Biography
News:
MSF's music video 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' wlll be screened at the
*Queens International Film Festival 2009
and
*ION International Film Festival 2009.
This traveling film festival (their home base is Los Angeles, CA) will be held this year in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria in December 2009.
"ION FIlm Festival strives to bring awareness to individuals and organizations who are creating socially relevant films to positively impact our worlds."
Thomas Simon performed as part of the CMJ '09 Music Marathon, Wednesday, October 21st at The Delancey, NYC.
MUSICIENS SANS FRONTIÉRES last album "Picture This" was released April 09, and has already received commercial radio airplay in Europe and college radio and community radio airplay in the U.S., as well as internet radio-play in the U.S. and Australia.
"Ex-Insane" is the first music video (release date: 5/22/09) of the disc.
"Picture" is slated to be part of the soundtrack in upcoming documentary "RX: Cannabis: A Freedom Tale".
MSF was created in 2005 by NYC - based musician-composer-filmmaker Thomas Simon, who, as Ischler Woche (Austria) says "has reached a lot of acclaim with his experimental progressive fusing of Goth and Grunge." MSF is co-fronted by singer-songwriter-actress Jillie Simon who "has been garnering rave reviews and probably more than her share of stalkers..." said CMJ New Music Report.
Thomas has been reaching out worldwide (Thomas Simon Walkabout), recording with local musicians in Indonesia, Brazil, India, Middle East, etc., and weaving those tracks through the live set of alternative rock to create the blend of MUSICIENS SANS FRONTIÉRES Alternative::Rock::World::Pop::
The powerful rhythm section of Alex Alexander (who's performed and recorded with artists such as Dido, Sophie B. Hawkins and Youssou N'Dour) on drums and Keith Golden on bass (who's recorded and performed with Dido, Enrique Iglesias, Jeru tha Damaja, among others) completes the sound w/ infectiously danceable grooves.
The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Committee placed Thomas Simon Musiciens Sans Frontieres on the Official Ballot for the 2008 Grammy Awards in the following categories:
Category 1 - Record of the Year
Thomas Simon Musiciens Sans Frontieres - Affection
Category 7 - Best Pop Performance By A Duo or Group with Vocal
Thomas Simon Musiciens Sans Frontieres - Affection
MUSICIENS SANS FRONTIÉRES are working on shedding geographical and musical boundaries.
- Last European appearances included a performance with KUMM at the Festivalul Rock Top T in Buzau, Romania. - see website for more reviews from that tour.
Thomas Simon had previously founded alt-rock band LOVE ALIEN with Jillie.
In 2008, Spike TV used the track 'Dark, Darker' for their TV Show 'Joes Vs Pros.
Four records, eight tours (US, Canada, Europe, Middle East), glowing reviews (and a marriage) followed.
"LOVE THAT FUSION: Their band is like a fusion of Screaming Trees and Sophie B. Hawkins. They have a slightly grungy psychedelic sound, and Jillie has a sensuous stage presence and breathy vocals that seem to owe a bit to performance art. It's an intriguing and original sound that is often riveting." -NY NEWSDAY
- - "one of the most promising up-&-comers in the N.Y. scene" - said Network of the World (NOW)
They've opened for Deodato, Missing Persons & SpaceHog, and played on the bill w/ Marky Ramone & the Intruders, Ricanstruction, Hansyl und Gretel and Country Joe.
They've also played numerous benefits, including for firefighter's families after 9-11, Benefits for Hurricane Katrina victims (including the Salvation Army Benefit at Pier 66), Benefit for IndyMedia at Walker Stage, Protest Rally Concert on the steps of the Capitol in Washington DC, 2001, and a Benefit for Kosovo Relief. Festivals include a Woodstock Festival on Yasgurs Farm, the 25th Annual Harvest Festival, NYC and the Guitar Masters Festival, PA., among others.
More reviews, info on airplay & tv performances at endorphinrecords.com.
CD's are available online at CD Baby and/or for download at i-tunes
- Thomas has been commissioned to create music for film, "Sanctified" (2009 - in post) & "Black Wine" (official selection: Hollywood, Chicago and St. Louis International Film Festivals 2005 and released on DVD), for TV ('Rocks" for "Sesame Street", PBS) and for theater ("The Damned" - a rock musical featuring Thomas Simon has made this town take notice... a hot ticket not to miss" - Village Voice, NYC).
- Jillie also acts in film, tv and theater ( most recently working with the multi-award-winning director Roberto Monticello in a principal role in the drama "You Have The Right to Remain Violent").
Instrumentation
Thomas Simon: guitar, samples, vocals.
Jillie Simon: vocals
Alex Alexander: drums
Keith Golden: bass
Discography
MUSICIENS SANS FRONTIÉRES
-'Picture This'
endorphin 011
released: April 2009.
Airplay - FM4, Austria - "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
- UIC-Radio - "Ex - Insane", "The Question"
- WRUW - "Young Gods"
- Marijuana Music Radio - "Picture"
- HempRock Radio - "Picture"
- John Doe Radio - "Picture"
Thomas Simon MUSICIENS SANS FRONTIÉRES
-'SATELLITE'
endorphin 010,
release date: April 30th, 2007
airplay: "Affection" - FM4 - Austria
Various radio stations in Romania and college/internet radio in the U.S also played "Affection"
More albums by Simon, including film soundtracks, and the airplay listings can be found at
http://www.endorphinrecords.com
Links
| http://www.myspace.com/thomassimonmsf |
| endorphin records |
| Soundtrack/Film Score Samples |
| Internet Movie Data Base |
| TSMSF.com |