Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water. Trout are classified as an oily fish.

The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salmonid fish such as ''Cynoscion nebulosus'', the spotted seatrout or speckled trout.

Species

The name ''trout'' is commonly used for some species in three of the seven genera in the subfamily Salmoninae: ''Salmo'', Atlantic species; ''Oncorhynchus'', Pacific species; and ''Salvelinus'', which includes fish also sometimes called ''char'' or ''charr''. Fish referred to as trout include:

Genus ''Salmo''

* Adriatic trout, ''Salmo obtusirostris''

** ''S. o. oxyrhynchus''

** ''S. o. salonitana''

** ''S. o. krkensis''

** ''S. o. zetensis''

* ''Salmo trutta''

** Brown trout, ''S. t. morpha fario and S. t. morpha lacustris''

** Sea trout, ''S. t. morpha trutta''

* Flathead trout, ''Salmo platycephalus''

* Marble trout, Soca River trout or Soča trout - ''Salmo marmoratus''

* Ohrid trout, ''Salmo letnica, S. balcanicus (exctinct), S. lumi, and S. aphelios''

* Sevan trout, ''Salmo ischchan''

** Winter bakhtak, ''S. i. ischchan''

** Summer bakhtak, ''S. i. aestivalis''

** Gegharkuni, ''S. i. gegarkuni''

** Bojak, ''S. i. danilewskii''

Genus ''Oncorhynchus''

* Biwa trout, ''Oncorhynchus masou rhodurus''

* Cutthroat trout, ''Oncorhynchus clarki''

** Coastal cutthroat trout, ''O. c. clarki''

*** Crescenti trout, ''O. c. crescenti''

** Alvord cutthroat trout ''O. c. alvordensis'' (extinct)

** Bonneville cutthroat trout ''O. c. utah''

** Humboldt cutthroat trout ''O. c. spp.''

** Lahontan cutthroat trout ''O. c. henshawi''

*** Whitehorse Basin cutthroat trout, ''O. c. spp.''

** Paiute cutthroat trout ''O. c. seleniris''

** Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout, ''O. c. behnkei''

** Westslope cutthroat trout ''O. c. lewisi''

** Yellowfin cutthroat trout ''O. c. macdonaldi'' (extinct)

** Yellowstone cutthroat trout ''O. c. bouvieri''

** Colorado River cutthroat trout ''O. c. pleuriticus''

** Greenback cutthroat trout ''O. c. stomias''

** Rio Grande cutthroat trout ''O. c. virginalis''

* ''Oncorhynchus gilae''

** Gila trout, ''O. g. gilae''

** Apache trout, ''O. g. apache''

* Rainbow trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss''

** Kamchatkan rainbow trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss mykiss''

** Columbia River redband trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdnerii''

** Coastal rainbow trout/Steelhead trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus''

*** Beardslee trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus var. beardsleei''

** Great Basin redband trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss newberrii''

** Golden trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita''

*** Kern River rainbow trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita var. gilberti''

*** Sacramento golden trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita var. stonei''

*** Little Kern golden trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita var. whitei''

** Kamloops rainbow trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss kamloops''

** Baja California rainbow trout, Nelson's trout, or San Pedro Martir trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss nelsoni''

** Eagle Lake trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss aquilarum''

** McCloud River redband, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss stonei''

** Sheepheaven Creek redband, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss spp.''

* Mexican Golden Trout, ''Oncorhynchus chrysogaster'' (Includes as many as eight other species or sub-species, not yet formally named)

Genus ''Salvelinus'' (Char)

* Brook trout, ''Salvelinus fontinalis''

** Aurora trout, ''S. f. timagamiensis''

* Bull trout, ''Salvelinus confluentus''

* ''Salvelinus malma''

** Dolly Varden trout, ''S. m. malma''

** Southern Dolly Varden, ''S. m. krascheninnikova''

** ''S. m. miyabei''

* Lake trout, ''Salvelinus namaycush''

* Silver trout, † ''Salvelinus agassizi'' (extinct)

Hybrids

* Tiger trout, ''Salmo trutta X Salvelinus fontinalis''

* Splake, ''Salvelinus namaycush X Salvelinus fontinalis''

Anatomy

Trout that live in different environments can have dramatically different colorations and patterns. Mostly, these colors and patterns form as camouflage, based on the surroundings, and will change as the fish moves to different habitats. Trout in, or newly returned from the sea, can look very silvery, while the same "geneic" fish living in a small stream or in an alpine lake could have pronounced markings and more vivid coloration; it is also possible that in some species this signifies that they are ready to mate. It is virtually impossible to define a particular color pattern as belonging to a specific breed; however, in general, wild fish are claimed to have more vivid colors and patterns.

Trout have fins entirely without spines, and all of them have a small adipose fin along the back, near the tail. There are many species, and even more populations that are isolated from each other and morphologically different. However, since many of these distinct populations show no significant genetic differences, what may appear to be a large number of species is considered a much smaller number of distinct species by most ichthyologists. The trout found in the eastern United States are a good example of this. The brook trout, the aurora trout, and the (extinct) silver trout all have physical characteristics and colorations that distinguish them, yet genetic analysis shows that they are one species, ''Salvelinus fontinalis''.

Lake trout (''Salvelinus namaycush''), like brook trout, belong to the char genus. Lake trout inhabit many of the larger lakes in North America, and live much longer than rainbow trout, which have an average maximum lifespan of 7 years. Lake trout can live many decades, and can grow to more than .

Habitat

Trout are usually found in cool (), clear streams and lakes, although many of the species have anadromous strains as well. Young trout are referred to as troutlet, troutling or fry. They are distributed naturally throughout North America, northern Asia and Europe. Several species of trout were introduced to Australia and New Zealand by amateur fishing enthusiasts in the 19th century, effectively displacing and endangering several upland native fish species. The introduced species included brown trout from England and rainbow trout from California. The rainbow trout were a steelhead strain, generally accepted as coming from Sonoma Creek. The rainbow trout of New Zealand still show the steelhead tendency to run up rivers in winter to spawn. The closest resemblance of seema trout and other trout family can be found in the Himalayan Region of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and in Tian Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan.

Diet

Trout generally feed on other fish, and soft bodied aquatic invertebrates, such as flies, mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflies, mollusks and dragonflies. In lakes, various species of zooplankton often form a large part of the diet. In general, trout longer than about prey almost exclusively on fish, where they are available. Adult trout will devour smaller fish up to 1/3 their length. Trout may feed on shrimp, mealworms, bloodworms, insects, small animal parts, and eel.

As food

As a group, trout are somewhat bony, but the flesh is generally considered to be tasty. The flavor of the flesh is heavily influenced by the diet of the fish. For example, trout that have been feeding on crustaceans tend to be more flavorful than those feeding primarily on insect life. Additionally, they provide a good fight when caught with a hook and line, and are sought after recreationally. Because of their popularity, trout are often raised on fish farms and planted into heavily fished waters, in an effort to mask the effects of overfishing. While they can be caught with a normal rod and reel, fly fishing is a distinctive method developed primarily for trout, and now extended to other species. Farmed trout and char are also sold commercially as food fish.

According to the British Nutrition Foundation, trout contain one of the lowest amounts of dioxins (a type of environmental contaminant) of all oily fishes.

River fishing

Understanding how moving water shapes the stream channel will improve your chances of finding trout. In most streams, the current creates a Riffle-Run-Pool pattern that repeats itself over and over. A deep pool may hold a big brown trout, but rainbows and smaller browns are likely found in runs. Riffles are where you will find small trout, called troutlet, during the day and larger trout crowding in during morning and evening feeding periods.

