''Legend of the Red Dragon'' (''LORD'') is a text-based online role-playing video game, released in 1989 by Robinson Technologies. ''LORD'' is one of the best known door games. The player's goal is to improve his or her skills in order to defeat the Red Dragon which has been attacking the village. The software is compatible with DOS, Microsoft Windows, and OS/2.

History

''LORD'' was created by Seth Robinson of Robinson Technologies and is currently maintained by Michael Preslar. Robinson began to write ''LORD'' in Pascal to run on his Bulletin board system. As he did not have access to other door games such as ''Trade Wars'', he needed something that would occasionally bring people back to the BBS. The first version of ''LORD'' only featured the chatting and flirting systems. Over time, Robinson incorporated features that he had seen work well in other games: for example, the restricted number of turns per day, and the concept of random events, came from a futuristic casino game. Eventually ''LORD'' became a mixture of action and romance.

Initially only intended to run on his own BBS, Robinson eventually received offers from users who wanted to run it on other systems. After the first sale, word-of-mouth advertising increased its popularity.

''LORD'' was a successful game, and by 1993 many BBSs had active communities of players. Over the next few years, MUDs began to overtake BBS door games as the multiplayer online format of choice, and in 1998 Robinson sold the game and its sequel to Metropolis Gameport. He went on to write other small games for PC and mobile platforms. His final release of ''LORD'' was version 4.00a.

Metropolis Gameport contracted Michael Preslar on January 8, 2001, to continue the game's development. The most recent version of ''LORD'' (4.08) was released in 2009 (via the DOSEMU patch archive). According to Preslar, further updates to the ''LORD'' software are planned, including a web application and versions for ELF-compatible Linux and Unix systems (completed but available only to beta testers).

Gameplay

The premise of ''LORD'' is that a Red Dragon is wreaking havoc in a town where the player has recently arrived. Multiple players compete over a period of weeks to advance their skills and to kill the dragon. In order to achieve this goal, players must face combat to gain experience. Once they have gained enough experience, they must face their master at Turgon's Warrior Training and advance in skill level. Advancement presents stronger enemies and masters; a player must reach level 12, the final level, before challenging Turgon himself and attacking the dragon.

As a BBS game, ''LORD'' uses a text-only interface. Later versions of ''LORD'' made use of RIP (Remote Imaging Protocol) graphics, and required the use of a RIP client to view.

Players select a character class, choosing from among ''Death Knight Skills'', ''Mystical Skills'', and ''Thieving Skills''. While a player is training in a particular skill, s/he is subject to random events in the woods for that particular skill, which provide opportunities for advancement. Eventually, players may master all three skills.

Players can take a certain number of actions every day. Actions could be to fight monsters in the forest, attack other players or to attempt to slay the Red Dragon itself. In addition, every day a player can send a "flirt" to another player character which may range from a shy wink, to sex, to a marriage proposal. Sex may result in contracting sexually transmitted diseases, and female characters might become pregnant.

There are three non-player characters located at the Inn: Seth Able the bard, Violet the barmaid, and the unnamed Bartender. Seth Able the bard will sing a song for a player. Once a day, players can listen to Seth's song and receive a bonus, such as the doubling of one's bank account, or additional forest or player vs. player fight opportunities. The Bartender provides services and information to any warrior who can pay him in gold or gems, but provides nothing for free.

Male players can also flirt with Violet, and female players with Seth Able (named after Robinson), in a fashion similar to flirting with other players. Success is based on the player's charm points. A marriage to Violet or Seth may last one day or two months or more; unlike player-player marriages, the software may terminate these bonds at any time. During marriage, offspring are possible, and these bring sometimes surprising benefits to warriors.

''LORD'' allows many players to play simultaneously, in BBSs that support it. This allows real-time player-versus-player battles.

''LORD'' features several in-game message boards, as well as a limited electronic mail system, which allow players to converse. Players may use the mail system to send flirtations to other players of the opposite sex, propose trysts, or marriage (only marriages lead to the conception of children).

The registration system let all players play until level six, then it wouldn't allow players to get past to level 7 until the program was registered. Users often sent in funds for that very purpose.

IGMs

In-Game Modules (IGMs) are small software extensions written by third-party developers that add functionality to ''LORD''. A number of these were created and widely distributed. IGM software was first developed on the Amiga, and then ported to MS-DOS. Some IGMs were written to allow a "cheating" style of game play, and others have presented bugs or loopholes to be exploited by players. The current maintainer of the ''LORD'' software, has introduced a scripting language called ''Lady'' in order to allow smoother development of game extensions.

