Tim Kinsella
A restless Chicago songwriter who shaped the sound of indie-emo with his raw, poetic lyrics and unpredictable musical turns.
Born 1974 (age 52)·American musician·Birthday: October 22·Generation X
Biography
Tim Kinsella emerged from the Chicago suburbs as a teenager, co-founding the band Cap'n Jazz with his brother in 1989. The group's frenetic, emotionally charged sound became a foundational text for a generation of indie and emo musicians, though it lasted only a few years. Unwilling to settle, Kinsella immediately launched Joan of Arc, a project that became his primary vehicle for over two decades. Under that name, he released a sprawling, challenging catalog that defied genre, blending post-rock, electronic experimentation, and literary ambition. More than just a musician, Kinsella has also authored novels and directed films, maintaining a position as a fiercely independent and intellectually curious figure in the American underground.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Tim was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Tim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the influential band Cap'n Jazz, whose sound defined the 90s emo and indie scene.
- Led the experimental project Joan of Arc for 25 years, releasing over 20 studio albums.
- Authored the novel 'Let's Go Somewhere' and directed the film 'Orchard Vale'.
- His work with the band Owls contributed to their critically acclaimed self-titled album.
Did You Know?
He is the older brother of musician Mike Kinsella, known for his work in American Football and Owen.
He taught fiction writing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
The name 'Joan of Arc' was chosen randomly from a history book.
He performed a solo set reading his short stories at the Pitchfork Music Festival.
“I'm interested in the moment when something becomes something else.”