Riffles have a fast current and shallow water. This gives way to a bottom of gravel, rubble or boulder. Riffles are morning and evening feeding areas. Trout usually spawn just above or below riffles, but may spawn right in them.

Runs are deeper than riffles with a moderate current and are found between riffles and pools. The bottom is made up of small gravel or rubble. These hot spots hold trout almost anytime, if there is sufficient cover.

Pools are smoother and look darker than the other areas of the stream. The deep, slow-moving water generally has a bottom of silt, sand, or small gravel. Pools make good midday resting spots for medium to large trout.

It is recommended that when fishing for trout, that the fisher(s) should use line in the 4-8 lb test for streamfish, and stronger line with the same diameter for trout from the sea or from a large lake, such as Lake Michigan. It is also recommended to use a hook size 8-5 for trout of all kind. Trout, especially farm-raised ones, tend to like salmon eggs, worms, minnows, cut bait, corn, or marshmallows.

See also

Trout tickling

References

Trout and Salmon of North America, Robert J. Behnke, Illustrated by Joseph R. Tomelleri, The Free Press, 2002, hardcover, 359 pages, ISBN 0-7432-2220-2

Trout Science, Troutlet.com, 2000, knowledgebase article

External links

Trout Species

Trout.co.uk - Website focused purely on trout fishing.

TU.ORG - Conserving, protecting and restoring North America's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.

Category:Aquaculture Category:Cold water fish Category:Fauna of Greenland Category:Oily fish Category:Salmonidae Category:Commercial fish

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name	Neneh Cherry
background	solo_singer
birth name	Neneh Mariann Karlsson
born	March 10, 1964Stockholm, Sweden
genre	Hip hop, trip hop, alternative hip hop
occupation	Singer-songwriter, rapper, DJ
years active	1987–present
label	Virgin, Tent Music
associated acts	Eagle-Eye Cherry, Titiyo, Don Cherry, Massive Attack, Gorillaz
website	}}

Neneh Mariann Cherry (born Neneh Mariann Karlsson; 10 March 1964) is a Swedish singer-songwriter, rapper, and occasional DJ and broadcaster. Blending hip hop with other influences, Cherry experienced mainstream success with several of her recordings.

Early life and family

Cherry was born in Stockholm to a Sierra Leonean father, drummer Amahdu Jah, and a Swedish mother, painter and textile artist Monica Karlsson, later known as Moki Cherry. Her stepfather Don Cherry, an American jazz musician, helped raise her since birth and she took his surname. Through her father, she is the half-sister of singer Titiyo and record producer Cherno Jah, and through her mother, she is the half-sister of musician Eagle-Eye Cherry. She has a stepsister, violinist Jan Cherry, and a stepbrother, jazz musician David Ornette Cherry.

During the first years of her life, Cherry lived in a hippie commune just outside the small town of Hässleholm. The family later moved to Pudsey, England, and in the early 1970s, they lived in an apartment on East Ninth Street in New York. At the age of 14, Cherry dropped out of school and moved to London.

Career

Early work

In London, Cherry joined the punk rock band The Cherries. She moved through several bands, including New Age Steppers, Rip Rig + Panic, and Float Up CP. She also DJ'd, playing early rap music on the reggae pirate Dread Broadcasting Corporation.

''Raw Like Sushi''

She began a solo career with "Stop the War", a protest song about the Falkland Islands. She also worked with The The and musician Cameron McVey (a.k.a. Booga Bear), who co-wrote most of her debut album ''Raw Like Sushi'', and whom she would eventually marry. She was intimately involved in the Bristol Urban Culture scene, working as an arranger on Massive Attack's ''Blue Lines'' album and helping out in various other ways in the scene. Both Robert Del Naja and Andrew Vowles of Massive Attack contributed to ''Raw Like Sushi''.

The single "Buffalo Stance" was an international blockbuster. "Buffalo Stance" eventually peaked at number 3 in the UK Singles Chart, and the US Billboard Hot 100, and number 1 on the US Dance chart. More singles released between 1988 and 1990 included "Manchild," "Kisses on the Wind," "Heart," and "Inna City Mama." She also found success with "I've Got You Under My Skin" (produced by Morris Temple of The Guards fame), a reworking of the Cole Porter song, which appeared on the ''Red Hot + Blue'' AIDS fundraising album. The single reached number 25 in the UK. Cherry was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1990 in the Best New Artist Category; she lost out to Milli Vanilli, who later had their Grammy revoked when it was discovered that they had not performed on their recording. She won a Brit Award in 1990 for ''Raw Like Sushi''.

''Homebrew''

Cherry's second album was ''Homebrew'', but it was not as commercially successful as its predecessor. The album had some success on the dance charts with songs "Buddy X" and "Trout." "Buddy X" was a bigger hit years later in a remix by Dreem Teem and on college radio the "Trout" duet with Michael Stipe was popular. ''Homebrew'' included the work of Geoff Barrow (on "Somedays"), who would later become part of Portishead.

''Man''

Her most recent solo album, 1996's ''Man'', was led by the track "Woman", her take on James Brown's 1966 track "It's a Man's Man's Man's World." It featured the worldwide hit single, "7 Seconds", featuring Youssou N'Dour; and "Trouble Man" a cover of a Marvin Gaye track. "7 Seconds" remained at number 1 in France for a record seventeen weeks in 1994. Another track, "Together Now", featured Tricky. Cherry received her second Grammy nomination in 1994 for "7 Seconds". In the MTV Europe Music Awards in 1994, "7 Seconds" won the Best Song title.

''Neneh Chérie Remixes'', a remix album of ''Man'' songs, was released in 1997.

CirKus

In 2006, Cherry announced the formation of a new band, cirKus. In addition to Cherry, cirKus members are Cameron McVey, Lolita Moon (Neneh and Cameron's daughter Tyson) plus Karmil. CirKus has toured Europe, with a single North American performance at the Montreal Jazz Festival in July 2006 plus a few dates in Brazil in 2008. The band's first album, ''Laylow'', was released in France in 2006. A remixed/recorded version was released in 2007. A second CirKus album, ''Medicine'', was released in France in March 2009.

Other collaborations

Although Cherry has only released a handful of albums, she has frequently collaborated with other artists. She performed a duet with Matt Johnson of The The on the track Slow Train To Dawn from The The's 1986 album ''Infected''. Slow Train To Dawn reached #64 in the UK and received sporadic airplay on US alternative radio stations. She rapped on the B-side of the Morgan/McVey single "Looking Good Diving With The Wild Bunch" (1987). Cherry worked with Jon Marsh of The Beloved on a new version of their single "You've Got Me Thinking". Although the track was never officially released, two demo versions were available from The Beloved's website. Cherry also contributed guest vocals on Pulp's UK #1 album ''This Is Hardcore'', singing on the track "Seductive Barry". In 1990, Cherry contributed "I've Got You Under My Skin" to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Blue produced by the Red Hot Organization.

Cherry collaborated with Edward Kowalczyk the lead singer of the band Live. They contributed a duet entitled "Walk into this Room" written by Kowalczyk for the soundtrack to the movie ''Playing by Heart'' (1998). In 1999 she covered the ESG song "Moody" on Christian Falk's debut ''Quel Bordel''. Also in 1999, "Twisted Mess", a collaboration with Craig Armstrong, was recorded for the soundtrack of the film ''Best Laid Plans''. It was also included on the soundtrack to ''The Dancer'' (2000) and released as a promotional single on France's Delabel label. Cherry appeared on Peter Gabriel's 11th album ''OVO'' in 2000.

