Emperor X
Emperor X | |
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Background information | |
Born | 1979 Louisville, Kentucky |
Origin | Jacksonville, Florida, United States |
Genres | |
Instruments |
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Years active | 1998–present |
Labels |
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Website | http://www.emperorx.net |
Chad R. Matheny, known professionally as Emperor X, is an American singer and songwriter.
Early life and career
Matheny got his start in music when he was given a Casio SK-1 by his grandparents at age nine, and recorded his first album on a Tascam four-track before the age of 20.[2]
Matheny tours across the United States regularly and performs around the world as well, including tours in Mexico, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.[3]
In a self-described attempt to "address the diminishing utility of physical copies of music and the expanding role of marketing in the experience of art",[4] Matheny often hides or buries one-off physical copies and associated visual artwork of b-sides at GPS coordinates and posts them online as a part of a geocaching game to unlock MP3 copies of the audio. For the release of the 2011 Emperor X album Western Teleport, 41 "translucent purple audio cassettes" were buried across North America, many of which remain undiscovered.[5] This received a feature on NPR's "Weekend Edition" program.[6]
Personal life
Matheny was a former high school science teacher,[7] and in 2004 he stopped his pursuit of a master's degree in physics in order to dedicate his career to music.[8]
Matheny is a testicular cancer survivor and is legally blind.[9] [10]
Discography
Full-length albums
- The Joytakers' Rakes/Stars on the Ceiling, Pleasantly Kneeling (1998, self-released)
- Tectonic Membrane/Thin Strip on an Edgeless Platform (2004, Discos Mariscos) [11]
- Central Hug/Friendarmy/Fractal Dunes (2005, Discos Mariscos)
- The Blythe Archives Volumes One and Two (2009, Burnt Toast Vinyl/self-released)
- Western Teleport (2011, Bar/None Records)
- Nineteen Live Recordings (2013, Plan-It-X Records)
- The Orlando Sentinel (2014, The Bomber Jacket) [12]
- Oversleepers International (2017, Tiny Engines)
EPs and singles
- Wuss/Strike/River/Preacher/Magnet/God/Unwuss (2006)
- Dirt Dealership 7" (2007)
- Defiance (for Elise Sunderhuse) (2010)
- Wasted on the Senate Floor (2016)
Tour-only releases
- Gasheater/Raytracer (2004)
- East Coast and Freedom From/Freedom To (2004)
- Everyone in Jacksonville (2006)
- Australia Tour Tape (2010)
- Several New Songs in Various Digital Formats (2011)
References
- ^ "Tiny Engines biography page". Tiny Engines.
- ^ Ubl, Sam. "Tectonic Membrane/Thin Strip on an Edgeless Platform Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ^ Matheny, Chad. "A POORLY-FORMATTED BUT COMPLETE LST OF EVERY EMPEROR X PERFORMACE EVER SO FAR". Emperor X Official Website. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ^ Wasoba, Ryan. "Emperor X On Stock Responses And Performative Marketing". Riverfront Times. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ^ Matheny, Chad. "Western Teleport Nodes". Western Teleport. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ^ NPR feature
- ^ Deusner, Stephen. "The Most Underrated Albums of 2011". Salon. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ^ "Emperor X Biography". Bar None Records.
- ^ "Indieheads Podcast interview". YouTube.
- ^ Greenspan, Sam. "Emperor X: 'We Are Much More Than The Sum Of The Diseases And Disabilities We Carry'". NPR.org. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
- ^ Ubl, Sam. "Tectonic Membrane/Thin Strip on an Edgeless Platform Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ^ Eakin, Marah. "Emperor X tries to put Orlando on the map (again) with a new single, EP". The AV Club. Retrieved 2 March 2016.