Conor Oberst!!

            I chose the best musician ever for my project. His full name is Conor Mullen Oberst He was born on February 15^th 1980 in Omaha, Nebraska.  His parents are Matthew Ryan Oberst Sr, who was an information manager for Mutual of Omaha, and Nancy Oberst, director of elementary education in Omaha Public Schools. His two older brothers are Matthew Ryan Oberst Jr, a teacher and musician in a band called, Sorry About Dresden and Justin H. Oberst is a lawyer.

Conor has always enjoyed music; he learned to play the piano and guitar at a young age. He went to St. Pius X/ St. Leo School when he was 13, he was a part of the schools choir along with other musical groups.  His brother Matt and his father have also been big into music. He is a singer and songwriter. He is currently in two bands, Bright Eyes and Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band but has also been in Commander Venus, The Magnetas, Park Ave., Norman Bailer (The Faint), Desaparecidos, and Monsters  of Folk. He is also co-owner of Saddle Creek Records with his brother Justin. His music genre is labeled as indie, folk, and alternative.

His first break with music was in 1992 when Ted Stevens from Mayday and Cursive invited Conor to play with them. Bill Hoover saw him playing and a few weeks later Conor got invited to play with him, so he wrote enough songs for the set, establishing him as a musician. After that he recorded his music in his parent’s basement. And in 1993 he released an album he called, Water with Lumberjack Records, now Saddle Creek Records.

After his two solo-records he started Commander Venus with some friends. But his most popular known band is Bright Eyes. His band has been seen The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where he performed "When the President Talks to God" in May 2005. Also on The Late Show with David Letterman, where he performed "Trees Get Wheeled Away" , and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, singing "Road to Joy"

            He was a part of the “Vote for Change” tour before the 2004 presidential election, along side Bruce Springsteen and R.E.M. He was featured on Rolling Stone in June 2009, he was said to be “rocks boy genius” because he has been recording songs since he was 13. He also told rolling stone that he felt that he needed to retire the band Bright Eyes. This led to him starting the Mystic Valley Band.

                One big musical influence was his older brother Matt. Another was his favorite musicians/songwriters Simon Joyner and David Dondero. He actually did a cover for Simon Joyners song Burn Rubber on his album Take it Easy(Love Nothing). He also did mini-tours with Simon Joyner.  Another great influence was the 1960s folk revival, mentioning Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, and country singers Emmylou Harris, John Prine and Townes Van Zandt. Daniel Johnston and Elliot Smith were also big influences.

            Some other random facts about Conor is he is Pescetarian which means the only meat he eats is seafood, he also is a supporter of PETA and Obama. He was raised Catholic but as an adult he hold no specific religion and hasn’t found one that has “hit the mark” for him. He also expresses his disappointment with the narrow-mindedness of major religions and is fascinated and frustrated by “eternal” concepts.

            His song Moab is the first song I chose. It was released on his album Cape Canaveral on August 5^th 2008, with his new band Mystic Valley Band. This was his first album with his new band. He wrote it in Mexico where he moved to start a solo music career which ended up turning into Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. This song to me is the perfect road trip song. One of my favorite lines in it is,

“There's nothing that the road cannot heal
Washed beneath the blacktop
Gone beneath my wheels”

            I think this is him talking about getting away from all our troubles and enjoying the simpler things in life. It has a really good meaning, very poetic and beautiful.

            Another great song by Conor is Lua on his, I’m Wide Awake its Morning album with the band that he is most popular for, Bright Eyes. This song was released along with the album in 2004 and was written by Conor Oberst himself shortly before. This song made the Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Sales. It also has a beautiful meaning; it’s about a drug addiction and a girl he’s with just for the drugs. His voice is so calming that you wouldn’t think the meaning of the song could be so sad but it is. I think this song has true meaning to him because he has been a drug user himself.

            First Day of my Life is another amazingly beautiful song on the I’m Wide Awake it Morning album, it is a love song. “I’m glad I didn’t die before I met you” he’s talking about how everything’s changed now that he knows her and that she makes him the happiest. It’s adorable. He has played this song live many times with the help of his band mates Nate Walcott and Mike Mogis.

            Lastly, Make War on his Lifted album, written in 2002. He plays the song like most bands with vocals, guitars, and drums. The meaning of this song is more complex. It’s a sort of love/hate song. This line,

“Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town.
You can save face but you won't ever save your soul.”

Is very inspiring and gives you something to think about. He’s saying that this chick that is supposedly in love with only cares about her appearance but what really matters is on the inside. It’s very unique and he put it to a melody very well.