In addition she contributed vocals alongside Speech and Ulali on 1 Giant Leap's 2003 song "Braided Hair". In the 2005 release of Gorillaz's ''Demon Days'', she contributed vocals to the tracks "Kids With Guns". She performed the song in the Demon Days Live concerts in 2006. The same year she appeared with the Swedish rapper Petter on his album ''P'', singing in Swedish. She contributed vocals to the Groove Armada tracks, "The Groove Is On" and "Think Twice", featured on the band's album ''Love Box''. In 2006 she was featured in the song "Yours to Keep", by the Stockholm outfit Teddybears on their album ''Soft Machine''. In 2007 she again duetted with Youssou N'Dour on one track, "Wake Up Africa", released on his 2007 album ''Rokku Mi Rokka''.

In 2006 she was featured in the song "High Drama", by the German DJ Timo Maas on his album ''Pictures''.

In 2008 she appeared on Swedish producer Kleerup's self-titled album, contributing vocals to the track "Forever".

Other work

Cherry appeared in a non-singing capacity in Big Audio Dynamite's 1986 video for "C'mon Every Beatbox", dancing onstage with others during the band's performance. In early 2004, Cherry presented ''Neneh Cherry's World of Music'', a six-part series broadcast on BBC Radio 2.

In the late 1980s, Cherry helped to bankroll the band Massive Attack.

In April 2007, Cherry presented a six-part cookery show ''Neneh and Andi – Dish it Up'' with her friend Andrea Oliver for BBC Two. The pair would later appear on Gordon Ramsay's ''The F-Word'' as part of the amateur brigade.

Personal life

Cherry married The Bank drummer Bruce Smith in 1983 and their daughter Naima was also born that year. They divorced in 1984. Their daughter Naima is a London-based photographer, who in 2004 had son Louis Clyde Flynn Love. In 1987 Cherry met producer Cameron McVey at Heathrow Airport. Cherry and McVey were en route to Japan, as fashion models as part of London designer Ray Petri's Buffalo Posse. Cherry proposed, and the two married in 1990. Together they have daughters Tyson, born in 1989, and Mabel, born in 1996. Their relationship is also work-related, as McVey produced and co-wrote ''Raw Like Sushi''; together they have supported a variety of British acts; and they are in the group cirKus together. Her stepson Marlon Roudette fronts the British duo Mattafix.

The Cherry-McVeys have lived throughout Europe. In 1993 they moved to Spain. In 1992, they briefly attempted to live in New York. They bought a home in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, New York. Soon after moving in, the couple was held up at gunpoint and robbed by a teenage bandit. The entire family packed up again and headed back to London's Primrose Hill. They next returned to Cherry's childhood home in Sweden; living in the same schoolhouse turned home (featured in ''Homebrew'' album artwork) that Cherry studied in as a child. For many years they split their time between the UK and Sweden, but made Sweden their permanent base around 2003. They have a country house near Birmingham and Wolverhampton, apartments in London and Stockholm plus the old schoolhouse in Skåne County.

Discography

;Solo

''Raw Like Sushi'' (1989)

''Homebrew'' (1992)

''Man'' (1996)

;With CirKus

''Laylow'' (2006)

''Medicine'' (2009)

See also

Swedish hip hop

List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. dance chart

References

External links

Neneh Cherry Online

Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:People from Stockholm Category:Swedish people of Sierra Leonean descent Category:English-language singers Category:Female rappers Category:Swedish DJs Category:Swedish female singers Category:Swedish hip hop musicians Category:Swedish rappers Category:Swedish singer-songwriters Category:BRIT Award winners Category:Trip hop musicians Category:Virgin Records artists

cs:Neneh Cherry da:Neneh Cherry de:Neneh Cherry es:Neneh Cherry fr:Neneh Cherry it:Neneh Cherry nl:Neneh Cherry ja:ネナ・チェリー pl:Neneh Cherry pt:Neneh Cherry ru:Нене Черри simple:Neneh Cherry fi:Neneh Cherry sv:Neneh Cherry tr:Neneh Cherry

name	Michael Stipe
background	solo_singer
birth name	John Michael Stipe
born	January 04, 1960Decatur, Georgia, United States
genre	Alternative rock
occupation	Singer-songwriter, producer, film producer, television producer, blogger extraordinaire
years active	1980–present
instrument	Vocals, harmonica, guitar, synthesizer, melodica
associated acts	R.E.M.Automatic BabyPlaceboKristin HershNatalie MerchantThe Golden Palominos }}

John Michael Stipe (born January 4, 1960) is an American singer and the lead vocalist for the alternative rock band R.E.M. Stipe has been occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career, as well as his social and political activism. Stipe is in charge of the band's visual image, often selecting album artwork and directing many of the band's music videos. Stipe's work extends outside of the music industry: he runs his own film production companies, C-00 and Single Cell Pictures.

Life and career

Early life

Stipe was born in Decatur, Georgia on January 4, 1960. Stipe was a military brat; his father was a serviceman in the United States Army whose career resulted in frequent relocations for his family. Stipe and his family moved to various locales during his childhood, including Germany, Texas, Illinois, Alabama and Georgia. Stipe graduated from high school in Collinsville, Illinois in 1978. His senior photo is pictured in the album art work of ''Eponymous''. Stipe also worked at the local Waffle House. Stipe later enrolled at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, as an art major, studying photography and painting.

Formation of R.E.M.

While attending college in Athens, Stipe frequented the Wuxtry record shop where he met store clerk Peter Buck in 1980. "He was a striking-looking guy and he also bought weird records, which not everyone in the store did", Buck recalled. The two became friends and eventually decided to form a band. Buck and Stipe started writing music together; at the time Stipe also spent time in a local group named Gangster. The pair were soon joined by Bill Berry and Mike Mills and named themselves R.E.M., a name Stipe selected at random from a dictionary.

All four members of R.E.M. dropped out of school in 1980 to focus on the band. Stipe was the last to do so. The band issued its debut single, "Radio Free Europe", on Hib-Tone. The song was a college radio success and the band signed to I.R.S. Records for the release of the ''Chronic Town'' EP one year later. R.E.M. released its debut album ''Murmur'' in 1983, which was widely acclaimed by critics. Stipe's vocals and lyrics received particular attention from listeners. ''Murmur'' went on to win the ''Rolling Stone'' Critics Poll Album of the Year over Michael Jackson's ''Thriller''. The band's second album, ''Reckoning'', followed in 1984.

R.E.M. traveled to England to record its third album ''Fables of the Reconstruction'' (1985). The process was difficult and brought the band to the verge of break-up. Even after the album was released, relationships were tense within the band. Stipe said of the period: "I was well on my way to losing my mind". Stipe gained weight and his behaviour became more eccentric; he shaved his hair into a monk's tonsure.

Personal life

With the success of the albums ''Out of Time'' (1991) and ''Automatic for the People'' (1992), R.E.M. became mainstream music stars. Around 1992, rumors that Stipe had contracted HIV began to circulate. According to Stipe, he did not start the rumor and he does not know who did.

In 1994, with questions still swirling about his sexuality, Stipe described himself as "an equal opportunity lech," and said he did not define himself as gay, straight, or bisexual, but that he was attracted to and had relationships with both men and women. In 1995 he appeared on the cover of ''Out'' magazine. Stipe described himself as a "queer artist" in ''Time'' in 2001 and revealed that he had been in a relationship with "an amazing man" for three years at that point. Stipe reiterated this in a 2004 interview with ''Butt'' magazine. When asked if he ever declares himself as gay, Stipe stated, "I don’t. I think there’s a line drawn between gay and queer, and for me, queer describes something that’s more inclusive of the grey areas."

