Tim Wheeler

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For the British academic, see Tim Wheeler (academic). For the American baseball player, see Tim Wheeler (baseball).
Tim Wheeler
File:Tim Wheeler in BKK.jpg
Wheeler in Bangkok, Thailand
Background information
Birth name Timothy James Arthur Wheeler
Born (1977-01-04) 4 January 1977 (age 47)
Downpatrick, Northern Ireland
Genres Alternative rock, punk rock, Britpop
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, musician, guitarist
Instruments Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active 1989–present
Labels Infectious Records, Warner Bros. Records, Atomic Heart Records
Associated acts Ash, Emmy The Great
Website www.ash-official.com
Notable instruments
Gibson Flying V
Gibson Les Paul
Gibson SG

Timothy James Arthur Wheeler[1] (born 4 January 1977), known as Tim Wheeler, is a Northern Irish guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist for the rock band Ash. He formed the band with Mark Hamilton and they were originally called Vietnam. Wheeler can be seen playing a Korina Gibson Flying V in almost all of Ash's music videos. He has written nearly all of their notable pieces such as "Oh Yeah", "Shining Light", "Girl From Mars", "Kung Fu", and "Goldfinger". In September 2014 Tim announced details of his debut solo album "Lost Domain" with a release date of 3 November 2014.[2]

Early life

Wheeler was born in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland.[3] He attended Down High School with his fellow band members Mark Hamilton and Rick McMurray.

Music career

Ash

He won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Pop Song in 2001 for Shining Light.[4]

Other work

In 1999 Wheeler contributed guitar & backing vocals on The Rentals' album Seven More Minutes. Wheeler has also contributed backing vocals Bob Geldof's Band Aid 20 2004 single "Do They Know It's Christmas?"[5] and on Arthur Baker's song, "Glow".[6]

As part of Channel 4's program The JD Set, Wheeler worked with Emmy The Great, The Crookes, And So I Watch You From Afar and Ma Mentor, joining each band in covering songs by Pixies, and then performing at London's XOYO on 24 March 2011.[7]

Tim has recently been involved with film and TV soundtrack work most notably "Ashes" (2012), "Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond" (2014)[8] & "Shaun the Sheep Movie" (2015)[9]

Emmy the Great

Tim has collaborated frequently in recent years with Emma-Lee Moss, AKA Emmy The Great, the duo have performed Ash track "Tracers" on several occasions, and in 2011 Tim, Emma & Euan Hinshelwood covered Robert Manning's song "Washington Parks", the cover was released as part of a collection of covers to raise awareness of Multiple Sclerosis.[10][11] The pair acoustically performed a set of Ash & Emmy The Great songs, as well as some covers at Willowstone Festival on 1 July 2011.[12]

In November 2011 the pair released a Christmas album, entitled This Is Christmas (Infectious, 2011).[13]

Tim Wheeler Solo album

In September 2014, Tim announced the release of his first solo album, "Lost Domain", a heartfelt and emotional response to the loss of his father George to dementia. "Lost Domain" will be released on Sony Red on 3 November 2014, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to The Alzheimer's Society, a charity Tim has worked closely with since his father's death in 2011.[14]

"Lost Domain" is an album in which Tim battles to come to terms with his loss, charting his father's rapid decline into illness, his death and the tumultuous effect that it had on his life over the course of 11 songs. As Tim explains: “After losing my father to dementia, I felt the need to personally do something to fight Alzheimer’s. My friend Neil Hannon from The Divine Comedy's father also has Alzheimer's so we put on a concert in Belfast in November 2011 with The Divine Comedy, The Undertones and Ash to raise funds and awareness for the Alzheimer's Society. Since then I've had close links with The Alzheimer's Society and this year was involved with the Dementia Friends campaign. I'm proud to continue to support them and raise more awareness with the album Lost Domain."[15]

Recorded in Ash's New York studio, Tim played almost everything himself, roping in musician friends when he needed a hand: Andy Burrows formerly of Razorlight and Fred Aspelin (Alberta Cross) each played some drums; Ilan Eshkeri and Oliver Kraus helped with the string and brass arrangements performed by the London Metropolitan Orchestra; Leanne Macomber from Ejecta and Neon Indian sang; and Moon Hooch's Wenzl McGowen played saxophone.[16] There's even a sample of Tim's dad's piano playing on the album's epic centerpiece Medicine.[17]

The album track The First Sign of Spring is available to listen to on YouTube now.[18]

Tim Wheeler announced his first solo dates to support the release of the album on 4–7 November. He played Bush Hall – London, Night & Day- Manchester, ABC2 – Glasgow and Oh Yeah Centre – Belfast.[19] In addition, he supported Andy Burrows in Amsterdam and Brussels.

