Jim Salinger

BIO:

“If you’re anything like me then you probably think there aren’t enough cat’s carrying on the Paul Westerberg torch. If that be the case, then look no further than my man Jim Salinger. His new one, HEYOKA, is simply just a great no bullshit rock record much in the vein of Westy’s “14 Songs”. Definitely diggin’ it.” - captainsdead.com

Balancing romantic honesty with the rebellious nature of rock ‘n’ roll, Jim Salinger’s music conjures up greats from the past while extending and re-imagining the tradition of the American singer-songwriter.

Born and raised in the ‘burbs of Philadelphia, PA. his first experience with recording was a lo-fi cover of Love and Rockets’ “No New Tale To Tell” when he was 14. "I played it for my Mom and she said it sounded like the Devil, so I knew I was doing something right," he recalls. “I had a fake band name too, ‘Fat Kids In Slayer T-Shirts’, it all makes a bit more sense to me now.”

Many moons have passed since Jim left his imaginary band to pursue a solo music career in Los Angeles. His latest full-length release, HEYOKA, maintains the organic and eclectic elements that make Jim who he is — a genuine artist crafting songs that are both personal and impressionistic. Filled with captivating surprises, his sophomore effort offers a very liberal mix of gritty garage rock, cello-adorned indie pop and bittersweet acoustic meditations. His top-selling iTunes download “Awoken”, featured on the hit CW show One Tree Hill, was inspired by a renewed interest in spirituality.

Jim reveals, “Lately, I’ve been mindful of the bigger universal picture hidden in my little cryptic songs. Some of the HEYOKA material came from this dual perspective. I want to keep it real, but still keep you guessing."

"The Drunken Arms" is Jim's backing band, a group of accomplished musicians that he enlisted during his 2007 demo sessions at Stanley Recordings in Santa Monica, CA. The Drunken Arms are also key players in a handful of emerging L.A. bands (The Broken Remotes, The Quincy Blaque Trio, All Wrong and The Plans Change, Bolero, Sweetloop, Golden Holy.)

HEYOKA features original cover artwork by the renowned (and reportedly deceased) urban street artist EThos. This album, along with the single “Dripping Sweet Regret” and “Cozy Like A Cover”, a home recorded covers collection, with songs by Neil Young, The Velvet Underground and Big Star, are available for free download on Jim’s site: www.jimsalinger.com

PROFILE:

FULL NAME: James Kevin Salinger

NICKNAME: "Slaz", this one's from high school, I'm still shedding it. "El Jimador" is a new one that's gaining traction

HOMETOWN: Audubon, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philly. Los Angeles has been home base for the last decade

RECORD LABEL: Outarico Records (my own independent label)

DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND: Did you see that SNL skit with Fred Armisen as Joshua Rainhorn? "When he plays, we're in a garage watching our father cry." To classify genres, I'd say Amerindie rock revival, roots rock, alt.country, singer-songwriter. I’m a music nut, which makes me a musical mutt.

PROUDEST MOMENT AS A MUSICIAN: Listening to the final mastered version of my album HEYOKA.

STRANGEST MOMENT AS A MUSICIAN: Getting the song "Awoken” on One Tree Hill. Got a lot of phone calls from ladies I hadn't heard from in awhile.

THE SONG YOU WISH YOU'D WRITTEN: The whole song cycle on the 2nd side of The Beatles - Abbey Road.

FIVE MUSICIANS YOU ADMIRE: Robert Pollard, Jeff Tweedy, Bob Dylan, Prince, John Lennon

DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A KID: I was a very happy kid. Until I started paying too much attention to how messed up the world can be. I'm sure reading The Catcher In The Rye a few times validated my adolescent alienation

LAST TWO BOOKS YOU'VE READ: Carlos Castaneda's Journey To Ixtlan, Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist

THINGS WE'D FIND IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR: A blowtorch and a teapot

FAVORITE MUPPET: Animal, I have a soft spot for wild creatures

HARDEST PART ABOUT BEING A MUSICIAN: Promoting your own music, I'm better at the creating part than the selling part. But I can talk for hours about band's like My Morning Jacket

IDEAL BREAKFAST: Basted eggs and buttered english muffins

DRINK OF CHOICE: Jack & Ginger

BEST ALBUM TO PLAY AFTER A BREAK-UP: That's easy, one of my favorites. Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks

INDULGENCE YOU REFUSE TO GIVE UP: Dunkin Donuts coffee, it's expensive on the west coast

WORDS TO LIVE BY: Follow your bliss

DOWNLOAD PDF PRESS KIT (includes hi-res photos): downloads.jimsalinger.com/Jim_Salinger_Press_Kit_2009.pdf