Howie Day | |
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![]() Howie Day adjusting pedals at the Point in Philadelphia, PA circa 2004.
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Background information | |
Birth name | Howard Kern Day |
Born | January 15, 1981 |
Origin | Brewer, Maine, U.S. |
Genres | Pop rock, Indie rock |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano |
Years active | 2000–present |
Labels | Sony BMG/Epic |
Website | www.howieday.com |
Howard Kern "Howie" Day (born January 15, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter. Beginning his career as a solo artist in the late 1990s, Day became known for his extensive touring and in-concert use of samplers and effects pedals in order to accompany himself.[1] He self-financed and self-released his first album, Australia, in 2000.
Day eventually signed a recording contract with major label Epic Records- in 2002 and has since re-released his debut as well as producing a follow-up, Stop All The World Now. Despite initially sluggish sales, Stop All The World Now was certified gold in early 2005 [2] and has produced a number of singles, including the hits "She Says" and "Collide", Day's most successful to date.[3] The track became Epic Records’ first platinum single, eventually selling 1.5 million downloads.
After a five year tour before the release of Stop All The World Now followed by a three year tour, Day took some time off and focused on writing music. Day released his Be There EP in May 2009 followed by Sound The Alarm, released on September 8, 2009.
Contents
Early years
Born in Bangor, ME and raised in Brewer, Maine, Howie Day began to play music at age five when his mother bought a piano at an auction.[4] When Day's mother noticed that her son was able to play by ear tunes of television advertising jingles, she enrolled him in piano lessons, which he would continue for six years.[citation needed]He attended Brewer High School.
Career
At around age 13, Howie's interest drifted toward rock music and the electric guitar. His father bought him a Fender Stratocaster and enrolled him in basic vocal training. Howie made his first stage appearance in August 1996 at Bangor restaurant Captain Nick's.[5] Day played in a local band called Route 66 throughout 1997 and made sporadic solo appearances in local venues until booking agent Shawn Radley discovered him the following year while Day was supporting Ziggy Marley at the University of Maine.[6] Radley became Day's manager in June 1998, and Howie began touring more extensively, leading him to miss 45 days of school and to almost fail his senior year.[7]
Demo EP
At some point in 1998, Day recorded his first demo EP, which contained covers of songs by Dave Matthews Band, Barenaked Ladies, and Goo Goo Dolls alongside the originals "Buzzing" and "Lick My Lips." This EP was followed later in 1998 by another demo consisting wholly of Day's originals.
On the strength of these performances and demos, Radley secured Day a showcase at the annual National Association for Campus Activities Convention, where he played for 1,500 college talent buyers.[8] Having received around four months of bookings at colleges around the United States, Day decided to defer attending college in favor of his burgeoning music career.
Day recorded a cover of The Beatles' "Help!" for the soundtrack to the 2001 film I Am Sam.
Stop All the World Now (2003–2008)
After the EP's release, Day relocated to London, England to record Australia's follow up, which was provisionally titled From a Northern Sky.[1] The album, which would eventually become Stop All The World Now, was recorded in London's famous Olympic Studios with Martin "Youth" Glover, the bassist for British band Killing Joke, whose previous production credits included The Verve's Urban Hymns, one of Day's favorite albums.
While certain tracks on Australia had featured session musicians, Stop All The World Now saw Howie joined for the first time by a permanent backing band, consisting of multi-instrumentalist Les Hall, drummer Laurie Jenkins and ex-Verve bassist Simon Jones. In addition, the majority of the album's songs were co-written with either Better than Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin or Jump Little Children's Jay Clifford.
