The Caretaker

The Caretaker

More Images

Real Name:
James Kirby
Profile:
Concieved in 1999 as a side project to V/Vm, The Caretaker went on to be the longest-running and best known of James Kirby's many acts, and continued well after V/Vm's official end in 2008.
Inspired by a scene from Stanley Kubrick's film version of "The Shining," the project took as its major source 78 RPM singles of ballroom recordings, treated with minimal effects compared to V/Vm's rapid-fire, often obliterative approach. Gradually, the project began to explore the theme of neurodegenerative illness, using the records themselves as a metaphor for the progressive failure of the human mind. This culminated in the six-part epic Everywhere At The End of Time, a fictional first-person account of early onset dementia told in surface noise, atmospherics, and snippets of worn-out records.

After 20 years, the project ended with the conclusion of Everywhere... in 2019. Kirby continues to make music under his separate ongoing projects.
Sites:
Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, boomkat.com, brainwashed.com
Aliases:
Billy Ray Cyrix, Bored In Columbia, Butcher Claws, CV[ev], Dr. Fred, James Kirby (4), Leon And Hits, Leyland Kirby, Loin-El Glitchie, Pole (2), The Edgeley Musher, The Notorious P.I.G., The Stranger, V/Vm, V/Vm Allstar Marching Band, V/Vm And The Hog Chorus, Van Gaal, vvMike Read

Artist

Marketplace 280 For Sale

Vinyl and CD
Data Quality
  • Correct
  • New
  • Updated
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions

Albums
OFFAL02 Selected Memories From The Haunted Ballroom — The Caretaker The Caretaker Selected Memories From The Haunted Ballroom (Album) V/Vm Test Records OFFAL02 UK 1999 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
OFFALP07 A Stairway To The Stars — The Caretaker The Caretaker A Stairway To The Stars (Album) V/Vm Test Records OFFALP07 UK 2002 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
VVMTCD15, vvmtcd15 We'll All Go Riding On A Rainbow — The Caretaker The Caretaker We'll All Go Riding On A Rainbow (Album) V/Vm Test Records, V/Vm Test Records VVMTCD15, vvmtcd15 UK 2003 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
VVMTCD25 Theoretically Pure Anterograde Amnesia — The Caretaker The Caretaker Theoretically Pure Anterograde Amnesia (Album) V/Vm Test Records VVMTCD25 UK 2005 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
VVMTCD25x Additional Amnesiac Memories — The Caretaker The Caretaker Additional Amnesiac Memories ‎(13xFile, MP3) V/Vm Test Records VVMTCD25x UK 2006
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
WeMe 009 Deleted Scenes / Forgotten Dreams — The Caretaker The Caretaker Deleted Scenes / Forgotten Dreams WéMè Records WeMe 009 Belgium 2007 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
INST002 Persistent Repetition Of Phrases — The Caretaker The Caretaker Persistent Repetition Of Phrases (Album) Install INST002 US 2008 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
HAFTW008-LP An Empty Bliss Beyond This World — The Caretaker The Caretaker An Empty Bliss Beyond This World (Album) History Always Favours The Winners HAFTW008-LP Europe 2011 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
none Extra Patience (After Sebald) — The Caretaker The Caretaker Extra Patience (After Sebald) (MiniAlbum) History Always Favours The Winners none Europe 2012
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
HAFTW013-LP Patience (After Sebald) — The Caretaker The Caretaker Patience (After Sebald) (Album) History Always Favours The Winners HAFTW013-LP Europe 2012 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
HAFTW025 Everywhere At The End Of Time — The Caretaker The Caretaker Everywhere At The End Of Time (Album) History Always Favours The Winners HAFTW025 UK 2016 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
HAFTW027 Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stage 3 — The Caretaker The Caretaker Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stage 3 (Album) History Always Favours The Winners HAFTW027 UK 2017 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
HAFTWCD0103 Everywhere At The End Of Time Stages 1-3 — The Caretaker The Caretaker Everywhere At The End Of Time Stages 1-3 History Always Favours The Winners HAFTWCD0103 UK 2017 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
none Take Care. It's A Desert Out There... — The Caretaker The Caretaker Take Care. It's A Desert Out There... (Album) History Always Favours The Winners none UK 2017 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
HAFTW026-LP Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stage 2 — The Caretaker The Caretaker Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stage 2 (Album) History Always Favours The Winners HAFTW026-LP UK 2017 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
HAFTW028 Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stage 4 — The Caretaker The Caretaker Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stage 4 (Album) History Always Favours The Winners HAFTW028 UK 2018 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
HAFTW029 Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stage 5 — The Caretaker The Caretaker Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stage 5 (Album) History Always Favours The Winners HAFTW029 UK 2018 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
HAFTW030 Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stage 6 — The Caretaker The Caretaker Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stage 6 (Album) History Always Favours The Winners HAFTW030 UK 2019 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
HAFTW022-DL Everywhere, An Empty Bliss — The Caretaker The Caretaker Everywhere, An Empty Bliss History Always Favours The Winners HAFTW022-DL UK 2019 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions

