MONTY O'BLIVION

broken heart of the 21st century

Monty O’Blivion (he/him/they/them) (born June 8, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, saxophonist, synth player, producer, composer, and audio engineer. Their music is characterized by dynamic shifts in mood and genre, emotional intensity, and broad spectrum of influence. Their lyrical themes focus primarily on left anarchist politics, love, death, and childhood, frequently using imagery and alternating perspectives to create narratives and visuals within their music. 

Beginning their career in Mesa, AZ, Monty O’Blivion founded and was the sole songwriter of the militant post-punk group, Manual Sex Drive (MSD). They also co-founded a punk-rockabilly crossover project called The Video Nasties, where they composed the music and played guitar and backing vocals. They also toured and recorded with psychobilly band, The Limit Club for several years, alternating guitar and alto saxophone duties onstage, and producing their album “Phantom Cats.”

After splitting with Limit Club and disbanding MSD, O’Blivion relocated to Los Angeles, where they launched KBOR Records, and embarked on a solo musical career, utilizing drum tracks, synths, guitar and tenor saxophone onstage. This new direction yielded a darker, more 80’s style sound, reminiscent of Depeche Mode, The Cure, Love and Rockets, and early Skinny Puppy. In 2018, their first single “Western World” was released as a music video collaboration with performance artist and fringe presidential candidate Vermin Supreme. Supreme also provided a verse of his poetry for the song. “Western World” initially appeared on the final MSD EP, “So Much For The Tolerant Left” which O’Blivion recorded solo before retiring the MSD moniker. This would be the first album released on KBOR Records.

In 2019, the first LP, “Autonomously Yours” was released digitally, followed by a 12” vinyl release, marking the new direction O’Blivion would take in his career. KBOR Records began curating shows in the LA scene and releasing digital singles until the COVID-19 pandemic hit, shutting down all music venues. Throughout 2020, O’Blivion began dropping one digital release per month, typically consisting of a single and B-side, a schedule they continue to adhere to, all the while, recording their sophomore LP, “Fainting By Numbers”. 

O’Blivion released “Fainting by Numbers” in the Summer of 2021 digitally, however, an exclusive limited 12” vinyl edition of the album is currently being sold only at shows. The album art is done by famed Canadian illustrator and comic artist, Jenn Woodall.

Following “Fainting by Numbers” were two additions LPs, Evil Prevails (2023) and Here Lies Monty O’Blivion (2024).