Tim Mooney

Tim Mooney (October 6, 1958 – June 13, 2012) was an American drummer, producer, and sound engineer. He drummed in The Sleepers, Toiling Midgets, Negative Trend, Sun Kil Moon and American Music Club.

Tim Mooney
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Background information
Born	(1958-10-06)October 6, 1958 Las Vegas, NV
Died	June 13, 2012(2012-06-13) (aged 53) Nevada City, CA
Occupation(s)	Musician, drummer, composer, arranger, producer, engineer
Instruments	Drummer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist
Years active	1970s–2012
Labels	Closer Recording, Ausgang Audio
Associated acts	American Music Club, Sun Kil Moon, The Sleepers, John Murry, Negative Trend, Toiling Midgets
Notable instruments
Drums, guitar

Career

In the 1970s and 1980s, Mooney played drums for many San Francisco punk and rock bands including The Sleepers, Toiling Midgets, Negative Trend and many others. Mooney was playing drums with Toiling Midgets when Mark Eitzel joined the band for their 1992 Son album. Mooney recorded American Music Club bass player Danny Pearson's 2004 solo album, The Oblivion Seeker at his Closer Recording studio that he operated with Joe Goldring from 2003 until Mooney's death in 2012.

Tim Mooney with American Music Club

Mooney was first approached to join AMC in 1986, and he rehearsed a few times at that point. Mooney was not in a point in his life to fully join the band at the time, although he did co-write "Art Of Love" with Eitzel, which was released on their 1987 Engine album. Mooney came up with the guitar part and told Sean Body, "That was at a time when things were less defined. It was one of those days in the studio when someone said, 'Hey, do you have any songs?'"

Mooney became a member of American Music Club in 1991, playing his first show with the band on June 29, 1991 in San Francisco. He played on every album from 1993's Mercury through 2004's Love Songs For Patriots, which he also co-produced and engineered. Mooney recorded many AMC demo sessions at his own studios during this time. Mooney co-wrote "Memo From Aquatic Park" from the 1993 Keep Me Around single and he engineered and recorded AMC's version of Bob Dylan's "Queen Jane Approximately" which appeared on the 2005 Highway 61 Revisited compilation. He left the band in 2006.

Personal life

In 1998, Tim married Jude Mooney and had his only child, Dixie Mooney in 2000. Mooney moved to Petaluma, California in 1999, and lived there until his death in 2012.

Death

Mooney passed away from a blood clot on June 13, 2012. Mooney had suffered a small heart attack prior to his death.

Upon Mooney's death, Eitzel released a statement saying, "He was absolutely instrumental in whatever sound we had. His style was absolutely unique and as an artist no one could match what he did. He was a good friend to so many people and will be missed. What an absolute loss. I wish all the best to his wife Jude and his daughter Dixie. I have spent all day in a fog thinking about him."

In popular culture

Mooney's death is directly referenced by former Sun Kil Moon bandmate Mark Kozelek on the track, "Tavoris Cloud", on his studio album, Mark Kozelek & Desertshore (2013).