Warren Defever
Encyclopedia
Warren Defever is a musician and producer from Livonia, Michigan
. He is most known for his chameleonic project His Name Is Alive
, though he is active in numerous other circles. He produced, engineered, and or remixed recordings by Iggy and the Stooges, Blanche
, Low
, Ida
, Michael Hurley, Califone
, Yoko Ono
, Thurston Moore
, the Gories
, the Go
, Nomo
, Saturday Looks Good to Me
, Faruq Z. Bey
, the Von Bondies
, Destroy All Monsters
, Jenny Toomey
, Slumber Party
, John Sinclair
, Elizabeth Mitchell
& Lisa Loeb
, as well as HNIA offshoot Velour 100
.
Defever was born in Livonia, Michigan to Charles Defever, who is American, and Grace Kloschinsky, who was a Canadian
citizen.[1][2][3] Defever was raised in a strict religious household along with his brothers, Johnny and Matt. He grew up a music fan. His grandfather, John Kloschinsky, was a musician from Saskatchewan
and had taught Warren and his brothers how to play various musical instruments. Defever has spoken of him often in interviews saying, "I was so young I can barely even remember, but I have a hazy vision of having to hold a giant accordion on my lap when I was only two. It's one of my earliest and worst memories. That's probably why I hate music." The Defever family spent many years travelling back and forth between the U.S. and Canada before eventually settling outside of Detroit near the Canadian border. Defever's early life was marked by a multitude of physical maladies; he suffered collapsed lungs twice, had pneumonia 4-5 times, a burst appendix, a cyst on his tonsils and asthma. This served to isolate him from other children at school because, as he claims, he was in the hospital so often that no one knew him well enough to befriend him. He has revealed recently in a radio interview in Detroit on WDET that his health finally improved, however, once the family settled in Livonia.
Defever began recording while still in high school, and toured as the bassist of psychobilly
rock band Elvis Hitler
. He attended Eastern Michigan University
for one year, but dropped out to concentrate on music. His classmate Karin Oliver provided vocals for His Name Is Alive until 1998, and on Velour 100's second album.
For many years Defever recorded in the basement of his parents' house, which he later bought from them. There he produced a number of bands, including Godzuki
and Tarnation
.
In 2003, Defever opened his own recording studio, Brown Rice, in the Detroit area, where he works as a producer. Along with Davin Brainard, Defever runs a home record label, timeSTEREO.
In 2007, Defever opened a new studio in Detroit called THE UFO FACTORY. Everything inside is spray painted silver.
Defever is known for manipulating unsuspecting interviewers with clever fabrications..
Livonia, Michigan
Livonia is a city in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Livonia is a very large suburb with an array of traditional neighborhoods connected to the metropolitan area by freeways. The population was 96,942 at the 2010 census, making it Michigan's 9th largest...
. He is most known for his chameleonic project His Name Is Alive
His Name Is Alive
His Name Is Alive is an experimental rock band/project from Livonia, Michigan. After several self-released cassettes, they debuted on 4AD Records in 1990, starting a long run at the label...
, though he is active in numerous other circles. He produced, engineered, and or remixed recordings by Iggy and the Stooges, Blanche
Blanche (band)
Blanche is an American alternative country band from Detroit, Michigan. Their music is based in Americana, early country, and folk blues, with a touch of haunting Southern Gothic stylings and garage rock mentality. Blanche is known for wearing vintage fashion of the early to mid-20th century.The...
, Low
Low (band)
Low is an American indie rock group from Duluth, Minnesota, formed in 1993. As of 2010, the group is composed of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker , both founding members, and Steve Garrington ....
, Ida
Ida (band)
Ida is an indie rock band from New York City. They are known for their three part harmonies, sparse, minimal, often quiet arrangements, and for their three singer-songwriters...
, Michael Hurley, Califone
Califone
Califone is an experimental rock band from Chicago. The band is named after Califone International, an audio equipment manufacturer. Their work has been critically acclaimed....
, Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
, Thurston Moore
Thurston Moore
Thurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label...
, the Gories
The Gories
The Gories are an American garage rock trio that formed in Detroit in 1986. They were among the first 1980s garage punk bands to incorporate overt blues influences...
, the Go
The Go
The Go is an American rock & roll band from Detroit, Michigan. Their sound has evolved from garage punk to a blend of 1960s and 1970s influences, most notably The Beatles....
, Nomo
Nomo
Nomo is a band from Ann Arbor, Michigan. The band formed at the University of Michigan, and is not to be confused with the 1980's Pop/New Wave band of the same name fronted by California singer-songwriter David Batteau, which is best known for the 1985 minor hit "Red Lipstick".Fronted by Elliot...
, Saturday Looks Good to Me
Saturday Looks Good to Me
Saturday Looks Good to Me was an experimental indie pop band. The group was led by singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Fred Thomas...
, Faruq Z. Bey
Faruq Z. Bey
Faruq Z. Bey is a jazz saxophonist and composer from Detroit, Michigan, USA. He is best known for his work with Griot Galaxy. Griot Galaxy played hard free jazz with distinct compositions, often by Bey. Odd meters and polyrhythms were a frequent feature of the group's tunes, which would give way...