In 1999, author Douglas A. Martin published a novel, ''Outline of My Lover'', in which the narrator has a six-year romantic relationship with the unnamed lead singer of a successful Athens, Georgia-based rock band; the book was widely speculated, and later confirmed by its author, to have been a roman à clef based on a real relationship between Martin and Stipe. The two had previously collaborated on two books, both in 1998: ''The Haiku Year'' (for which the two had both contributed haikus) and Martin's book of poetry ''Servicing the Salamander'' (for which Stipe took the cover photograph).

Stipe was a vegetarian from 1980 to 2000.

Projects

Stipe had planned a collaboration with friend, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain in 1994, partly in an attempt to lure Cobain away from his home and his drug addiction, but did not manage to compose or record anything before Cobain's death. Stipe was chosen as the godfather of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love's daughter, Frances Bean Cobain. R.E.M. wrote and recorded the song "Let Me In" from the 1994 album ''Monster'' (R.E.M. album) in tribute to Cobain

Stipe was once very close to fellow singer Natalie Merchant and has recorded a few songs with her, including one titled "Photograph" which appeared on a pro-choice benefit album titled ''Born to Choose'' and they have appeared live with Peter Gabriel singing Gabriel's single "Red Rain".

Stipe and Tori Amos became friends in the mid 1990s and recorded a duet in 1994 called "It Might Hurt a Bit" for the ''Don Juan DeMarco'' motion picture soundtrack. Both Stipe and Amos decided to keep it in the vaults, though it was later slated to appear on the Empire Records motion picture soundtrack in 1995. The song remains unreleased and unheard.

In 1998, Stipe published a collection called ''Two Times Intro: On the Road with Patti Smith.'' In 2006, Stipe released an EP that comprised six different cover versions of Joseph Arthur's "In The Sun" for the Hurricane Katrina disaster relief fund. One version, recorded in a collaboration with Coldplay's Chris Martin, reached number one on the Canadian Singles Chart. Also in 2006, Stipe appeared on the song "Broken Promise" on the Placebo release ''Meds''. Continuing his non-R.E.M. work in 2006, Stipe sang the song "L'Hôtel" on the tribute album to Serge Gainsbourg titled ''Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited'' and appeared on the song "Dancing on the Lip of a Volcano" on the New York Dolls album ''One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This''.

In 2008, Stipe collaborated with Lacoste to release his own "holiday collector edition" brand of polo shirt. The design depicts a concert audience from the view of the performer on stage.

In 2011, Stipe participated in a live online Facebook chat with fans following the premiere of a new R.E.M. video on ''Dazed & Confused'''s website, Dazed Digital. The video for "Walk It Back" was taken from R.E.M.'s 15th album, ''Collapse into Now''.

Musical style

Stipe's role in the songwriting process for R.E.M. is to write lyrics and devise melodies. While each member is given an equal vote in the songwriting process, Peter Buck has conceded that Stipe, as the band's lyricist, can rarely be persuaded to follow an idea he does not favor. Stipe sings in "wailing, keening, arching vocal figures" that R.E.M. biographer David Buckley compared to Celtic folk artists and Muslim muezzin. Stipe often harmonizes with Mills in songs; in the chorus for "Stand," Mills and Stipe alternate singing lyrics, creating a dialogue. Early articles about the band focused on Stipe's singing style (described as "mumbling" by ''The Washington Post''), which often rendered his lyrics indecipherable. Stipe commented in 1984, "It's just the way I sing. If I tried to control it, it would be pretty false."

"That voice. It's an extraordinary voice," said U2's Bono in 2003. "I often tell him I think he's a crooner, and he doesn't like that very much. But it is sort of one part some sort of Bing Crosby '50s laid-back crooner, and one part Dolly Parton," he added, laughing.

Stipe insisted that many of his early lyrics were "nonsense", saying in a 1994 online chat, "You all know there aren't words, ''per se'', to a lot of the early stuff. I can't even remember them." In truth, many early R.E.M. songs had definite lyrics that Stipe wrote with care. Stipe explained in 1984 that when he started writing lyrics they were like "simple pictures", but after a year he grew tired of the approach and "started experimenting with lyrics that didn't make exact linear sense, and it's just gone from there." In the mid-1980s, as Stipe's pronunciation while singing became clearer, the band decided that its lyrics should convey ideas on a more literal level. Mills explained, "After you've made three records and you've written several songs and they've gotten better and better lyrically the next step would be to have somebody question you and say, are you saying anything? And Michael had the confidence at that point to say yes . . ." After what Stipe has referred to as "The Dark Ages of American Politics [The Reagan/Bush Years]", R.E.M. incorporated more politically oriented concerns into his lyrics on ''Document'' and ''Green''. "Our political activism and the content of the songs was just a reaction to where we were, and what we were surrounded by, which was just abject horror," Stipe said later. "In 1987 and '88 there was nothing to do but be active." While Stipe continued to write songs with political subject matter like "Ignoreland" and "Final Straw", later albums have focused on other topics. ''Automatic for the People'' dealt with "mortality and dying. Pretty turgid stuff", according to Stipe, while ''Monster'' critiqued love and mass culture.

Stipe normally does not play instruments, focusing more on his singing, but has played instruments on albums, including harmonica on ''Reckoning'', synthesizer on ''New Adventures in Hi-Fi'', guitar on ''Up'' and melodica on ''Out of Time'', and has occasionally played guitar on some songs in concert.

Film and television work

In early 1987 Stipe co-founded C00 Films with Jim McKay, a mixed-media company that was "designed to channel its founder's creative talents towards the creation and promotion of alternative film works." Stipe and his producing partner, Sandy Stern, have served as executive producers on films including ''Being John Malkovich'', ''Velvet Goldmine'', and ''Man on the Moon''. He was also credited as a producer of the 2004 film ''Saved!''.

In 1998 he worked on Single Cell Pictures, a film production company which released several arthouse / indie movies.

Stipe has made a number of acting appearances on film and on television. Stipe appeared in an episode of ''The Adventures of Pete & Pete'' as an ice cream man named Captain Scrummy. Stipe has appeared as himself with R.E.M. on ''Sesame Street'' playing a reworked version of "Shiny Happy People" called "Furry Happy Monsters", and appeared in an episode of ''The Simpsons'' titled "Homer the Moe", where R.E.M. was tricked into playing a show in Homer Simpson's garage. He also appeared as a guest on the Cartoon Network talk show spoof Space Ghost Coast to Coast in the episode 'Hungry'.

Stipe voiced Schnitzel the Reindeer in the 1999 movie ''Olive, the Other Reindeer''.

Stipe appeared on the BBC topical magazine-style daily television programme, "The One Show" which was broadcast in the UK on 10 March 2011.

