| Conor Oberst |
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Conor Mullen Oberst (born February 15 , 1980 ) is an American Singer-songwriter best known for his work as Bright Eyes . He has also played in several Indie Rock bands, including Desaparecidos , Commander Venus and Park Ave. , and is co-founder and executive partner in the Independent Record Label s Team Love and Saddle Creek . MUSICAL CAREER AND PERSONAL LIFE Beginnings Oberst was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska . His parents are Matthew Oberst, Sr., an information manager for Mutual Of Omaha , and Nancy Oberst, an Elementary School Principal . He grew up with two older brothers, Justin Oberst, a Lawyer , and Matthew Oberst, Jr. , a Musician best known for his band Sorry About Dresden . Oberst's mother claims that he was banging on the Piano and singing since he was two years old. Besides his brother Matt, Oberst's father was also a musican who played Guitar and piano for various Cover Band s in his youth, and together they began teaching Oberst to play guitar at the age of 10. By the time he knew two chords, he was already writing songs. Around that time, he also found the Antiquarium, a record store in Omaha that served as a mecca for other musicians. Oberst began his musical career at 12-years-old while attending to tape in his parents' basement with his father's four track cassette recorder and an acoustic guitar. In school he was known as an introvert and was picked on for not being interested in things like football. He hated his high school experience at Creighton Prep as he felt his Jesuit school mates were not accepting of his artistic leanings. He recounts his "horrers" in numerous interviews. In mid- 1993 , Oberst self-released his Debut Album '' Water '', on Cassette Tape . The release of the album was financed by Oberst's brother Justin on what they called Lumberjack Records , the very same Indie Label that would become Saddle Creek , making them Founder s and present day Executive s of the successful label. Six months later in early 1994 , Oberst released his Sophomore Album , '' Here's To Special Treatment '', on the Omaha-based Sing, Eunuchs! label. Shortly after his two solo recordings, Oberst began playing with Tim Kasher (of Cursive and The Good Life ) and Matt Bowen (of The Faint ). The three formed Commander Venus in mid- 1995 . ''Here's to Special Treatment'' was followed by 1996 's '' The Soundtrack To My Movie '', a cassette only releases on Sing Eunuchs!. '' Kill The Monster Before It Eats The Baby '', a split 7" vinyl with Bill Hoover, was also released around this time. Although he was very pleased with his output at the that time these recordings were made, he has since passed them off as "laughable." {Link without Title} . Many considered the young Oberst gifted and pushed him to keep going even when he seemed ready to give up. Norman Bailer (The Faint) In 1994 after A ''Slowdown Virginia'' show Oberst and friends Joel Petersen , Todd Fink (formerly known as Todd Baechle ) and Clark Baechle decided to form a band. A few days later Oberst told his friends they had a show in two weeks at Kilgore’s. Despite the fact that the group had never played any songs together, they managed to produce nine songs to perform. Wanting to stray away from the popular aggressive rock these nine songs were light rock which were… well… weird. One day at practice Oberst allegedly quit the band. Then at a band practice returned like nothing had happened. So the other member wouldn’t let him back in the band. Contrary to the bands explanation of Obersts removal Oberst claims he was kicked out. This has not stopped him from touring with the band as a opener during the strange drug fueled Digital Ash In A Digital Urn tour. Commander Venus Oberst formed the rock band ) and ''The Uneventful Vacation''. The latter is considered by many to be a seminal work in the Emo genre. Kasher left the group as they were about to go in to the studio to record their second album, and was replaced by Ben Armstrong. In 1998 , just as the band was beginning to receive some attention, Commander Venus broke up. One can assume that the split was amicable, due to that fact that they have all worked together on various projects since. Park Ave. In January 1996 , Oberst began flexing his multi-instrumentalism by playing drums in a group named Park Ave. , along side Baechle, Jenn Bernard , Neely Jenkins (now in the group Tilly And The Wall ), Jamie Williams (also in Tilly and the Wall). Although Conor and Clark were both in their early teens, the rest of the band was well in to their college years. The group only played between 10 and 15 shows and made a handful of recordings (several of them with Mike Mogis as producer). The group disbanded in 1998 when Williams, the singer and primary songwriter, moved to London , England . In 1999 , Urinine Records released their only album, ''When Jamie Went to London...We Broke Up'', which has also now been re-released under Team-Love. Bright Eyes Oberst has been linked to a Memphis recording studio according to newsgroup postings which have many thinking his next album may be country and reflect Cat Power 's latest album Oberst is currently involved in a boycott of Clear Channel Communications . His broadcast television performances include a spot on '' The Tonight Show With Jay Leno '' in March 2005 , which sparked controversy with his performance of the incendiary "When the President Talks to God", '' The Late Show With David Letterman '', on which he performed "The Trees Get Wheeled Away", and his guitar-smashing performance of "Road to Joy" on '' The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson ''. His television performances are always noteworthy. Oberst was a member of the Vote For Change tour in 2004 with Bruce Springsteen and REM . He has recently started his own label, Team Love, which is currently hosting bands such as Tilly And The Wall , Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins and David Dondero . The tour for the Digital Ash In A Digital Urn was perhaps the most original of his tours, but was hurt by sound problems at many venues. Conor grew his hair out and seemed increasingly strange. Many felt he was developing a serious drug problem. An internet rumour during this tour said Conor was heading towards an emotional breakdown. Oberst apparently suffered stagefright before a show in Toronto during the Digita Ash In A Digital Urn tour and delayed the show. Oberst apologized for calling the then-recently-deceased John Peel a "cokehead" from the stage of 2005's Glastonbury Festival {Link without Title} . Oberst was also called out by many for increasing ticket prices on his last US tour. Tickets were up to $30 in some markets which is very high for an idie artist. This has led many to call Conor a "sell-out." Desaparecidos Oberst is also guitarist and singer for the band Desaparecidos . The music and lyrics of Desaparecidos differ greatly from Bright Eyes, having more in common with Punk Rock than Folk . The lyrics are generally social commentary on the state of affairs in America and the pitfalls of suburban lifestyle, as opposed to the more introspective lyrics of Bright Eyes. SADDLE CREEK AND TEAM LOVE Oberst is one of the founding members of the Independent Record Label Saddle Creek Records , which hosts and has hosted bands including Cursive , Desaparecidos , The Faint , Rilo Kiley (who left to start their own label Brute/Beaute Records), Bright Eyes , Son Ambulance , Azure Ray , The Good Life , Sorry About Dresden , among others. Oberst also founded the Team-Love record label, which he released bands the other front men on Saddle-Creek dissaproved; such as Tilly and the Wall, Willy Mason, Team Rigge, etc. INFLUENCES Oberst was drawn to music at a very early age, partly thanks to his older brother's penchant for bands like The Cure . He has cited their greatest hits album, Staring At The Sea as the first album he ever bought, as well as one of his most favorite. "It must have been third grade...I bought the Cassette at a local record store chain called Homer's in Omaha. I just loved the sound of { Robert Smith 's} voice. It just sounded good." {Link without Title} He was also heavily influenced by the 1960's Folk Revival and lists Bob Dylan , Leonard Cohen , and country singer Emmylou Harris as major influences. Oberst worked on the I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning album with Harris and covered Bob Dylan 's "Girl From The North Country" in concert. When asked about being compared to Bob Dylan he responded that "there are worse things to be called." He also throws a reference to Dylan's "Only A Pawn in their game" in "Let's Not Shit Ourselves." DISCOGRAPHY Conor Oberst (pre-Bright Eyes) Other bands SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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