Acton Town Hall 2014
Tymon Dogg has often been described as ‘alt-folk’ but it is difficult to definitively categorize his eclectic and ‘utterly original’ (fRoots) sound. A multi-instrumentalist, he has collaborated and recorded with many bands and musicians over the years including The Clash and Joe Strummer’s last band, The Mescaleros, of which he was a full-time member.
His first solo album in recent years, ‘Made of Light’, came out in November 2015 and received rave reviews, even garnering four stars from the Daily Mirror! A selection of reviews can be seen on this site – there’s a reviews tab on the menu.
A promo tour for the new album is currently being organized. He is already booked for some festivals which will be announced on this site nearer the time. He also gigs in Spain with his Spanish band, the Dacoits, featuring Richard Dudanski (101ers, PiL) and Antonio Arias (Lagartika Nik).
Still from Documentary ‘9 Lives of Tymon Dogg’
Background
Dogg’s illustrious career began when he was discovered by Paul McCartney at seventeen years old. He has recorded with the likes of Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Paul McCartney and James Taylor as well as touring with The Moody Blues and releasing several solo albums. When Joe Strummer joined The Clash, Dogg was invited to contribute tracks on Sandinista! and Combat Rock.
With the Mescaleros 2002
In 2010 Cherry Red Records released the critically acclaimed ‘The Irrepressible Dogg’, a compilation of songs from 1967 – 2009. This was followed two years later by a CD of Dogg’s soundscapes released by Thin Man Press entitled ‘A Wave of Dreams’.
What they say about Tymon Dogg
Martin Scorsese on ‘Lose This Skin’ (written and played by Tymon Dogg on ‘Sandinista’)
‘It was in New York. I had speakers the size of a wall…They [The Clash] came into my apartment and shoved a tape into my machine. It was ‘Lose This Skin’…suddenly thunder and lightening erupted all over the city…it was one of those great moments…all the forces came down into that room.”
John Cooper Clarke
“Tymon’s a fuckin’ genius.”
fRoots Magazine December 2015 :
‘a truly outstanding and utterly original musician – the original fiddlesinger.’ fRoots also playlisted tracks from the album and included ‘Conscience Money’ on their complimentary Xmas CD
Daily Mirror November 2015
‘Uber talented Clash/101ers associate’s ornate and barbed songs make their mark on this sweeping double CD’
Blogcritics November 2015: ‘ while he’s one of those folks who seems to be able to play any and every stringed instrument invented, the violin is his weapon of choice. When he plays on the violin he creates a storm of passion in his listeners.’
Social Links:
Dogg and London
Dogg moved to London at 17, and signed first to Pye records, where he recorded the single, “The Bitter Thoughts of Little Jane” before moving to Apple Records, where he was produced by Peter Asher and worked closely with Paul McCartney. Dogg then toured with The Moody Blues and worked closely with Justin Hayward to produce many tracks for Threshold.
Dogg became disillusioned with the constraints of the commercial music industry and cut his ties with it to become part of London’s early 1970s underground scene.
Moving into a squatted property in Westbourne Grove, Dogg made a living gigging in folk clubs and busking with house mate ‘Woody’ aka Joe Strummer. Dogg regularly played at the Charlie Pig Dog Club with the 101ers and when Joe Strummer joined The Clash Dogg was invited to contribute tracks on Sandinista and Combat Rock.
Other notable housemates from that time included all female punk band The Slits, with whom Dogg shared a flat until 1978.
New York & Other Destinies
In 1980 Dogg moved to New York, meeting up with old friends Joe Strummer and Mick Jones who were recording at Electric Ladyland.
Dogg worked with Malcolm McLaren in 1982-3 while the latter was producing Duck Rock. Dogg released two solo albums during the 1980s including Battle of Wills and Relentless, as well as New Age Songs, (1987) an album by the band he formed with Helen Cherry called the Frugivores.
In 1991, Dogg and Helen had a son who was born with learning disabilities. The next decade was devoted to taking care of him.
In 2000, Dogg met up with old friend Joe Strummer again at the Poetry Olympics curated by Michael Horovitz.
Shortly afterwards, Dogg joined Strummer’s band, The Mescaleros, and the two worked together until Strummer’s untimely death in 2002 producing hits such as “Mondo Bongo” (for which Dogg wrote the tune) and “Johnny Appleseed”.
Dogg has continued to write and record his music. An EP, Guantanamo was released by Map Music in 2006; in 2010 Cherry Red released a compilation of songs from 1967 – 2009 called The Irrepressible Dogg Dogg and Thin Man Press produced a CD of Dogg’s soundscape settings of extracts from Louis Aragon’s A Wave of Dreams in 2012.
Dogg produced and composed settings for the album Forgive and Forget by singer-songwriter Susannah Austin which will be released early 2014.
His new Solo album, ‘Made of Light’ was released in November 2015.
Tymon Dogg 