Kurt Samuel Vile (born January 3, 1980) is an American musician, best known for his solo material and as a former member of indie rock band The War on Drugs. Both in the studio and during live performances, Vile is accompanied by his backing band, The Violators, which currently includes multi-instrumentalists Jesse Trbovich and Rob Laakso, alongside Priestess drummer Vince Nudo. Influenced by Pavement, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Tom Petty, and John Fahey, Vile began his musical career creating lo-fi home recordings with frequent collaborator Adam Granduciel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The duo subsequently formed the indie rock band The War on Drugs, with Vile departing following the release of their debut studio album, Wagonwheel Blues (2008). Focusing on his solo career, Vile released two albums, Constant Hitmaker (2008) and God Is Saying This to You... (2009), before signing to Matador Records, in May 2009, and releasing Childish Prodigy that same year. In 2011, Vile released his fourth studio album, Smoke Ring for My Halo, which significantly increased his exposure and achieved considerable acclaim from most music publications.