Mike Kinsella

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Mike Kinsella (born March 4, 1977) is one of three Kinsellas (brother Tim Kinsella and cousin Nate Kinsella) involved in many Illinois-based bands. First recognized in the music scene in Cap'n Jazz, a big player in the refinement of post-emo indie rock, he has since stepped into many new projects. From Cap'n Jazz, he became part of Joan of Arc, a band taking a bit more of an abstract, experimental approach to the indie music where Cap'n Jazz left off. While playing with Joan of Arc, The One Up Downstairs was formed along with Steve Lamos (American Football, DMS, The Geese) David and Allen Johnson (Very Secretary, Favorite Saints). The One Up Downstairs never released their 7" recording for Polyvinyl Records like they had planned because of a breakup. Polyvinylrecords has recently released them, years after being recorded. Following the departure of The One Up Downstairs, Mike Kinsella and Steve Lamos joined Steve Holmes (The Geese) and formed American Football. American Football created one full length and one EP which were released on Polyvinyl Records and played only a few shows before breaking up. A revival of the original Cap'n Jazz line-up Owls were formed and released a self-titled full length album. Mike's brother, Tim Kinsella, on vocals, with Mike on Drums, Victor Villareal on guitar and Sam Zurick (Joan of Arc, Make Believe, Cap'n Jazz, Owls, Ghosts and Vodka, friend/enemy, People Dick) on bass. Mike remains part of Joan of Arc, and began his current solo project called "Owen" in 2002, featuring Mike on everything heard, recording sometimes out of his mother's (Cap'n Jazz piano guest) home.

Mike continues to play with Joan of Arc, and perform as Owen.

Mike Kinsella

[edit] Literary References

Mike Kinsella tends to reference literature often in his writing.

In American Football's "Letters and Packages", he references For Esmé with Love and Squalor, a J. D. Salinger short story.
In the Owen album title, "No Good For No One Now", he is probably making a reference to a line from Gazebo, a Raymond Carver short story.
Likewise, In Owen's "Gazebo" he suggests he is reading Raymond Carver's What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, and makes another reference to the short story Gazebo, with both the story and the song ending in the line "In this too, she was right".
In Owen's "Playing Possum For A Peek", the line "a local pharmacist and his wife" comes from The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera. The line is about how one of the characters, Tereza, goes to see a performance by a string quartet. "The hall was nearly empty. The only other people in the audience were the local pharmacist and his wife. And although the quartet of musicians on stage faced only a trio of spectators down below, they were kind enough not to cancel the concert, and gave a private performance of the last three Beethoven quartets."
In Owen's "The Sad Waltzes of Pietro Crespi", he references Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude.

[edit] Discography

1990-96 Analphabetapolothology - Cap'n Jazz - drums, vocals
1997 Portable Model of - Joan of Arc - drums
1998 American Football ep - American Football - guitar, vocals
1999 American Football - American Football - bass, guitar, vocals
1999 Live in Chicago 1999 - Joan of Arc - drums
2000 Gap - Joan of Arc - drums
2000 Dantom Sucks Theory - The Jordan Marx EP - sexy
2001 Owls - Owls - drums
2001 Owen - Owen - guitar, vocals
2002 Heart's Desire - Niamh Parsons - harmonica
2002 No Good For No One Now - Owen - guitar, vocals
2002 Open Ground - Kyle Fischer - drums
2003 Best of Altan: The Songs Altan - harmonica
2003 In Rape Fantasy and Terror Sex We Trust - Joan of Arc - bass, percussion, drums
2003 So Much Staying Alive and Lovelessness - Joan of Arc - bass, drums
2004 Anyone in Love With You (Already Knows) - Rainer Maria - tambourine
2004 The Rutabega/Owen Split EP - guitar, vocals
2004 Total Eclipse of the Heart - The Love of Everything - drums
2004 (the ep) - Owen - guitar, vocals
2004 Joan of Arc, Dick Cheney, Mark Twain - Joan of Arc - drums
2005 I Do Perceive - Owen - guitar, vocals
2005 The Association of Utopian Hologram Swallowers - guitar, vocals
2005 Presents Guitar Duets - Joan of Arc - guitar
2006 At Home With Owen - Owen - guitar, piano, vocals
2007 [1 Song Demo] (Ugly on the Inside) - Owen - guitar, piano, vocals