Early life and education
Chris Heaphy was ...
: ''
True
True most commonly refers to truth, the state of being in congruence with fact or reality.
True may also refer to:
Places
* True, West Virginia, an unincorporated community in the United States
* True, Wisconsin, a town in the United States
* ...
'' (Kranky, 1999)
*with
Grouper
Groupers are fish of any of a number of genera in the subfamily Epinephelinae of the family Serranidae, in the order Perciformes.
Not all serranids are called "groupers"; the family also includes the sea basses. The common name "grouper" is ...
: ''
Roy Montgomery/Grouper'' (Root Strata, 2010)
*with
Nick Guy: ''
Torlesse Super Group
Torlesse is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Arthur David Torlesse (1902–1995), Royal Navy officer
* Charles Torlesse (1825–1866), New Zealand surveyor
* Elizabeth Torlesse Elizabeth Henrietta Torlesse (1835 – 22 Sep ...
'' (Rebis, 2011)
References
External links
*
*
Artistpage at the
kranky record label website
Roy Montgomery's staff profile pageat
Lincoln University, Christchurch.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Montgomery, Roy
Experimental rock musicians
Psychedelic folk musicians
Psychedelic rock musicians
People from Christchurch
Living people
1959 births
Drunken Fish Records artists
Rocket Girl artists