Simon Tamblyn
Quick Facts
Biography
Simon Tamblyn (born Simon Pienaar, 11 October 1983 Johannesburg) is a singer, songwriter and artist from Cape Town, South Africa. Tamblyn is best known for singing in The Sleepers and Tape Hiss and Sparkle. Originally born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Tamblyn moved to Cape Town at a very young age and currently still resides there. Tamblyn started singing and playing guitar at the age of 15 and a few years later unsuccessfully started an unnamed band with some high school friends. Tamblyn continued to record and write material and by the time he joined The Sleepers in 2003, had enough songs to later inject into Tape Hiss and Sparkle.
The Sleepers
Tamblyn was the lead singer and one of the founding members (along with Adam Hill, Nicolai Roos, Carly Philips and Steven Jacobson) of postcore band, The Sleepers, in 2003. The Sleepers played more 200 shows in South Africa and gathered a small following. Carly Philips died in 2003 due to complications of leukemia (she appears on Still EP (2005)). Jordi Reddy replaced her in 2004, and Reddy was later replaced by Chris Truter in 2009. The Sleepers were signed to Musketeer Records and Sheer Music in 2008. Due to personal reasons, Tamblyn resigned as vocalist in 2011. Tamblyn appeared on The Sleepers first three releases; Still EP (2005), A Signal Path (2009) and the live,(2010).
Tape Hiss and Sparkle
In 2009 - with very few recording tools at his disposal - Tamblyn was invited to start writing music to post on an artist’s collective blog, Mixtape. Tamblyn posted 6 songs a month, for roughly 10 months (the self-titled Tape Hiss and Sparkle Discs 1-10) as a songwriting exercise. He released the lo-fi EP’s January 2010 Singles and The Daggerpoint’s Lattice At the end of that period. Tamblyn then stopped and worked with more focus on a long play release, the full-length album, For You In Your Cubicle (2010). Later, that same year he released Visitors EP(2010) and Lunasola EP (2010). At the same time, Tape Hiss and Sparkle became a live band and started playing in Cape Town. The following year, saw the release of the double-disc album, The Hidden Year (2011). Paperhawk, Tape Hiss and Sparkle's 2012 release, was well received.Later on that same year, Tape Hiss and Sparkle was chosen as one of a handful of young artists chosen to perform at South Africa's first Rolling Stone Weekend.
Style
Tamblyn’s is a second baritone, his style of singing is very lilting and based around the singing of a lot of English folk music. Tamblyn is adamant about singing in his native South African English accent.
Personal Beliefs
Tamblyn is a practicing vegetarian.
Discography
The Sleepers
Still EP (2005)
A Signal Path (2009)
Luminaire One (2010)
Tape Hiss and Sparkle
Tape Hiss and Sparkle Discs 1 -10 (2009 – 2010)
January 2010 Singles (2010)
The Daggerpoint’s Lattice (2010)
For You In Your Cubicle (2010)
Visitors EP (2010)
Lunasola EP (2010)
The Hidden Year (2011)
Paperhawk (2012)
Tape Hiss and Sparkle's website
The Sleepers' website