Discography

;Albums

With The Golden Palominos: "Boy (Go)", "Omaha", and "Clustering Train" on ''Visions of Excess'' (1985); "Alive and Living Now" on ''Drunk With Passion'' (1991)

With Our Favorite Band: "Dreamin' Of Eternity" ''Saturday Nights...Sunday Mornings'' (1987)

With 10,000 Maniacs: "A Campfire Song" on ''In My Tribe'' (1987)

With the Indigo Girls : "Kid Fears" on ''Indigo Girls'' (1988); "I'll Give You My Skin" on ''Rarities'' (2005)

With Syd Straw: "Future 40's" on ''Surprise'' (1989)

With The Blue Aeroplanes: "What It Is" on ''Swagger'' (1990)

With Billy Bragg: "You Woke Up My Neighbourhood" on ''Don't Try This at Home'' (1991)

With Neneh Cherry: "Trout" on ''Homebrew'' (1992)

With Kristin Hersh: "Your Ghost" on ''Hips and Makers'' (1994)

"My Gang" on ''Kerouac: Kicks Joy Darkness'' (1997)

With Vic Chesnutt: "Injured Bird" on ''The End of Violence'' (1997)

With Patti Smith: "Last Call" on ''Peace & Noise'' (1997); "Glitter in Their Eyes" on ''Gung-Ho'' (2000)

With Rain Phoenix: "Happiness" on the soundtrack for the film ''Happiness'' (1998)

With Grant Lee Buffalo: "Everybody Needs a Little Sanctuary" on ''Jubilee'' (1998)

With Spacehog: "Almond Kisses" on ''The Chinese Album'' (1999)

With Utah Saints: "Sun", "Rhinoceros" and "Wiggedy Wack" on ''Two'' (2000)

With Community Trolls: "Tainted Obligation" (1983) on ''To Understand: The Early Recordings of Matthew Sweet'' (2002)

With Faultline: "Greenfields" on ''Your Love Means Everything'' (2002)

With 1 Giant Leap: "The Way You Dream" on ''1 Giant Leap'' (2002); ''I Have Seen Trouble'' on ''What About Me?'' (2009)

With Stéphane Pompougnac: "Clumsy" on ''Living on the Edge'' (2003)

"L'Hôtel" (Serge Gainsbourg cover) on ''Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited'' (2006)

With Placebo: "Broken Promise" on ''Meds'' (2006)

With Miguel Bosé: "Lo que hay es lo que ves" on ''Papito'' (2007)

With Maria Taylor: "Cartoons And Forever Plans" on ''LadyLuck'' (2009)

;Singles

"In the Sun" (with Chris Martin) (2006)

;Compilation albums

''Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films'' - "Opening Melody — Little April Shower" (with Natalie Merchant and Mark Bingham and The Roches)

;Production

With Vic Chesnutt: "Little (album)" (1990), "West of Rome" (1992)

With Magnapop: ''Magnapop'' (1992)

References

Buckley, David. ''R.E.M.: Fiction: An Alternative Biography''. Virgin, 2002. ISBN 1-85227-927-3

Platt, John (editor). ''The R.E.M. Companion: Two Decades of Commentary''. Schirmer, 1998. ISBN 0-02-864935-4

Notes

External links

Category:1960 births Category:American activists Category:American baritones Category:American male singers Category:American rock singers Category:Bisexual musicians Category:English-language singers Category:LGBT musicians from the United States Category:Living people Category:Military brats Category:People from Athens, Georgia Category:People from DeKalb County, Georgia Category:R.E.M. members Category:The Golden Palominos members Category:University of Georgia people Category:American record producers Category:Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:American vegetarians Category:People from Decatur, Georgia Category:American alternative rock musicians Category:American rock songwriters Category:American musicians of European descent

bg:Майкъл Стайп cs:Michael Stipe da:Michael Stipe de:Michael Stipe es:Michael Stipe eo:Michael Stipe fa:مایکل استایپ fr:Michael Stipe hr:Michael Stipe it:Michael Stipe he:מייקל סטייפ hu:Michael Stipe nl:Michael Stipe ja:マイケル・スタイプ no:Michael Stipe nn:Michael Stipe pl:Michael Stipe pt:Michael Stipe ro:Michael Stipe ru:Стайп, Майкл sk:Michael Stipe fi:Michael Stipe sv:Michael Stipe

Name	Randy Johnson
Position	Pitcher
Bats	Right
Throws	Left
Birth date	September 10, 1963
Birth place	Walnut Creek, California
Debutdate	September 15
Debutyear	1988
Debutteam	Montreal Expos
Finaldate	October 4
Finalyear	2009
Finalteam	San Francisco Giants
Stat1label	Win–loss record
Stat1value	303–166
Stat2label	Earned run average
Stat2value	3.29
Stat3label	Strikeouts
Stat3value	4,875
Teams	Montreal Expos (–) Seattle Mariners (–) Houston Astros () Arizona Diamondbacks (–) New York Yankees (–) Arizona Diamondbacks (–) San Francisco Giants ()
Highlights	10× All-Star (1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004) World Series champion () 1995 AL Cy Young Award 4× NL Cy Young Award winner (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002) 2001 World Series MVP 2001 Babe Ruth Award 1995 AL TSN Pitcher of the Year Pitched a no-hitter on June 2, 1990 Pitched a perfect game on May 18, 2004 }}

Randall David Johnson (born September 10, 1963), nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams.

The Johnson was celebrated for having one of the most dominant fastballs in the game. He regularly approached, and occasionally exceeded, during his prime. He also threw a hard, biting slider. Johnson won the Cy Young Award five times, second only to Roger Clemens' seven.

Johnson finished his career first in strikeouts per nine innings pitched among starting pitchers (10.67), second all-time in total strikeouts (4,875; first among left-handed pitchers), third in hit batsmen (188), tenth in fewest hits allowed per nine innings pitched (7.24), 22nd in wins (303), and 57th in shutouts (37). He pitched two no-hitters, the second of which was the 17th perfect game in baseball history.

Biography

Early life

Johnson was born in Walnut Creek, California, to Carol Hannah and Rollen Charles “Bud” Johnson. By the time he entered Livermore High School, he was a star in baseball and basketball. In 1982, as a senior, he struck out 121 batters in 66 innings, and threw a perfect game in his last high school start. He also played on a Burkovich team that assembled top players from throughout California. He continued to star at the University of Southern California under coach Rod Dedeaux, but often exhibited control problems.

Major league career (1988–2009)

Expos, Mariners, Astros (1988–98)

Johnson was among the most feared pitchers in baseball because of his dominant pitching arsenal (fastball, slider), augmented by his intimidating appearance (height, wild mullet hairstyle and mustache), and his angry, energetic demeanor on the mound. Part of his early intimidation factor came from his dramatic lack of control; after being traded away to the Seattle Mariners by the Montreal Expos for Mark Langston, Johnson led the AL in walks for three consecutive seasons (1990–92), and in hit batsmen in 1992 and 1993. In July 1991, facing the Milwaukee Brewers, the erratic Johnson allowed 4 runs on 1 hit, thanks to 10 walks in 4 innings. A month later, a 9th-inning single cost him a no-hitter against the Oakland Athletics. Johnson suffered another 10-walk, 4-inning start in 1992.

But his untapped talent was volcanic: in 1990, Johnson became the first left-hander to strike out Wade Boggs three times in one game, and a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers attested to his potential. Johnson credits a session with Nolan Ryan late in the 1992 season with helping him take his career to the next level; Ryan has said that he appreciated Johnson's talent and did not want to see him take as long to figure certain things out as he had taken. Ryan recommended a slight change in his delivery; before the meeting, Johnson would land on the heel of his foot after delivering a pitch, and as such, he usually landed offline from home plate. Ryan suggested that he land on the ball of his foot, and almost immediately, he began finding the strike zone more consistently.

