Jim Creeggan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Creeggan
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Jim Creeggan in 2008
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Background information | |
Birth name | James Raymond Creeggan |
Born | Scarborough, Ontario, Canada |
February 12, 1970
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
Instruments | Double bass, bass guitar, guitar, vocals, piano, violin, cello |
Years active | 1990–present |
Associated acts | Barenaked Ladies The Brothers Creeggan |
James Raymond Creeggan (born February 12, 1970) is a talented Canadian musician. He is best known as the bassist for the popular alternative rock band, Barenaked Ladies.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Jim Creeggan was born in Scarborough, a part of Toronto, Ontario. His mother taught piano lessons to children in their neighborhood. This early exposure to music helped Jim discover his own love for it.
Discovering the Bass
Creeggan started playing the double bass when he was still in school. He joined many school bands and local youth symphony groups. He even studied bass performance at the University of Toronto.
Career with Barenaked Ladies
Jim Creeggan joined the Barenaked Ladies in the early 1990s. At that time, the band was just a duo with Ed Robertson and Steven Page. Jim and his brother, Andy, were invited to play with them at a Christmas show in Toronto. They were then asked to join the band permanently. Jim has been a member ever since. Andy left the band in 1995.
Playing Different Instruments
Jim Creeggan mainly plays the double bass. He uses both a bow and his fingers (called pizzicato) to play. He has also played the electric double bass and bass guitar for the band. Sometimes, he even plays the guitar on songs where he sings the main vocals. Jim has also played other instruments from the violin family. He has helped arrange music for other musicians to record. In 1999, he won an award for best male bassist from the Gibson Guitar Corporation.
Writing Songs for the Band
Creeggan has written or helped write many songs for Barenaked Ladies. He started contributing more to songwriting with the band's third album, Born on a Pirate Ship, released in 1996. On this album, he wrote and sang lead on "Spider In My Room" and "In The Drink."
He continued to write songs for later albums:
- For Everything to Everyone (2003), several of his ideas became full songs.
- Barenaked for the Holidays (2004) included his holiday song, "Christmas Pics."
- On Barenaked Ladies Are Me (2006), he sang lead on "Peterborough and the Kawarthas."
- The band's children's album, Snacktime! (2008), featured his songs "Louis Loon" and "Pollywog In A Bog," which he also sang.
- For All in Good Time (2010), he wrote and sang "On The Lookout" and "I Saw It."
- He also wrote "Narrow Streets" for the 2015 album Silverball.
Guest Appearances and Collaborations
Besides his work with Barenaked Ladies, Jim Creeggan has played bass as a guest on many other albums. Most of these were for other Canadian artists. He also often joins artists who open for Barenaked Ladies if they don't have a full band. He has done this on the band's "Ships and Dip" cruises too.
Songs Written by Jim Creeggan
Here are some songs Jim Creeggan has written or co-written with Barenaked Ladies:
- "Grade 9"
- "Wrap Your Arms Around Me"
- "I Love You"
- "Great Provider"
- "Spider in My Room"
- "In the Drink"
- "Inline Bowline"
- "Maybe Katie"
- "Next Time"
- "Long While"
- "Christmas Pics"
- "Everything Had Changed"
- "Peterborough and the Kawarthas"
- "Pollywog in a Bog"
- "Louis Loon"
- "On the Lookout"
- "I Saw It"
- "She Turned Away"
- "Narrow Streets"
- "Who Knew?"
- "We Took the Night"