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The Caretaker

Real Name:
James Leyland Kirby
Profile:
James Leyland Kirby is a European ambient / electronic experimental musician. He grew up in England, and DJed Raves in Germany in the 1990s. Eventually, he began to make music in the 1990's under the alias V/VM, exploring themes of mental illness through his various albums. 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. Throughout the late 1990s and onwards, he has released a plethora of singles, albums, collections, and compilations under many aliases. Kirby moved to Krakow, Poland in 2012 to better focus on his music, where he continues to live today. He is best known for the Caretaker project, which explores dementia and the cognitive decline that it causes in it's patients over time. He is best known for his mammoth 6.5 hour multi album compilation "Everywhere at the End of Time", which he began in 2016 and finished in 2019. Although he said that he intended to end the Caretaker name with the finale of EATEOT, he maintains that he will continue to put out music.
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
[a7734]

Artist


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

Compilations
VUKZID09 The Caretaker - Recollected Memories From The Museum Of Garden History album art The Caretaker Recollected Memories From The Museum Of Garden History ‎(File, MP3, Comp, Mixed, 320) Vukzid VUKZID09 UK 2008
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
HAFTWCD0103 The Caretaker - Everywhere At The End Of Time Stages 1-3 album art The Caretaker Everywhere At The End Of Time Stages 1-3 ‎(CD, Album + CD, Album + CD, Album + Comp, Dlx) History Always Favours The Winners HAFTWCD0103 UK 2017 Sell This Version
HAFTWCD0406 The Caretaker - Everywhere At The End Of Time - Stages 4-6 album art 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
none The Caretaker - Everywhere At The End Of Time album art The Caretaker Everywhere At The End Of Time ‎(12xFile, FLAC, Album, RE + 10xFile, FLAC, Album, R) History Always Favours The Winners none UK 2019

DJ Mixes
FACT 45 The Caretaker - FACT Mix 45 (Delving Into My Past For FACT) album art The Caretaker FACT Mix 45 (Delving Into My Past For FACT) ‎(File, MP3, Mixed, 320) FACT Magazine FACT 45 UK 2009
none The Caretaker - Recollections From Old London Town album art The Caretaker Recollections From Old London Town ‎(File, MP3, Mixed, 192) Wire Magazine none UK 2009

Reviews Show All 9 Reviews

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turntable_terrorist

turntable_terrorist

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.
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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!
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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.
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Fenria

Fenria

October 25, 2016
The Caretaker is pure hiraeth. How distant is that world in which we strolled so gracefully, without a care.
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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.
Reply Notify me 37 Helpful

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