Alex Wright (born 28 August 1980) is a Canadian musician, composer, and producer. Since 2014, Wright has released solo recordings under the name The Wax Girl.[1] Wright is also a former touring member for Raised by Swans,[2][3] and is credited for performing guitar parts on seven songs from the critically acclaimed album, No Ghostless Place.[4][5] In 2010, Wright appeared as himself in Atom Egoyan's film Chloe, for Raised by Swans' live performance at The Rivoli in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[6][7]
Alex Wright | |
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![]() Alex Wright in 2010 | |
Background information | |
Born | (1980-08-28) 28 August 1980 (age 41) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
Genres | Post-rock, Ambient, Shoegaze |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, producer |
Instruments | Guitar, keyboards, bass guitar |
Years active | 2007–present |
Website | www |
In 2007, Wright joined Raised by Swans as a live guitarist.[8] During the recording of Raised By Swans' second album, No Ghostless Place, between 2007 and 2009, Wright performed additional guitar parts on seven of its thirteen songs,[9] but did not contribute creatively to the parts he performed, nor to the composition or arrangements of the songs themselves.[10]
In 2010, Raised By Swans appeared with Wright as the live version of itself in Atom Egoyan's film Chloe, in a scene with Amanda Seyfried and Julianne Moore at The Rivoli in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[6] Later in 2010, Wright travelled with Raised by Swans on a cross-Canada tour, and performed twenty-three shows in support of the release of 'No Ghostless Place'.[3]
In addition to the cross-Canada tour, Wright performed with Raised by Swans at numerous shows and festivals between 2007 and 2012 including LOLA fest (2007), CMW (2011),[11] Jack Richardson Awards (2011)[12] two album release parties and a special show that was hosted by CHRW-FM where Raised by Swans was presented with an award for winning 'Best Local Album of the Year' in 2011, for No Ghostless Place.[5]
Wright's last documented performance with Raised by Swans was on 18 August 2012 at Aeolian Hall, in London, Ontario.[13]
Wright began writing and recording songs in January 2012 as a creative outlet.[14] During this time, the moniker "The Wax Girl" entered his mind by rearranging the letters of his own name. On the conception of "The Wax Girl", Wright said: "It really just started out with demos that I was making on my own. I was writing shoegaze, ambient, post-rock type demos for my own personal enjoyment and as a creative outlet. The more music I was creating, I started realizing that it was something that I wanted to pursue. I came up with the name The Wax Girl just as a name for these songs that I was writing. It was a way of categorizing these songs on my computer. That's how it got started. The name itself (The Wax Girl), is an anagram for my name."[15]
After taking a year to study Audio Engineering and Music Production in college between September 2012 and August 2013, Wright started recording new material in September 2013 and a record began to take shape.[14][15]
In August 2014, he released a debut 5-song EP, entitled Anosmic. With regards to the title, Wright said "I lost my sense of smell when I was 17. I decided to go with that name because it's something personal to me."[15] Anosmic appeared on several Canadian campus charts, and reached as high as #1 on the CJAM 99.1 MHz chart for the week ending September 9, 2014.[16] Echoes and Dust declared "this magnificent Canadian band has crafted something extraordinary"[17] while Ride the Tempo said "Anosmic is a 5-track EP of gorgeous post-rock ambiance."[18]
In February 2015, Wright released a full length follow-up entitled Between Screens. Ride the Tempo compared Between Screens to Anosmic, calling it "an even stronger set of music, and also more purposeful"[19] while Weird Canada proclaimed that Between Screens is "perfect for laying back and letting the current take you where it will."[20] Echoes and Dust premiered an animated video by Wright, for the single Nuclear Winter calling it a "glorious piece of work"[21] while giving praise to Between Screens by saying "everything about this album makes the hair on my arms rise and creates goosebumps all over."[22]
Year | Album | Artist Name | Credit |
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2015 | Between Screens | The Wax Girl | Written, recorded and produced by Wright |
B-side Screens | |||
2014 | Anosmic EP | ||
2010 | No Ghostless Place | Raised by Swans | Additional electric guitar performed by Wright |
Year | Title | Credit |
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2015 | Nuclear Winter | Animated and directed by Wright |
2010 | Chloe | Wright appeared as himself, with Raised by Swans |