Critical reception

In Gamasutra's essay on the history of computer role-playing video games, ''LORD'' was considered to be a highly playable and memorable game, with colorful text and humor. The Escapist magazine highlighted the way ''LORD'' handled sexuality, which became more mature as Robinson developed the game over the years.

Ports and sequels

Robinson developed an official sequel, ''Legend of the Red Dragon II: New World'', in 1992. It featured real-time multiplayer gameplay, with ANSI art graphics, in a Roguelike top-down view. ''LORD II'''s final release came in 1998, before its sale to Metropolis Gameport.

The first ''LORD'' spin-off, ''Tournament LORD'', was written by Robinson. It was a multiplayer version designed for the MBBS/Worldgroup BBS systems.

The second port was ''Wildcat Tournament Legend of the Red Dragon'' (WT-LORD), a multi-player version created for Wildcat! BBS systems, written by Joe Marcelletti and Allan Benjamin. Robinson was impressed with this port and used some of its features in later releases of ''LORD''. It was maintained by IceRage Technologies but is now freeware and no longer developed or supported.

Legend of the Green Dragon

Legend of the Green Dragon is a web based variation. Legend of the Green Dragon (also referred to as LotGD) is an open source game that allows any aspiring web developer to customize and create their own version of the game using the PHP language. .

Legend of the Blue Dragon

Legend of the Blue Dragon is an android based variation. It is an advertisement assisted free version available in the Google Android Market. For a $1 donation players can remove the ads or buy 10,000 in gold.

This has been removed from the Android Market for unspecified reasons.

References

External links

LORD's Official Website

Robinson Technologies - Seth Able Robinson's game company

Metroplis Gameport - Owners of LORD and LORD II

Android Game

Nuklear Lord - community forum and multiple player realms

stabs lord - telnet and web accessible LORD realms

Category:Door games Category:Dragons in video games Category:Massively multiplayer online role-playing games Category:1989 video games

ja:レジェンド・オブ・ザ・レッド・ドラゴン pt:Legend of the Red Dragon fi:Legend of the Red Dragon

name	Gary Valenciano
background	solo_singer
birth name	Edgardo Jose Martin Santiago Valenciano
alias	Gary V.
birth date	August 06, 1964
origin	Manila, Philippines
instrument	Vocals, Keyboards, Percussions
genre	Gospel, Pinoy pop, Manila Sound
occupation	Singer, Songwriter, Record producer, Actor, Dancer
years active	1983–present
label	Manila Genesis Entertainment & Management, Inc.Universal Records (Philippines)
website	GaryV.com
notable instruments	}}

Edgardo Jose Martin Santiago Valenciano (born August 6, 1964), better known as Gary Valenciano or Gary V., is a Filipino musician. He is also dubbed as Mr. Pure Energy. He has released 26 albums, and won the Awit Awards for "Best Male Performer" 11 times. In 1998, he became UNICEF Philippines first national Ambassador. His most notable songs include "Di Bale Na Lang", "Eto Na Naman", "Sana Maulit Muli", "Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos?", "Gaya ng Dati", "Pasko na Sinta Ko", and "Narito".

He is currently part of ABS-CBN contract actors, and is frequently tapped to sing the theme songs for the network's soap operas and Star Cinema movies.

Biography

Gary Valenciano was born in Santa Mesa, Manila on August 6, 1964. He is the sixth of Vicente Valenciano and Grimilda Santiago Ortiz's seven children. His parents met in New York, married, and settled in Manila. His father is from Bicol, Philippines. His mother is a Puerto Rican woman of Italian descent, who sang opera in Manila during the 1960s. Valenciano took his primary and secondary studies in La Salle Green Hills.

Career

Valenciano had already been in early appearance in an on-screen television when he was first discovered in a Philippine soft-drink commercial in the late of 70s when he was 14 years old at that time. He was started as a choir singer, then performing in 1982 and launched his career in singing and show business on May 13, 1983. He was also first appeared as a solo in a television show called ''The Pilita and Jackie Show'' in 1982, and later in ''Germspesyal'' and ''Penthouse Live''. He had his first solo concert, in April 1984 at the Araneta Coliseum. That would be followed a number of albums, three of them released internationally, including a Christian inspired album called ''Out of the Dark''.