Compilations
VUKZID09 Recollected Memories From The Museum Of Garden History — The Caretaker The Caretaker Recollected Memories From The Museum Of Garden History ‎(File, MP3, Comp, Mixed, 320) Vukzid VUKZID09 UK 2008
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
DLS-1-MP3 Leyland Kirby / The Caretaker Leyland Kirby / The Caretaker - Bonus Tracks 1 (Comp) History Always Favours The Winners DLS-1-MP3 UK 2011
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
none Everywhere At The End Of Time — The Caretaker The Caretaker Everywhere At The End Of Time (Album) History Always Favours The Winners none UK 2019
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
HAFTWCD0406 Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stages 4-6 — The Caretaker The Caretaker Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stages 4-6 ‎(4xCD, Comp, Dlx) History Always Favours The Winners HAFTWCD0406 UK 2019 Sell This Version
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions

DJ Mixes
FACT 45 FACT Mix 45 (Delving Into My Past For FACT) — The Caretaker The Caretaker FACT Mix 45 (Delving Into My Past For FACT) ‎(File, MP3, Mixed, 320) FACT Magazine FACT 45 UK 2009
Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions
none Recollections From Old London Town — The Caretaker The Caretaker Recollections From Old London Town ‎(File, MP3, Mixed, 192) Wire Magazine none UK 2009

Reviews Show All 8 Reviews

Add Review

Diabolick

Diabolick

January 21, 2021
one of the many musical projects that i have discovered during lockdown last year. regardless of the subject matter that surrounds the project (which is a very depressing subject whichever way you look it and myself having firsthand experience of a family member suffering from dementia), I find Kirby's interpretations of the old jazz tracks from the first 3 stages a comforting listen at night. it gets overall abrasive from 4-6, but it all stands as a fascinating work of art. many will simply dismiss it as been simplistic due to the reverbing/looping of the old records but been a fan of Al Bowlly of that era I found he has breathed new life and discovery into the records that have not been played in years due to them been either forgotten or presumed out of date. Be advised in wanting to own any of this project, the records now all seem to be fetch a hefty price for their collectibility so tread carefully with which you plan to own.
See 1 reply
BinaryAstro

BinaryAstro

December 26, 2020
I absolutely cannot wait for represses to come again. The caretaker has been steadily at it since the 90s, and I'm so glad to see him finally getting more support; he really deserves it!
See 2 replies
willsi

willsi

December 21, 2018
"I'm sorry to defer w/ you, sir... but, you are the caretaker... You've always been the caretaker."

Leyland Kirby's now mammoth project that stretches out toward the infinite darkness of time in entropy and decay is shocking, terrifying and beautiful. It will be sad to see The Caretaker project ended. But, all good things... The few times I've corresponded w/ Kirby he has been humble and genuine.

Cheers, from the Haunted Ballroom, Overlook Hotel, 1921.

Recommendations: "A Stairway to the Stars," "Recollected Memories from the Museum of Garden History," "An Empty Bliss Beyond this World," and the whole lot.
Fenria

Fenria

October 25, 2016
The Caretaker is pure hiraeth. How distant is that world in which we strolled so gracefully, without a care.
djthumpa

djthumpa

September 14, 2008
Jesus Christ, where do I start?

Over the last few years I've become completely and dangerously submerged in The Caretaker's music. If you're the kind of person who loves music that makes you feel uncomfortable then you will love this guy. Its beyond music, its a soundscape of dark and light that can fill your heart with dread and happiness at the same time.

Inspired by the ballroom scenes from 'The Shining', his source was originally faint ballroom music with crackly effects, creepy yet elegant, always tinged with sorrow. However now The Caretaker has progressed to creating a beautiful yet disturbing soundtrack, including a 72 track album of some of the scariest music I have ever heard.

I cannot gush enough praise for this producer. I discovered him purely by accident whilst looking for hardcore artists signed to the same label, and I fell in love with his music instantly.

There is so much more you could talk about with this stuff, the introduction of warmer, almost tearful sounds with his album 'Deleted Scenes/Forgotten Dreams', the 72 track album introducing the aspect of memory loss and an imaginary past or his newer music. Stop reading this and check him out for yourself. One word - amazing.

Lists Add to List

View More Lists

Videos (62)

Edit