Kurt Riley

Kurt Riley is an American rock and roll songwriter, performer, and musician, based in Ithaca, New York.

Kurt Riley
Born (1987-02-28) February 28, 1987
Holyoke, Massachusetts, United States
OriginMemphis, Tennessee
GenresRock and roll
InstrumentsVocals, guitar, harmonica, bass guitar, keyboard, synthesizer, drums, percussion
Years active2005–present
LabelsNew Vine Records
Associated actsBoots
Websitekurtriley.com

Early life

Riley was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The son of a military father and a homemaker, his family relocated often during his youth, moving to over a dozen locations across the contiguous United States. Upon discovering music while living in Memphis, Tennessee, he became engrossed with early rock and roll and blues, especially the works of Bo Diddley, Jimmy Reed, Chuck Berry, and Muddy Waters. During this time, he began honing his instrumental and compositional skills, teaching himself to play harmonica, guitar, and several other instruments. Later, after moving to Florida, he formed a rhythm and blues group called The Steel Hearts, covering artists such as Larry Williams, the Clash, Eddie Cochran, and Otis Redding. After eighteen months of live performances across South Florida (including a concert at Palm Beach State College), The Steel Hearts disbanded.[1]

Brighthead

Subsequently, Riley began recording and performing as a solo artist; his first album, Brighthead, was recorded and released independently, produced by Boots and his father, Steve Cruz. Working in a home studio located in Coconut Creek, Florida, Riley, Boots and his father utilized both standard rock instruments and esoteric items (such as castanets, a xylophone, and a family choir).[2] Beginning a recurring tradition, Riley designed a custom stage outfit and makeup design for the album. This first costume was called the "Brightsuit."[2]

After the release of Brighthead, Boots also joined Riley onstage for the live debut of the album. Riley organized a live band and began performing in South Florida, but this series of live performances were cut short by what Riley called "unforeseen circumstances."[1]

Kismet

During a subsequent hiatus, Riley returned to Memphis, and graduated from Southwest Tennessee Community College. Subsequently, he completed his baccalaureate work at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he continued his musical career. His sophomore record, the sci-fi concept album Kismet, was produced on Cornell's campus and released to acclaim from Ithaca media, including WVBR,[3] The Ithaca Times,[4] and The Cornell Daily Sun.[5]

Featuring an elaborate plot concerning alien royalty and the future of humanity, Kismet was released through Electric Buffalo Records, an independent record label started by Cornell students. Continuing Riley's DIY ethic, the music videos for Kismet's singles, "Hush Hush Hush"[6] and "Whore,"[7] were shot in the Ithaca Commons.[8] Riley's fascination with science fiction and disparate musical genres were key influences: "I recalled MTV. Bruce Springsteen. Phil Collins. Soft synthpads and rocking guitar anthems. The last decade where it was acceptable for music to be joyful in that naïve old way, before cynicism became de rigueur. That New Wave energy was a true inspiration for Kismet - just as much as the work of ILM, James Horner, and Drew Struzan."[2] The Ithaca Journal ranked Kismet one of the best local albums of 2016,[9] and named Riley as one of the top local live performers of the year.[10]

Tabula Rasa
"Tabula Rasa turns to the spectacle and ennui of current technology, evidenced in trends like the 24-hour news cycles and slacktivism...Riley's music is more often focused on joy and memory, and Riley and his band consistently knock it out of the park with action-packed arrangements and pristine technical chops."

The Cornell Daily Sun, April 30, 2017.

Upon graduating from Cornell, Riley remained in Ithaca, where he continues his musical career. The recording of his third studio album, Tabula Rasa, was funded in part by a grant from the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, New York. Upon its release, Tabula Rasa was well-received by The Cornell Daily Sun,[11] WRFI, and The Ithaca Times.[12] Subsequently, Riley and his band performed at Cornell's Willard Straight Hall and several Ithaca venues in support of the album.

2018 singles

In February 2018, Riley released the single Love Is In My Heart,[13] produced by Grammy Award-winning engineer Will Russell.[14] Subsequently, Magic Tramps and Alan Vega drummer Sesu Coleman[15] joined Riley's band in June of that year,[16] alongside longtime stalwarts Rick Kline (bass/bass synthesizer) and Charlie Jones (synthesizer/keyboards).[17] The band finished 2018 with the release of the upbeat single Be Cool, the final entry in his first artistic phase.

Chrome Empire

2019 saw the start of a new stylistic and musical period, which Riley calls Chrome Empire, described as “if the Rolling Stones had gotten their start as a bar band in the world of ‘Blade Runner.’” [18]

Discography
  • Brighthead (2010)
  • Kismet (2016)
  • Tabula Rasa (2017)
  • Love Is In My Heart (single, February 2018)
  • Failure of Imagination (single, September 2018)
  • Be Cool (single, December 2018)
  • FTR SHK (single, October 2019)
gollark: I'm compiling the spirit quotes into a "text file".
gollark: Everyone else is missing out on the corners.
gollark: Yes, squares, what of it?
gollark: I should do this.
gollark: We need a giant spirit quote database.

References
  1. "About". kurtriley.com. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  2. "Music". kurtriley.com. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  3. "WVBR Interview with Kurt Riley, 10/8/15". YouTube.com. October 8, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  4. "Through Space and Time: The new records by local artists Kurt Riley and Sisu Powder the Moon take flight". ithaca.com. March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  5. "TEST SPIN: Kurt Riley — Kismet". cornellsun.com. March 11, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  6. "Kurt Riley - "Hush Hush Hush"". YouTube.com. October 17, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  7. "Kurt Riley - "Whore"". YouTube.com. October 17, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  8. "The Shape of Things to Come: Electric Buffalo Records". ithaca.com. December 7, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  9. "Return of the Jimmies: Top 16 local CDs of 2016". ithacajournal.com. January 3, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  10. "X Ambassadors top region's 2016 concerts". ithacajournal.com. December 20, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  11. "TEST SPIN: Kurt Riley — Tabula Rasa". cornellsun.com. April 30, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  12. "Star Man: Local rocker Kurt Riley takes off". ithacajournal.com. April 20, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  13. "Love is in the air, and so is a new single from Kurt Riley". 14850.com. February 14, 2018. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  14. "Will Russell-Artist". grammy.com. 2009. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  15. "History". themagictramps.com. October 26, 2018. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  16. "Kurt Riley, Scott "Danger" Bravo to play at Cyber Cafe West in Binghamton". pressconnects.com. October 10, 2018. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  17. "A long way from Nashville: Kurt Riley on love, the Rolling Stones and Jesus Christ". ithaca.com. February 8, 2018. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  18. "Kurt Riley's new era: Local rocker looking to the future by destroying the past". ithaca.com. December 22, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
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