“Daniel is the music, Jimmie is the songs.”
That is the statement listed in the About Us section of Daniel Pingrey and Jimmie Linville’s MySpace Music page. The truth is, there could not be a better way to describe the duo’s band, Daniel and the Lion. Even the band name itself pays tribute to the group’s diversity.
“There is a certain dichotomy between Daniel and [me] in both our music style, where we came from and even in the instruments we play and how they look visually onstage,” said lead singer and guitarist Linville.
“The name actually has nothing to do with the fact that my name is Daniel,” said Pingrey, who plays piano and marimba. “It could have been called Daniel and the Lion if my name was Steve and his name was Allen. The name just gives a strong implication of two separate forces, and that works really well.”
This variation in Linville and Pingrey’s styles stems from the differences in the their musical backgrounds. Linville, 22, did not start playing music until he was 18. In fact, throughout high school and college, he was convinced he was going to be a novelist.
“I was very inspired by the works of Shakespeare and his contemporaries and other poets with their wealth of words,” Linville said. “Nowadays, this inspiration fits really well with my songwriting.”
On the other hand, Pingrey, who earned a music performance degree from the University of Wisconsin, was introduced to music at a young age and has spent a majority of his life playing in bands ranging in genre from metal to ska to gospel.
“My family was always a very musical family,” Pingrey said. “My mom is a professional harp player. My brother is a professional trombone player. My dad is a professional CD player — he did not get the genes.”
The difference in the two men’s upbringings also plays a major role in what type of music influences their playing styles. Pingrey brings a lot of world music to the table, while Linville brings a lot of old folk and pop from the ’60s and ’70s, Linville said.
“I grew up constantly listening to classical music, so I am actually outside of the womb of popular music,” Pingrey said. “I would secretly listen to Z104 in my room when I was a kid, afraid that my parents would hear me listening to pop radio and punish me. In fact, just yesterday, Jimmie was playing me a bunch of Beatles songs that everyone in the world is required to know, and I did not know any of them.”
“We have very different music backgrounds, but when we come together, we are able to teach each other a lot about the different realms of music,” Linville said.
The result is a unique musical sound Linville describes as a mix of dusty folk and falsetto soul. It is music organic, real and true to the sound and to the song.
“Just honest Wisconsin folk music,” Linville said.
Although the two have been playing together now for about a year — both as Daniel and the Lion and their previous band, Red Romero — Linville and Pingrey actually first met in geometry class as sophomores in high school.
“We were good friends, but we played Halo more than music in high school,” Linville said. “I remember Daniel and I beat the game on legendary. That was an excellent experience, very rewarding. I think we were the first to beat it at our school. I know Daniel was the first to beat it on legendary solo.”
“Yeah, I do not bring that up that often,” Pingrey said.
“I guess it is not really a flaunting point, but, then again, it kind of is,” Linville said.
Although the two admitted to still picking up the Xbox controller every now and then, they said most of their time these days is spent working on their music. In fact, Linville has released five EPs and two full-length albums in three years. When they are not working on new music, though, Linville and Pingrey play all around campus and are currently planning a Midwest tour. Yet, the two said they will always have a special place in their heart for the Madison area.
“My favorite part about playing in Madison is the response we have had from our fans,” Linville said. “Our fans in the area are really more of our friends. We hang out together, and we are always accessible and willing to keep them up to date on what is going on with the music and let them have a say.”
Linville and Pingrey also have a place in their heart for charity. On April 28, Daniel and the Lion will be teaming up with UW Habitat for Humanity chapter to throw an EP release and fundraiser to help the homeless in the Madison community. To reach their goal of raising $2,000, Linville and Pingrey will also release their new EP Secret Stuff at the event for free.
“There is a corner by my apartment next to a vent that blasts warm air constantly where several people sleep every night. Every time I pass it, I want to help. Well, I finally realized that there is a way I can help — with my music,” Linville said.
Although there is no telling what the future has in store for Daniel and the Lion, Linville and Pingrey do know what their ultimate purpose for the band is.
“Our real goal is just to be able to record,” Linville said. “To make recordings, records and CDs and share them with our friends and fans. If we could just keep doing that, it would be more than enough for us.”
Daniel and the Lion will be playing at the Majestic Theatre April 25 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10. Visit www.majesticmadison.com to buy tickets online or contact Jimmie Linville at [email protected].
