Nina Nastasia
Encyclopedia
Nina Nastasia is a New York City
-based singer-songwriter
born in Hollywood, California
.
took notice to the album (calling it "astonishing") after having been given a copy by Steve Albini
. Peel began playing songs from it constantly on his radio show on BBC Radio 1
. The album, as well as Nastasia, gained a cult following.
Nastasia has released six albums, one in collaboration with Jim White
. Her first album, Dogs, was initially released in 2000 on Socialist Records. Her subsequent albums, The Blackened Air
(2002) and Run to Ruin
(2003), were released on indie
label Touch and Go Records
, which also re-released Dogs in 2004. In 2006, On Leaving
was released on Fat Cat Records
. In 2007, an album on which she collaborated with Jim White entitled You Follow Me
was released through Fat Cat. All of Nastasia's albums to date were recorded by Steve Albini, who has ardently praised her music in a number of interviews.
Nastasia recorded six sessions for late BBC
disc jockey John Peel's show. The last one was recorded with the help of Tuvan throat singing group Huun-Huur-Tu
. Two of Nastasia's songs were included in Peel's annual Festive Fifty
: "Ugly Face" (ranked 4th in 2002) and "You, Her & Me" (ranked 13th in 2003).
A 7-inch single, titled "What She Doesn't Know
" was released on February 25, 2008. The single featured the title track, along with the song "Your Red Nose". Both tracks were recorded by Steve Albini during the On Leaving sessions. Nastasia has called the single "a good complement to You Follow Me". A solo American and European tour coincided with the release of the single.
The single "Cry, Cry, Baby" was released on May 10, 2010 internationally and May 18 in the US. Her sixth studio album, Outlaster
, followed on June 7, 2010.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
born in Hollywood, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Biography
She began writing songs in 1993, and released her first album, Dogs, in 2000. Only 1,500 copies of the album were initially pressed, with Nastasia putting together the album packaging herself in her apartment. Nastasia sold them at her shows, quickly selling all of them. By the end of the year 2000, the album was out of print. Famed DJ John PeelJohn Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
took notice to the album (calling it "astonishing") after having been given a copy by Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
. Peel began playing songs from it constantly on his radio show on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. The album, as well as Nastasia, gained a cult following.
Nastasia has released six albums, one in collaboration with Jim White
Jim White (drummer)
Jim White is an Australian drummer . He is the drummer for the Dirty Three, a band formed in Melbourne, but he has also played with a number of other groups, including:*Tren Brothers, consisting of Jim White and Mick Turner, guitarist of the Dirty Three....
. Her first album, Dogs, was initially released in 2000 on Socialist Records. Her subsequent albums, The Blackened Air
The Blackened Air
The Blackened Air is the second album by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia. The final track, That's All There Is, was held over from sessions for her debut, Dogs...
(2002) and Run to Ruin
Run to Ruin
Run to Ruin is the third album by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia. It was recorded by Steve Albini at Black Box studio in Noyant-la-Gravoyère, France and at Looking Glass studio in New York...
(2003), were released on indie
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
label Touch and Go Records
Touch and Go Records
Touch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
, which also re-released Dogs in 2004. In 2006, On Leaving
On Leaving
On Leaving is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia. It was released on September 11, 2006 on Fat Cat Records. It was recorded by Steve Albini and produced by Nastasia, Kennan Gudjonsson, and Albini...
was released on Fat Cat Records
Fat Cat Records
Fat Cat Records is an independent label based in Brighton on England’s South Coast. Their output includes electronica, post rock, indie, downtempo, minimal techno, noise and punk-pop...
. In 2007, an album on which she collaborated with Jim White entitled You Follow Me
You Follow Me
You Follow Me is a collaborative studio album between American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia and Australian drummer Jim White. The album was released in Europe and Australia on 28 May 2007 and in the United States and Canada on 14 August 2007 and was the second Nastasia album released by...
was released through Fat Cat. All of Nastasia's albums to date were recorded by Steve Albini, who has ardently praised her music in a number of interviews.
Nastasia recorded six sessions for late BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
disc jockey John Peel's show. The last one was recorded with the help of Tuvan throat singing group Huun-Huur-Tu
Huun-Huur-Tu
Huun-Huur-Tu is a music group from Tuva, a Russian Federation republic situated on the Mongolian border....
. Two of Nastasia's songs were included in Peel's annual Festive Fifty
Festive Fifty
The Festive Fifty was originally an annual list of the year's fifty best songs compiled at the end of the year and voted for by listeners to John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show...
: "Ugly Face" (ranked 4th in 2002) and "You, Her & Me" (ranked 13th in 2003).
A 7-inch single, titled "What She Doesn't Know
What She Doesn't Know
"What She Doesn't Know" is a 7" single by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia, released on February 25, 2008 by Fat Cat Records.The two songs on "What She Doesn't Know" were recorded by Steve Albini in Chicago during the sessions for Nastasia's 2006 album On Leaving...
" was released on February 25, 2008. The single featured the title track, along with the song "Your Red Nose". Both tracks were recorded by Steve Albini during the On Leaving sessions. Nastasia has called the single "a good complement to You Follow Me". A solo American and European tour coincided with the release of the single.
