The Caretaker (musician)
The Caretaker | |
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Leyland Kirby, also known as the Caretaker | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Leyland Kirby |
| Also known as |
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| Born | 9 May 1974 Stockport, England |
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| Years active | 1999–2019 (as the Caretaker) 1996–present (solo career) |
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| Website | thecaretaker |
James Leyland Kirby (born 9 May 1974), known professionally as the Caretaker, is an English ambient musician. His work as the Caretaker is characterized as exploring memory and its gradual deterioration, nostalgia, and melancholy. The project was initially inspired by the haunted ballroom scene in the 1980 film The Shining, the 1978 TV show Pennies from Heaven, and the 1962 film Carnival of Souls. His first several releases comprised treated and manipulated samples of 1930s ballroom pop recordings. Most of his album covers were painted by friend, Ivan Seal.
The Caretaker's works have received critical acclaim in publications such as The Wire, The New York Times, and BBC Music.