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| Neko Case |
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"I just kind of figured out what the ingredients were beforehand and not necessarily what was going to come out in the end."
-Neko Case
| Date of Birth: September 8, 1970 |
| Birthplace: Alexandria, Virginia |
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| Neko Case is an accomplished singer, songwriter and musician who has made her mark in many musical genres, from punk to country. She's released four successful solo albums to date -- The Virginian (1997), Furnace Room Lullaby (2000), Blacklisted (2002), and Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (2006). She is also a member of the groups The New Pornographers and The Corn Sisters. |
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| Neko Case's unique talent presents us with a sonorous smorgasbord we can't get enough of, while her equally unusual personality makes her all the more difficult to forget. |
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Neko Case was born on September 8, 1970, in Alexandria, Virginia. Her family is of Ukrainian descent -- their surname was changed from Shefschenko when the family immigrated to America in the 1940s. During her youth, Neko moved constantly, living all over North America, but spent the most time in Tacoma, Washington, which she considers her hometown.
Neko certainly got out in the world early. She left home at 15, and by the time she was 18 years old, she was playing the drums in several punk bands, most notably cub. But it wasn't until 1994, when she joined the girl-band Maow, that she took up singing. At this time, she was also studying at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
In 1997, Neko released her first solo album, The Virginian. A traditional country offering, The Virginian was a significant departure from Neko's previous musical experience. It also demonstrated the potential of her self-taught vocal style.
The next year, Neko received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Vancouver, and left Canada when her student visa expired. Before she left, however, Neko received six award nominations -- two from the British Columbia Country Music Association, and four from the Georgia Straight.
However, Neko's Canadian connection remained strong. As a member of the Vancouver alternative band The New Pornographers, she picked up a Juno Award (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Awards) for Best Alternative Album in 2000.
That same year, Neko released her second solo album, Furnace Room Lullaby, which garnered praise from The New York Times, GQ, Esquire, Interview, People, and Time. All the while, Neko continued to tour in the United States and Canada, both on her own and with other acts including Nick Cave, Blue Rodeo and Great Big Sea. In addition, Neko formed The Corn Sisters, a duo with Carolyn Mark, to sing old-time country music.
In the midst of all these disparate projects and being constantly on the move, Neko returned to the studio in 2001 to work on her third album. Recorded in Tucson, Arizona and released in August 2002, Blacklisted marked a new artistic peak for the multitalented Neko.
Unlike her previous efforts, Neko wrote nearly all the songs on the album, and played a wide variety of instruments, including guitar, piano and drums. The darker, haunting tones of Blacklisted only increased Neko's acclaim, and one of its songs, "Pretty Girls," was featured on the soundtrack of the film The Gift.
Following the favorable reception of Blacklisted, Neko continued to pursue multiple projects: She toured to promote the album, honed her guitar skills and returned to some half-completed art projects (she's a particular devotee of pinhole photography). |
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© Frank Mullen
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