Kirin J Callinan
Kirin J Callinan | |
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Birth name | Kirin J Callinan |
Born |
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | January 21, 1986
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 2008–present |
Labels | |
Associated acts | |
Members |
Tex Crick Mahne Frame |
Kirin J Callinan (born January 21, 1986) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and occasional actor known for his role as lead guitarist in bands such as Mercy Arms and The Night Game, as well as his solo career.
Since Mercy Arms broke up in 2009, Callinan has released two solo albums: Embracism (2013) and Bravado (2017). Referred to as the enfant terrible of Australia's underground rock music scene,[1] Callinan is known for his flamboyant public persona, confronting live shows and diverse musical output in which, according to Spin, "the distinctions between talent, irony, and genuine bad taste bleed together until they’re indistinguishable."[2] Callinan said that his primary motivation as a musician is to "excite and confuse, ... But you can't do that for any length of time without having sincerity."[3]
Callinan has collaborated with a wide range of musicians, including Jimmy Barnes, James Chance, Alex Cameron, Connan Mockasin and brothers Neil and Tim Finn. Barnes and Cameron feature in Callinan's 2017 single "Big Enough". Barnes' distinctive screaming cameo became a famous internet meme.[4]
In 2017, Callinan was cast by director Jane Campion in the second season of her drama television series Top of the Lake. "Kirin was a joy to work with because he was imaginative, playful and exploring," said Campion. "He seems somehow to push the limits of human being in the biggest sense, like he might have been raised by unicorns."[3]
Discography
- Mercy Arms
- Mercy Arms (LP, 2008)
- Solo
- Am I A Woman, Yet? (LP, 2008)
- Embracism, (LP, 2013)
- Bravado, (LP, 2017)
Critical reception
- His second studio album had a good reception from audience and critics, Anthony Fantano from The Needle Drop YouTube channel and blog elected "Bravado" as the seventh best album of 2017..
Controversy
In February 2018 Callinan was issued with a 12 month good behaviour bond after he was charged with willful and obscene exposure in a public place after exposing himself at the 2017 Aria Awards [5]. Following the incident Callinan was dropped from the lineup to the 2018 Laneway music festival [6].
References
- ↑ Fuamoli, Sosefina (27 May 2015). "Kirin J. Callinan Confirmed to Support TV on the Radio at the Sydney Opera House!", The AU Review. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- ↑ Gaca, Anna (8 November 2017). "What Exactly Is Going On With Kirin J. Callinan?", Spin. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- 1 2 Carew, Anthony (1 June 2017). "Kirin J. Callinan wants to lead a glamorous life", The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- ↑ Matthews, Alice (7 November 2017). "Jimmy Barnes on becoming a meme: 'I just screamed like a banshee'", Double J. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- ↑ http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/kirin-j-callinan-sydney/9469412
- ↑ http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/musicnews/laneway-festival:-kirin-j-callinan-speaks-out-about-being-remov/9378174