, the Von Bondies
The Von Bondies
The Von Bondies were an American alternative rock band. The group disbanded in July 2011. Its most recent members were Jason Stollsteimer on vocals and lead guitar, Christy Hunt on rhythm guitar and Leann Banks on bass guitar...
, Destroy All Monsters
Destroy All Monsters (band)
Destroy All Monsters were an influential Detroit band existing from 1973 to 1985, with sporadic performances since. Their music touched on elements of punk rock, psychedelic, heavy metal music and noise rock with a heavy dose of performance art. Their name likely came from the Godzilla film Destroy...
, Jenny Toomey
Jenny Toomey
Jenny Toomey is an American indie rock musician and arts activist from Chevy Chase, Maryland, and later, Washington, D.C. She was a member of the bands Geek, Tsunami, Liquorice, Grenadine, So Low and Choke, among others, and has also recorded under her own name...
, Slumber Party
Slumber Party
Slumber Party is an indie rock band from Detroit, Michigan. In 2000, 2 years after the band's formation, they signed to Kill Rock Stars.-Albums:*Slumber Party - Kill Rock Stars *Psychedelicate -Kill Rock Stars...
, John Sinclair
John Sinclair (musician)
John Sinclair is a keyboardist who has played for bands such as The Babys, Heavy Metal Kids, Savoy Brown, The Cult, but is probably best known for his time in Uriah Heep and playing for Ozzy Osbourne's band...
, Elizabeth Mitchell
Elizabeth Mitchell (musician)
Elizabeth Mitchell, a Smithsonian Folkways Recording artist, has been recording and performing music for children since 1998. Elizabeth was the first new children's music artist signed to Smithsonian Folkways Recordings in the 21st century...
& Lisa Loeb
Lisa Loeb
Lisa Anne Loeb is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She launched her career in 1994 with the song, "Stay ". She was the first artist to have a number one single in the United States while not signed to a recording contract.Loeb's efforts now include music, film, television, voice-over...
, as well as HNIA offshoot Velour 100
Velour 100
Velour 100 was a dream pop / ethereal rock band from Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA. The band existed from 1995 to 2000, with most of its music seeing release via Tooth & Nail Records in 1996 & 1997. The band was essentially masterminded by multi-instrumentalist Trey Many of His Name Is Alive and...
.
Defever was born in Livonia, Michigan to Charles Defever, who is American, and Grace Kloschinsky, who was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
citizen.[1][2][3] Defever was raised in a strict religious household along with his brothers, Johnny and Matt. He grew up a music fan. His grandfather, John Kloschinsky, was a musician from Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
and had taught Warren and his brothers how to play various musical instruments. Defever has spoken of him often in interviews saying, "I was so young I can barely even remember, but I have a hazy vision of having to hold a giant accordion on my lap when I was only two. It's one of my earliest and worst memories. That's probably why I hate music." The Defever family spent many years travelling back and forth between the U.S. and Canada before eventually settling outside of Detroit near the Canadian border. Defever's early life was marked by a multitude of physical maladies; he suffered collapsed lungs twice, had pneumonia 4-5 times, a burst appendix, a cyst on his tonsils and asthma. This served to isolate him from other children at school because, as he claims, he was in the hospital so often that no one knew him well enough to befriend him. He has revealed recently in a radio interview in Detroit on WDET that his health finally improved, however, once the family settled in Livonia.
Defever began recording while still in high school, and toured as the bassist of psychobilly
Psychobilly
Psychobilly is a fusion genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. It is one of several subgenres of rockabilly which also include thrashabilly, trashabilly, punkabilly, surfabilly and gothabilly...
rock band Elvis Hitler
Elvis Hitler
Elvis Hitler is a psychobilly/hellbilly band from Detroit, Michigan. The band was named after the moniker of their lead singer, Jim Leedy.-History:...
. He attended Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
for one year, but dropped out to concentrate on music. His classmate Karin Oliver provided vocals for His Name Is Alive until 1998, and on Velour 100's second album.
For many years Defever recorded in the basement of his parents' house, which he later bought from them. There he produced a number of bands, including Godzuki
Godzuki
Godzuki was a rock band from Detroit, Michigan, USA, together between 1993 and 1999.-History:The band was formed in 1993 by Erika Hoffman , Chris "Crispy" Fachini , Dion Fischer , and Scott Michalski...
and Tarnation
Tarnation (band)
Tarnation is an alt-country-goth band, formed by Paula Frazer in late 1992, primarily recording on the 4AD label.-History:Tarnation originally consisted of Frazer on vocals and guitar. In 1993, she was soon joined by Brandan Kearney on lap steel guitar and Brent Johnson on guitar and vocals. Next,...
.
In 2003, Defever opened his own recording studio, Brown Rice, in the Detroit area, where he works as a producer. Along with Davin Brainard, Defever runs a home record label, timeSTEREO.
In 2007, Defever opened a new studio in Detroit called THE UFO FACTORY. Everything inside is spray painted silver.
Defever is known for manipulating unsuspecting interviewers with clever fabrications..