Biography of a famous person: Tim McIlrath
Timothy
“Tim” James McIlrath might be someone you’ve never heard of before. He’s not a
model, an actor or a famous director: he’s the lead singer and rhythm guitarist
of the American punk rock band Rise Against. If you’ve never heard of that band
either, let me tell you a little about them first.
Rise
Against is, as I already said, a punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois. It
currently consists of Tim McIlrath (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Zach Blair
(lead guitar, backing vocals), Joe Principe (bass guitar, backing vocals) and
Brandon Barnes (drums, percussion). The band was formed in December 1999 and
their album Siren Song of the Counter
Culture officially put them on the map. From then on, they’ve released 3
more albums, Endgame (2011) being
their latest one.
The
thing that makes Rise Against so special in my opinion, is their political and
ethical idealism. All of the band members are vegetarian, support PETA – an
animal rights organization – and 3 of them are also straight edge, which I’ll
explain later. They’ve also released a song for Amnesty International, and
during the 2004 US presidential elections, they were part of the political
activist group Punkvoter and appeared on the Rock Against Bush, Vol 1. album. This project raised over $1
million for presidential candidate John Kerry. The video clip of the song Audience of One is said to show a kid
playing the role of George W. Bush and clearly shows the bands criticism
towards him. Later on, they supported Barack Obama.
Other
video clips also show the bands look on certain ‘flaws’ of the current society.
Ready to Fall clearly tries to make
people aware of things like factory farming and deforestation. And their video Make it Stop (September’s Children) was
their shout-out to all children that are bullied, especially if it happens
because of their sexual orientation.
Then
about Tim himself. Tim was born on the 3rd of November, 1978 in
Indianapolis, Indiana as Timothy James McIlrath. As a child, he was bullied
because he suffers from heterochromia, which causes him to have one blue and
one brown eye. As a teenager, he attended Rolling Meadows High School, where
the music video of Make It Stop
(September’s Children) was also set. His friends were interested in
snowboarding, so he was saving up to buy a snowboard as well. However, as his
interest in music grew, so he decided to buy a Gibson SG guitar instead.
After
high school, he went to the Northeastern Illinois University, where he majored
in English and Sociology. It was during that period of his life that he met Joe
Principe at a concert of the band Sick of It All. Tim was asked to sing the
lyrics of a few tracks Principe and Mr. Precision had recorded, and like that
Rise Against was formed, under the name ‘Transistor Revolt’. In 2001, they
officially named it Rise Against. Before that, he had already played in two
bands: Baxter and Arma Angelus. He has also been part of a metalcore side
project ‘The Killing Tree’, but they haven’t been really active since 2004.
He’s
married to Erin McIlrath and has 2 daughters. He’s only 1.75 meters tall and
can be recognized by his short brown hair and sideburns and of course by his
heterochromia. On a record, he can be recognized by his characteristic voice.
When
talking about Tim, a few things should be mentioned though. As I said earlier,
Tim and 2 other band members are ‘straight edge’. This is a subculture of
hardcore punk and is about a lifestyle that eliminates drugs, alcohol and
tobacco, but also other things that can be seen as potentially addictive. This
is something that I admire. The whole rock- and punkscene is often associated
with drugs and alcohol, which this culture strongly rejects.
On top
of being straight edge, Tim is also a vegetarian – and close to veganism – and
he does a lot of things involving the animal rights group PETA – People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals. He often takes part in PETA protests and he has
apperaead in many videos made by PETA explaining their beliefs on veganism and
the meat and fast food industry.
However,
it isn’t because I have the same ideas as him, that I admire him. I’m not a
vegetarian – in fact, I do not care that much about factory farming – nor part
of the straight edge culture, although I do agree that drugs, alcohol – when
excessively used – and smoking are things that shouldn’t be done. I wouldn’t go
as far as saying that it’s unacceptable, because it’s something that everyone
should decide for themselves. But personally, I do reject
the idea of a life consisting mainly of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. And with
reason; just look at all the reports of people who died due to a lifestyle like
that.
But, to
go back on-topic, that won’t happen to Tim McIlrath, because of his ideas and
his beliefs. That is what I admire about him. He is not afraid to state what he
thinks and uses his music to tell this to others, without forcing it upon them.
Because, even without listening to the lyrics, Rise Against’s music can be very
enjoyable – if it suits your taste of music, of course. As one of their
listeners, I’m proud of how Tim’s lyrics have the power to make me think about it,
to make me consider whether I think he’s right or not, and to make me realise
that I agree with what he’s saying. I think that if, as an artist, you can
achieve something like that, that it is that quality that makes you truly
admirable. I don’t admire artists who create catchy songs, but who don’t manage
to get across what they’re singing. Because they do not believe in it themselves.
But when I’m listening to Rise Against, listening to Tim, I do believe what
they’re singing. And that is wonderful.
"Just because I can't change everything, doesn't mean I shouldn't try to change anything at all." - Tim McIlrath