He is married to Maria Anna Elizabeth "Angeli" Pangilinan, with whom he has three children: Juan Paolo Martin, Jose Angelo Gabriel and Kristiana Maria Mikaela.

Valenciano has released multiple albums. He has won the Awit Award for "Best Male Performer" 11 of the past 21 times. He has been called "Mr. Pure Energy."

In 1998, he became UNICEF Philippines first national Ambassador. In 2008, he marked his tenth year as a UNICEF Ambassador with a visit to Sitio Avocado, a former war zone in Negros Oriental.

In 2008, Valenciano returned to acting by appearing in "Maalaala Mo Kaya" which he plays a prisoner who turns his life to Jesus and becomes a changed man as a Christian. The same year, he was nominated as "Best Single Performance By An Actor" in the 22nd PMPC Star Awards for TV.

In 2009, Valenciano released a collaborative album with Martin Nievera called "As 1", with their carrier single, "As 1".

In 2010, Gary V. returns to acting again via a Holy Week drama special, ''Gulong'', a CBN Asia Production was recently shown on GMA 7, this was his 3rd GMA 7 holy week special since 2006. The same year, Gary V. releases his brand new 25th full-length album and his 4th compilation album, "Replay" was recently released, with his carrier single, "Did It Ever".

He is currently living with diabetes.

Discography

Studio albums

{|class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Album details ! Certifications(sales thresholds) |- | 1984 | ''Gary''

Released: 1984

Label: Blackgold/Vicor

| |- | 1985 | ''Gary...Next''

Released: 1985

Label: Blackgold/Vicor

| |- | rowspan="2" | 1986 | ''Gary...Inside Out''

Released: 1986

Label: Blackgold/Vicor

| |- | ''From Gary, Merry Christmas''

Released: 1986

Label: Universal

| |- | 1987 | ''Moving Thoughts''

Released: 1987

Label: Universal

| |- | 1989 | ''Faces of Love''

Released: 1989

Label: Universal

| |- | 1991 | ''Shout4Joy''

Released: 1991

Label: Universal

| |- | 1992 | ''Dancing in the Moonlight''^[A]

Released: 1992

Label: Toshiba-EMI

| |- | 1993 | ''Hataw Na!''

Released: 1993

Label: Universal

| |- | rowspan="2" | 1995 | ''Out of the Dark''^[B]

Released: 1995

Label: Graceland

| |- | ''Outside Looking In''^[C]

Released: 1995

Label: Polygram

| |- | 1998 | ''Interactive''

Released: 1998

Label: Universal

| PARI: Gold |- | 2001 | ''Revive''

Released: 2001

Label: Universal

| PARI: 6× Platinum |- | rowspan="2" | 2002 | ''one2one''

Released: 2002

Label: VIVA

| PARI: Platinum |- | ''I Will Be Here''

Released: 2002

Label: Universal

| |- | rowspan="2" | 2003 | ''Beyond Words''

Released: 2003

Label: Universal

| |- | ''At the Movies''

Released: 2003

Label: Universal

| PARI: Platinum |- | rowspan="2" | 2005 | ''Pure Heart''

Released: 2005

Label: Star

| PARI: Platinum |- | ''Soul Full''

Released: 2005

Label: Universal

| PARI: Gold |- | 2006 | ''Relevance''

Released: 2006

Label: Universal

| PARI: Platinum |- | 2008 | ''Rebirth''

Released: April 24, 2008

Label: Universal

| |- | 2009 | ''As 1'' (with Martin Nievera)^[D]

Released: 2009

Label: Universal

| |- | 2011 | ''With Love''

Released: 2011

Label: Star

| |} Notes

^[A] Album was released in Japan under Toshiba-EMI.

^[B] Album was released in the United States.

^[C] Album was released internationally under Polygram Records.

^[D] ''As 1'' is a collaborative album, with Martin Nievera.

