The Tim Hill Interview
Born and raised in mid 80’s East LA, Hill was raised in a musical home, his father a music teacher, he was quickly influenced by the likes of Neil Young, Dylan, Bach, Ray Charles, James Brown and The Beatles. Hill began playing the bass initially, but eventually he would pick up guitar, piano and drums as his musical horizons began to expand. In this interview we talk about Hill’s youth and what inspired him to begin playing music, participating in groups such as PAINT and Roscoe’s Band before writing and recording his own solo material for Calico Discos. I’ve personally been listening to Hill’s music this past month non stop. His visual representation of the west is clear and poetic and I’m very much looking forward to everything he does!
When and where were you born? What was your childhood like? When did you first begin to fall in love with music? Was this something that was relevant around your household growing up? What is it about the pedal steel that fascinates you the most?
East LA November 1985. Pretty normal. AYSO soccer, tee ball, lots of camping/fishing with my dad. This was before internet and phones so all the neighborhood kids would be outside riding bikes, skating, and just running around. Well, my dad’s a music teacher, so I was introduced to it at a very young age. I tried trumpet, piano, and some other instruments, but as a kid I wasn’t really that interested. He’s mostly a classical/orchestral guy, but would occasionally show us the Beatles and similar groups. I wanted to play guitar when I was around 10, but he convinced me to try bass, so I did the jazz bands and such from elementary through high school. The early introduction music definitely helped later on when I wanted to learn piano and actually try to write my own music. It can be a very beautiful instrument. It gets kind of stuck in the country genre, but is capable of being just as powerful as a solo violin, or something. It really changed the dynamic of the The Irish Sea song. I really like the combo of pedal steel and piano. Mechanically it’s a wonder. Haven’t figured it out quite yet.
Do you have any siblings? Who were some of your earliest influences in your more formative years? When and where did you see your first show and when did it dawn on you that you wanted to be a musician yourself? Did you participate in any groups, or projects prior to setting off as a solo artist?
I have one sister whose been living in New York for the last decade, or so. All the obvious heavy hitters. The Beatles, Dylan, Neil Young, Ray Charles, James Brown, and all the avenues those guys open up. Dylan was probably the biggest inspiration to try and write songs. I really wanted to get good at piano, so I listened to a lot of James Booker and New Orleans R&B, as well as Chopin nocturnes and Bach. Having classical music introduced at such a young age definitely helped. It’s difficult to pinpoint an actual event, I think it was just the exposure at such young age. I remember in elementary our friend’s dad came in and played us some songs and talked about being a musician and me and friends wanted to start a band, we thought it was so cool. Turned out he was from Los Lobos. Had a stint with Nick Waterhouse shortly after his first record came out, which is where I met the Allah Las. Did a couple tours with Curtis Harding, one where we opened up for Lenny Kravitz in Europe. That was pretty interesting playing in front of thousands of people every night. Played some keys/drums with PAINT. Played bass in cover band with Sam Blasucci from Mapache called Roscoe’s Band.
Tell me about writing and recording your debut album “Payador.” in 2019. How did the deal with Calico Discos come about? What was the overall vision for the album and what did you want to achieve and express with this work?
I got a four track cassette recorder from a friend that didn’t work at the time, so I did my best to fix it up, put some new rollers and bands in it and got it working. I recorded Paris, Texas shortly after more for fun than anything else. Someone from the Las got wind of it and they asked if I wanted to put out a 7” of it on a new label they were working on getting together which would be Calico Discos. Shortly after that, they asked if I would be interested in doing a full length. I was honestly just having fun with it. I had some old songs lying around and wrote some new stuff specifically for the record. At the time I think the biggest inspiration was George Harrison’s demos for All Things Must Pass. Just acoustic guitar, bass, and drums. Pretty songs with simple melodies. I wanted to record all the parts myself. I find that to be the most fun in the recording process. Unless I mess up and have to do take after take. It’s especially tiring on tape, trying to get it all right in one go. I don’t know how to punch in so everything was limited to just a couple takes. There’s some mistakes on the record, or parts that could’ve been played better, but I think what’s on there are the most genuine versions of the songs.
Would you mind giving a brief background to songs such as “Pepper Tree”, “Paris TX” and “You And I”?
Pepper Tree was an attempt to add something a little more upbeat to the record. The records got a mostly half time feel. I was inspired by that F.J. McMahon record, especially the sporadic solos. I was recommended by Claude Fontaine to watch the film Paris, Texas. And shortly after Harry Dean Stanton’s death came the idea to write a song about it. You and I was a lot of fun to write. I feel like my piano tunes are always the most genuine expression of how I’m feeling. I spend a lot more time writing on piano, finding the right notes under the right fingers.
2023 saw the release of your anticipated follow up “Giant”. Tell me about that album and how you wanted to approach these songs that differ from your previous work. I’d love to know about songs such as “Honey Tangerine”, “Dead Man”, “Calico” and “The Clocks Never Wrong”.
Well the 4 track stopped working, so I had to find a new way to record, and since the record was going to be released through Innovative Leisure, I thought I’d try a more professional approach. I went my friends studio in Long Beach, JazzCats with John Bell. I had to be more deliberate in my process at the studio. I think I was worried about time and money, as it was still peak pandemic, so there wasn’t a ton of time spent on the record. I think it was done in just a few days total, but over the course of a few months. John did a great job and is really easy and fun to work with, but I think the looming time and funding kept the record to it’s simple state. I like Honey Tangerine a lot. It was one of those songs that came really easy and kind of wrote itself. It needed that little extra moodiness so we put violins on it a la Jonny Greenwood’s score for There Will Be Blood. Dead Man was kind of an experiment as I don’t really play electric guitar, but kind of gave the record a ‘Tonight’s the Night’ song it needed. Calico and Clock’s are just solid simple songs. A pretty harmonica melody over a repeating progression and a catchy chorus. Clock’s was recorded live with a couple friends, one on violin and one on banjo. Kind of an “over it” kinda song.
What have you been up to more recently? Anything else happening for Spring/Summer? Is there anything else you would like to further share with the readers?
Just been working on a ranch the last couple years ever since music went down in 2020. I really enjoy it. Taking care of horses and talking shit in Spanish with the Mexicans all day. Finished a new record and been working on a new group with a couple friends. Gonna try and play some more shows this year. Heading out to Europe with Allah Las this year along with some one-offs here and there.
Photo cred: Matt Correia - https://www.instagram.com/mattcorreia__/
