Billy Atwell profile picture

Billy Atwell

I Specialize In Non-Silence

About Me


PROMOTIONAL CLIP FOR "Dos"
"Grave" music video from the "Dos" bonus CD
"Amazing Grace" music video from the "Dos" bonus CD
"Abstract II" music video from the "Dos" bonus CD

Myspace Layouts - Myspace Editor


PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL BEFORE SENDING A FRIEND REQUEST.
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR COOPERATION!
Who am I and what am I doing on myspace, you ask? I am:
AN EXPERIENCED COMPOSER / PRODUCER/ FILMSCORER / MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST SEEKING COLLABORATIONS AND GIGS!!!
Need an accomplished guitarist that can double on lapsteel, electric sitar or baritone guitar and then gracefully switch to djembe, doumbek, tablas or bodhran for a few tunes? Need a solid and creative drummer to support your songs or push the envelope of your ensemble? One that can also supply interesting colors for an uplugged set on percussion or misc. stringed instruments? I'm always up for a challenge!
Furthermore: Are you an aspiring or accomplished singer/songwriter looking for an eclectic and adaptable collaborator/producer/engineer to make up for you not having the finances to hire an entire band or the time to put one together? Then hit me up! I'm affordable, friendly and completely professional. I also have a solid network of industry contacts that can hear your music and hopefully get you plugged into the biz without months of scraping down the highway in a used van. And of course I have my own studio. Convinced? Most certainly! I look forward to hearing from you!
Visit www.myspace.com/ampaudio or www.ampaudio.net for bookings.
"There's no easy way to describe the immense and wildly varied talent that Billy Atwell possesses. He is a modern-day renaissance man, a multi-instrumentalist of stunning range. He's a complex composer, with deep roots in punk… and he sports a tattoo of Mozart on his arm. Billy crafts the most amazing filmic soundscapes that bring to mind the works of Bill Laswell, Cliff Martinez, and David Torn. You need to listen to a number of tracks to fully begin to understand. One moment you'll be treated to a deeply textured, multi-layered piece only to be stunned the next moment by a dark and edgy wall of sound. His music spans the entire gamut of color and emotion…and the most remarkable feat is that he plays all the instruments, creates all the loops and is the engineer as well." (as quoted by Daniel House, www.downloadweed.com )* * * *
Don't forget to check out my 100% improv trio Blanche Mayhem by logging onto myspace.com/blanchemayhemtrio. I'm playing drums and bits of ambient weirdness! I can also be heard drumming with producer/engineer Martin Bisi's quartet provided you visit myspace.com/theendcredits. THANKS!!!
****NOTE RE: FRIEND REQUESTS, PARTICULARLY "BANDS"****
I am not into helping you stack your stats to impress some A&R rep just cuz you've got some tailgater spamming the lot of myspace for "fans" (i.e. "Friends") in exchange for merch and a guest list privy. I'm not into the popularity game or numbers for number's sake aspect of myspace. If there is some thread of selectivity for someone of my disposition or a common influence, geographic location, a favorite food or pet with someone in your ensemble, by all means Friend me up. I'm not afraid of a little respectful solidarity. Actually, I welcome it. As you will find with the right protocol I can be a very gracious person with my time and resources.
REMEMBER: PLEASE WRITE FIRST BEFORE SENDING A FRIEND REQUEST. I WILL DO THE SAME FOR YOU. THANKS!

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/22/2005
Band Website: billyatwell.com
Band Members: Most of the time me, Me, ME. Just 'cuz it's convenient. And FUN! Am I allowed to have fun? Does that make me an insular, megalomaniacal control freak??? Whatever. Lots of great players out there but I can't invite 'em over at 2am when inspiration strikes. Most of the time I'm usually grabbing instruments strewn about the studio...drum machines...indigenous percussion (tablas, doumbeks, djembes, frame drums and shakers galore), guitars of many tunings (acoustic, electric, baritone, lapsteel, fretless and fretted basses) and all sorts of manipulated sound from "adult" audio to power tools to pastoral sermons to ritual chants of disappearing cultures. By the time I think about who could play it better it's already done. But then again, most "open minded" musicians I know are oddly myopic and regurgitate primary shapes and colors of the last 5 albums they bought. Not my trip at all. As a matter of fact, circle, square and triangle doesn't get me going anymore than red, blue and yellow.