Live albums

{|class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Album details ! Certifications(sales thresholds) |- | 1988 | ''Heart And Soul Live''

Released: 1988

Label: Universal

| |- | 1993 | ''Shout Live''

Released: 1993

Label: Universal

| |- | 1995 | ''Move Live''

Released: 1995

Label: Universal

| |}

Compilation albums

{|class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Album details ! Certifications(sales thresholds) |- | 1986 | ''The Best Of Gary Valenciano''

Released: 1986

Label: Blackgold/Vicor

| |- | 1997 | ''Greatest Hits Vol. 1 and 2''

Released: 1997

Label: Universal

| PARI: 4× Platinum |- | 2004 | ''Gary V: The Blackgold Collection''

Released: 2004

Label: Universal

| |- | 2008 | ''The Platinum Ballad Collection: 25th Anniversary Album''

Released: 2008

Label: Universal

| |- | 2010 | ''Replay'' Released: October 2010

Label: Universal

| |}

Collaboration albums

Salubungin Ang Pasko (Universal Records, 1986)

Ginintuang Diwa ng Pasko (Universal Records, 1989)

18 Classic OPM Love Songs (EMI Music Philippines, 1998)

The Best Of Crossover Presents (Viva Records, 2003)

Only Selfless Love 2 (Universal Records, 2003)

OPM Rewind (Universal Records, 2004)

The Love Song Collection (Universal Records, 2004)

Top Male OPM Hits (Star Records, 2004)

Various Movie Themes (Vicor Music, 2005)

Nagmamahal Kapamilya Songs For Global (Star Records, 2005)

Best Of OPM Inspirational Songs (Universal Records, 2005)

Best Of OPM Love Duets (Universal Records, 2005)

Best Of OPM Love Ballads (Universal Records, 2005)

Best Of OPM Movie & TV Themes (Universal Records, 2005)

Pinoy Biggie Hits (Star Records, 2006)

OPM With Love (Universal Records, 2006)

Lovestruck Vol. 1 (Viva Records, 2006)

OPM Gold (Universal Records, 2006)

OPM Superstars Christmas (Universal Records, 2006)

Hotsilog The ASAP Hotdog Compilation (Star Records, 2006)

Top Male OPM Hits (Star Records, 2007)

Pinoy Biggie Hits Rewind (Star Records, 2007)

Musika At Pelikula: A Star Cinema Music Collection (Star Records, 2008)

No.1 Signature Hits OPM's Best (Vicor Music, 2008)

Kris Aquino: The Greatest Love (Universal Records, 2008)

Wings of the Soul (Star Records, 2008)

OPM No. 1's (Star Records, 2009)

I-Star 15: Best Of TV & Movie Themes (Star Records, 2010)

60 Taon Ng Musika At Soap Opera (Star Records, 2010)

OPM All-Star Christmas (Universal Records, 2010)

Ngayong Pasko Magniningning Ang Pilipino (Star Records, 2010)

OPM Number 1s Vol.2 (Star Records, 2011)

I Love You (Star Records, 2011)

Bida Best Hits Da Best (Star Records, 2011)

Songs

Valenciano's songs include:

'' 1983 – Growing Up (Theme Song of the Philippine Movie "Bagets")

'' 1983 – You Got Me Working

'' 1983 – Hang On

'' 1983 – Betty's in Bed

'' 1984 – Love of Mine

'' 1984 – Reaching Out

'' 1984 – Hotshots

'' 1985 – Move Your Body

'' 1985 – Once Upon a Life

'' 1986 – Paano

'' 1986 – Pasko Na Sinta Ko

'' 1987 – 'Di Bale Na Lang

'' 1987 – 'Wag Mo Na Sanang Isipin

'' 1987 – 'Di Na Natuto

'' 1987 - Sana Maulit Muli

'' 1988 – Take Me Out Of The Dark

'' 1989 – Heto na Naman

'' 1989 – Laughter All The Time

'' 1989 – Each Passing Night (with Regine Velasquez)

'' 1989 – Narito

'' 1989 – Letting Go

'' 1989 – Mahal Na Mahal Ko Siya

'' 1990 – Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos?

'' 1990 – Look In Her Eyes

'' 1991 – Shout For Joy

'' 1991 – Could You be Messiah?

'' 1991 - Sa Tuwing Naaalala Ka (with Sharon Cuneta)

'' 1992 – Gaya ng Dati

'' 1993 – Hataw Na!

'' 1993 - Sa Yahweh!

