Biography All Music Guide Wikipedia
All Music Guide:
Ambient drone duo Stars of the Lid was formed in Austin, TX, by guitarists Brian McBride and Adam Wiltzie, the latter also a member of Windsor for the Derby as well as the longtime soundman for Bedhead. Debuting in 1994 with Music for Nitrous Oxide, the duo returned the following year with Gravitational Pull vs. the Desire for an Aquatic Life; signing to Kranky, Stars of the Lid next resurfaced in 1997 with the epic The Ballasted Orchestra. 1998's Per Aspera Ad Astra, a collaboration with painter Jon McCafferty, preceded the Sub Rosa release Avec Laudenum. Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid landed in 2001, with And Their Refinement of the Decline following in 2007. Both were double CDs.
Wikipedia:
Stars of the Lid is a duo specializing in drone-based ambient music. They list among their influences minimalist and electronic composers such as Arvo Pärt, Zbigniew Preisner, Gavin Bryars, and Henryk Górecki, as well as Talk Talk (both bands have tracks named "Taphead"), post-rock artists Labradford, and ambient innovator Brian Eno. Their songs are largely beatless soundscapes, composed of droning, effects-treated guitars along with piano, strings, and horns; volume swells and feedback fill the gap of rhythmic instruments, providing dynamic movement within the songs. Their sound has been described as "divine, classical drone without the tedious intrusion of drums or vocals".
Biography
Formed in Austin, Texas, in 1993, SOTL is composed of two members — Brian McBride and Adam Wiltzie. McBride explained in an interview that the band's name refers to "your own personal cinema, located between your eye and eyelid", suggesting the colors and patterns one can see with closed eyes (either phosphenes or closed-eye hallucinations). Both have released solo material, the former under his own name and the latter under The Dead Texan alias. Their two most recent releases have been triple LPs released to generally positive reviews. Adam Wiltzie currently lives in Brussels, Belgium and Brian McBride in Los Angeles, USA.
Recent activity
On April 7, 2007, Stars of the Lid released triple LP, double CD album Stars of the Lid and Their Refinement of the Decline.
In 2007 Stars of the Lid performed in England, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Holland.
Throughout their European tour, they were joined live by a string trio featuring Lucinda Chua of Felix on cello, Noura Sanatian on violin and Ela Baruch on viola.
Their tour of North America was from mid-April to May 2008. Their North American line-up included Julia Kent on cello.
A teaser for an upcoming Stars of the Lid feature film has since surfaced on the internet.