Musical equipment and sound

Wheeler is perhaps most recognised for using a Gibson Flying V, which he has frequently used live since 1998 onwards – his Flying V has a 50's Zebra Coil PAF pickup, and has also been modified in the past for pyrotechnics – the Flaming Flying V acts as a flamethrower, firing from between the V part of the guitar body.[20][21] Prior to this Wheeler mainly used various Gibson Les Paul models. Wheeler also plays a Gibson SG and Gretsch Silver Jet, the Sliver Jet was frequently used both live and in studio since Ash's album Twilight of the Innocents. For heavier tracks such as "The Dead Disciples" Tim uses a Fender Telecaster. In 2011 Wheeler purchased a Gretsch 1966 Sal Fabrio in 2011, for studio and rehearsals.

Tim predominately uses a Mesa/Boogie Road King Series II and a Marshall amplifier, along with various effects pedals, including; Electro-Harmonix Micro Synthesizer, a Dunlop Crybaby Wah pedal, a Nocto Loco octave pedal which replaced a Korg synthesiser in his effects rack. Tim altered much of his setup in 2011 by using a Line 6 M9 stompbox modular.[21][22]

The Flying V guitar that Wheeler set on fire on the Ash Meltdown tour is now on display at the Oh Yeah (music centre) in Belfast.[23] The Oh Yeah Centre is dedicated to the music of Northern Ireland and was named after the song Oh Yeah by Ash.[24]

Lyrical themes and writing

With the release of the band's fifth studio record Twilight of the Innocents, in 2007, Wheeler spoke of how if the group hadn't toured so heavily they would have been more prolific, that: "It would have been cool to have twice as many songs by now. I definitely could have done it, but if I go on tour I have to stop writing. Writing needs to be a relaxing process and you need peace and quiet and the right stuff around you. Whenever we take a break I could write a song every day, pretty much."[25]

Personal life

Wheeler is an Arsenal F.C. fan; this came after living in Highbury for nine years.[26]

References

  1. ↑ [1][dead link]
  2. ↑ [2] NME.com, 1 September 2014
  3. ↑ About the Band walking-barefoot.com, 1 May 2013
  4. ↑ Music Hall of Fame discovernorthernireland.com, retrieved 23 June 2011
  5. ↑ McCartney confirms Band Aid role BBC, 5 November 2004
  6. ↑ Arthur Baker feat. Tim Wheeler – Glow (Underwater) musicomh.com, 20 March 2006
  7. ↑ Rock and Pop: It's back! The JD Set...Tim Wheeler and friends pay tribute to the Boston indie Godheads Pixies. XOYO, 24 March islingtontribune.com, 15 March 2011
  8. ↑ [3]
  9. ↑ [4]
  10. ↑ Tim Wheeler and Emmy the Great Music for MRI Project Digital Release ash-official.com, 17 May 2011
  11. ↑ 'Washington Parks' Project for MS Society emmythegreat.com, 19 May 2011
  12. ↑ The pair will join forces to perform an acoustic set including a mix of Ash and Emmy the Great songs as well as a few covers ash-official.com, 9 June 2011
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Flying V at the Oh Yeah centre, Belfast belfastmusic.org, 7 December 2009
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Steal Their Sound: Tim Wheeler (Ash) musicradar.com/totalguitar, 7 July 2010
  22. ↑ New Additions – Rehearsals (26/05/11) Ash-Official Facebook, 26 May 2011
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ The Mysterious Mr Wheeler: An Interview with Ash popmatters.com, 24 September 2007
  26. ↑ INTERVIEW: ARSENAL FAN TIM WHEELER FROM ASH ON DISLIKING HIS RANGA BEARD AND HIS HOPES FOR THE GUNNERS THIS SEASON Talksport, 18 November 2010

External links

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