Jimmy learned to play his father's classical guitar by himself when he was a junior high school student and began to write songs while in high school. He self taught everything about playing instruments and song writing until 2005 when he, after completing two years of compulsory military service, got his first guitar lessons from a master. In early 2006, he entered the Seoul Jazz Academy, and in the winter, he took part in the Seoul Artvarsity Performing Artists Festival with his own creation and earn the Korea Entertainment Producers Association Award.
He often omitted classes at the Seoul Jazz Academy and devoted his time to creating an instrumental album. He decided to call himself "Jimmy Strain." His English name was James(Jim) and Jimmy was the first name of the three musicians he respected most --James Hetfield of Metallica, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, and Jim Morrison of the Doors. He picked "Strain" because he liked the word for meaning "a series of musical phrases that create a distinct melody of a piece" and "to make an effort to do something, using all your mental or physical strength." Jimmy Strain produced an EP in April 2007. About a month later, he performed live on the main and sub stages of the "Hi, Seoul Festival" with his own pieces. The performance became Jimmy's last public appearance yet as he began to focus on making records as a one-man band.
"The development of engineering technology will enable the ultimate creation of musical albums for which a minimum number of creators and engineers work, and the short term efforts for printing and distribution." - Jimmy Strain.
Jimmy thought "one-man band" was the most appropriate form of rock band for the 21st century. By "one-man band," he meant one individual's creation of songs, who will bring in other musicians when he or she goes on live stage. Unlike previous one-man bands, Jimmy never employed session or featuring musicians for his album. He did the whole artistic and tenical process by himself. He wrote the music and verses of all the songs, played all the instruments and sang, and recorded, mixed and mastered the numbers.
After year-long efforts, he produced a promotional version of his first commercial album, "Emotion Frequency," in April 2008. A great album running over 70 minutes, it was an epochal work in the history of both indie and mainstream musicians in Korea. Though its sound quality had something to be desired, it got critical acclaim at home and abroad. "Pieces of me" and "Savior" were ranked 66th and 71st, respectively, in the heavy metal category on the Soundclick (www.soundclick.com), the musical website having 3.4 million members. In the fall of 2008, Jimmy began re-mastering the record and a renewed version was put out on the iTunes and other on-line and off-line stores in March 2009.
In the spring of 2009, Jimmy also began to create a new album, titled "FUTURE." It was a "concept album" with the theme of "future." After enormous efforts, he succeeded in producing another album running over 70 minutes. It was a remarkable album encompassing a wide range of genres from symphonic progressive metal to electronica and folk music. The album became more special owing to the laudatory reviews provided by three established critics.
"The Old Dog Barks at the Ghosts" expressed the concept of the album most clearly. It was ranked 31st out of 6,652 in the "progressive metal" category of Soundclick , and 187th out of 92,741 in the "metal" category. "Collective Stupidity" warns against the innate weakness of democracy challenging Alexis de Tocqueville's thoughts on democracy and Pierre Levy's "Collective Intelligence." The song was ranked 130th out of 38,424 on Soundclick. The second album enjoyed favoral reception overseas as the first.
In the winter of 2009, Jimmy was chosen for a compilation album to support "RAINN," the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, the largest anti-sexual assault organization in the United States. In 2010, he won "honorable Mention" for four of his songs --two each from his two albums.
Jimmy has never studied or lived outside Korea, yet he writes all English verses by himself. His theme has not been limited to things Korean; he has talked about human beings and problems of Korea and of the world. In the meantime, he has been eager to revive the traditional Korean melodies. "Emotion Frequency" contains guitar solo presentation of Korean folk songs, "Arirang" and "Saetaryeong." In "FUTURE," the melodic DNA of modern Korean popular songs is inserted into heavy metal pieces.
In the fall of 2010, Jimmy produced his first Korean-language album, "Human to Human," to commemorate his father's 60th birthday. The album's front cover shows the photographs of Jimmy and his father, both taken in their early childhood. On the right is Jimmy. The verses are like dialogue between a father and a son, and among people who dream of a humane world.
- Critical Review -
In a nutshell, his music and message have depth. Given the flood of digital singles and mini albums, producing a full-fledged album is something to be grateful for.
Jimmy Strain is a rarity on the present-day pop music scene. He is a musician of great calibre. That he has done this alone --and he is a newcomer-- makes me not to give up caring for our popular music. He doesn't express it but his anger seems to be relevant to the pathetic reality of pop music today. Jimmy separates himself from others by turning the anger to immeasurable passion for his music and concentration on his creation. That is why we cannot but welcome him, an artist armed with unrivalled musical zeal and ideas. Sincerity pays off in the end, even if it doesn't seem to be in tune with certain times. - Park Hyo-jae, pop music critic
Jimmy Strain shows a model case of an artist who "grasps the musical heart." When made by this kind of artists, music becomes true to itself. Is the belief that music will revive albums someday an illusion that disregards change of the times and technical development? When we listen carefully to Jimmy Strain's music, we find the belief not in vain. It is great to see an honest and sincere challenge to the musical world of shallow tactics and thoughtless fad. - Kim Bong-hyun, pop music critic
The first time I saw Jimmy Strain's first album, I instantly concluded that it was a licensed album of a foreign rock musician or band. When I opened the album and listened to it, my conclusion didn't change. I wonder if we have ever had a more daring and spirited one-man band than this one in our underground music history. - Sung Woo-jin, pop music critic and script writer
- Jimmy Strain -
September 1980: born in Seoul, Korea
December 2006: wins the Korea Entertainment Producers Association Award at Seoul Artvarity Performing Artists' Festival
April 2007: first EP
May 2007: performs at "Hi! Seoul Festival" with self-written pieces
April 2008: first regular album, "Emotion Frequency"
March 2009: re-mastered version of "Emotion Frequency"
September 2009: second regular album, "FUTURE"
December 2009: participates in the Damitow Records' (NY) production of a charity compilation record for the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) in the U.S.
August 2010: charity album for "RAINN" goes on iTunes
August 2010: gets "Honorable Mention" for four songs at the 17th Billboard World Song Contest
October 2010: third regular album, "Human to Human"
www.jimmystrain.com
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