Piney Gir

Piney Gir
Piney Gir

Birth name Angela Penhaligon
Origin Kansas City, United States
Genres Electronic, country, indie, Americana, rock, indie pop
Years active 2003—present
Associated acts The Piney Gir Country Roadshow
The Schla La Las
Website Official Site
Members Garo Nahoulakian, Joe Smith, Mike Smith, Nick 'Growler' Fowler, Alex Gold, Mike Monaghan, Sarah Williams, Emma Brammer, Amy Ashworth, and sometimes Matt Lewsey, Harry Deacon, Katrin Geilhausen and Georgina 'George' Terry
Past members Alex Mayor, Barny Rockford, Henry Bird, Ninki V, Joanna Arnold, Ian Kellett, Dave Howell, Simon Byrt, Dave Fisher, Leo Whetter, Al Knell, Jamie Lockhart, A Scholar and a Physician, Steve Dawson, Oli Horton, Ash Verjee, Anne-Marie Gilkes, Steve Brummell, Will Byers, John Greswell, Andrew Mitchell

Piney Gir (pronounced "gear"), often shortened to Piney, is an American musician and singer, born in Kansas but based in London, England since 1998. She has released six studio albums.

Piney's musical style is predominately edgy indie-pop, although she has been described both as a musical “chameleon[1]" and as “the indie Dolly Parton[2]".

Piney is an established figure on the London music scene, and has toured extensively including appearances at Glastonbury festival, South by Southwest and CMJ music festival. She has collaborated with artists including Andy Ramsay of Stereolab, Rob Campanella from The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Eamon Hamilton from the band Brakes and British Sea Power and Simple Kid, and was a member of cult all-girl band The Schla La Las. Her songs have appeared on Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Hit & Miss, Made in Chelsea, Misfits, Drifters, Waterloo Road, Being Human, Fried, Talking to the Dead, What Remains, Switch and in feature films: Nina Forever, You're Not You, C’e Chi Dice No and American Girl.

Musical career

Piney was raised in the Bible Belt of Midwest America and secular music was forbidden to her. As a teenager, Piney rebelled against this upbringing and went to university where she majored in music with drums then voice as her instruments. When she moved to London she joined synth pop band Vic Twenty (now defunct). Vic Twenty released a single on Mute records label Credible Sexy Units and toured the UK and Europe with Erasure.

Discography

Peakahokahoo

Released on Truck Records (2004).

The album is electronica in style, and features Simple Kid. The album was extensively toured, including a slot supporting Erasure on a month-long European tour, and a session for Mark Radcliffe on BBC Radio 2.

Singles from Peakahokahoo

Hold Yer Horses

Released on Truck Records (2006).

Whilst touring Peakahokahoo, Piney was offered a support slot at a working men’s club with an Americana band and decided to try playing country versions of her songs. This led to the formation of The Piney Gir Country Roadshow, and the release of Hold Yer Horses. The album was selected as one of the top five of 2006 by Phill Jupitus in the 5 December issue of Radio Times magazine, saying, "the stomp and twang of these songs of love and life are unmissable".

Singles from Hold Yer Horses

The Yearling

Released on Hotel Records (2009).

After releasing the electro-quirk album Peakahokahoo and alt-country album Hold Yer Horses, Piney married the two styles together to create folktronic fusion album The Yearling, which combines the twang and heartbreak of country music with eclectic beats, lo-fi synths and found sounds. Album track and single, Of All The Wonderful Things, features Eamon Hamilton from Brakes (band) and British Sea Power. Album track Miss Havisham features in the film You're Not You starring Hilary Swank. The album secured radio sessions with Mark Radcliffe, Marc Riley and Cerys Mathews on BBC Radio 6 Music. Piney toured the UK extensively with The Yearling: she supported The Hidden Cameras on a UK tour as well as supporting The Research on a UK tour, played SXSW Festival in Austin Texas and Slottsfjell Festival in Norway.

Singles from The Yearling

Jesus Wept

Released on Damaged Goods (2010).

Piney Gir in Country Roadshow mode

The second Piney Gir Country Roadshow album evolves from the classic, old-fashioned Nashville Sound of Hold Yer Horses into a more Laurel Canyon, country-rock style with a modern twist. A lot of this album was written on tour by Piney with the Roadshow in the back of the tour van and in various venue dressing rooms. Half of the album captures a sunny California vibe, while the other half has a dark murder ballad edge to it. Jesus Wept was recorded at Bark Studio in Walthamstow with Brian O'Shaunghessy known for his work with Primal Scream, Denim and My Bloody Valentine. The album features collaborations with members of Danny and the Champions of the World and Fionn Regan’s band. The Piney Gir Country Roadshow toured the UK extensively to promote the album and Piney played SXSW festival, as well as the UK festival circuit. Single, 40 Days ‘n’ Nights, was used in Italian indie film Some Say No directed by Giambattista Avellino.

Singles from Jesus Wept

Geronimo!

Different hair, same Piney Gir

Released on Damaged Goods (2011).

Geronimo! was recorded in early 2011 in Los Angeles with Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Rob Campanella. Garo Nahoulakian was lead guitarist, arranger and co-produced the album. Nelson Bragg (percussionist for The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson) played percussion on most songs on the album. The album was recorded almost completely live over six days. It has a reverb-drenched, analogue, 1960s sound.

Piney toured the UK and also America for the first time playing CMJ Festival as well as dates on the East Coast, West Coast and Chicago. She did an interview on NPR’s Weekend Edition and played NPR’s Mountain Stage in West Virginia alongside Will Oldham. She played Glastonbury Festival and was joined on stage by her former band mates Georgina 'George' Terry and Katrin Geilhausen from all-girl, art-rock band The Schla La Las.

Outta Site was playlisted at BBC 6 music and on Amazing Radio. It was supported by DJs including Lauren Laverne, Mark Radcliffe, Gideon Coe and Simon Raymonde. Oh Lies was used on ABC ‘s Private Practice. Outta Site, Stay Sweet and Oh Lies were used on Misfits (E4), Made In Chelsea (E4), Being Human (BBC), Waterloo Road (BBC) and Switch (ITV).

Singles from Geronimo!

mR. hYDE’S wILD rIDE

Released on Damaged Goods (UK) & Greyday (USA) (2015).

Piney's sixth studio album was partly recorded in Andy Ramsey (of Stereolab)’s studio and features Andy on drums for select tracks as well as members of Gaz Coombes's live band and Emiliana Torrini’s band.

The album channels 60s beat pop with a touch of Kraut rock, which creates a retro-futuristic angle. There’s a grungey riot grrl edge to it with growling, distorted guitars and there’s a synthy edge to it too, using vintage space echo, marimba, omnichord and pocket piano; they combine to create euphoric shimmering indie to reinforce riff-led guitar pop.

Singles from mR. hYDE’S wILD rIDE

Other releases

Compilations

Collaborations

Awards

I'm Letting In The Sunshine (2012) - Piney did a rendition of I’m Letting In The Sunshine which was featured on the TV series “Hit & Miss” starring Chloe Sevigney. This usage won Piney a Music and Sound Award (both UK and International Awards) for best TV sync. This song was also used in the closing credits of feature film “Nina Forever” which premièred at SXSW in 2015.

References

  1. ↑ Uncut magazine, 15 September 2006
  2. ↑ Culture Deluxe 18 October 2010

External links

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