the man | Musicosity

the man

Mark E. Smith

Mark E. Smith (born 5 March 1957) is the lead singer, lyricist, co-composer and frontman of The Fall, a renowned and idiosyncratic offshoot from the UK / music scenes. Mark Edward Smith was born to a working-class family in Broughton, Salford, in Lancashire, England, moving to nearby Prestwich, near Bury early in his life. He formed The Fall (named after the novel by Camus) with friends after dropping out of college at the age of 19. He gave up his job at Salford docks shortly after to devote his full energies to The Fall, and has continued to do so ever since.

Read more about Mark E. Smith on Last.fm.

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Gary Wilson

Hailing from Endicott, NY, Gary Wilson is an archetypal figure in the "outsider music" movement with other artists like The Shaggs and Jandek as its most notable members. Gary Wilson first came onto the scene in 1977 with "You Think You Really Know Me," which he recorded alone in his parents' basement. Using synthesizers and spinning disturbing tales of obsession with different women, Wilson's record had no effect on the mainstream but its cold detachment and electro-funk aesthetic was a hit with the college radio stations.

Read more about Gary Wilson on Last.fm.

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Lonnie Holley

Lonnie Holley was born on February 10, 1950 in Birmingham, Alabama, the seventh of 27 children. From the age of five, Holley worked various jobs: picking up trash at a drive-in movie theatre, washing dishes, and cooking. He lived in a whiskey house, on the state fairgrounds, and in several foster homes. His early life was chaotic and Holley was never afforded the pleasure of a real childhood. Since 1979, Holley has devoted his life to the practice of improvisational creativity.

Read more about Lonnie Holley on Last.fm.

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Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase (born October 8, 1943) is an Emmy Award-winning American comedian, writer, and television and film actor. Born into a prominent family, Chase became a sensation as a cast member in the inaugural season of Saturday Night Live. He also hosted the Academy Awards twice (1987 and 1988) and briefly had his own late-night talk show, The Chevy Chase Show.

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Mike Portnoy

Michael Stephen Portnoy (born April 20, 1967) American drummer primarily known as the former drummer and backing vocalist for the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Known for his drumming prowess, Portnoy has won 23 awards from the Modern Drummer magazine. He has co-produced the last six Dream Theater albums with John Petrucci, starting from Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory. From A Change of Seasons onwards, Portnoy has been writing a substantial amount of Dream Theater's lyrics, filling the void left by Kevin Moore, who left the band after the release of Awake.

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Kerry King

Kerry King (born June 3, 1964 in Los Angeles, California) is best known for his work as a guitarist in the band Slayer. Over the years, Kerry King's guitar style has remained the same, giving him a very distinctive sound. On earlier Slayer albums up to and including South of Heaven his playing focused more on speed and chaos than melody. However, in his post-Seasons In The Abyss work, Kerry has managed to capture more feel to his guitar work, showcasing more diverse and melodic styles.

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Geoff Barrow

Geoffrey Paul Barrow (born 9 December 1971, Walton in Gordano, Somerset, England) is the producer/instrumentalist for Bristol-based Portishead since it's inception in 1991. At the dawn of the '90s, Barrow was making a name for himself as a remixer, working with such artists as Primal Scream, Paul Weller, Gabrielle and Depeche Mode. In addition, Barrow had produced a track for Tricky and written songs for Neneh Cherry.

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