Johnson broke out in 1993 with a 19–8 record, 3.24 ERA and his first of six 300-plus strikeout seasons (308). In May 1993, Johnson again lost a no-hitter to a 9th-inning single; again, the opponent was the Oakland A's. He also recorded his 1,000th career strikeout against the Minnesota Twins' Chuck Knoblauch. At the 1993 All-Star Game in Baltimore, Maryland, in a famous incident, Johnson threw a fastball over the head of Philadelphia Phillies first baseman John Kruk. It is still replayed on highlights shows to this day. A similar incident would occur with Larry Walker in 1997.

After pitching well in the strike-shortened 1994 season, Johnson won the American League Cy Young Award in 1995 with an 18–2 record, 2.48 ERA and 294 strikeouts. His .900 winning percentage was the second highest in AL history, behind Johnny Allen, who had gone 15–1 for the Cleveland Indians in 1937. Johnson, who also finished second in the 1993 and 1997 Cy Young voting, and third in 1994, was the first Seattle Mariners pitcher to win the award, and the only one until Félix Hernández took home the honor in 2010.

Johnson capped the Mariners' late season comeback by pitching a 3-hitter in the AL West's one-game playoff, crushing the California Angels' hopes with 12 strikeouts. Thus unable to start in the 5-game ALDS series against the Yankees until the third game, Johnson watched as New York took a 2–0 series lead. Johnson beat the Yankees in Game 3 with 10 strikeouts in 7 innings.

When the series went the full five games, the Mariners having come back from an 0–2 deficit to win both games at the Kingdome, Johnson made a dramatic relief appearance in the series final, Game 5, on only one day's rest. Johnson's slow walk to the pitcher's mound from the left field bullpen electrified the sold-out home crowd. Entering a 4–4 game in the ninth inning, Johnson pitched the 9th, 10th, and 11th innings. He allowed 1 run, struck out 6, and held on for the series-ending win in Seattle's dramatic comeback.

Johnson posted an 0–6 playoff record in his next four playoff series, each of which his teams lost.

Johnson was sidelined throughout much of the 1996 season with a back injury, but he rebounded in 1997 with a 20–4 record, 291 strikeouts, and a 2.28 ERA (his personal best). Between May 1994 and October 1997, Johnson had gone 53–9, including a 16–0 streak that fell one short of the AL record. Johnson had two 19-strikeout starts in 1997, on June 24 and August 8.

In June 1997, Oakland slugger Mark McGwire's swing connected perfectly with a 97 mph Randy Johnson fastball; the result was a rocketing home run into the upper deck of the Kingdome, later estimated at . The image of the home run bouncing off the left field wall of the Kingdome, above the seats, complete with Johnson swiveling and mouthing the word "Wow!," was replayed repeatedly on sports highlight shows. Johnson had 19 strikeouts in the game but lost, 4–1.

As the 1998 season began, it became clear that Johnson would not sign an extension with the Mariners; his contract expired after the season. Thanks to a bullpen implosion, the Mariners quickly fell out of contention, and looked to trade Johnson, whose statistics with Seattle that year were subpar (9–10, 4.33 ERA). Minutes before the non-waiver trade deadline, on July 31, the Mariners traded Johnson to the Houston Astros for three minor-leaguers (Freddy Garcia, Carlos Guillen, and John Halama).

Upon arriving in Houston, Johnson caught fire. In 11 regular-season starts with the Astros, he had a 10–1 record, a 1.28 ERA, and 116 strikeouts in 84⅓ innings, and pitched 4 shutouts. Johnson finished 7th in the National League Cy Young voting despite pitching only 2 months in the league, and helped Houston win their second straight National League Central division title. During the playoffs, however, the Astros lost the NLDS to the San Diego Padres, 3–1. Johnson started Games 1 and 4, both losses. He only gave up three earned runs combined in the two games, but received only one run in support (in Game 4).

Arizona Diamondbacks (1999–2004)

Johnson agreed to a four-year contract, with an option for a fifth year, for $52.4 million, with the Arizona Diamondbacks; a second-year franchise. Johnson went on to win the NL Cy Young Award in each of the four seasons covered by the contract.

The deal paid immediate dividends for Arizona, as Johnson led the team to the playoffs that year on the strength of a 17–9 record and 2.48 ERA with 364 strikeouts, enough to earn him his second Cy Young Award. Johnson's numbers could have been even more impressive; at one point in the season, Arizona failed to score a run in four consecutive Johnson starts, including a pair of 1–0 losses. Johnson's pitching line in the four starts: 32 innings, 19 hits, 54 strikeouts, a 1.40 ERA and an 0–4 won-lost record. Both Johnson and Pedro Martínez won 1999 Cy Young Awards, thus joining Gaylord Perry as the only pitchers to have won the award in both the American and National Leagues. (Roger Clemens and Roy Halladay have since done the same).

Johnson finished 2000 with 19 wins, 347 strikeouts and a 2.64 ERA, and won his third NL Cy Young Award. Just as importantly for the Diamondbacks' future, the team acquired Curt Schilling from the Philadelphia Phillies in July 2000.

In only the fourth year of the franchise's existence, Johnson and Schilling carried the Arizona Diamondbacks to their first World Series appearance and victory in 2001 against the New York Yankees. The two pitchers shared the World Series MVP Award and were named ''Sports Illustrated'' magazine's 2001 "Sportsmen of the Year." For the first of two consecutive seasons, Johnson and Schilling finished 1–2 in the Cy Young balloting.

Johnson's performance was particularly dominating, striking out 11 in a 3-hit shutout in game 2, pitching seven innings for the victory in Game 6 and then coming on in relief the following day to pick up the win in Game 7. Of Arizona's eleven post-season wins in 2001, Johnson had five.

Johnson's Game 7 relief appearance was his second of the 2001 season; on July 19, a game against the Padres was delayed by two electrical explosions in Qualcomm Stadium. When the game resumed the following day, Johnson stepped in as the new pitcher and racked up 16 strikeouts in 7 innings, technically setting the record for the most strikeouts in a relief stint.

Johnson struck out 20 batters in a game on May 8, 2001 against the Cincinnati Reds, Johnson recorded all 20 strikeouts in the first nine innings, but because the game went into extra innings, it was not categorized by MLB as an "official" 20-strikeout game (Washington Senator Tom Cheney's 16-inning, 21-strikeout game is also listed separately).

In a freak accident on March 24, 2001, during the 7th inning of a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants, Johnson threw a fastball that struck and killed a dove. The bird swooped across the infield just as Johnson was releasing the ball. After being struck by the pitch, the bird landed dead amid a "sea of feathers." The official call was "no pitch."

On August 23, 2001, Johnson struck out three batters on nine pitches in the 6th inning of a 5–1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, becoming the 30th pitcher in major league history to pitch an immaculate inning.

In 2002, Johnson won the pitching Triple Crown, leading the NL in wins, ERA and strikeouts, and was voted his fourth consecutive Cy Young Award. It was Johnson's fourth consecutive 300-strikeout season, a record. He also became the only pitcher in baseball history to post a 24–5 record.

Johnson spent the majority of the season on the disabled list and was ineffective in the few injury-hampered starts he did make. One thing he did accomplish that year was hit his first career home run in a September 19, 2003 game against the Milwaukee Brewers. It is the only home run to date for Johnson, a career .125 hitter.

On May 18, 2004, Johnson pitched the 17th perfect game in baseball history. At 40 years of age, he was the oldest pitcher to accomplish this feat. Johnson had 13 strikeouts on his way to a 2–0 defeat of the Atlanta Braves. The perfect game made him the fifth pitcher in Major League history (after Cy Young, Jim Bunning, Nolan Ryan, and Hideo Nomo) to pitch a no-hitter in both leagues.

On June 29, 2004, Johnson struck out Jeff Cirillo of the San Diego Padres to become only the fourth MLB player to reach 4,000 strikeouts in a career.

