Amy Millan
(born December 3 1973) is a Canadian indie rock singer and guitarist. She records and performs with the bands Stars and Broken Social Scene as well as having a successful solo career. Her second solo album, Masters of the Burial
, will be released by Arts & Crafts Records in September 2009.
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AMY MILLAN TICKETS
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Biography
Early life
Amy Millan grew up in the
Cabbagetown neighbourhood of
Toronto.
[1] She attended high school at
Jarvis Collegiate, and later the
Etobicoke School of the Arts where she studied drama alongside
Kevin Drew and
Emily Haines. Millan and Haines formed the short-lived band Edith’s Mission with future novelist
Ibi Kaslik.
[2] [3] After high school, Millan moved to
Montreal for three years to attend university and gained experience as a solo performer by playing in coffee shops.
[4] [5] Upon returning to Toronto, she formed the roots-rock band 16 Tons and wrote many of the songs that she would use to launch her solo career several years later.
After the breakup of 16 Tons, Millan moved to
Los Angeles. While living there, she contributed the song "Bury Me" to the soundtrack of the film
Drowning Mona
. However, living in Los Angeles did not work out, and Millan returned to Toronto.
[6]
Stars
Stars was formed by
Torquil Campbell and Chris Seligman in
New York City. The line-up subsequently grew to incorporate
Evan Cranley, with whom Millan had played gigs while a member of 16 Tons. Feeling that Millan would be a good fit for the group, Cranley invited her to
New York City to audition.
After receiving assurances that she would be actively involved in the songwriting process, Millan agreed to join the band. As much of their debut album had been recorded prior to her joining, Millan’s involvement in 2001's
Nightsongs
was limited, although she did sing lead vocals on "Toxic Holiday". Desiring to return to Canada, but not wanting to move to Toronto, the band relocated to Montreal.
[4] Drummer Pat McGee was recruited as their fifth member prior to the release of their sophomore album,
Heart
, in 2003. Millan's influence was more evident on this album, and a number of the tracks were performed as duets between her and Torquil Campbell, establishing a style for which the band would become well known. Stars' commercial breakthrough came with their 2004 album
Set Yourself on Fire
and the accompanying single "
Ageless Beauty", which featured a lead vocal by Millan. Their fourth album,
In Our Bedroom After the War
, was released in 2007 and was followed by the EP
Sad Robots
the following year.
Broken Social Scene
Although she did not officially contribute to
Broken Social Scene's first two albums, due to scheduling conflicts for BSS members Emily Haines and Leslie Feist, she was asked by former classmate Kevin Drew to "be the girl" and sing with the band for the release concert of the band's second album,
You Forgot It in People.
[8] From 2002 onward, Millan has often performed in BSS alongside fellow Stars members Evan Cranley, Chris Seligman and Torquil Campbell. She appeared on their 2005 self-titled album and also contributed vocals and writing to Kevin Drew's 2007 solo album
Spirit If...
as well as to Brendan Canning's 2008 solo album
Something For All of Us
. As in Stars, Amy usually sings with BSS but also plays guitar and percussion during live shows.
Honey from the Tombs
Amy Millan released her debut solo album,
Honey from the Tombs
, in 2006. It consisted of songs largely written before 2000, from when Millan was a member of 16 Tons.
The album title was inspired by a
Tom Waits interview where he compared the release of older songs to the discovery of sweet honey buried in
Egyptian tombs.
[9] The album was produced by
Ian Blurton and musical contributors included
Brendan Canning and
Kevin Drew of
Broken Social Scene and Dan and
Jenny Whiteley from Crazy Strings.
In contrast to her work with Stars, Millan’s solo work is strongly influenced by country and folk music. Thematically, many of the songs deal with loss and loneliness, and taking solace in alcohol is sung about numerous times. Millan's upbringing in Toronto provided the inspiration for the song "Wayward and Parliament", which is based on her time working in the coffee shop "Jet Fuel" on Parliament Street.
[10]
Two videos were shot to promote
Honey from the Tombs
: "Skinny Boy" was directed by George Vale, and "Baby I" was directed by Anthony Seck. The songs "Losin' You" and "Baby I", were released as 7" singles in Europe. Millan also toured extensively to support the album, playing dates in North America, Japan and Europe.
