OUT BREAKING

KURT VILE

Hard-working Philly scenester fails upward, masterminds a career in rock

Never get high on your own supply. Last July, haze-rock conjurer Kurt Vile learned that lesson the hard way. “I was ;red for having a beer on the job,” says the 29- year-old former forklift operator at the Philadelphia Brewing Co. “Well, that’s not the only reason, but my boss was a hard-ass. It turned out for the best, though. I never would’ve left on my own accord, and right after I got canned, I was o;ered all these gigs.

“Now,” he sighs determinedly, “I’ve gotta make a
living at music.”

That shouldn’t be a problem. The third of ten children born to a homemaker mom and a train engineer dad, Vile (yes, it’s his real name) has always had a strong work ethic. Inspired by his uncle’s John Fahey albums and memories of seeing Beck and Sonic Youth at Lollapalooza in 1995, the singer-guitarist started releasing home-recorded albums on CD;R shortly after high school. “Songwriting’s always come easy,” he says in a thick Philly accent. “I study what’s good about the bands I like and put my own spin on it. I’m not upset if people say I sound like Beck or Springsteen—in a way, I’m trying to sound like them.”

In 2008, after he outgrew Philadelphia’s lo-; folk
scene (“I don’t want to say I used anyone, but being
in a scene is important for making your name”),
Gulcher Records put out the Constant Hit-
maker compilation, which ranged from
acoustic pastoralia (“Classic Rock in
Spring/Freeway in Mind”) to stoned-
on-a-Sunday pop (“Deep Sea”).
The album, and Vile’s sullenly
charismatic live performances—
solo or with backing band the
Violators—garnered interest
from indie biggies Sub Pop,
Domino, and Matador. The
last won out. Vile’s reasoning?
“The other guys wanted to
put me on subsidiaries—Mata-
dor was gonna get my music
heard by the most people.”
Released in October, Childish
Prodigy ;nds Vile expanding his
sound to include gnarled stomps
(“Hunchback”) and saxophone-
sprinkled shu;es (“Ampli;er”). “I’m
con;dent about my talent,” he says. “It
just took time to get it out there.” If only
someone had told him to quit his day job.

BY DAVID MARCHESE PHOTOGRAPH BY JIMMY FONTAINE

GROOMING B Y TOMM Y LOVELL; S T YLING B Y KAREN LEVI T T AT FORD AR TIS TS

Shot for SPIN in New York City, September 8, 2009