Tim Wheeler
Encyclopedia
Tim Wheeler is the 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 video
s. He has written nearly all of their notable pieces such as Oh Yeah, Shining Light
, Kung Fu
and Goldfinger. 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
. The Oh Yeah Centre is dedicated to the music of Northern Ireland and was named after the song Oh Yeah by Ash.
.
album Seven More Minutes
. Wheeler has also contributed backing vocals Bob Geldof
's Band Aid 20
2004 single "Do They Know It's Christmas?
" and on Arthur Baker
's song, "Glow".
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 March 24, 2011.
. The pair acoustically performed a set of Ash & Emmy The Great songs, as well as some covers at Willowstone Festival on 1 July 2011..
In November 2011 the pair released a Christmas album, entitled This is Christmas (Infectious, 2011).
, 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. The flying V has a relatively weak output, thus Tim uses a MXR Micro Amp to enhance the signal. 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.
, 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."
fan; this came after living in Highbury
for 9 years.
Wheeler is dating Emma Lee Moss of Emmy The Great
, as revealed on 6 Music's coverage of Glastonbury Festival
2011, where they did an interview, followed by a cover of a Pixies track together.
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and vocalist
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
for the rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, Ash
Ash (band)
Ash are an alternative rock band that formed in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland in 1992. The band has sold 8 million albums worldwide.-Band beginning, Trailer and 1977 :...
. He formed the band with Mark Hamilton and they were originally called Vietnam. Wheeler can be seen playing a Korina Gibson Flying V
Gibson Flying V
-External links:*, , , , and , from the Gibson website*, a June 2001 article from Guitar Collector magazine*, a tribute site that lists all models and re-issues and most notable players**...
in almost all of Ash's music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s. He has written nearly all of their notable pieces such as Oh Yeah, Shining Light
Shining Light
"Shining Light" is a song by Ash, which was released as the first single from their album Free All Angels. It was released on 29 January 2001. It was released as a single CD and as a 7" vinyl . It was also Ash's first single to be released as an enhanced CD...
, Kung Fu
Kung Fu (song)
"Kung Fu" is a song by Ash, released as the first single from their album 1977 on 20 March 1995 - as a CD single, limited edition 7”, and standard 7” vinyl....
and Goldfinger. 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
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. The Oh Yeah Centre is dedicated to the music of Northern Ireland and was named after the song Oh Yeah by Ash.
Ash
He won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Pop Song in 2001 for Shining LightShining Light
"Shining Light" is a song by Ash, which was released as the first single from their album Free All Angels. It was released on 29 January 2001. It was released as a single CD and as a 7" vinyl . It was also Ash's first single to be released as an enhanced CD...
.
Other work
In 1999 Wheeler contributed guitar & backing vocals on The RentalsThe Rentals
The Rentals are an American rock band fronted by vocalist Matt Sharp, best known as the former bass player for rock group Weezer. The band is best known for their mid-1990s hit single, "Friends of P.". The group has released two albums, Return of the Rentals and Seven More Minutes on Maverick...
album Seven More Minutes
Seven More Minutes
Seven More Minutes, the second album by The Rentals, was released on April 13, 1999 and features numerous guests such as: Petra Haden , Donna Matthews , Miki Berenyi , Tim Wheeler , Kevin March, and Damon Albarn .-Theme:A good amount of Seven More Minutes was written by Matt Sharp...
. Wheeler has also contributed backing vocals Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
's Band Aid 20
Band Aid 20
Band Aid 20 was the 2004 incarnation of the charity group Band Aid. The group, which included Chris Martin of Coldplay, Bono of U2, and Paul McCartney, re-recorded the 1984 song "Do They Know It's Christmas?", written by Band Aid organizers Bob Geldof and Midge Ure.-Recording:The song was recorded...
2004 single "Do They Know It's Christmas?
Do They Know It's Christmas?
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise money for relief of the 1984–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The original version was produced by Midge Ure and released by Band Aid on 29 November 1984....
" and on Arthur Baker
Arthur Baker (musician)
Arthur Baker is an American record producer and DJ best known for his work with hip hop artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Planet Patrol, and the British group New Order.-Early career:...
