Born on 3 June: Bill Callahan, a whisper in Smog's wake

He was born in 1966 in Silver Spring, Maryland, and continues to deliver the same introspective and melancholic poetry. Sometimes with a touch of dark or offbeat humour…

A devoted practitioner of D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) and proud of his independence, Bill Callahan began by recording his music onto cassettes that he duplicated on demand. One could almost believe that the term lo-fi (or low fidelity) was invented to best describe his sometimes slightly world-weary country folk. Given that he titled his very first cassette "Macrame Gunplay" in 1988, there’s already a hint of latent self-mockery there.

He went on to make a name for himself in the 1990s under the pseudonym Smog, enveloping his music in a melancholic mist from which his low, haunting voice would emerge. Between 1990 and 2005, he produced no fewer than fourteen albums under this name. I can’t resist highlighting the caustic and wry "Dress Sexy At My Funeral" as proof of a kind of self-deprecating humour. "Dongs Of Sevotion" (sic!), the title of the album featuring this song in 2000, is another example of this tongue-in-cheek approach. But even if he occasionally brings a gentle smile to the faces of his listeners, Bill Callahan doesn’t become a public entertainer. Johnny Cash, Lou Reed and above all Leonard Cohen remain his major influences: "What moves me is when a song seems simple to listen to at first, but then stays with you for days. For me, Leonard Cohen was like that: minimalism packed with emotion," he told the British daily The Guardian in 2013.

Although he has performed under his own name since 2007, he remains extremely prolific, with eight albums to his credit. Even if the latest, "Ytilaer", dates back to 2022, that’s an eternity for an artist who could sometimes be described as compulsive.

Describing himself as an avid reader, it’s no coincidence that literature plays a central role in his creative process. At once elliptical and evocative, his style clearly draws on a tradition of American literature that celebrates wilderness, lost towns and silences heavy with meaning. "I’ve always been drawn to writers who say a lot with few words. (Raymond) Carver, for example, taught me to look at silence, to listen to what isn’t said," he explained in 2009.

Always true to himself and yet constantly evolving, Bill Callahan is rightly described as "one of the greatest living songwriters". And that’s not just my opinion—the "Washington Post" said so too…

A few upcoming concerts:

1 July: Philharmonie - Paris (France)

2 July: EartH - London (England)

3 July: Trinity Center - Bristol (England)

5 July: Arts Club Theatre - Liverpool (England)

All tour dates here: billcallahantour.com

Photo: Bill Callahan on stage at Botanique in Brussels (Belgium) on 27 April 2023