Actual Wolf

Eric Pollard, (born March 21, 1980) known professionally as Actual Wolf, is an American singer-songwriter and instrumentalist best known for his instrumental work in Retribution Gospel Choir, Sun Kil Moon, Low[1] and as the leader and songwriter for his eponymous band Actual Wolf.[2]

Actual Wolf
Actual Wolf on drums as a member of Sun Kil Moon in Paris in 2014
Background information
Birth nameEric Pollard
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer/songwriter, musician
Instruments
Labels
Associated acts

Early life and education

Eric Michael Pollard was born on March 21, 1980 and raised in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, which is located in the Iron Range region of the state. His father worked for Itasca County Minnesota and his mother was a nurse and flight attendant. He has one sister. All three of his immediate family members are musical, though he is the only one who has pursued music as a profession.[3] Eric Pollard went to high school and participated in early bands with future Trampled By Turtles bass player Tim Saxhaug.[4] After High School he attended the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, where he would meet Justin Vernon. Years later Eric Pollard (as Actual Wolf) would record his fourth collection of songs at Vernon's April Base Studios.[5] Eric Pollard would adopt the professional name Actual Wolf while rebuilding his personal and professional life following a felony arrest for selling marijuana.[6]

Career

Pre Actual Wolf years

Eric Pollard was the drummer and a vocalist for Retribution Gospel Choir. RGC, which had begun as a collaboration between Low guitarist & songwriter Alan Sparhawk and Red House Painters & Sun Kil Moon founder Mark Kozelek (who left early in the band's history) were signed to Sub Pop.[7] He also toured as a keyboardist with low.[6] Shortly thereafter he would become a touring member of Sun Kil Moon.[8] He also contributed vocals to the Sun Kil Moon album April.

Actual Wolf

In 2011 Eric Pollard was charged with five felony counts of selling marijuana.[3] Eventually he was able to plead these charges down to an extended probation, but the effects of these charges took him off the road and forced him to move back to his home town and reevaluate his future as a musician.[6] It was during this period his career transitioned from a strictly instrumental sideman into the songwriter/singer/band leader. In the three years of travel restrictions that were part of his legal troubles he wrote 70 songs. While he completed his legal penalties a friend invented the new stage name/pseudonym of "Actual Wolf", in part due to his authentic "outlaw" credentials and in part due to the preponderance of popular bands of the period with "Wolf" in their commercial names.[9]

In 2012, under his new pseudonym, Actual Wolf self released the ep "Lightning and the Wolf", which featured vocals by Haley Bonar. This led to a residency at the Turf Club and a show on the main stage at the famed First Avenue in Minneapolis. He was placed at #6 on the annual "Picked to Click" list by the Twin Cities alternative weekly City Pages.[6]

In 2013 Actual Wolf released an eponymous full-length debut on the Chaperone record label.[10] Once his probationary restrictions were lifted he moved to Nashville to continue his music career.[5] While in Nashville Eric Pollard aka Actual Wolf returned to his roots as an instrumental sideman, touring and recording with the likes of Nikki Lane[11] and JP Harris.[12]

2015 saw the release of the cassette only collection of Actual Wolf songs "Itasca", the title of which refers to the Northern Minnesota county of Itasca County.[1] Shortly afterwards Actual Wolf relocated to Oakland California to pursue work in the burgeoning legal medical marijuana industry while still continuing his songwriting/musical career.

In 2016 Actual Wolf began work on his second full-length, self produced LP, later to be titled "Faded Days" with Minnesota-based musicians Jeremy Hanson of Tapes 'n Tapes, Jacob Hanson, Steve Garrington (bass player of low), vocalist Al Church and Nashville pedal steel player Ditch Kurtz. The album would be released in 2017 on the Red House Records label.[2][3] During this period Eric Pollard aka Actual Wolf was still living in Oakland, California. It was there that he began to assemble a regular full-time touring band, eventually recruiting Bay Area lead guitarist Misisipi Mike Wolf, pedal steel player Ian Taylor Sutton,[13] keyboardist Kirby Hammel (formerly a touring member of Sun Kil Moon, drummer Andrew Griffin (Cake, Camper Van Beethoven)[14][15] and bassist Ted O'Connell.

References
  1. "Actual Wolf channels Dylan, AM country radio". Argus Leader. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  2. Fagerberg, Jerard. "Actual Wolf perfects a rootless roots rock with 'Faded Days'". City Pages. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  3. Aug 17th 2017 - 5am, Christa Lawler. "Those 'Faded Days': Actual Wolf's latest album chronicles post-probation period". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  4. LeCompte, Gale. "Dukes of Hubbard move onward and upward". Grand Rapids Herald-Review. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  5. Alstyne, Rob Van. "Actual Wolf's Eric Pollard captures his creative spark". City Pages. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  6. Collins, Cyn. "Actual Wolf is thankful for the Minnesota music scene and that he's not in jail". City Pages. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  7. "Retribution Gospel Choir | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  8. "Sun Kil Moon's Mark Kozelek does charity, album, tour". pastemagazine.com. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  9. Glide. "SONG PREMIERE: ACTUAL WOLF MAKES AMERICAN MUSIC FOR WORLDWIDE EARS ON "BABY PLEASE"". glidemagazine.com. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  10. https://www.discogs.com/Actual-Wolf-Actual-Wolf/master/882186
  11. "SKSW Guest Blog: Actual Wolf". Radio K. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  12. "Album Review – JP Harris's "Sometimes Dogs Bark At Nothing"". Saving Country Music. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  13. Jelinek, Russell (17 April 2017). "Actual Wolf prepares new album, shows". The Bay Bridged - San Francisco Bay Area Indie Music. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  14. "Paul Manousos' Andrew Griffin". Modern Drummer Magazine. 14 July 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  15. Vigil, Delfin (1 May 2008). "Andrew Griffin". SFGate. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
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