He finished the 2004 season with a 16–14 record, though the D-Backs scored two or fewer runs in 17 of his 35 starts that season. Johnson led the major leagues in strikeouts (with 290). In the games where Arizona scored three or more runs, Johnson was 13–2. As his team only won 51 games that year, his ratio of winning 31.3% of his team's games was the highest for any starting pitcher since Steve Carlton in 1972 (who won 27 of the Phillies' 59 wins for an all-time record ratio of 45.8%).

New York Yankees (2005–06)

On January 6, 2005, Johnson was traded to the New York Yankees. Johnson pitched Opening Day for the Yankees on April 3, 2005 against the Boston Red Sox. Johnson was inconsistent through 2005, allowing 32 home runs; however, he regained his dominance in late 2005. He was 5–0 against the Yankees' division rival Red Sox and finished the season 17–8 with a 3.79 ERA, and was second in the AL with 211 strikeouts.

In 2005, ''The Sporting News'' published an update of their 1999 book ''Baseball's 100 Greatest Players''. Johnson did not make the original edition, but for the 2005 update, with his career totals considerably higher and his 2001 World Championship season taken into account, he was ranked at Number 60.

Johnson was a disappointment in Game 3 of the 2005 Division Series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, allowing 5 runs on 2 home runs in 3 innings. In Game 5 in Anaheim, Johnson made an effective relief appearance after Mike Mussina gave up 5 runs and 6 hits to give the Angels a 5–2 lead, but the Yankees were unable to come back in the series. It was Johnson's first relief appearance since Game 7 of the 2001 World Series.

After an inconclusive year in pinstripes, New York fans hoped that Johnson would return to his dominant style in his second Yankee season. Johnson began 2006 well, but then he struggled to find form. In between some impressive performances, he allowed 5 or more runs in 7 of his first 18 starts for the season. Johnson was more effective in the second half. Johnson finished the season with a 17–11 record, a subpar 5.00 ERA with 172 strikeouts. It had been revealed at the end of the 2006 season that a herniated disc in Johnson's back had been stiffening him and it was only in his second to last start of the season that he decided to get it checked. This exposure had caused him to miss his last start of 2006. After being given epidural anesthesia and a few bullpen sessions he was cleared to start in game 3 of the ALDS, however he gave up 5 runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Return to Diamondbacks (2007–08)

On January 5, 2007, the Yankees traded Johnson back to the Diamondbacks, almost two years to the day that Arizona had traded him to New York, for a package of five young players and prospects. The Yankees' decision to trade Johnson was primarily based on his pre-season request to be traded after the passing of his brother. Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman was very sympathetic to Johnson's grief and agreed to trade him back to the Diamondbacks so that Johnson could be closer to his family in Phoenix.

Johnson missed most of April rehabbing his injured back, before returning on April 24, 2007. Johnson allowed six runs in 5 innings and took the loss, but struck out seven. He returned to form, and by his tenth start of the season was among the NL's top ten strikeout pitchers. But on July 3, his surgically repaired disc from the previous season was reinjured. Johnson had season-ending surgery on the same disc, this time removing it completely. Reporting that the procedure went "a little better than expected," Arizona hoped that Johnson would be ready for the 2008 season.

Johnson made his season debut on April 14, 2008 against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T; Park eight months following his back surgery.

On June 3, 2008, Johnson struck out Mike Cameron of the Milwaukee Brewers for career strikeout number 4,673. With this strikeout Johnson surpassed Roger Clemens for the number two spot on the all-time strikeout leaders list. Johnson struck out 8 in the game but could not get the win as the Diamondbacks lost 7–1.

Johnson got his 4,700th career strikeout on July 6, 2008. He finished the season with a 11–10 record and an ERA of 3.91, recording his 100th career complete game in a 2–1 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

San Francisco Giants (2009)

On December 26, 2008, Johnson signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco Giants for a reported $8 million, with a possible $2.5 million in performance bonuses and another $2.5 million in award bonuses. It was revealed on April 7, 2009 that Johnson would be the second starter in the San Francisco Giants starting rotation. On June 4, 2009, Johnson became the twenty-fourth pitcher to reach 300 wins, beating the Washington Nationals (the team that had drafted him when they were known as the Montreal Expos), 5–1, at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. He became just the seventh left-hander to achieve the 300 win milestone and the fifth pitcher in the last 50 years to get his 299th and 300th win in consecutive starts, joining Warren Spahn, Steve Carlton, Gaylord Perry, and Tom Seaver. On July 28, 2009 Johnson was placed on the 60-day disabled list with a torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder, meaning he would not return until September, if at all. On September 16, 2009 it was reported that Johnson was activated by the Giants and would join the Giants bullpen. On September 18, 2009, Johnson made his first relief appearance in 4 years, facing the Los Angeles Dodgers for 3 batters. At age 46, he was at the time the second oldest player in Major League Baseball, trailing only Jamie Moyer of the Philadelphia Phillies (also a former Mariner).

On January 5, 2010, he announced his retirement from professional baseball.

On April 12, 2010, Johnson threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Seattle Mariners home opener at Safeco Field.

Pitching style

In the prime of his career, Johnson's fastball was consistently clocked over , even as high as . His signature pitch is a slider that breaks down and away from left-handed hitters and down and in to right-handed hitters. The effectiveness of the pitch is marked by its velocity being in the low 90s along with tight late break; hitters often believe they were thrown a fastball until the ball breaks just before it crosses home plate. Right-handed hitters have swung through and missed sliders that nearly hit their back feet. Johnson dubbed his slider "Mr. Snappy". In later years, his fastball declined to the range and his slider clocked at around . Johnson also threw a split-finger fastball that behaved like a change-up and a sinker to induce ground-ball outs.

"Big Unit" nickname

During batting practice in 1988, the 6'10" Johnson, then with the Montreal Expos, collided head-first with outfielder Tim Raines, prompting his teammate to exclaim, "You're a big unit!" The nickname stuck.

Throughout much of his career, Johnson held the title of tallest player in MLB history. Former pitcher Eric Hillman and current pitchers Andrew Sisco and Chris Young have also been measured at 6'10". The title of tallest player is now held by Johnson's former Diamondback teammate Jon Rauch, a relief pitcher who is 6'11".

Accomplishments

Pitched a no-hitter for Seattle on June 2, 1990, against Detroit

10-time All-Star (1990, 1993–95, 1997, 1999, 2000–02, 2004)

Led the league in strikeouts nine times (1992–95, 1999–2002, 2004)

Led the league in ERA four times (1995, 1999, 2001, 2002)

5 time Cy Young Award winner (1995, 1999–2002)

Holds the record for most strikeouts in a relief appearance (16 against San Diego on July 18, 2001)

World Series co-MVP (Curt Schilling, 2001)

Pitched a perfect game against Atlanta (May 18, 2004)- oldest pitcher to do so in major-league history

Collected his 300th win in a 5–1 victory against the Washington Nationals on June 4, 2009

''Sports Illustrated'' MLB All-Decade Team (2009)

Has defeated every major-league team at least once

In popular culture

Johnson guest starred in ''The Simpsons'' episode "Bart Has Two Mommies", which aired on March 19, 2006. In the episode, Johnson promotes left-handed teddy bears and is met by Ned Flanders at a left-handers convention.

Johnson appeared in the movie ''Little Big League'', playing himself.

Johnson appeared in a Right Guard commercial where he fired dodgeballs at Kyle Brandt, who represented odor.

