Devendra Banhart

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Devendra Banhart
Devendra Banhart photo taken by Laurent Orseau
Background information
Birth name	Devendra Banhart
Born	30 May, 1981
Origin	Houston, Texas, United States
Genre(s)	Psych Folk
Instrument(s)	vocals, guitar
Years active	2002 - present
Label(s)	Hinah Young God XL Recordings

Devendra Banhart (born 30 May, 1981 in Houston, Texas) is a psych folk singer/songwriter whose first few records were released on the Young God Records label from New York City; his most recent album was released by XL Recordings. He is one of the most popular ^{[citation needed]} artists to come out of the new New Weird America movement that includes performers such as Faun Fables, Animal Collective, Jana Hunter, Six Organs of Admittance and many others. He is also a sometimes-member of the group Vetiver.

Banhart is often compared ^{[citation needed]} to such disparate artists as Marc Bolan, Daniel Johnston, Billie Holiday, Syd Barrett, Nick Drake, Caetano Veloso, John Fahey, and John Jacob Niles. Banhart himself has cited influence from late 60s and early 70s Brazilian musicians such as Caetano Veloso (also see Tropicalismo). His music tends to consist of fairly simple guitar melodies with minimal other instrumentation, and his lyrics are often surreal and naturalistic.

Banhart was 'discovered' by Michael Gira of Swans, who released his Oh Me Oh My... album on his own Young God Records label in 2002. In 2005, he (along with Andy Cabic and Revolver USA) created the Gnomonsong record label.

His most recent tour of the United States saw him perform with his full band - currently known as Power Mineral - which included Andy Cabic, Otto Hauser (Currituck Co., Espers), Kevin Barker (Currituck Co.), Noah Georgeson, Luckey Remington, and others. The band claims to rechristen itself when a name comes to them, and has previously been known as Fried Hummingbird, Hairy Fairy and First Woman Millionaire, amongst other names. Hauser and Barker have also toured with Antony and the Johnsons as members of Antony's band; Banhart and Antony have served as guest vocalists for one another.

Banhart was "curator" for a compilation CD released by Bastet (an imprint of the alternative magazine Arthur) called The Golden Apples of the Sun. This CD served in many respects as the defining moment in the resurgence of psych-folk in the early 21st century, and solidified Banhart's role as a leading figure in this phenomenon and a tastemaker for this genre in its current state. ^{[citation needed]}

Banhart also was one of the younger musicians responsible for "rediscovering" the music of folksinger Vashti Bunyan. Bunyan is a guest vocalist on his CD, "Rejoicing in the Hands of the Golden Empress." He reportedly writes her name on his arm before every concert.

He currently resides in Los Angeles.

Lindsay Lohan conducted an interview with Banhart at the Mercer Hotel in SoHo. It appeared in the April 2006 issue of Andy Warhol's Interview magazine.

He is presently in the early stages of writing and recording his next album, due for release in mid 2007.

[edit] Discography

The Charles C. Leary (Hinah, 2002)
Oh Me Oh My... The Way the Day Goes By the Sun Is Setting Dogs Are Dreaming Lovesongs of the Christmas Spirit (Young God, 2002)
The Black Babies (UK EP) (Young God, 2003)
Rejoicing in the Hands (Young God, 2004)
Niño Rojo (Young God, 2004)
Cripple Crow (XL Recordings 2005)
Devendra Banhart/Jana Hunter (split with Jana Hunter, Troubleman Unlimited #153, LP, 2005)

[edit] Trivia

While born in Texas, he was raised in Venezuela.
Contributed to the UNICEF benefit song, "Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?" in 2005.
Was also the first artist to contribute a design for the Yellow Bird Project
He appeared on the television show Wonder Showzen, singing an anti-war song.