You can take that to the bank!
Influences: My wife, daughter and extended family (not that they have any albums out, but...) / Salvador Dali / White Zombie / Patsy Cline / Miles Davis / Erik Satie / Bad Brains / Sam Shepard / Ministry / Willie Nelson / Thelonious Monk / W.A. Mozart / KISS / Marty Robbins / Antonio Carlos Jobim / Samuel Barber / Godflesh / Dwight Yoakam / Django Reinhardt / Bo Diddley / Ludwig Van Beethoven / Mick Harris (scorn/Lull and w/Eraldo Bernocchi) / "HAGAKURE" / Minor Threat / John Lee Hooker / Aerosmith (TITA/ROCKS era) / The Police / Master Musicians of Jajouka / Skin Yard / King Crimson / Faron Young / Government Issue / Ry Cooder / Max Roach / Kodo Drummers / Joel-Peter Witkin / Led Zeppelin / Sade / Public Image, Ltd. (Flowers of Romance!) / Meat Puppets / Iqbal Yogi and Party / The Who (w/Keith Moon ONLY!) / Van Halen (DLR...ONLY!) / Gang of Four (w/Hugo Burnham ONLY!) / Big Boys / Cypress Hill / Blind Willie Johnson / Krzystof Penderecki / The Dhammapada / The Birthday Party / Pantera (R.I.P. Dimebag!) / Black Flag / Johnny Cash and the T2 / Gracian's Art of Worldly Wisdom / Dead Kennedys / J.S. Bach / Hank Williams / Motorhead / Scratch Acid / Igor Stravinsky / Jane's Addiction / Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys / Rapeman / ZZ Top / Rhythm Pigs / Bill Laswell / Bela Bartok / Henry Mancini / Michael Hedges / DEVO! / Helmet / Carl Stalling / Henry Rollins / Chuck Berry / D.R.I. / early XTC / Santo and Johnny / Fear / Alice In Chains / Run/DMC / Cliff Martinez / Ramones / Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown / Ramon Ayala y Los Bravos Del Norte / Sex Pistols / Antonio Vivaldi / & oh yeah, - Jimi Hendrix!!!
Sounds Like: "TALKING ABOUT MUSIC IS LIKE DANCING ABOUT ARCHITECTURE." - TWYLA THARP -

Nonetheless ......Sleep deprivation / God and The Devil / Discipline / Spiteful self-destruction / Premium tequila buzz / Post-Zinfandel bliss / Chili-induced endorphin rush / Cataleptic purging / Caffeine jitters / The M.O.M.A. poured into yer ear / Claustrophobia / Deep space / Sickness / Health / Master / Maker / Artist / Faker / Silent screams / Choral praises / Sound mind / And manic phrases...OKAY!!! Everyone out of the pool!

Just take a LISTEN, OKAY??? :)
Record Label: AMP Audio
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Killer Jawbox tribute for Cal Robbins

Way back my old band th' Inbred played gigs and got super friendly with one of DC's finest, Government Issue. Their bass player, the enigmatic J Robbins started up Jawbox, Burning Airlines and a rathe...
Posted by Billy Atwell on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:58:00 PST

Exhibit B: The OTHER book I am reading...

This teaches you how to pierce the heart. Literally. "19. Rapidity is the essence of war: take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots...
Posted by Billy Atwell on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:38:00 PST

Exhibit A: What I'm reading

This book teaches one how to "awaken the heart"...
Posted by Billy Atwell on Fri, 22 Jun 2007 07:55:00 PST

A TEXAS TALE OF TREASON film download!

Hey y'all, Former bassist/vocalist of Rhythm Pigs Ed Ivey got me into a production he was working on. A cool soundtrack gig. Ed actually had a speaking role in it and did a fabulous job. For some weir...
Posted by Billy Atwell on Wed, 20 Jun 2007 04:50:00 PST

The Papermill MOVIE

Photographer/Artist Marc Reed (http://www.marcreed.com) and I have just finished a tasty collaboration. It's called "The Papermill" and will be showing at various film festivals this year including th...
Posted by Billy Atwell on Mon, 21 May 2007 10:55:00 PST

MY NEW CD "Dos"

Hey Friends, Just wanted to let you know it's official. I have just released a CD containing many tracks from the myspace player over the past year and some old favorites showcasing my works for film,...
Posted by Billy Atwell on Tue, 20 Feb 2007 03:59:00 PST

Chew me up...Go ahead

As of 12 midnight tonight I will be drumming nearly 9 out of the following 24 hours on gigs at 3 venues in 2 states and on 2 hours of sleep. Pick 6 Lottery: 12-9-24-3-2-2 "Even if...
Posted by Billy Atwell on Fri, 21 Jul 2006 06:01:00 PST

Violent, flying pianos in my sleep

Overcast rolling thunderhead consumes semi-tropical, art deco penthouse condominium in downtown metropolitan area. Miami, is it? Piano legend manufacturer oddly stores excess inventory on adjacent roo...
Posted by Billy Atwell on Wed, 10 May 2006 08:29:00 PST