Talk:Okkervil River

Okkervil River

Okkervil River, though still a relatively recent band that hasn't had much success, has finally crafted a CD that will ravage anyone's imagination with the skillfully woven imagry and narrative of Will Sheff's lyrics. Coupled with the much crafted instrumental abilities of the rest of the band, Okkervil River moves your emotions about in infinitely different ways. "Black Sheep Boy" is worth listening to. I loved every song.

1. For fans of this band: Can someone do a check on the current and past members. I really couldn't find a definitive answer on their website and related sites. Also, was Stars too small to use an album or EP? website says album, but some sites say EP? Gflores 18:32, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

1. Also, is the band classified as Alternative Country. From what I've read in reviews, they all say they are (at least to some extent) and their music sounds like alt-country. However, it appears that Okkervil River denies it, according to the faq (I guess b/c of its association with country?). I'm gonna make them alternative country, unless someone has reason otherwise.

1. I don't know if the band should be classified as Alt Country as, as the poster above me pointed out, the band doesn't appreciate the label (here is a link to their take on being called "alt country" [1]. I think a more respectable genre label would be Folk Rock, or Alt Folk, or possibly even Alt Rock. By all means have the alt country in the side template thing (I'm new here so I don't know all the linguo) but I think in the actual article it should read Folk Rock or Alt Folk (and I'm leaning heavily towards Folk Rock in light of their newer albums) Azz from oz (talk) 03:48, 4 May 2010 (UTC)

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I'd rather label it Alternative Folk.

Also, does anyone know the correct pronunciation? If I've been saying Okkervil incorrectly, I don't want to continue.

It's pronounced Okkervil River. Ahkervil River, they pronounce it in "Okkervil River Song" from the Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See album. It's more like Ah-ker-vull.

Tolstoy

I don't see how Columbia Encyclopedia contradicts themselves? Can you please clarify? Other sites also state she is the great grandniece of Tolstoy. Of course, it's possible they could be wrong. Can you (Wikiolap) help me do a little more research on this? [2] [3] [4] [5] Most are tertiary sources. :(

The contradiction is following: Tantyana Tolstaya is grandsaugther of A.N. Tolstoy - all sources agree on that. But in Columbia Encyclopedia entry about A.N. Tolstoy it says "He was distantly related to Leo Tolstoy.". For Tanyana Tolstaya to be great grandniece of Leo Tolstoy, the later would have to be uncle of A.N. Tolstoy, which clearly isn't "distantly related". Wikiolap 05:26, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Oh, I see. What about the other sources? Is there something else that leads you to believe she isn't the great grandniece? 71.240.184.165 02:27, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

Well, it is always hard to come up with negative evidence, say somebody would claim that she is also great great great grandniece of Napoleon Bonaparte :) It is the absense of this fact in most sources about both Tatyana Tolstaja and A.N. Tolstoy (especially in Russian sources). So I think the sources that you referenced are simply reciting the myth/mistake that was made by somebody, since it sounds like a cool fact, and Leo Tolstoy is much more famous in the West then A.N. Tolstoy (who is very significant writer too). Wikiolap 15:45, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

You know, I think you may actually be right. 70.104.16.90 22:53, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

I found this 1989 New York Times article that says Leo Tolstoy was the great-granduncle of Tatyana.[6] I'm really not sure if this is fact, though. I wonder if one of her books clarify this.

Does anyone know where the actual story "Okkervil River" can be found? Like, what collection of hers it is in? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 130.64.146.66 (talk) 01:32, 2 December 2007 (UTC)

The Okkervil River story can be found in On the Golden Porch (1989 or 1990). Can be found on Amazon for about 90 cents.

Here's a synopsis of the story.

• "Okkervil River," by Tatyana Tolstaya, follows the plight of a middle-aged bureaucrat and his obsession with an obscure singer. When the vocalist turns out to be a timeworn shell of her former self, the story becomes a meditation on how art stands apart from those who create it." [7]
• "The hero of this particular story (Okkervil River) is a balding bachelor named Simeonov, who sits about his shabby flat, playing an ancient record of love songs and daydreaming about the singer Vera Vasilevna. When he hears that Vera has fallen on hard times, he determines to rescue her, only to discover that she has become a vulgar harridan, surrounded by obnoxious suitors." [8]

Band template

Hello, everyone. I just wanted to let you know that I made a template for Okkervil River. It's at Template:Okkervil River. If anyone with more experience thinks it needs improvements, feel free to suggest them or just do them yourselves. If you think it's alright as it is, you can put {{okkervil-river}} above the categories to have it included. Thanks. -- H3xx (^t/c/_b) 19:20, 12 November 2007 (UTC)

Nice job. It looks really nice! Mahanga^Talk 03:16, 2 December 2007 (UTC)

Notable Shows

Can someone exlain why playing at ASU in Tempe qualifies as a notable show? I think it should be removed. 71.229.140.128 (talk) 02:58, 17 May 2009 (UTC)Tim

Dab needed?

(cur | prev) 01:22, 15 October 2009‎ Rst20xx (talk | contribs)‎ m . . (6,108 bytes) (0)‎ . . (moved Talk:Okkervil River (band) to Talk:Okkervil River over redirect: shouldn't disambiguate when there are only 2 articles involved) (undo | thank)

Obviously not Okkervil River (story) is only a redirect now to author, but is probably better represented in books than either the river or the band. In ictu oculi (talk) 15:55, 8 August 2015 (UTC)