Tim Wheeler

Musician — Northern Ireland

01Profile

A Tim Wheeler Photo

03Interview

Name, where are you from?
Tim Wheeler from Downpatrick, Northern Ireland

Describe your style in three words?
Lazy, occasionally neat.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Nirvana, The Breeders and Teenage Fanclub in Belfast in 1992. Nirvana were at their peak, all three bands were great, and we got Kurt and Dave’s autographs that night. Nirvana opened with 'Aneurysm' after walking onstage to Tori Amos’ version of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Thin Lizzy with the 1976 lineup that gave us the Live And Dangerous album. My favourite song from that album is 'Cowboy Song'.
The Clash are the other band I wish I’d seen. For them, I’ll go with their version of 'I Fought The Law'.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
Grunge Rock, Punk Rock, Beat writers and the US Muay Thai community.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
I’d like to survive at least an hour of one of Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassidy’s road trips that became part of On The Road.

Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
I loved playing the Astoria in London. It was sadly demolished to make way for Crossrail, but Ash managed to rack up 22 gigs there.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
A NY singer-songwriter called James Levy. If you listen to his song 'Rotten Love' you’ll understand.


Ash return in 2018 with their 7th studio album 'Islands' featuring new tracks 'Annabel', 'Buzzkill' and 'Confessions I The Pool'. Hailing from Northern Ireland the band exploded onto the scene in 1996 with their debut LP '1977' standing out against the Britpop dominated musical landscape of the period.

 

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
'Live And Let Die' by Wings

A song that defines the teenage you?
'The Concept' by Teenage Fanclub

One record you would keep forever?
'Astral Weeks' by Van Morrison

A song lyric that has inspired you?
Punk rock, yeah it saved my soul
Sure beats digging six feet holes
It was freedom and it never goes away
From 'Blue Lights' by Pat Dam Smyth

A song you wished you had written?
'The Tracks Of My Tears' - Smokey Robinson and The Miracles

Best song to turn up loud?
'Smells Like Teen Spirit' by Nirvana

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'Delaney’s Donkey' by Val Doonican

Best song to end an all-nighter on?
'Rambler' by Bill Frisell

Any new bands you are listening to right now?
Thee Oh Sees - 'Dead Man’s Gun' 
Pat Dam Smyth - 'Blue Lights'
Alvvays - 'In Undertow'

03Interview

Name, where are you from?
Tim Wheeler from Downpatrick, Northern Ireland

Describe your style in three words?
Lazy, occasionally neat.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Nirvana, The Breeders and Teenage Fanclub in Belfast in 1992. Nirvana were at their peak, all three bands were great, and we got Kurt and Dave’s autographs that night. Nirvana opened with 'Aneurysm' after walking onstage to Tori Amos’ version of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Thin Lizzy with the 1976 lineup that gave us the Live And Dangerous album. My favourite song from that album is 'Cowboy Song'.
The Clash are the other band I wish I’d seen. For them, I’ll go with their version of 'I Fought The Law'.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
Grunge Rock, Punk Rock, Beat writers and the US Muay Thai community.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
I’d like to survive at least an hour of one of Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassidy’s road trips that became part of On The Road.

Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
I loved playing the Astoria in London. It was sadly demolished to make way for Crossrail, but Ash managed to rack up 22 gigs there.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
A NY singer-songwriter called James Levy. If you listen to his song 'Rotten Love' you’ll understand.


Ash return in 2018 with their 7th studio album 'Islands' featuring new tracks 'Annabel', 'Buzzkill' and 'Confessions I The Pool'. Hailing from Northern Ireland the band exploded onto the scene in 1996 with their debut LP '1977' standing out against the Britpop dominated musical landscape of the period.

 

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
'Live And Let Die' by Wings

A song that defines the teenage you?
'The Concept' by Teenage Fanclub

One record you would keep forever?
'Astral Weeks' by Van Morrison

A song lyric that has inspired you?
Punk rock, yeah it saved my soul
Sure beats digging six feet holes
It was freedom and it never goes away
From 'Blue Lights' by Pat Dam Smyth

A song you wished you had written?
'The Tracks Of My Tears' - Smokey Robinson and The Miracles

Best song to turn up loud?
'Smells Like Teen Spirit' by Nirvana

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'Delaney’s Donkey' by Val Doonican

Best song to end an all-nighter on?
'Rambler' by Bill Frisell

Any new bands you are listening to right now?
Thee Oh Sees - 'Dead Man’s Gun' 
Pat Dam Smyth - 'Blue Lights'
Alvvays - 'In Undertow'

 

05Videos

Ash - 'Annabel'

Ash - 'Buzzkill'

Ash - 'Confessions In The Pool'

Ash - 'Girl From Mars'