Wild Light
Encyclopedia
Wild Light is a four-piece band from New Hampshire
composed of multi-instrumentalists/vocalists Tim Kyle and Seth Pitman, guitarist/vocalist Jordan Alexander, and drummer Seth Kasper. The band formed in 2005 and released its first full-length album, Adult Nights, in March 2009.
in New Hampshire
, where he shared a room with Win Butler
- future lead singer of Arcade Fire. Tim met Win through Jordan, and after high school Tim moved to Montreal
to start the first incarnation of what would become Arcade Fire with Win and Josh Deu, the artist behind the Adult Nights cover. Tim left the group after a year, and in 2005 Kasper, Seth, Jordan and Tim reunited to form Wild Light. Through their relationship with Arcade Fire, the two bands toured extensively throughout Europe in late 2007. In the summer of 2008, Wild Light traveled to Los Angeles
and entered the recording studios to work with producer Rob Schnapf
(Elliott Smith
, Beck
) on their debut album, Adult Nights (StarTime International), released March 3, 2009.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
composed of multi-instrumentalists/vocalists Tim Kyle and Seth Pitman, guitarist/vocalist Jordan Alexander, and drummer Seth Kasper. The band formed in 2005 and released its first full-length album, Adult Nights, in March 2009.
Biography
Wild Light began almost fifteen years ago when Tim and Jordan began making music together in elementary school. In high school, they joined with Seth Pitman and Seth Kasper to form a band. Jordan attended Phillips Exeter AcademyPhillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, where he shared a room with Win Butler
Win Butler
Win Butler is the lead vocalist and songwriter of the Montreal-based indie rock band Arcade Fire. His wife Régine Chassagne and his brother William Butler are both members of the band.-Life and career:...
- future lead singer of Arcade Fire. Tim met Win through Jordan, and after high school Tim moved to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to start the first incarnation of what would become Arcade Fire with Win and Josh Deu, the artist behind the Adult Nights cover. Tim left the group after a year, and in 2005 Kasper, Seth, Jordan and Tim reunited to form Wild Light. Through their relationship with Arcade Fire, the two bands toured extensively throughout Europe in late 2007. In the summer of 2008, Wild Light traveled to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and entered the recording studios to work with producer Rob Schnapf
Rob Schnapf
Rob Schnapf is an American record producer and musician. He was the co-producer of Elliott Smith's albums Either/Or, XO , Figure 8 and From a Basement on the Hill, for which he was recruited by Smith's family to complete after Smith's death.Schnapf, along with Rothrock and partner...
(Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith
Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and resided for a significant portion of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity...
, Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
) on their debut album, Adult Nights (StarTime International), released March 3, 2009.
2007
- In 2007, the band opened for Arcade Fire and LCD SoundsystemLCD SoundsystemLCD Soundsystem was a prominent American dance-punk band from New York City. It was fronted by American singer-songwriter and producer James Murphy, co-founder of record label DFA Records...
at the Hollywood BowlHollywood BowlThe Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
and Shoreline AmphitheatreShoreline AmphitheatreShoreline Amphitheatre is an outdoor amphitheater, in Mountain View, California, USA, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Inside the venue it has a capacity of 22,500, with 6,500 reserved seats and 16,000 general admission on the lawn...
in CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia 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...
, as well as Randall's IslandRandall's IslandRandall's Island is situated in the East River in New York City, part of the borough of Manhattan. It is separated from Manhattan island on the west by the river's main channel, from Queens on the east by the Hell Gate, and from the Bronx on the north by the Bronx Kill. It is joined to Wards...
in New York CityNew York CityNew 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...
. They joined Arcade Fire on their full European tour in October 2007, starting in Dublin, IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and ending in mid-November with three dates at LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Alexandra Palace. That year, the band also released a four song, self-titled EP.
2008
- In early 2008 they opened for The StillsThe StillsThe Stills were a Canadian rock band from Montreal, Quebec, formed in 2000. The band consists of Tim Fletcher , Dave Hamelin , Olivier Corbeil , and Liam O'Neil , Gregory Paquet .-History:The band members have known each other since the age of...
on a short tour, and made their debut at Austin’s South by SouthwestSouth by SouthwestSouth by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
Music Festival where they were featured on Steve LamacqSteve LamacqSteve Lamacq , sometimes known by his nicknames Lammo or "The Cat" is an English disc jockey, currently working with the BBC radio stations BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2.-Early career:He was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire...
’s BBC 6 MusicBBC 6 MusicBBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
show. In December 2008, the band won Outstanding Rock Act of The Year at the Boston Music Awards.
2009
- In early 2009, Wild Light opened for Tapes 'n TapesTapes 'n Tapes-History:Formed in the winter of 2003 at Carleton College, the band has released four albums. First came the self-released Tapes 'n Tapes EP in 2004, followed by the full-length release, The Loon, on Ibid Records in 2005. The band signed to XL Recordings and re-released The Loon on July 25, 2006...
on its US tour. The band went on to play SXSW again in March 2009, becoming one of the festival's most notable acts of the year, according to Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
.
- From April to May of 2009, Wild Light opened for The Killers on the first leg of their worldwide tour.
- The band also did a collaboration with The Killers on the latter's Christmas single, "¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe!" which also features Mariachi el BronxThe Bronx (band)The Bronx is an American hardcore punk band from Los Angeles formed in 2002. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist Matt Caughthran, guitarists Joby J. Ford and Ken Horne, bass guitarist Brad Magers, and drummer Jorma Vik...
. The single was released on December 1, 2009.
Singles
- "California on My Mind" (2009)
- "Happy Birthday Guadalupe" (with The Killers and Mariachi el BronxThe Bronx (band)The Bronx is an American hardcore punk band from Los Angeles formed in 2002. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist Matt Caughthran, guitarists Joby J. Ford and Ken Horne, bass guitarist Brad Magers, and drummer Jorma Vik...
) (2009)