Carl Newman | |
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Newman performing in 2006 at the Nokia Theatre in Times Square
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Background information | |
Birth name | Allan Carl Newman |
Also known as | A.C. Newman |
Born | April 14, 1968 |
Origin | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
Genres | Indie rock,power pop |
Occupation(s) | Musician, producer |
Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
Labels | Matador |
Associated acts | Zumpano, Superconductor, The New Pornographers |
Website | www |
Allan Carl Newman (born April 14, 1968) is a Canadian musician and singer–songwriter. He was a member of the indie rock bands Superconductor and Zumpano in the 1990s. Following the breakup of those bands, he reemerged as the leader of the New Pornographers in 2000, a band who have enjoyed commercial and critical success.
In 2004, Newman launched his solo career, performing as A.C. Newman. He has stated he chose "A.C." for his solo career because "it sounded like a pseudonym, but it's not a pseudonym."
Newman began his musical career in the 1990s as a member of the Vancouver grunge/pop group Superconductor. During the 90s, Newman often filled in on second guitar with metal band Nemesis Gypsy. After a brief stay, he joined the Vancouver-based pop group Zumpano. The band released two albums with Newman in the mid-1990s, Look What the Rookie Did and Goin' Through Changes, both of which received favorable reviews. Though Zumpano never officially announced their breakup, they have not recorded any new material since the 90s.
Newman is a founding member of the successful Vancouver-based power pop supergroup the New Pornographers. The band has released six full-length albums since 2000, all of which received favorable reviews. In 2007, Blender ranked the group's debut album, Mass Romantic, the 24th best indie album of all time. Newman is the band's main songwriter and vocalist, and is generally regarded as the band's leader.
In 2004 Newman debuted as A.C. Newman the solo artist. The Slow Wonder, his first album, was well received. His musical sensibilities as a solo musician have been compared to those of Ray Davies, Harry Nilsson, and Ben Folds.