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 Herbst Theatre

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Will Sheff

In conversation and song hosted by Andrew Leland

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

As the front man for the Austin-based band Okkervil River, Will Sheff explores rock music's right to revel in human experience, clichés and all. After growing up in New Hampshire, Sheff left New England to study English at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Okkervil River formed in 1998, and has produced five albums and five EPs, from their very first - a live EP called Stars Too Small to Use - to their breakthrough album Black Sheep Boy, released in 2005. In an interview for The Believer magazine, Sheff states, "A lot of the time, my guiding principle is to try and do all the things I couldn't possibly get away with, and do them well." Okkervil River's upcoming release, The Stand Ins (September 2008), completes a planned double-album with their 2007 record, The Stage Names. Critics have frequently labeled Okkervil River a "literary" band, but Sheff and his bandmates also remain faithful to rock's hard-swinging roots. Will Sheff cites influences from the Incredible String Band, Sam Cooke and James Brown to Joan Didion and Russian literature. In live performance, Sheff allies himself firmly with performers like Otis Redding or Ian Curtis, delivering songs with visceral, no-holds-barred physical dedication. In addition to his lyrical talents, Sheff plays banjo, guitar, piano, and harmonica, and is also a founding member of the band Shearwater.

Andrew Leland is the Managing Editor of The Believer magazine.

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