Music
Press
One of the great pleasures of interviewing a musician is finding out what makes them tick, and gaining some understanding the elements of their personality that drive their art. To unwrap the enigma, so to speak. Local muso and guitar extraordinaire Tim McMillan represents one of those rare cases where, in the course of the interview, the enigma only seems to grow deeper. As McMillan elucidates on his eclectic background and influences, and his ever-elusive "signature" style, it seems increasingly like the one thing that could be said for certain - something with which anyone who has observed his Yootube video or heard his album Afterparty will agree - is that the guy really knows how to play guitar. - Beat Magazine- Melbourne, Australia
To a crowd thick with fans and friends, acoustic artist Tim McMillan played one of the most innovatively and intelligently-executed sets I have had the pleasure of witnessing in a 'support act' (inverted commas used deliberately) in some time.
McMillan is rightly gaining notoriety for his skills as a guitarist, but he is smart enough to realise that, while dazzling fingerwork is great in the moment it is a delicate balance and interplay of different musical flavors that will leave an audience feeling like they have experienced something substantial. Tim's set was like a satisfying and varied multi-course meal, with displays of his instrumental dexterity added as a skilled chef would add spice.
Accompanied by a bassist, McMillan opened proceedings on a subtly oriental note with Japan, the skewed tempo and unusual scale patterns drawing curious eyes toward the stage.
As the set progressed, McMillan called various 'friends' from the audience to help adapt his sound. The first friend aided in the smooth three-part vocal harmonies of Goatsong, with the second friend bringing a talking drum - and with it, a middle- eastern flavor- to Afterparty. While the inclusion of a violinist for Blue made for a thoroughly beautiful and mesmerizing piece. Sunset Maze proved you don't have to plug in to get heavy.
The most remarkable thing about Tim's chops is tat they always have a melodic raison d'etre, his scuttling about the fretboard in Jacks proved far from aimless as the backing instruments swelled around to give it backbone.
Tim hinted at his matallic roots with a sly, moody cover of Metallica's Master of Puppets - which was well -received by the crowd, even if the lyrical delivery implied an addiction to prozac, rather than drugs - before concluding with the unabashed, body-tappin' guitar-flippin' stunt piece Blackout.
Gabriel Lynch, leading his five piece band on acoustic guitar, was undaunted by the desertion of many punters after McMillan's set.
But with the detached onlookers for Gabriel Lynch, that peppered the room tonight, it was McMillan's eclectic and intellectually stimulating show that played the trump card.
Jesse Shrock
- Jesse Shrock/ Beat Mag
Discography
Afterparty/2007
Photos
Bio
Tim McMillan
www.timmcmillan.com.au
Bio
Tim has performed as a guitarist/singer for over a decade, both with bands and as a solo act.
With a healthy influence of Folk, Classical, Latin Jazz, Flamenco and Blues Guitar, his current live repertoire consists of an eclectic mix of guitar based music.
His band consists of Rohan Drew on bass guitar and percussion and Andy Fitzpatrick on Baritone guitar and backing vocals.
Tim completed his Bachelor of Music (Jazz guitar) at Monash University, Victoria in 2000.
Since this time he has worked as a classroom music teacher, composer and session musician.
Most recently Tim has been focusing on his solo career as a guitarist; he has performed solo shows in Ecuador, Costa Rica and India.
In late 2006 he toured Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium for five months as guitarist for folk group ‘Naked Raven’, during this time he also performed 30 solo shows throughout Germany.
Tim has recently released his debut LP ‘Afterparty’ through T3 records (Europe) and has just completed a two month long tour of Germany and East Coast Australia. He is currently in the studio preparing an LP due for release in Australia in June 2008.
Soundtracks
Cactus Island (Surfing television show) – Channel 10 (Melbourne)
Sprintcars: Road to Knoxville – Sony Playstation II 2006 (US/Australia)
Sammy J’s 55 minute National Tour – Melbourne Comedy Festival 2006
Sammy J’s Cyclone – Melbourne Fringe Festival 2006 (Melbourne)
Sprintcars II – Sony Playstation 3 2007
Sammy J (solo show) – Edinburugh Fringe Festival 2007
Supports
Diesel – The Peninsula Lounge, Mooroduc 2004
Pete Murray – Cole Clark and Harper Guitar Awards, Melbourne 2004
Sarah McCleod – The Espy, St Kilda 2005
Chris Wilson – Cube 37, Frankston 2005
Dutch Tilders – Fishies Hotel, Mornington 2005
Mark Seymour – 5 week residency at The Espy, St Kilda 2006
Dominic Miller (Sting’s guitarist) – Hamburg 2006
Cindy Bullens (Elton John’s Backing Vocalist) – Berlin 2007
The Backsliders – Castlemaine 2007
N3 TV (Italy) – Featured Artist 2007
Festivals
Frankston International Guitar Festival – 1997, 2005
Woodford Folk Festival – 2006/07
Laternenfest, Halle (Germany) 2006
Reeperbahn Festival, Hamburg – 2006
Major’s Creek Festival-Canberra, 2007
Queenscliff Festival – Queenscliff, 2007
Adelaide Guitar Festival – Adelaide 2007
Yakendandah Folk Festival-Victoria 2008
The National Folk Festival-Canberra 2008
Awards
Maton - Young Guitarist of the Year (Frankston International Guitar Festival) 1997
Kool Skoolz – Best Instrumental Composition (Dallas Brooks Hall, Melbourne) 1997
Cole Clark and Harper Guitar Awards – Best Instrumental Performance (The Palace, Melbourne) 2004
XBerg Music – Singer/Songwriter Award (Canova, Berlin) 2006
Tour
East Coast Australia 2007 (June)
Europe/Singapore – October 2007
East Coast/South Australia 2007 (December)
Europe – May 2008
www.myspace.com/timmcmillanguitar
www.myspace.com/musicartistmusic
Links
