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Christopher Willits has been instrumental in redefining the guitar in the digital age. Using custom-built software, Willits morphs his guitar playing into warm folded rhythms of texture and melody. Named “the center cell of a complex indie rock-avant-garde-electronic art Venn diagram in the Bay Area” (San Francisco Bay Guardian), and “The Picasso of Sound” (Tokafi Magazine), Willits defies genre distinctions while still defining a sound of his own. His guitar lines fold and weave into each other creating complex patterns of interlocking rhythm, melody, and texture.

With over 15 music releases over the last 7 years, Willits's passion is obvious. 2006 marked the release of "Surf Boundaries" a critically acclaimed wash of Willits' guitars and vocal harmonies on the incandesent Ghostly International label. Every release sees Willits taking chances and expanding his creative vision. In addition to his solo work, a vast range of music collaborations, sound installations, and film/video projects compel him. His band project Flossin involves Zach Hill, Kid606, Nate Boyce, and Matmos, The North Valley Subconscious Orchestra is Willits and Brad Laner, formerly of Medicine. Other frequent collaborators include Scott Pagano, Taylor Deupree, and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Willits' numerous releases and collaborative projects cover a broad spectrum of musical styles, and include one main commonality: Willits' unique approach to the guitar and sound.

Willits completed his Master's Degree in Electronic Music at Mills College where he studied with Pauline Oliveros and Fred Frith. At Mills he explored structure-generating processes in music; a focus not unfamiliar to former Mills affiliates John Cage and Steve Reich. Prior to Mills, Willits focused on painting, video art, sound art and music at the Kansas City Art Institute.

In addition to all of this, Willits founded and directs the emerging culture hub of releases, events, and sharing at Overlap.org.

Discography (audio releases)

Presskit (images, features, print scans, etc.)

for more info : ChristopherWillits.com --


CHRISTOPHER WILLITS + STARS OF THE LID TOUR U.S. APRIL-MAY 08

Rarely is there a U.S. tour of this breath, musical depth and magnitude. Stars of the Lid (SOTL), and Christopher Willits, two american leaders of beautiful and innovative music pack up the bus and hit 19 dates throughout the United States and Canada. This tour, hitting an unprecedented range of venues from the Independent in San Francisco, to Masonic Temple in Montreal, to The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, will be a sure shot mind melter. Christopher Willits will be performing new solo guitar work alongside videos he has created from his photography. SOTL will be accompanied by a string trio for the entire tour and Luke Savisky will project layered 16mm films.

all dates : http://christopherwillits.com/events.html

Christopher Willits has been instrumental in redefining the guitar in the digital age. Using custom-built software, Willits morphs his guitar playing into warm folded rhythms of texture and melody. Named “the center cell of a complex indie rock-avant-garde-electronic art Venn diagram in the Bay Area” (San Francisco Bay Guardian), and “The Picasso of Sound” (Tokafi Magazine), Willits defies genre distinctions while still defining a sound of his own. His guitar lines fold and weave into each other creating complex patterns of interlocking rhythm, melody, and texture.
Long Bio : http://christopherwillits.com/about.html
Willits Photos and Presskit : http://christopherwillits.com/presskit.html

Stars of the Lid is a duo specializing in drone-based ambient music. 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".

SOTL Myspace Page : http://www.myspace.com/starsofthelid

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"SURF BOUNDARIES" - Recent solo LP out now on Ghostly International.

this is the place to BUY the CD.

preview excerpts of the release here.

Ghostly News -
Bay-Area guitarist and multi-instrumentalist CHRISTOPHER WILLITS is preparing to release his Ghostly debut SURF BOUNDARIES. A gorgeous fusion of shoegaze, jazz, and noise music, the album is already making waves in the indie music press, and will see release worldwide on October 17. Hear a FREE MP3 now at Ghostly.com

and read an illuminating interview at Stylus Magazine

SURF BOUNDARIES PRESS:

Pitchfork Feature - "Christopher Willits Readies Surf Boundaries"
Pitchfork Infinite Mixtape Selection - "Colors Shifting" from Surf Boundaries.

"Surf Boundaries is no hipster fodder. It's genuinely beautiful mature song-craft, unafraid of taking on the bleeding edge."
- Coolhunting.com

"Opulent and comforting...Willits dips his experimental range in breezy Californian pop to produce a record that sends the Beach Boys into orbit."
- The Milk Factory (UK)

"Long soundbite: This is music to soundtrack seasons in a state-of-flux; a time for transition, change, renewal. Short soundbite: Pretty fucking essential."
- failme.net

"Blissful...let the ebullient human hums and sparkling guitar folds alight among your travels."
- Jennifer Maerz, SF Weekly


+ more info here. --