Johnson also appeared in several commercials for Nike in 1998. The spots comedically portrayed him taking batting practice (swinging ineptly at balls from a pitching machine) in his hope that he would break Roger Maris' then-single-season record for home runs.

Johnson is co-owner of Alice Cooperstown, a restaurant in Phoenix, AZ. A 22 inch hot dog available there was named after him, 'The Big Unit'.

He made a cameo appearance in a commercial for MLB 2K9 with teammate Tim Lincecum.

Johnson made an appearance in a GEICO insurance commercial.

On November 23, 2001, he attended a U2 concert in Phoenix. Bono brought him up onstage and Johnson circled the stage with the recently won World Series trophy.

Johnson has been featured as a playable character in various Backyard Baseball games.

Personal life

Johnson has four children with his wife Lisa: Sammi (born December 28, 1994), Tanner (born April 5, 1996), Willow (born April 23, 1998), and Alexandria (born December 4, 1999). He also has a daughter from a previous relationship, Heather Renee Roszell (born 1989). He is a resident of Paradise Valley, Arizona.

See also

300 win club

DHL Hometown Heroes

3000 strikeout club

4000 strikeout club

Pitchers who have thrown a perfect game

Triple Crown

MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List

Pitchers who have struck out three batters on nine pitches

Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time

Major League Baseball titles leaders

List of pitchers who have struck out 18 or more batters in a nine-inning baseball game

List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

List of MLB individual streaks

List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins

List of Major League Baseball ERA champions

List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions

List of Major League Baseball wins champions

References

External links

Randy Johnson Video on ESPN Video Archive

Box score of Johnson's perfect game

Randy Johnson Video on FoxSports Video Archive

CBS Player Page

Randy Johnson: Countdown to 300 Wins

Randy Johnson Baseball Card Timeline

Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:People from Walnut Creek, California Category:Montreal Expos players Category:Seattle Mariners players Category:Houston Astros players Category:Arizona Diamondbacks players Category:New York Yankees players Category:San Francisco Giants players Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Major League Baseball pitchers who have pitched a perfect game Category:Cy Young Award winners Category:American League All-Stars Category:National League All-Stars Category:American League ERA champions Category:American League strikeout champions Category:National League ERA champions Category:National League strikeout champions Category:National League wins champions Category:National League Pitching Triple Crown winners Category:Baseball players from California Category:USC Trojans baseball players Category:University of Southern California alumni Category:Jamestown Expos players Category:West Palm Beach Expos players Category:Jacksonville Expos players Category:Indianapolis Indians players Category:Everett AquaSox players Category:Lancaster JetHawks players Category:El Paso Diablos players Category:Tucson Sidewinders players Category:Visalia Oaks players Category:American photographers

da:Randy Johnson de:Randy Johnson es:Randy Johnson fr:Randy Johnson ko:랜디 존슨 it:Randy Johnson lv:Rendijs Džonsons nl:Randy Johnson ja:ランディ・ジョンソン no:Randy Johnson pt:Randy Johnson simple:Randy Johnson fi:Randy Johnson sv:Randy Johnson zh:藍迪·強森

name	Walter Trout
background	solo_singer
born	March 06, 1951Ocean City, New Jersey, United States
genre	Blues, blues rock
occupation	MusicianSongwriter
instruments	vocals, guitar
years active	1969–present
label	Ruf/Platinum/Provogue
associated acts	John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Canned Heat, Percy Mayfield
website	Waltertrout.com
notable instruments	}}

Walter Trout (born March 6, 1951, Ocean City, New Jersey, United States) is an American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter.

Biography

Trout's career began on the Jersey coast scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s. He then decided to relocate to Los Angeles where he became a sideman for Percy Mayfield and Deacon Jones. He also worked in the bands of John Lee Hooker and Joe Tex.

In 1981 he became the guitarist for Canned Heat. This led to an invitation to play in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers where he shared the stage with fellow guitarist Coco Montoya. He left the Bluesbreakers in 1989 and formed the 'Walter Trout Band' which developed a successful following in Europe.

In 1994 the official Walter Trout Fan Club for the Netherlands and Belgium was founded, followed in 1996 by the official International Fan Club who has members in 14 countries in Europe, America, Asia and Australia. In 2006 the official International Fan club celebrated its tenth anniversary by giving fan club members an exclusive live CD recorded in Las Vegas, Nevada, which was the last performance of the late bassist, Jimmy Trapp, who died in 2005.

In 1998 Trout released his self-titled US debut album and renamed his band 'Walter Trout and the Free Radicals' (later renamed 'Walter Trout and the Radicals' and currently simply 'Walter Trout'). Since that time Trout has been recording and touring in North America, Europe and India.

In 2002, he was featured on the Bo Diddley tribute album, ''Hey Bo Diddley - A Tribute!'', performing the song "Road Runner" and many more guest appearances on other recordings.

The 2006 release ''Full Circle'', meant that Trout realized his dream of creating an album with some of his most admired musicians, including John Mayall, Coco Montoya, and Joe Bonamassa, among others.

Discography

Walter Trout Band

1990 ''Life in the Jungle'' (re-released in US in 2002)

1990 ''Prisoner of a Dream''

1992 ''Transition''

1992 ''No More Fish Jokes'' (live album)

1994 ''Tellin' Stories''

1995 ''Breaking The Rules''

1996 ''Jimi Hendrix Music Festival (Janblues)

1997 ''Positively Beale St.''

Walter Trout and the Free Radicals

1998 ''Walter Trout'' (same tracks as ''Positively Beale St.'')

1999 ''Livin' Every Day''

2000 ''Face The Music (Live on Tour)''

2000 ''Live Trout''

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers featuring Walter Trout

1985 ''Behind the Iron Curtain'' (live in Hungary), reissue:

* 2004 ''Steppin' Out''

1987 ''Chicago Line'', reissues:

* 1994 ''Uncle John's Nickel Guitar''

* 1999 ''Blues Power'' (with bonus CD ''Life in the Jungle: Charly Blues Masterworks Vol. 4'')

* 2000 ''Blues Breaker'' (with 2 bonus tracks)

1988 ''The Power of the Blues'' (live in Germany 1987), reissues:

* 1993 ''New Bluesbreakers: The Blues Collection Vol. 8''

* 2003 ''Blues Forever'' (with bonus CD ''Life in the Jungle: Charly Blues Masterworks Vol. 4'')

1993 ''Life in the Jungle: Charly Blues Masterworks Vol. 4''

2005 ''Rolling with the Blues'' (live 1972-1973, 1980 and 1982), reissue:

* 2006 ''The Private Collection''

Walter Trout and the Radicals

2001 ''Go The Distance''

2003 ''Relentless''

2005 ''Deep Trout: The Early Years of Walter Trout''

2006 ''Full Circle'' (featuring guest artists)

2007 ''Hardcore'' (self released recording of the 'Power Trio' playing live in Europe)

Walter Trout

2008 ''The Outsider''

2009 ''Unspoiled By Progress: 20 Years of Hardcore Blues'' (previously unreleased tracks and three new songs)

2010 ''Common Ground''

References

External links

Waltertrout.com - Official Website of Walter Trout and Official Global Fan Club.

waltertroutfanclub.nl - Official Website of Dutch Walter Trout Fanclub.

Intrepid Records – Artist page.

2006 Walter Trout interview by Brian D. Holland

Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:American blues guitarists Category:American blues singers Category:Blues rock musicians Category:Electric blues musicians Category:Canned Heat members Category:John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers members Category:Musicians from New Jersey Category:People from Ocean City, New Jersey

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