Russ Tolman
Russ Tolman (born August 15, 1956 in Lakeport , California ) is an American singer- songwriter , singer , guitarist , composer , lyricist and music producer .
life and work
Tolman played with his fellow student Steve Wynn in The Suspects (1978-1980) and The Meantime (1980-1981) before he co-founded True West (1982-1986).
Tolman was the guitarist for the group True West from Davis , California , which was part of the wave of guitar rock bands in the early 1980s that, according to the New York Times, were inspired by punk with their "elegiac, driving television - country rock " - Movement and musical influences were primarily drawn from classic rock of the 1960s and 1970s . In Germany, Harald InHülsen praised the group in Musikexpress / Sounds as a recommendation "for the television / Tom Verlaine fan who still has the crystal clear sound of Quicksilver Messenger Service in their back ears."
True West was the great commercial success denied, although they, among others, as the opening act for REM in the US in 1985 on tour were. Demos recorded for EMI America by former television guitarist Tom Verlaine in 1983 did not bring the hoped-for major label contract. A European tour in 1985 brought acclaimed success in Germany and critical acclaim.
Tolman left the band in 1985 and released a variety of solo albums from 1986, musically moving between Americana , rock , west coast rock , folk rock and country rock . True West released another album without Tolman and continued with a duo line-up (Blair & McGrath) as Fool Killers.
Tolman first found a new musical home in England and released his first solo album "Totem Poles and Glory Holes" in 1986 on the Demon Records label, which is supervised by Elvis Costello .
From 1990 to 1992 Russ Tolman had a backing band with The Totem Polemen, who u. a. Dave Provost (ex-The Droogs, Dream Syndicate , Denver Mexicans) was a member.
His classic singer-songwriter style was particularly well received in Europe (France: New Rose Records and Germany: Blue Rose Records).
Reasons that he stands out from the multitude of singer-songwriters are his distinctive voice, which is sometimes reminiscent of George Jones , his musical versatility and his witty and self-ironic lyrics.
His friend Brett Gurewitz ( Bad Religion ) produced various albums. He was supported by the creme de la creme of the US desert rock and West Coast independent scene.
Tolman himself produced a number of emerging young bands from the US independent scene, such as 28th Day (with Barbara Manning), The Popealopes and The Downsiders.
Among other things, he works closely as a songwriter with his former fellow student Steve Wynn on several albums, who also co-produced his solo album "City Lights".
In 1998 Tolman went on an extensive European tour with Sid Griffin (ex-Long Ryders) & Band.
From 1998 Tolman worked primarily in the music industry and founded the record companies Innerstate Records and RUNT together with Pat Thomas (ex-Absolute Gray, Heyday Records, Normal Records). Together with Nikki Sudden , he oversaw the preparation of unpublished recordings of Epic soundtracks .
In 2005 True West reunited with Tolman as guitarist, which was followed by concerts in the opening act of the Violent Femmes on the west coast.
Russ Tolman lives in the Los Angeles area .
Discography
- Russ Tolman with True West
- "True West" EP 1983 Bring Out Your Dead (USA)
- "Hollywood Holiday" 1983 New Rose (F)
- “Drifters” LP 1984 Zippo (UK) resp. PVC / Passport (USA)
- “TV Western” 1990 LP / CD CD Skyclad (USA)
Side A: EMI Records-demos recorded Dec. 1983 @ Bearsville Studios, produced by Tom Verlaine, Side B: Live at Rex Club, Paris France May 1985 - "Best Western" CD (rarities, outtakes)
- “West Side story” LP / CD 1989 Skyclad (USA) (Rarities, outtakes)
- Russ Tolman solo
- “Totem poles and glory holes” LP 1986 Down There-Restless (USA) & Demon (UK)
- “Down in Earthquake Town” LP 1988 Skyclad (USA) & Demon (UK)
- “Goodbye Joe” LP / CD 1990 New Rose (F) & Skyclad (USA)
- "Road Movie" CD 1992 New Rose (F)
- “Sweet Spot” CD 1994 Red River (D)
- “City Lights” CD 1998 Blue Rose (D)
- “New Quadraphonic Highway” CD 2000 Blue Rose (D)
- “Goodbye El Dorado” CD 2019 Blue Rose (D) & Lost Records (USA)
- Russ Tolman - Special Publications
- Various artists - "Live At The Kremlin Volume One" LP / CD New Rose Records ROSE247 1991 (concert recordings from November 13-16, 1990 in the Espace André Malraux, Kremlin-Bicètre, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of New Rose Records, includes Russ Tolman with "Vegas")
- "Live At The Shop" Cassette RUSS 01 1992 Get Happy !! Records (live recording of a concert on November 11, 1992 in the Get Happy! Record store, Frankfurt am Main, limited to 20 copies)
- Russ Tolman as a producer
- The Downsiders - “All my friends are fish” LP 1988 Mammoth (USA) (Russ Tolman plays lead guitar on “She's alright”)
- The Popealopes - "An adder's tale" LP 1988 Skyclad (USA) & Resonance (NL)
- The Popealopes - "Kerosene" LP 1990 Skyclad (USA)
swell
- Press biographies of the record companies Demon Records (UK), New Rose (F), Blue Rose (D)
- Article in "Bucketful of Brains" (UK) 1987
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=3958&name=True+West music critic Robert Christgau in New York Times 1984
- ↑ Musikexpress / Sounds 7/1985
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Tolman, Russ |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American singer-songwriter, singer, guitarist, record producer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 15th August 1956 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Lakeport , California, USA |