J. Tillman

Joshua Tillman (born May 3, 1981) is an American folk singer, guitarist and songwriter. He is also the current drummer for the Seattle-based band Fleet Foxes.He has maintained a steady output of recordings since 2004 and has toured the US and Europe extensively with Pacific Northwest artists such as Damien Jurado, Jesse Sykes, and David Bazan.

Western Vinyl writes about Joshua’s career: «J. Tillman moved to Seattle in 2004 after dropping out college where he was studying god-knows-what. Upon moving there he found a job working at a bakery, where he was allowed to record at night before his 4:30AM shift began. This led to a cassette that maybe 20 people heard, one of whom was Seattle legend Damien Jurado. Damien brought Tillman on tour about a year later, where every night he wowed audiences into exclaiming things like, ‘Who is this weird mumbly kid’ and/or ‘Get off the stage.’ Tillman would continue to tour through the US and Europe regardless of ‘audiences’, ‘interest’ and ‘total lack of promotion or booking agencies’.»

When asked about the beginning of his musical journey back in March 2009, Tillman said: «I started playing music with my brother when I was about 12 and he was 11. I was obsessed with music but the idea of becoming good at the guitar bored me to tears, I’m not really technically proficient on any instrument. I just learnt enough chords so I could write songs, although I have accidentally improved over the years. … I was much more interested in song writing, I probably fancied myself as a person who really had something to say. I think it is just a bad habit I have stuck with really, as a way to identify myself. I don’t know why but every body seems to need a way to identify themselves, be it like “I’m Funny” or “I’m smart” or “I’m a songwriter” or “I’m a drummer”, I think we just cling on to that thing for dear life because if we don’t have it we’re lost. So I guess my musical journey has been all about figuring out who I am through the process of making records. I think I am now coming to the other side of that where I can just view myself as myself, and not get on stage and feel I have to present some false, disingenuous version of myself.»