Thanksgiving Dinner, 2002; falling asleep during band rehearsal in the auditorium; visiting the planetarium with a fever; East of Eden, Roberto Bolano, Benjamin Britten, Thom Satterlee, Richard Perkins, Steven Heller, Moses, the Morton Salt Girl.
David Stith comes from a musical family: his father is a college wind ensemble director and former church choir director; his grandfather is professor emeritus in the music department at Cornell University; his mother is a pianist; his sisters sing opera, play piano, tap dance, play timpani and are excellent soft ball players. David Stith grew up dreading the family ensemble's appearances in church, preferring instead to draw mazes on the blank sides of church bulletins during services. In fifth grade, a harrowing performance of Phantom of the Opera at a school assembly (accompanied by his mother on piano) nearly turned him off to music for good. He started a noise band in high school, called Starchild (or Starchildren, or The Pool --they never did quite decide); but they preferred painting their guitars over playing them. David wrote a lot of bad poetry during this time.
In college, David attempted writing a novel and a children's book, illustrating his work with original woodcut prints. His pursuit of writing and illustration brought him from Rochester to Brooklyn, where he took up work as a graphic designer. While in Brooklyn, David befriended Shara Worden (of My Brightest Diamond), and soon after began facilitating, in small technical ways, the recording of her album Bring Me The Workhorse. This, in turn, spurred David to begin writing and recording songs of his own. It was a casual, private affair. He spent countless days stored away in his bedroom, sketching folk songs with epic electronic gestures, a rekindling of passions for his first familial love: music.
David completed his first catalog of songs for an album called Ichabod and Apple, written and recorded in the first month of his song-writing experiments. Since then, he has set out to record his first album with Asthmatic Kitty, available sometime next year.
It was no grand injunction that encouraged David to return to music. He writes songs for the same reasons he enjoys a good conversation: it's just natural. His songs come out of a knock-about life, pressed by the urge to overcome insecurities, to probe questions, to revisit dreams and visions.
messagecenter said this about Stith's music:
"DM Stith: Ichabod & Apple
In order to not genre-fy this stuff, I'll just say DM Stith writes with an acoustic guitar, a voice, and boatloads of rythmic ideas that take beautiful songs and make them into heartbreaking pieces that could sit sweetly in your ears but rather, tend to jump around in your head with a heartswelling, manic velocity. It's organic music for a digital age that will make you stop, sit, get up and move in ways you didn't move before you heard it."
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Just wanted to let you know that you were selected as a featured artist on Indie Street. Check it out at http://www. indiestreetradio. com and tell all of your friends!
11/13 Bennington, Vt / Bennington College / 9pm
11/14 New York, Ny / Pianos / 1am
11/17 Brooklyn, Ny / Rose Live Music / 9pm
11/18 New York, Ny / Smalls / 730pm
This is our second stop through the NYC area and will gladly welcome any help you can offer. Thanks for being a supporter of whacked progressive instrumental sounds. See you at the show.
I only ever have good thoughts toward you. I have that book of poetry you put together on my shelf at home. ;) I hope life is treating you well & you are happy & following your dreams wherever they take you. U R way too cool.
Thanks for the friendship Love is light, it makes you see things
Nor Mozart, Charlie Parker or Jimmy Hendrix had such an instrument at their disposition! All music we know is made on instruments we know. New weapons generate killings, new musical instruments generate.... Jan Van Kelst
dear david, thank you for listening! classes have started...three lab classes, but at least one of them is with dave! tell me about crazy things in indiana yoooo! i miss you. your, jessica stoddard
hi, we have a music listening date at 10:00 AM on this coming Sunday morning. I know you this know this, but I am excited. I dont even think i know how to make muffins! heh
Your artwork on A 1,000 Shark's Teeth is beautiful. Congratulations on being signed as well. Really looking forward to hearing the music you've been working on!