's song, "Glow".
As part of Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's program The JD Set, Wheeler worked with Emmy The Great
Emmy the Great
Emma-Lee Moss , known by her stage name Emmy the Great, is a London-based singer-songwriter. She has released two albums, First Love and Virtue.-Early life:Moss was born in Hong Kong to an English father and a Chinese mother...
, The Crookes
The Crookes
-History:The band formed in 2008, naming themselves after the suburb Crookes in Sheffield, where the guitarists Alex Saunders and Daniel Hopewell met before later recruiting George Waite on vocals and Russell Bates on drums....
, And So I Watch You From Afar
And So I Watch You From Afar
And So I Watch You From Afar are a three-piece instrumental rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. The band consists of Rory Friers on guitar, Johnny Adger on bass and Chris Wee on drums...
and Ma Mentor, joining each band in covering songs by Pixies, and then performing at London's XOYO on March 24, 2011.
Emmy the Great
Tim has collaborated frequently in recent years with Emma-Lee Moss of 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 SclerosisMultiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
. The pair acoustically performed a set of Ash & Emmy The Great songs, as well as some covers at Willowstone Festival on 1 July 2011..
In November 2011 the pair released a Christmas album, entitled This is Christmas (Infectious, 2011).
Musical equipment and sound
Wheeler is perhaps most recognised for using a Gibson Flying VGibson Flying V
-External links:*, , , , and , from the Gibson website*, a June 2001 article from Guitar Collector magazine*, a tribute site that lists all models and re-issues and most notable players**...
, 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
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
, firing from between the V part of the guitar body. The flying V has a relatively weak output, thus Tim uses a MXR Micro Amp to enhance the signal. Prior to this Wheeler mainly used various Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
models. Wheeler also plays a Gibson SG and Gretsch
Gretsch
The Gretsch Company was founded in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch, a twenty-seven year old German immigrant recently arrived in the US. Friedrich Gretsch manufactured banjos, tambourines, and drums, until his death in 1895. His son, Fred, moved operations to Brooklyn, New York in 1916...
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
Fender Telecaster
The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
. 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
Electro-Harmonix
Electro-Harmonix is a New York-based company that makes high-end electronic audio processors. The company was founded by Mike Matthews in 1968. They are most famous for a series of popular guitar effects pedals introduced in the 1970s and 1990s....
Micro Synthesizer, a Dunlop
Dunlop
Dunlop may refer to:In companies:*name derived from John Boyd Dunlop ** Dunlop Tyres, tyre manufacturer since 1985** Dunlop Rubber, manufacturer of tyre and rubber products from 1889 to 1985...
Crybaby Wah pedal, a Nocto Loco octave pedal which replaced a Korg
Korg
is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
synthesiser in his effects rack. Tim altered much of his setup in 2011 by using a Line 6
Line 6
Line 6 is a manufacturer of digital modeling guitars, amplifiers and related electronic equipment. Their product lines include electric and acoustic guitars, basses, guitar and bass amplifiers, effects processors, USB audio interfaces and guitar/bass wireless systems...
M9 stompbox modular.
Lyrical themes and writing
With the release of the bands fifth studio record Twilight of the InnocentsTwilight of the Innocents
Twilight of the Innocents is the fifth and final studio album by Ash, released on June 29, 2007 in the Republic of Ireland and July 2, 2007 in the United States and the United Kingdom...
, 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."
Personal life
Wheeler is an Arsenal Football ClubArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
fan; this came after living in Highbury
Highbury
- Early Highbury :The area now known as Islington was part of the larger manor of Tolentone, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Tolentone was owned by Ranulf brother of Ilger and included all the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Road. The manor house was situated by what is now...
for 9 years.
Wheeler is dating Emma Lee Moss of Emmy The Great
Emmy the Great
Emma-Lee Moss , known by her stage name Emmy the Great, is a London-based singer-songwriter. She has released two albums, First Love and Virtue.-Early life:Moss was born in Hong Kong to an English father and a Chinese mother...
, as revealed on 6 Music's coverage of Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
2011, where they did an interview, followed by a cover of a Pixies track together.