Those who may not be directly familiar with Jason Webley's music might recognize the name if they follow Amanda Palmer on Twitter, or if they are familiar with hers and Jason's side project, Evelyn Evelyn. Webley is an accomplished musician in his own right, however, and has come a long way from his busking days on the streets of Seattle.
Webley plays the accordion, guitar, and sings. He started out his musical career playing in a punk band in high school. The band name was Moral Minority, and Webley played the guitar. He went to college at the University of Washington, where in the last year of school (1996) he started playing the accordion. In a performance of The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Webley wrote several songs for the accordion. It is the accordion that caused the turning point with Webley, making him more confident in his musical abilities, and giving him the courage to, in 1998, to get on a bus with his accordion and play on the streets. He quickly gained fans and started playing concerts around Seattle.
One curious habit of Webley's was his annual "death." The first time this strange ritual occurred was Halloween of 2000, when he invited fans to the University of Washington campus and was stripped of his signature trench coat and porkpie hat, which were subsequently burned. The women who stripped him of his signature vestments then shaved his head, and placed him in a coffin that was driven away in a hearse. He would reappear on the Seattle scene six months later, having been "reborn" in the spring. After four years of this, Webley told fans that he no longer wanted to die for the winter, and has stayed alive since then.
In 2005, the year Webley decided to stop dying on Halloween, he hosted an event called Camp Tomato - an all day even of games and stunts, followed by a Jason Webley concert once the sun gets low. Events that occur during Tomato Camp, which also occurred in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010, include the Tomato Pageant, the Tomato Race, and the Tomato Raid, a version of "capture the flag" with lots of tomatoes and four teams. Attendees of Camp Tomato are called Tomato Scouts (once they take the pledge), and the event is open to people of all ages.
Webley released four albums on Springman Records, but now manages his own label, Eleven Records, and manages his own merchandise table at concerts. He collaborates with many of his artist friends, and has recently announced that he will be embarking on a series of 11 projects with his friends, and each recording released will be limited to 1,111 copies. He has completed 4 of the 11 projects thus far.
Additionally, Webley performs as once half of the project band Evelyn Evelyn, with friend and musician Amanda Palmer. Webley performed Palmer's New Orleans wedding ceremony to writer Neil Gaiman; the couple later legally married in a private ceremony, also officiated by Webley.
Webley plays the accordion, guitar, and sings. He started out his musical career playing in a punk band in high school. The band name was Moral Minority, and Webley played the guitar. He went to college at the University of Washington, where in the last year of school (1996) he started playing the accordion. In a performance of The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Webley wrote several songs for the accordion. It is the accordion that caused the turning point with Webley, making him more confident in his musical abilities, and giving him the courage to, in 1998, to get on a bus with his accordion and play on the streets. He quickly gained fans and started playing concerts around Seattle.
One curious habit of Webley's was his annual "death." The first time this strange ritual occurred was Halloween of 2000, when he invited fans to the University of Washington campus and was stripped of his signature trench coat and porkpie hat, which were subsequently burned. The women who stripped him of his signature vestments then shaved his head, and placed him in a coffin that was driven away in a hearse. He would reappear on the Seattle scene six months later, having been "reborn" in the spring. After four years of this, Webley told fans that he no longer wanted to die for the winter, and has stayed alive since then.
In 2005, the year Webley decided to stop dying on Halloween, he hosted an event called Camp Tomato - an all day even of games and stunts, followed by a Jason Webley concert once the sun gets low. Events that occur during Tomato Camp, which also occurred in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010, include the Tomato Pageant, the Tomato Race, and the Tomato Raid, a version of "capture the flag" with lots of tomatoes and four teams. Attendees of Camp Tomato are called Tomato Scouts (once they take the pledge), and the event is open to people of all ages.
Webley released four albums on Springman Records, but now manages his own label, Eleven Records, and manages his own merchandise table at concerts. He collaborates with many of his artist friends, and has recently announced that he will be embarking on a series of 11 projects with his friends, and each recording released will be limited to 1,111 copies. He has completed 4 of the 11 projects thus far.
Additionally, Webley performs as once half of the project band Evelyn Evelyn, with friend and musician Amanda Palmer. Webley performed Palmer's New Orleans wedding ceremony to writer Neil Gaiman; the couple later legally married in a private ceremony, also officiated by Webley.