Honor Titus
Honor Titus | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Honor Titus |
| Born | July 18, 1989 |
| Origin | Brooklyn, NY |
| Genres | Punk Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer Songwriter Poet Model Actor |
| Years active | 2009 – present |
| Labels | Cult Records |
Honor Titus (born July 18, 1989) is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist of Brooklyn-based punk rock band Cerebral Ballzy.[1] The New York Times has described Titus as "the right man for this job: you can’t pin anything on him...He knows how to lose control perpetually and yet sing rhythmically against the backbeat. He sounds like a chaos orchestrator — the sound of his voice alone can get people moving in the wrong direction."[2] Titus appeared at number three in the 2011 NME Cool List [3] and outlined his guide to being a punk in 2014 for The Guardian, stating that “a modern punk seeks out the best in music or art or cool means of expression.” [4] He currently resides in Brooklyn, New York.
Career
Cerebral Ballzy
Cerebral Ballzy formed in Brooklyn, New York in 2009 and is best known for their love of 80s punk, along with a keen interest in drinking, girls, pizza and skateboarding [5] Fronted by Titus, the band also consists of Mel Honor (bass), Jason Bannon (guitar) and Tom Kogut (drums). Cerebral Ballzy have released two full-length records.[6] Their first self-titled full-length record received international acclaim, including favorable write-ups in top UK music magazine Mojo and on BBC Music.[7] Their second full-length record, Jaded & Faded, was produced by Dave Sitek and released on Julian Casablancas' Cult Records on June 16, 2015. The record received strong reviews, most notably from NME, where Titus and Casablancas shared a cover for their Heroes issue in March 2014.[8] Since forming, the band has toured extensively, sharing the stage with top artists including The Strokes,[9] Black Flag, Black Lips and OFF![10] They also headlined the Monster NME Radar Tour in 2013.[11] Honor has been caught a number of times stealing books from independent booksellers.
Solo Work
In 2014, Titus debuted his solo project, Eyeshadow, in Berlin at artist Christian Rosa’s exhibition after party.[12] He is also a reputed book thief targeting independent booksellers.
Influences
Honor is said to be influenced by the likes of Jesus and Mary Chain, The Stone Roses, Beat generation writers, romantic French literature such as Genet, Céline and Rimbaud.[13] He credits Siouxsie Sioux, early-eighties Robert Smith, Johnny Marr, Richard Hell, Johnny Thunders, Tom Verlaine, and Lou Reed as personal style icons.[14]
Other Ventures
Poetry
Titus has performed original poetry throughout small clubs in New York, as well as on BBC Radio 1.[15] The 405 exclusively premiered a video featuring Honor reading a selection of his poetry on June 2, 2014.[16]
Acting
In 2014, Honor began work on Condemned, a horror film set in New York's Lower East Side. In the film, Titus plays Loki, a musician living in a condemned squat, who ends up having to use his collection of vintage bass guitars to fight off attackers after an infection spreads throughout the building's residents, causing them to 'go crazy.'[17] The film co-stars Lydia Hearst and Dylan Penn and is written and directed by Eli Morgan Gesner.
Modeling
In 2014, Titus was photographed by Ryan McGinley and featured prominently throughout his corresponding Yearbook exhibition.[18] He has also done work with Rag & Bone and Metropolis Vintage. Additionally, he has been featured in spreads in Nylon and Black Magazine, as well as being one of four musicians profiled for the New York Times T Style magazine in 2014.[19]
Personal life
Titus's father is Dres from Brooklyn-based hip-hop duo Black Sheep.
References
- ^ Hawthorne, Chris. "A Day in the Life of Honor Titus, Cerebral Ballzy’s Filthy and Furious Leader" Bullett Magazine, February 24, 2012.
- ^ Ratliff, Ben. "New Music – Cerebral Ballzy" New York Times , July 25, 2011.
- ^ Bloxham, Andy “Sexually explicit rapper Azealia Banks tops NME Cool List“ The Telegraph November 23, 2011.
- ^ Gibsone, Harriet."How to be a Punk according to Cerebral Ballzys Honor Titus" The Guardian June 12, 2014.
- ^ Ziegler, Chris. "Cerebral Ballzy Are Barfing Their Way to the Top" "OC Weekly". August 2, 2011.
- ^ iTunes Artist Page
- ^ BBC Artist Page: Cerebral Ballzy
- ^ "NME Magazine – Heroes Special" NME, March 29, 2014.
- ^ Oh My Rockness Show Listing
- ^ Off Made a New Video; Touring with Cerebral Ballzy Brooklyn Vegan , February 11, 2014
- ^ 'Cerebral Ballzy kick off the Monster NME Radar tour with sweaty Cambridge show' NME November 16, 2013
- ^ Fell, Grant. Honor Titus Interview Black Magazine June 10, 2014.
- ^ Their Library: Cerebral Ballzy Clash Magazine , June 13, 2014
- ^ Pires, Kevin. How Honor Titus Went From Shooting Hoops with Julian Casablancas to Opening for The Strokes Details , June 12, 2014.
- ^ Stephens, Huw. Honor Titus Poetry Corner BBC Radio 1 , March 20, 2014.
- ^ A Series of Poems by Honor Titus – 405tv Session – Video
- ^ Cerebral Ballzy frontman to star in horror film 'Condemned' NME , March 28, 2014.
- ^ Johnson, Ken. 'Ryan McGinley: Yearbook' New York Times , October 2, 2014.
- ^ Syle Memo: Pump Up the Volume T Magazine March 3, 2014.