Har Mar Superstar

Singer-songwriter

Popular As Sean Na Na

Birthday February 6, 1978

Birth Sign Aquarius

Birthplace Marshall, Minnesota, United States

Age 46 years old

Nationality United States

#54766 Most Popular

1978

Sean Tillmann-Hauser (born February 6, 1978 ) is an American singer-songwriter and actor.

He has performed and released studio albums as Sean Na Na and as a member of hardcore band Calvin Krime, but is best known for his work under the name Har Mar Superstar.

Tillmann was born in Marshall, Minnesota, on February 6, 1978, at Weiner Memorial Hospital.

1987

In 1987, his family moved to Owatonna, Minnesota.

He graduated from the Perpich Center for Arts Education in Golden Valley, Minnesota.

His family is still based in Owatonna, where his mother and father are retired educators.

Tillmann is known in the United States' independent music community as a singer-songwriter (other projects include Calvin Krime and Sean Na Na), but is best known by his alter ego Har Mar Superstar.

Har Mar Superstar is a character whose sweaty, energetic live performances were once infamous for often concluding with a perspiring, de-layered Tillmann disrobed down to a pair of briefs.

His primary musical genres are contemporary R&B and pop music.

He originally claimed to be Sean Tillmann's twin brother, Harold Martin Tillmann, from which he claimed his name originated.

The name actually comes from the Har Mar Mall, a shopping center in Roseville, Minnesota.

After playing in a number of garage bands during high school, Tillmann moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota, and joined three-piece noise band Calvin Krime as bassist and lead vocalist.

Over three and a half years, it recorded two albums and an EP and regularly toured the country.

1998

When Calvin Krime disbanded in 1998, Tillmann explored his softer pop side in Sean Na Na.

Reflecting on what led to the creation of Har Mar Superstar, Tillmann said, "I kinda always thought that [I was going to do R&B], I just had to figure out how to do it ... I just had to figure out how to make beats and write songs in that style."

2000

In 2000, he enlisted the help of several Saint Paul musician friends and the result was the pseudonymously self-titled album "Har Mar Superstar" that appeared on Kill Rock Stars in 2001.

Soon, Tillmann was touring all over the United States as Har Mar Superstar.

Initially, he appeared onstage in a choir robe and was accompanied solely by pre-recorded beats emanating from his MiniDisc player.

After his follow-up album, You Can Feel Me, elevated Har Mar's popularity in the U.S. and put him on the map in the United Kingdom, his stage outfits became more theatrical and several live shows featured female dancers.

2004

By the time the third album, The Handler, was released in 2004, Har Mar Superstar regularly toured with a drummer and a bassist to fortify the prerecorded material.

Shows ranged from club dates to festival engagements (Reading and Leeds Festivals).

In addition to his own headlining tours, Har Mar opened for Ben Lee, The Strokes, Incubus, Tenacious D and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

2007

In 2007, Har Mar supported the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Fabrizio Moretti and Tony Bevilacqua have served as Har Mar's rhythm section, playing drums and bass guitar respectively.

2008

Har Mar supported Sia on her 2008 tour with Denver Dalley on bass and Nick Slack on drums.

Other bassists have included Jenni Tarma, Jeff Quinn, and John Fields, while Bert Thomas, Jeff Brown and Michael Bland have manned the drum stool.

As well as a solo artist, Har Mar Superstar is a songwriter.

He has written songs for artists including The Cheetah Girls, Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Osbourne, and Ben Adams.

After "Tall Boy" was rejected by Britney Spears's management, Har Mar recorded the song for his album Dark Touches.

In 2008, Har Mar Superstar was part of the live touring set-up of Neon Neon, the band created by Super Furry Animals' Gruff Rhys and producer/solo artist Boom Bip.

Har Mar sings and plays percussion during live shows and is featured on the recorded version and video of "Trick for Treat", a song on the band's debut album, Stainless Style, which was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2008.

Har Mar also performed backing vocals and appeared in the video for Ben Lee's "Catch My Disease".

2009

Har Mar's fourth studio album, Dark Touches, was released on October 12, 2009, in the UK and on October 13 in the U.S. Playing cities throughout the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. in 2009 and 2010, Har Mar's Dark Touches touring band featured Denver Dalley on guitar, Jeff Quinn on bass and Will Rockwell-Scott on drums.

2011

In February 2011, Har Mar started recording and performing with the soft rock-inspired band Gayngs and experimental rock group Marijuana Deathsquads.

Har Mar and Marijuana Deathsquads teamed up for monthlong residencies in Los Angeles at Spaceland, in New York City at Bowery Electric, and in Austin, Texas.

2012

Har Mar and Father John Misty (aka Josh Tillman) joined forces for a tour in May 2012.

While Sean Tillmann and Josh Tillman are not related, the tour was informally called the "Two Tillman(n)s Tour".

Har Mar performed material from his upcoming soul album Bye Bye 17, and his band consisted of Macey Taylor on bass, Quinn on guitar, and J. Tillman on drums.

2013

Bye Bye 17 was released on April 23, 2013, on Julian Casablancas's Cult Records.

Tillmann toured the new material throughout the U.S. in March, April and May 2013 with Dalley on bass, Quinn on guitar, and Ryan McMahon on drums.