Kurt Samuel Vile (born January 3, 1980)[2] is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer.
He is known for his solo work, music released under the name "Kurt Vile and The Violators," and as the former lead guitarist of rock band the War on Drugs.
Both in the studio and during live performances, Vile is accompanied by his backing band, the Violators, which currently includes Jesse Trbovich (guitar, saxophone), Kyle Spence (drums) and Adam Langellotti (bass, keyboards).
Influenced by Pavement, John Prine, Neil Young, Ween, Tom Petty, Dinosaur Jr., Bruce Springsteen and John Fahey,[3] Vile began his musical career creating lo-fi home recordings with frequent collaborator Adam Granduciel in Philadelphia, with whom he has participated in early work by the War on Drugs as well as various solo projects.
Focusing on his solo career, Vile released two albums, Constant Hitmaker (2008) and God Is Saying This to You... (2009), compiling various home recordings dating back to 2003.
In 2011, Vile released his fourth studio album, Smoke Ring for My Halo, which significantly increased his exposure.
His fifth studio album, Wakin on a Pretty Daze, was released in 2013, with Rob Laakso replacing Granduciel in his backing band.
In 2018, he released his eighth studio album, Bottle It In, followed by a country-influenced EP, Speed, Sound, Lonely KV, in 2020.
"[11] In 2003, after staying in Boston for two years, Vile moved back to Philadelphia, and began collaborating with musician and songwriter Adam Granduciel.
"[15] In April 2009, Mexican Summer released God Is Saying This to You...; a collection of Vile's home recordings dating back to 2003 on vinyl only.
"[10] Recorded with backing band The Violators, Childish Prodigy was released on October 6, 2009, and increased Vile's exposure significantly.
[18] Later in 2011, Vile released a companion EP, So Outta Reach, and appeared on his former band The War on Drugs' second studio album, Slave Ambient.
Shortly after the release of Smoke Ring for My Halo, longtime Violators guitarist Adam Granduciel departed from the band to fully focus on The War on Drugs, with Vile noting, "Adam, he plays in The War on Drugs, his record came out a little after mine did, so at first he toured, and now he's obviously busy with that and now he's working on his new record."
Regarding the current line-up of his backing band, Vile noted, "I'm playing with Jesse [Trbovich] and Rob [Laakso].
"[19] Priestess drummer Vince Nudo subsequently joined the band on drums and percussion, after performing on two of Wakin on a Pretty Daze's tracks.
"[20] On September 24, 2013, Vile announced the release of a new EP, It's a Big World Out There (And I Am Scared), and a deluxe edition of Wakin on a Pretty Daze.
[21] On March 6, 2015, Vile announced that he was working on his sixth studio album, with recording taking place across different locations in the United States.
[24] Vile sings lead vocals on The Sadies song "It's Easy (Like Walking)" on their 2017 album Northern Passages.
Upon the album's release, Adam Langellotti, who had previously helped Vile build his home studio, joined the Violators on bass guitar and keyboards.
On May 4, 2023, Vile's longtime Violators bandmate and recording partner Rob Laakso died from cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer of the bile duct.
Best husband and father," noting that "Rob and I worked close together on the albums B’lieve and Bottle (him co-producing many of the tracks alongside me, engineering often, playing many different instruments, slaying with ease.)
[32] He cites songwriters Randy Newman, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Bruce Springsteen as influences in his lyrics and music.
[33] During a 2022 episode of Rolling Stone's Music Now podcast, Vile stated that he stopped drinking alcohol sometime "around the tour for Bottle It In" (in late 2018 or early 2019), but noted that he still occasionally consumes cannabis.