
Thea Gilmore was born in 1979, with music in her blood, of Anglo-Irish parents and with a strong musical influence from artists such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and The Beatles.
She began writing poetry and music at an early age but always, somewhere in her home in Oxfordshire, music played with the constant effect of shaping and flavouring her tastes. Tapping away at a keyboard and writing poetry soon turned to song writing. Music began to rule her life and soon the doodling on the keyboard turned into strumming on an old guitar.
As she grew so did her tastes to encompass true risk-takers like The Replacements, Tom Waits and Elvis Costello. The songs began to flow and the time soon arrived to work at a local studio, Thea left home and quickly discovered that if she wanted to make music her life she’d have to go about it differently.
“I figured that there weren’t many people having sustained careers in the music industry any more. I wanted a chance to develop my music at a pace that suited me, not to be bound by industry standards. So I hooked up with people I really trusted, Nigel Stonier my producer who I met at the studio and my manager Sara Austin. We all decided the hard way was the only way!”
Thea’s first album was released in 1999 on her very own Shameless label and was entitled ‘Burning Dorothy’. It received high acclaim from virtually every corner of the music business.
“vituperative, elegant and sharp as a tack”
-The ObserverNowadays acts and artists usually go down familiar routes when it comes to releasing albums. It goes something like this.
Year one tour.
Year Two record album.
Year Three release album
Year four have over long holiday
Year five return to studio to knob twiddle.
One year after her first album Thea released her second: ‘The Lipstick Conspiracies’ was released in 2000 and again got virtual blanket approval.
In 2001 Thea met stridently independent label boss Ian Brown from Flying Sparks Records and released what many have described as her breakthrough album. ‘Rules For Jokers’ which was an acoustically driven album with a thoughtful feel which saw her gather even more critical acclaim, afforded her a slot on Later with Jools Holland.
‘This is a stunningly fine album’
**** UNCUTNot content to rest on her laurels Thea then went to work on her fourth album which she released exclusively on the internet in 2002 (no surprises there then!). The album was entitled ‘Songs From The Gutter’. This was no acoustic follow up but rather a raw and raucous blast of an album. Backed by a paired back four piece band it rattled the walls and shook the windows. Arriving when it did, this album had no real home to go to, and has previously only been available at live gigs.
‘One of the most intelligent and provocative English singer/songwriters around’.
-MojoFollowing upon her album-a-year work ethic, 23-year-old Thea Gilmore signed a new deal with indie label, Hungry Dog Records. She then released her fifth and undoubtedly the best album of her career…
’Avalanche’ was an album of twelve extraordinary songs of majestical musical insight and a mature depth from one of the country’s major artists that belied her years and wooed even the most hard-bitten of musical journos
‘Have you heard the towers are shaking/heard the bible isn’t true/have you heard that you’re mistaken/to want something to cling to’ from ‘Avalanche’- ‘Have You Heard’
‘I like to play with genres. I don’t believe in classification.. So this time around I made a full band album with lots of quirky tics in it and the next album will be different again. I don’t want anyone to expect me to follow some unwritten formula. Keeping my output diverse has been a major part of my career. It keeps me fresh and keeps everyone on their toes... I never did like boxes!’
“some kind of genius” -Logo‘Avalanche’ was a coming-of-age from a young songwriter. One who had chosen an independent stance. An individual who had no problem in NOT flocking with the herd but preferred roaming free.
“I love you like the tarmac loves the kiss of morning traffic”Since then Thea has released a number of other albums and appears to be someone who enjoys the work ethic. She even toured whilst heavily pregnant.
If you like your music with punch, power and passion then Thea Gilmore is for you.
Here is a list of her album releases:
Burning Dorothy (1998)
The Lipstick Conspiracies (2000)
Rules For Jokers (2001)
Songs From The Gutter (2002)
Avalanche (2003)
UK #62
Loft Music (2003)
Harpo's Ghost (2006) UK #69 (illustrated)
Liejacker (2008)
Recorded Delivery (2009)
The fourth track on my distinctly alternative Brit Rock CD is "Resurrection Man"
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aNOtHEr dIp INtO ThE mAGpIE mEMOrY pOOoL.