Mary Timony facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Timony
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Timony in 2015
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| Background information | |
| Born | October 17, 1969 Washington, D.C., United States |
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| Years active | 1990–present |
| Associated acts | Helium, Autoclave, Wild Flag, Ex Hex |
Mary Bozana Timony, born on October 17, 1969, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She also plays keyboards, bass guitar, and viola. Mary is known for her unique style in indie rock music. She has been a part of several bands, including Helium, Autoclave, Wild Flag, and Hammered Hulls. Currently, she leads the band Ex Hex.
Mary Timony's music often sounds strong and a bit dark. She uses special guitar tunings and melodies that remind people of old European music. Famous musicians like Carrie Brownstein from Sleater-Kinney and Sadie Dupuis from Speedy Ortiz have said Mary influenced their music. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine named her one of the 250 greatest guitarists of all time.
Mary Timony's Story
Early Life and Musical Start
Mary Timony was born and grew up in Washington, D.C.. Her parents are James and Joan Timony. She has Czech family roots, which is where her middle name, Božana, comes from.
As a teenager, Mary went to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. This special school in Georgetown helped her develop her musical talents. She played guitar in the jazz band there. She also studied the viola, another string instrument. Her guitar teacher, Tom Newman, once said that Mary was a "prodigy," meaning she had amazing natural talent.
Forming Bands and Solo Work
In 1990 and 1991, Mary played guitar and sang in a band called Autoclave in Washington, D.C. After that, she moved to Boston. She studied English literature at Boston University. In the summer of 1992, she started a new band called Helium. With Helium, she recorded two albums and three EPs between 1994 and 1997. During this time, she also worked on a small side project called Led Byrd.
Helium broke up in 1998, and Mary moved back to Washington, D.C. She then started her solo music career. She released her first solo albums, Mountains in 2000 and The Golden Dove in 2002. For her third solo album, Ex Hex, released in 2005, she teamed up with drummer Devin Ocampo. They performed as a duo on that album.
In 2007, she released her fourth solo album, The Shapes We Make, with the Kill Rock Stars label. A cool music video for her song "Sharp Shooter" was made by an art group called Paper Rad.
Later Projects and New Music
In 2009, Mary Timony started a new band called Pow Wow. The band later changed its name to Soft Power. In 2010, Mary joined forces with members from other bands like Sleater-Kinney to form a supergroup called Wild Flag. Their album came out in 2011.
After Wild Flag ended, Mary formed another band called Ex Hex. She started it with Betsy Wright on bass and Laura Harris on drums. Their first album, Rips, was released in 2014. Their second album, It's Real, came out in 2019.
Since 2018, Mary has also been playing bass in the Washington, D.C. band Hammered Hulls. Her most recent solo album, Untame the Tiger, was released in February 2024. Mary's brother, Patrick Timony, is also a musician and plays keyboards for the band The Picture is Dead.
Mary Timony is even mentioned in a song! The American indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie included a reference to her in their song "Your Bruise" from their 1998 album Something About Airplanes.
Other Musical Adventures
Besides her main bands, Mary Timony has often worked with other musicians and groups. In 1999, she recorded a four-song EP with Carrie Brownstein from Sleater-Kinney. They called their duo The Spells. In 2000, she recorded a six-song CD called Green 4 with Anna Johansson and Erin Maclean.
In 1995, Mary sang on the song "All Dressed Up In Dreams" with Stephin Merritt for The 6ths album Wasps' Nests. She also sang for a country-style project called Lincoln '65. This project released a single with two songs, "Dreams" and "Jellyfish," in 1996.
Mary also worked with the band Team Sleep on songs like "Tomb of Liegia" and "King Diamond" for their 2005 album. In 2007, she recorded an album with Garland of Hours, a group that includes cellist Amy Domingues.
Music and Movies
Mary Timony has appeared in a few films, often playing a musician.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | All Over Me | Band Member (Coochie Pop) | |
| 2000 | Dream Machine | Trixie | |
| 2016 | What Is a Group? | Electric Guitarist (Chain & the Gang) |
Her Music Albums
Solo Albums
- Mountains (Matador, 2000)
- The Golden Dove (Matador, 2002)
- Ex Hex (Lookout!, 2005)
- Untame the Tiger (Merge, 2024)
Mary Timony Band Albums
- The Shapes We Make (Kill Rock Stars, 2007)
Autoclave Albums
Helium Albums
Mind Science of the Mind Albums
- Mind Science of the Mind (Epic, 1996)
Led Byrd Albums
- "The Dragon #1" appears on the compilation Extra Walt! (Walt, 1996)
- "Fantastic Castle" appears on the compilation EP Stargirl (Villa Villakula, 1996)
Lincoln '65 Albums
- "Dreams" b/w "Jellyfish" 7" single (Slow River, 1996)
The Spells Albums
- The Age of Backwards EP (K, 1999)
- Bat Vs. Bird EP (self-released, 2008)
Green 4 Albums
- Green 4 (limited edition CD-R, 2000)
Garland of Hours Albums
- The Soundest Serum (Noble Task Records, 2007)
Wild Flag Albums
Ex Hex Albums
Hammered Hulls Albums
- Hammered Hulls EP (Dischord, 2019)
- Careening (Dischord, 2022)
