Bob Schneider May 23, 2008

Roots Rock/ Folk Rock/Americiana: Bob Schneider is a fixture on the Austin scene, having kicked around for years in various bands before embarking on a solo career. He dropped out of the University of Texas at El Paso to front his first band, the funk-and-rap outfit Joe Rockhead. The band independently released three albums before disbanding immediately prior to signing with a major label. A stint with a jamming, slightly Phish-y outfit called the Ugly Americans followed, which experienced some success as an opening act for the Dave Matthews Band and Horde. In 1999, Schneider became a solo act, at first under the band name Lonelyland. Schneider's musical approach as a solo artist has proven as eclectic as the diverse musical styles of his former bands ? a little bit singer/songwriter, a whole lot of bits and pieces of funk, country, rock, and folk. Schneider has released three solo albums, and may be on the crest of bigger things with the major-label release of the second of these albums, Lonelyland. His scruffy good looks and strong, husky voice provide a good complement to his semi-confessional songwriting. His music is redolent of singer/songwriters of the '70s from Neil Young to Paul Simon, with a slightly more modern musical sensibility reminiscent of Beck.

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