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• Robert Pollard is a remarkably prolific singer-songwriter who led the indie rock group Guided By Voices from 1983 until 2004, when he left the group to pursue a solo career. Pollard grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and worked as an elementary school teacher prior to becoming a full-time musician. Along with his seemingly inexhaustible supply of infectious melodies, one of the most unusual aspects of his music is its sheer quantity—he has written well over 1000 songs. Guided By Voices' output alone included 16 LPs, 16 EPs, and multiple boxed sets of otherwise unreleased material. His solo work has included twelve full-length studio albums, plus EPs and live albums. In addition, Pollard has put out dozens of other albums and EPs under various monikers, for his self-released Fading Captain series.

• Fast Facts

  1. Born: October 31, 1957
  2. Origin: Dayton, Ohio
  3. Years Active: 1983 - present
  4. Record Label: Matador Records
  5. Listed in Paste Magazine as the 78th greatest living songwriter

• Influences

  Pollard's chief musical influences include The Who, Wire and Mission of Burma, but he is known to go off on Buddy Holly-ish, Bob Dylan-esque and Beatles-like tangents, as well as explore pure experimental noise. His stream-of-consciousness lyrical approach sometimes recalls the more experimental side of 1970s prog rock.

• Selected Solo Discography

  Note: Pollard has released dozens of albums and EPs under various pseudonyms and band names. What qualifies as "solo" material is debatable. The following list is of his full-length releases, under the name Robert Pollard.

  • 1996: Not in My Airforce
  • 1998: Waved Out
  • 2003: Motel of Fools
  • 2004: Fiction Man
  • 2005: Relaxation of the Asshole
  • 2006: From a Compound Eye
  • 2006: Normal Happiness
  • 2007: Meet the King: Asshole 2
  • 2007: Standard Gargoyle Decisions
  • 2007: Coast to Coast Carpet of Love
  • 2008: Superman Was a Rocker
  • 2008: Robert Pollard Is Off to Business

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Guided By Voices | Sebadoh | Pavement | The Mountain Goats | Smog | Destroyer | The Magnetic Fields | John Vanderslice | Built to Spill | Daniel Johnston | The Apples in Stereo | Tapes n Tapes | Neutral Milk Hotel | Sunset Rubdown | M. Ward | The Microphones | A.C. Newman | The Wrens | Beat Happening | The Halo Benders

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