The single "Cry, Cry, Baby" was released on May 10, 2010 internationally and May 18 in the US. Her sixth studio album, Outlaster
Outlaster
Outlaster is the fifth studio album recorded by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia. It was released on June 7, 2010 internationally and June 22, 2010 in the United States by Fat Cat Records ....
, followed on June 7, 2010.
Albums
- 2000 Dogs (Socialist)
- 2004 re-released (Touch and Go)
- 2002 The Blackened AirThe Blackened AirThe Blackened Air is the second album by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia. The final track, That's All There Is, was held over from sessions for her debut, Dogs...
(Touch and Go) - 2003 Run to RuinRun to RuinRun to Ruin is the third album by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia. It was recorded by Steve Albini at Black Box studio in Noyant-la-Gravoyère, France and at Looking Glass studio in New York...
(Touch and Go) - 2006 On LeavingOn LeavingOn Leaving is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia. It was released on September 11, 2006 on Fat Cat Records. It was recorded by Steve Albini and produced by Nastasia, Kennan Gudjonsson, and Albini...
(Fat Cat) - 2007 You Follow MeYou Follow MeYou Follow Me is a collaborative studio album between American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia and Australian drummer Jim White. The album was released in Europe and Australia on 28 May 2007 and in the United States and Canada on 14 August 2007 and was the second Nastasia album released by...
(Fat Cat) - collaboration with Jim White of Dirty ThreeDirty ThreeDirty Three are an instrumental trio consisting of Warren Ellis , Mick Turner and Jim White , originating from Melbourne, Australia. Since the Dirty Three formed in 1992, they have spent a lot of time overseas... - 2010 OutlasterOutlasterOutlaster is the fifth studio album recorded by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia. It was released on June 7, 2010 internationally and June 22, 2010 in the United States by Fat Cat Records ....
(Fat Cat)
Singles
- 2008 What She Doesn't KnowWhat She Doesn't Know"What She Doesn't Know" is a 7" single by American singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia, released on February 25, 2008 by Fat Cat Records.The two songs on "What She Doesn't Know" were recorded by Steve Albini in Chicago during the sessions for Nastasia's 2006 album On Leaving...
(Fat Cat) - 2010 Cry, Cry, Baby (Fat Cat)
- 2010 You Can Take Your Time (Fat Cat)
Contributions
- 2001 "I Will Never Marry", on the compilation album Comes with a Smile, Volume 3 - Pretty Together
- 2005 "The Matter (of Our Discussion)", on the Boom BipBoom BipBryan Charles Hollon, better known as Boom Bip, is an American producer and musician. His music is mostly instrumental, but over the course of his career he has collaborated with several vocalists. He is currently signed to Lex Records, which, until 2005, was a division of Warp Records in the...
album Blue Eyed in the Red Room (LexLex RecordsLex Records is an independent record label founded by Tom Brown in 2001. The label was an imprint of Warp Records and run from their North London offices, until September 2005.Lex has a low volume of releases, rarely releasing more than three albums annually...
) - 2005 "Bird of Cuzco", song on John Peel: A TributeJohn PeelJohn Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
compilation (WEAWarner Music GroupWarner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
) - 2009 "Repulsion", on the compilation album Black and White, given free with issue #12 of EsopusEsopus (magazine)Esopus is a twice-yearly nonprofit arts and culture magazine founded in 2003 by Tod Lippy and published by the Esopus Foundation. Its primary objective is to give artists a noncommercial forum in which to publish their projects...
Band members
- Nina Nastasia, voice & guitars
- Steven Beck, piano (Run to Ruin, On Leaving)
- Jay Bellerose, drums (The Blackened Air, On Leaving, Outlaster)
- Paul Bryan, bass, orchestral arrangements (Outlaster)
- Joshua Carlebach, accordion (Dogs, The Blackened Air, Run to Ruin)
- Oto Carillo, french horn (Outlaster)
- Stephen Day, cello (Dogs, The Blackened Air, Run to Ruin, Outlaster)
- Kennan Gudjonsson, piano (Dogs)
- Anne Mette Iversen, double bass (Run to Ruin)
- Juliann Klopotic, violin (Dogs)
- Rubin Kodheli, cello (On Leaving)
- Gerry Leonard, guitar, mandolin (Dogs, The Blackened Air, Run to Ruin)
- June Matayoshi, oboe, english horn (Outlaster)
- Gonzalo Muñoz, saw (Dogs, The Blackened Air)
- Jeff Parker, guitar (Outlaster)
- Dave Richards, bass (Dogs, The Blackened Air, Run to Ruin)
- Jason Stein, bass clarinet (Outlaster)
- Matt Szemela, violin (Outlaster)
- Amie Weiss, violin (Outlaster)
- Jim White, drums (Run to Ruin, On Leaving, You Follow Me)
- Dylan Willemsa, viola, violin (The Blackened Air, Run to Ruin, On Leaving)
- Peter Yanowitz, drums (Dogs)
- Lev 'Ljova' Zhurbin, viola (Outlaster)