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Robin Pecknold

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Robin Pecknold
Pecknold performing in 2022
Pecknold performing in 2022
Background information
Birth nameRobin Noel Pecknold
Also known as
  • Robin Noel Vaas
  • White Antelope
Born (1986-03-30) March 30, 1986 (age 38)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
GenresIndie folk
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2000s–present
Member ofFleet Foxes

Robin Noel Pecknold (born March 30, 1986) is an American singer-songwriter, who serves as the principal songwriter and vocalist for indie folk band Fleet Foxes,[1] with whom he has recorded four studio albums. He is known for his distinct baritenor voice and introspective lyrics.

Biography

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Robin Pecknold was born in Seattle in 1986, the youngest of three children. His maternal great-grandfather, Theodor Valaas, immigrated to Seattle from Norway in 1905. Pecknold's father, Greg,[2] played in Seattle-based soul band The Fathoms in the 1960s and has since worked as a film editor. Both of Pecknold's siblings work closely with Fleet Foxes, his sister Aja as manager and his brother Sean as music video director.

He has stated that he used Napster to discover much of the music he listened to growing up.[3][4] His influences range from Joni Mitchell to Brian Wilson.

At the age of 14, he wrote his first song, "Sarah Jane," about a runaway who turns to prostitution.[5][6] Under the alias Robin Noel Vaas, he released the song, along with six others, on a demo CD called St. Vincent Street around his hometown. In 2005, he toured with Seattle's Dolour, playing bass, before forming Fleet Foxes with childhood friend Skyler Skjelset in 2006. They played their original music at local open mic nights, teen centers, and coffee shops.[7] He reportedly ran up considerable debt setting up the band, although he has since denied this.[1]

In 2013, Pecknold relocated to New York City and enrolled as an undergraduate student in the Columbia University School of General Studies, majoring in English.[8][9] He has spoken positively of his decision to take a hiatus from music in order to pursue a traditional education, although he left in 2016 to tour with Joanna Newsom and as of 2022 has not yet finished his degree.[10][11][12][13]

Solo work

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Pecknold in 2011

In 2011, Pecknold released a solo EP entitled Three Songs via Twitter. The release included two original songs, one a duet with Ed Droste, and a cover of New Zealand folk-singer Chris Thompson's "Where Is My Wild Rose?".[14] He has used the moniker White Antelope for releasing covers of traditional songs including "Silver Dagger", "Wild Mountain Thyme," and "False Knight on the Road".[15][16][17][18][19]

Collaborations

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On October 22, 2013, Pecknold appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to perform a cover of Pearl Jam's "Corduroy" with Grizzly Bear guitarist Daniel Rossen and drummer Neal Morgan.[20][21][22][23] In 2014, he embarked on a brief tour as part of The Gene Clark No Other Band, a supergroup consisting of himself, Iain Matthews, Victoria Legrand, Daniel Rossen, and Hamilton Leithauser performing Gene Clark's No Other in its entirety.[24][25]

In 2021, Pecknold, along with Anaïs Mitchell, co-wrote and performed "Phoenix" for How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last?, the second album by Big Red Machine, itself a collaboration between Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and The National's Aaron Dessner.

Scoring

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In 2012, Pecknold, along with Morgan Henderson and Neal Morgan, recorded music for Sara Lamm and Mary Wigmore's film about Ina May Gaskin, Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwives.[26][27][28] In 2015, Pecknold composed the score for an Off-Broadway play, Wyoming, written by his cousin Brian Watkins.[29]

Instruments

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Pecknold plays a Martin D-18 six-string guitar for most Fleet Foxes work. He also uses a Martin D12-35 12 string and a Gibson CF-100 6 String. Both of these guitars date back to the 1960s.[30] He has also been known to use a recent Epiphone Casino electric guitar, and a Fylde Oberon acoustic guitar.

Discography

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As White Antelope

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  • False Knight on the Road (2009)[31]

As Robin Pecknold

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References

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  1. ^ a b "On the hunt for meaning with Seattle band Fleet Foxes". The Independent. June 13, 2008. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  2. ^ Hermes, Will (April 29, 2011). "Less Fleet, but More Mature, Foxes". The New York Times.
  3. ^ Bands 'better because of piracy' – BBC News Online, June 12, 2009
  4. ^ Band puts success down to piracy – Pocket-lint
  5. ^ "Robin Pecknold". AskMen. November 1, 1986. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  6. ^ "Track 2 from Robin Pecknold's self-released Album". Erinelisesmith.tumblr.com. September 4, 2010. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  7. ^ Phelps, Matt (December 29, 2011). "Kirkland band Fleet Foxes nominated for Grammy". Kirkland Reporter. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  8. ^ Morgan Henderson Is Your Favorite Band's Secret Weapon – CityArts Magazine
  9. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (April 23, 2014). "Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold Says He's Writing New Material, Went Back to School". Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  10. ^ "Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold has been expanding his horizons". BBC Radio 6 Music, Radcliffe and Maconie. May 16, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  11. ^ "Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold". BBC Radio 6 Music, Radcliffe and Maconie. May 15, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  12. ^ "I am Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes. Ask me anything". Reddit. May 20, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  13. ^ "Robin Pecknold: What Learning Teaches You About Yourself". BBC Radio 6 Music. April 15, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  14. ^ Breihan, Tom (March 7, 2011). "Hear Three New Songs From Fleet Foxes Frontman". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  15. ^ "White Antelope Myspace". Myspace. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  16. ^ Deusner, Stephen M. (February 3, 2009). ""False Knight on the Road"". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  17. ^ ""Silver Dagger" / "Wild Mountain Thyme"". Pitchfork. May 11, 2009. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  18. ^ Singh, Amrit (February 3, 2009). "New Fleet Foxes – "False Knight On The Road"". Stereogum. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  19. ^ Stosuy, Brandon (May 11, 2009). "White Antelope Records More Folk Covers". Stereogum. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  20. ^ Minsker, Evan (October 12, 2013). "Robin Pecknold Will Cover Pearl Jam on "Fallon"". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  21. ^ Minsker, Evan (October 23, 2013). "Watch: Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold and Grizzly Bear's Daniel Rossen Cover Pearl Jam's "Corduroy" on "Fallon"". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  22. ^ Danton, Eric R (October 23, 2013). "Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold Covers 'Corduroy' on 'Fallon'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  23. ^ "Video: Robin Pecknold covers Pearl Jam's "Corduroy" on Fallon". Consequence of Sound. October 23, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  24. ^ Minsker, Evan (December 3, 2013). "Beach House, Fleet Foxes, Walkmen, Grizzly Bear Members to Perform Gene Clark's No Other on Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  25. ^ "The Gene Clark No Other Band at Music Hall of Williamsburg". YouTube. April 28, 2014. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  26. ^ a b DeFore, John (January 15, 2013). "Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin & the Farm Midwives: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  27. ^ a b Chang, Justin (August 6, 2012). "Review: 'Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin & the Farm Midwives'". Variety. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  28. ^ a b "Feb 9, 2012". Flora Recording. February 9, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  29. ^ "Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes Branches Out to the Stage". January 16, 2015.
  30. ^ "Fleet Foxes' '67-ish Martin 12-string! | Leading Tone". Leadingtoneseattle.com. September 2, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  31. ^ "White Antelope: "False Knight on the Road" | Tracks". Pitchfork. February 2, 2009. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
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