Masters of the Burial
Millan will release her sophomore album,
Masters of the Burial
, on September 8, 2009. The album is produced by
Martin Kinack and musicians appearing include Evan Cranley, Dan and Jenny Whiteley, Leslie Feist and Liam O’Neil.
Collaborations
Millan contributed vocals to a track on the debut EP of
Memphis, a project involving her
Stars bandmate
Torquil Campbell. In addition, Millan has contributed to recordings by
Jason Collett,
Montag,
Apostle of Hustle,
Amos the Transparent and The Priddle Concern.
Discography
Albums
| Title
| Label
| Year
|
| Honey from the Tombs
| Arts & Crafts/City Slang Records
| 2006
|
| Masters of the Burial
| Arts & Crafts
| 2009
|
EPs
| Title
| Label
| Year
|
| KCRW.com Presents Morning Becomes Eclectic
| Arts & Crafts
| 2007
|
Singles
| Single
| B-Side
| Label
| Format
| Year
|
| Losin’ You
| "We All Lose One Another"
by Jason Collett
| Arts & Crafts Europe
| 7"
| 2006
|
| Baby I
| "Murder Train Song"
| Arts & Crafts Europe
| 7"
| 2006
|
Compilations
| Album
| Year
| Songs
| Notes
|
| Drowning Mona
Soundtrack
| 2000
| "Bury Me"
| Performed with Grindig; the song appeared in the movie, but was not included on the soundtrack album
|
| XM: Live at the Verge
| 2006
| "Skinny Boy (Live)"
|
|
| CBC Radio 3 Sessions, Volume III
| 2007
| "Skinny Boy (Live)"
|
|
| Mamma Yamma and Friends
| 2008
| "Broccoli Song"
| Rewritten version of "He Brings Out the Whiskey in Me"
performed on children's television
|
| ''Arts and Crafts Sampler Volume 6
| 2009
| ''"Bruised Ghosts"
|
|
Collaborations
| Album
| Artist
| Year
| Songs
|
| A Good Day Sailing
| Memphis
| 2002
| "The Phone Call"
|
| Folkloric Feel
| Apostle of Hustle
| 2004
| "Baby You're in Luck"
|
| Live at Radio Aligres in Paris
| Broken Social Scene
| 2004
| "Almost Crimes", "Baby You’re in Luck", "Starts with a Big Finish", "Cause=Time", "Bruised Ghosts", "Let’s Get Out of Here"
|
| Broken Social Scene
| Broken Social Scene
| 2005
| "Ibi Dreams of Pavement", "Major Label Debut", "Hotel", "Bandwitch"
|
| Idols of Exile
| Jason Collett
| 2005
| "Fire", "Parry Sound", "I'll Bring the Sun", "These Are the Days"
|
| Alone, Not Alone
| Montag
| 2005
| "Perfect Vision", "Angles, Country & Gerrain Connu"
|
| Going Places
| Montag
| 2007
| "Mechanical Kids", "Safe in Sound"
|
| Spirit If...
| Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew
| 2007
| "Broke Me Up", "Aging Faces/Losing Places", "When It Begins"
|
| Everything I've Forgotten to Forget
| Amos the Transparent
| 2007
| "After All That, It's Come to This"
|
| The Priddle Concern
| The Priddle Concern
| 2008
| "Back Around"
|
| Something for All of Us
| Broken Social Scene Presents: Brendan Canning
| 2008
| "Antique Bull"
|
| A New Tide
| Gomez
| 2009
| "Win Park Slope"
|
For Amy Millan's work with Stars, see
Stars discography.
Footnotes
- Opening up the Tombs
- Stars: Trial By Fire
- Novel New Act: Montreal Writer Ibi Kaslik Gives The Skinny
- When melancholy machines make music
- Amy Millan A little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll, Stars siren's solo flight soars with help from friends in high places
- Amy Millan A little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll, Stars siren's solo flight soars with help from friends in high places
- When melancholy machines make music
- Berman, Stuart. ''This Book is Broken.'' 2009.
- Chasing Amy
- An Interview With Amy Millan