A full band tour to promote Stop All the World Now began on September 27, 2003. Due to other commitments, Simon Jones was unable to tour with the group and was replaced by Jeremy Curtis. The album was released one week and three days later on October 7 to tepid critical reactions. Rolling Stone's Pat Blashill referred to Stop as "not bad" but "indistinct,"[9] but Popmatters' Devon Powers noted that though Australia had been an album one falls for passionately, "Stop All the World Now is an album you have a crush on, not one you fall deeply, complexly, and foolishly in love with. And crushes have a way of disappearing suddenly, without a trace."Stop
Sales of Stop were initially sluggish, but slowly began to rise beginning in late 2004 with the single release of ballad "Collide", which became a popular radio hit and was featured on TV shows such as Cold Case, Scrubs, Grey's Anatomy, Bones, and One Tree Hill as well as soundtracking a promotional trailer for the 2005 film adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Stop was finally certified gold in early 2005. Fan favourite "She Says", which was first released on 1998's White EP, was released as a follow-up to "Collide."
Boosted by the slow burning success of Stop All the World Now, Epic released the Live From... EP on December 6, 2005. The 7-track EP contains live renditions of songs from Australia and Stop All the World Now as well as a cover of Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over". The EP has not been widely reviewed, though Allmusic referred to the release as "holiday market product," "tepid", and "directionless".[10]
Be There EP
Howie Day has released an EP, introducing his new album, featuring 3 new songs: "Be There", "40 Hours", and "Counting On Me". These tracks are now available on iTunes. "Be There", produced by Kevin Griffin, Mike Flynn, and Warren Huart, will be serviced to radio as the first single from the album.
Sound the Alarm (2009)
Howie Day released his third full length, "Sound the Alarm",[2] under the Epic music label on September 8, 2009.[3] After an extensive tour schedule following the release of "Stop All The World Now", Day decided to take some time off, during which he sorted through his emotions by writing songs, many of which have made their way onto Sound the Alarm. “I toured for five years straight before Stop All The World Now came out, then for three years non-stop after it was released," Day says.[2]
To get his desired range of sounds and moods, Day recorded in a variety of locations, including Los Angeles, New York (Joel Hamilton), London, Minneapolis, and Bloomington, Indiana, between the spring of 2006 and fall of 2008. He also collaborated with several musicians and producers, including Martin Terefe (Jason Mraz, KT Tunstall), Mike Denneen (Aimee Mann, Fountains of Wayne), Mike Flynn (The Fray, Augustana), Warren Huart (The Fray, Augustana, Better Than Ezra) and Better Than Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin. "Be There" and "Longest Night" have been used in Seasons 1 and 2 of the CW show "The Vampire Diaries"
Ceasefire EP
Howie posted the cover art of his upcoming 'Ceasefire EP' on his Facebook account. The EP was released on June 29, 2011.
Personal life
Day received significant negative attention after two high profile arrests. In 2004, Day was arrested and charged over an incident in which he was accused of locking a fan in the toilet of his tour bus and destroying the cellular phone of another, for which he was fined.[11] In December 2005, Day was arrested in Boston after reportedly verbally abusing the flight crew while under the influence of alcohol and sleeping pills. He was sentenced to one year's probation on April 26, 2006.[12]
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
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US [4] |
US Rock [5] |
US Heat [6] |
FRA [7] |
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Australia | — | — | 18 | — | |||||
Stop All the World Now |
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46 | — | — | 172 | ||||
Sound the Alarm |
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82 | 31 | — | — | ||||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Singles
Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
Album | |||||
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US [9] |
US AC [10] |
US Adult [11] |
US Pop [12] |
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2002 | "Ghost" | — | — | — | — | Australia | |||
"Sorry So Sorry" | — | — | — | — | |||||
2003 | "You & a Promise" | — | — | — | — | Stop All the World Now | |||
"Perfect Time of Day" | — | — | 21 | — | |||||
2004 | "Collide" | 20 | 14 | 7 | 14 | ||||
2005 | "She Says" | — | 31 | 6 | 39 | ||||
2009 | "Be There" | — | — | 23 | — | Sound the Alarm | |||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Singles and EPs
Single/EP | Release date | Label | Format(s) | Notes |
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Howie Day (Demo) | 1998 | Self released | CD | Four song promotional CD for booking |
The White EP (#1) | 1998 | Self released | CD | Four song promotional CD |
The White EP (#2) | 1998 | Self released | CD | Four song promotional CD |
The Blue EP | 2000 | Self released | CD | Four song promotional CD released in advance of Australia |
IRA Live EP | 2002 | Epic Records | CD | Four song promotional CD released after Australia |
Madrigals EP | April 29, 2003 | Epic Records | CD | Featured bonus DVD |
"Standing in the Sun" | November 4, 2003 | Epic Records | iTunes single | |
Extras | April 1, 2004 | Epic Records | CD | Four song promotional CD |
Live From... EP | December 6, 2005 | Epic Records | CD | |
Be There EP | May 5, 2009 | Epic Records | iTunes single | |
Ceasefire EP | June 29, 2011 | CD & music download | Outtakes from "Sound the Alarm" |
References
- ^ howiefan.com - Discography: Stop All the World Now (Special Edition)[unreliable source?]
