Joseph Arthur - Rotten Tomatoes Celebrity Profile

Biography

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Biography

Joseph Arthur (born September 28, 1971) is a contemporary singer-songwriter from Akron, Ohio, known for his melodic compositions combined with swirling choruses. He was discovered by Peter Gabriel in the mid-'90s, and signed to Gabriel's Real World label. Arthur's albums are generally critically acclaimed.

His song "In the Sun" was recently covered by Michael Stipe (of R.E.M.) and Coldplay singer Chris Martin for a Hurricane Katrina Relief program. The EP includes 6 versions of the cover, one of which has Arthur himself singing with Stipe. It was also covered by Peter Gabriel himself for the Diana and Dodi Tribute CD.

Musical history

Joseph Arthur's debut album, Big City Secrets, came out for Real World Records in 1997, after Peter Gabriel casually listened to his demo tape. Two years later, he recorded an EP called Vacancy, which earned him a Grammy for the artistic packaging.

2000 saw the release of Come To Where I'm From, the album that, for the first time, exposed him to a larger audience (also thanks to opening up for Ben Harper and Gomez). During the same period, a live album recorded at the Gypsy Tea Room in Dallas saw the light.

After releasing 4 EPs called Junkyard Hearts, his third album, called Redemption's Son, came out in May 2002.

In the middle of a long and successful tour during which performances were, to a good extent, recorded and sold immediately after the last note had been played, he found time to release one more album: an alternative rock project called Holding The Void.

Summer 2003 saw him on tour with Tracy Chapman in the US. After signing a new recording contract with Vector Recordings, Arthur finished working on what is his fourth 'official' full album, Our Shadows Will Remain.

While touring the US alone and with Joan Wasser, a new EP called And The Thieves Are Gone came out in December 2004. Shortly afterwards, Arthur went on a short and very successful tour with R.E.M. throughout Europe.

Arthur spent 2005 again on tour: US first, UK shortly afterwards, then some summer festivals and finally a good amount of solo appearances around Europe during the second half of the year.

Arthur staged his first art exhibition in 2006 at the Vertigo Gallery in London on February 10 to February 12.

Arthur also contributed a design to the Yellow Bird Project for the benefit of Mercy Corps.

Live performances

Arthur’s one man band live performances incorporate looping techniques and several distortion techniques. Many people comment that his live performances, when performed in this fashion, are in fact better than his studio recorded material. However, on his fall 2006 tour, Arthur has incorporated a full band.

Arthur’s live performances are recorded through to the last note and then burnt to CD. They are sold immediately to fans after the concert as a cherishable souvenir of the event.

Musical instruments

He owns two guitars, his main one being an Irish guitar named Lowden. The model is “0-12”.

Arthur’s harmonica is a diatonic harmonica in the key of G.

Sound processors

To incorporate his looping techniques, Arthur uses 4 rackmounted units of the Lexicon JamMan.

He plays his guitars through an impressive floor of effects pedals including a Vox Tonelab SE multi-effects, a Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler, a Moogerfooger MF-102 Ring Modulator, a MXR Phase 100, a Z. Vex Seek Wah, an Electro-Harmonix POG, a Big Muff Pi, and a DigiTech Whammy.

Vocals are processed by a TC-Helicon VoiceLive floor unit.

Song appearances in television and film

Arthur's "Honey and the Moon" was used as background music in the pilot episode of the hit television show The O.C., a forum which has also used a number of other singer-songwriters and indie groups. The song was also used in the film American Wedding (2003), the long running American soap opera As The World Turns and the drama series Without a Trace, in an episode entitled The Stranger (February 9, 2006).

Arthur's song "In the Sun" was used as background music in an alternative ending for the movie The Bourne Identity. The song was also featured in the TV show Scrubs in the 5th season episode "My New God". The song has also been used on the Showtime series "The L Word", the 2004 film Saved!, and in the background of an advert for the aftershave "Echo" by Davidoff.

Arthur's song "You're So True" appears on the Shrek 2 soundtrack (2004).

Perhaps the most amazing showcase of Arthur's music in film is 1998's Hell's Kitchen, which features Angelina Jolie, Mekhi Phifer, and Rosanna Arquette (among others). Several of Arthur's songs (such as Good About Me and Invisible Hands) play throughout the movie. They were recorded solo-style specifically for the film. Arthur, himself, is featured in the film in one scene as a guitarist accompanying Rosanna Arquette singing one of his songs.

Discography

Albums

Big City Secrets (March 11, 1997)
Come To Where I'm From (April 11, 2000)
Redemption's Son (UK: May 20, 2002; US: November 26, 2002)
Our Shadows Will Remain (US: October 12, 2004; UK: July 11, 2005)
The Invisible Parade + We Almost Made It (book) (May 18, 2006)
Nuclear Daydream (September 19, 2006)

EPs

Vacancy (May 1, 1999) (Sleeve design was nominated in 1999 for Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.)
Junkyard Hearts I (May 2002)
Junkyard Hearts II (May 2002)
Junkyard Hearts III (May 2002)
Junkyard Hearts IV (May 2002)
And The Thieves Are Gone (December 7, 2004)

Singles

"Chemical" (April 17, 2000)
"In The Sun" (April 23, 2001)
"Can't Exist" (July 4, 2005)
"Even Tho" (September 26, 2005)
"Devil's Broom" (February 13, 2006)
"Can't Exist" (May 1, 2006)
"Enough To Get Away" (TBD 2006)

Contributions

"Coast of High Barbary" from Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys (2006)

External links

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