- ^ a b http://www.howieday.com
- ^ Ashley Tisdale’s Get A Clue Contest, Howie Day releasing his third album, Fefe Dobson featuring on Megan Wants A Millionaire, Superchic[k] featured on Make It Or Break It...
- ^ "Howie Day Album & Song Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ "Howie Day Album & Song Chart History - Rock Albums". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ "Howie Day : Allmusic : Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ "lescharts.com - French charts portal". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ a b "RIAA - Recording Industry Association of America - Searchable Database". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ "Howie Day Album & Song Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ "Howie Day Album & Song Chart History - Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ "Howie Day Album & Song Chart History - Adult Pop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ "Howie Day Album & Song Chart History - Pop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ Price, Nancy J. "Howie Day talks music, recording, performing.". Archived from the original on 2007-10-27.. SheKnows.com. Retrieved April 11, 2006.
- ^ Hostetter, Shane. A Day with Howie, snow or no snow. The Villanovan. Retrieved April 11, 2006.[unreliable source?]
- ^ Roberge, Nicole. Howie Day Builds Following With Acclaimed CD Stop All The World Now, & Strong Live Shows. Songwriter Universe. Retrieved April 11, 2006.
- ^ Howie Day: You Hear it First. MTV.com. Retrieved April 11, 2006.
- ^ Duff, S.L. Will Jam 4 Food: Improvising an alternative music scene[dead link]. LA Weekly. Retrieved April 11, 2006.
- ^ "Biography, circa Australia". Archived from the original on 2007-03-30.. William Morris Agency. Retrieved April 11, 2006.
- ^ HotStar Howie Day[dead link]. Pollstar. Retrieved April 11, 2006.
- ^ Walters, Barry. Australia Review. Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved April 11, 2006.
- ^ McCartney, Kelly. Australia > Overview. Allmusic. Retrieved April 11, 2006.
- ^ Grossman, Adam. Australia Review. Popmatters.com. Retrieved April 11, 2006.
- ^ Blashill, Pat. Stop All The World Now review. Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved April 12, 2006.
- ^ Powers, Devon. Stop All The World Now review. Popmatters.com. Retrieved April 12, 2006.
- ^ Singer Howie Day arrested in Wisconsin. The Associated Press. Retrieved April 12, 2006.
- ^ Treleven, Ed. Singer Fined For Trapping Woman On Bus. Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved April 12, 2006.
- ^ Howie Day arrested for airborne rowdiness. The Associated Press. Retrieved April 12, 2006.
- ^ "Hotline: Finally it's gold for Howie". Archived from the original on 2007-10-31.. The Boston Herald. Retrieved April 27, 2006.
- ^ Eisen, Benji. Howie Day Meets World. Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved April 27, 2006.
- ^ Pop singer Howie Day gets probation in flight rowdiness case[dead link]. The Associated Press. Retrieved April 27, 2006.
- ^ Has Britney found yet another rehab romance?. MSNBC. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
External links
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