'' 1993 – Muli (with Regine Velasquez)

'' 1994 – Babalik Ka Rin

'' 1995 – Hele ni Inay

'' 1997 – Until Then (remade from the Side A original)

'' 1998 – (Everybody) Get Down

'' 1998 - Pampanga

'' 1999 – More and More

'' 2000 - Anak

'' 2000 – I Will Be Here

'' 2001 – The Warrior is a Child

'' 2002 – Can't We Just Stop And Talk a While (with Kyla)

'' 2002 – Kung Mawawala Ka (with Zsa Zsa Padilla)

'' 2003 – Kailangan Kita

'' 2004 – How Did You Know

'' 2005 – Ikaw Lamang

'' 2005 – Break Me

'' 2005 – Lipad ng Pangarap

'' 2005 – Break me

'' 2006 – Wait Forever

'' 2007 – You Are (with Joni Villanueva)

'' 2008 – Only Hope

'' 2008 – Ilaan mo (theme from ICare Compassion Ministry)

'' 2009 – Tayong Dalawa

'' 2009 – AYT! (with Sponge Cola)

'' 2009 – And I Love You So

'' 2010 – Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo

'' 2010 – How Can I?

'' 2010 - Did It Ever

'' 2011 - Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin

'' 2011 - Home

Television

CBN Asia Holy Week Special (GMA Network, 1995)

Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin (GMA Network, 2002) - cameo appearance

Sa Ngalan Ng Anak: A CBN Asia Holy Week Special (GMA Network, 2006)

ASAP (ABS-CBN, 2006–present)

Maalaala Mo Kaya? (ABS-CBN, 2008)

May Bukas Pa (ABS-CBN, 2009) - guest

Gulong: A CBN Asia Holy Week Special (GMA Network, 2010)

Twist & Shout (ABS-CBN, 2010)

Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin (ABS-CBN, 2011) - guest/himself/GARY

Awards

20th Awit Awards (2007) – Best Performance by a Male Recording Artist – "In Another Lifetime"

See also

Kuh Ledesma

George Canseco

Pilita Corrales

Martin Nievera

References

External links

Gary Valenciano's Official Website

Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:Filipino actors Category:Filipino film actors Category:Bicol actors Category:Bicolano people Category:Filipino television actors Category:Filipino television personalities Category:Filipino male singers Category:Filipino musicians Category:Filipino pop singers Category:Filipino Christians Category:Filipino evangelicals Category:Filipino Pentecostals Category:People from Manila Category:Performers of Christian music Category:Filipino film score composers Category:UNICEF people

es:Gary Valenciano tl:Gary Valenciano

Name	Steve Winwood
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Stephen Lawrence Winwood
Birth date	May 12, 1948
Birth place	Handsworth, Birmingham, England, UK
Years active	1963–present
Instrument	Vocals, keyboards, bass guitar, guitar, drums, mandolin, electric organ, synthesizers, violins
Occupation	Musician, songwriter
Genre	Rock, progressive rock, blue-eyed soul, blues rock, psychedelic rock
Label	Island, Virgin, Columbia
Associated acts	Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith, Eric Clapton, Jim Capaldi
website	Steve Winwood.com
notable instruments	Hammond B-3 organFender StratocasterFender TelecasterGibson Firebird }}

Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English songwriter and musician whose genres include blue-eyed soul, R&B;, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz. A multi-instrumentalist, he plays the electric organ, synthesizers, bass, drums, guitar, mandolin, violin and other strings. A star performer for nearly 50 years, he has also done notable work as a producer.

In addition to his solo career, Winwood was a key member of The Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith and Go. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Traffic in 2004.

In 2005, Winwood was honoured as a BMI Icon at the annual BMI London Awards for his "enduring influence on generations of music makers." In 2008, ''Rolling Stone magazine'' ranked Winwood #33 in its 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Winwood has won numerous Grammy Awards in the United States.

Early life

Stephen Lawrence Winwood was born in Handsworth, Birmingham, England. His father, Lawrence, a foundryman by trade, was a semi-professional musician, playing mainly the saxophone and clarinet. Young Winwood became interested in swing and Dixieland jazz as a boy and began playing drums, guitar, and piano. He first performed with his father and older brother Muff in the Ron Atkinson Band at the age of eight. Winwood was a choirboy at St John's Church Perry Barr and later admitted to having "sneaked a few plays" of the organ there. While he was still young the family moved from Handsworth to the semi-rural suburb of Kingstanding at the northern edge of the city.

Career

Early years: 1960s

While he was still a pupil at the Great Barr School, Winwood was a part of the Birmingham rhythm and blues scene, playing the Hammond B-3 organ and guitar, backing blues singers such as Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, T-Bone Walker, Howlin' Wolf, B. B. King, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Eddie Boyd, Otis Spann, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley on their United Kingdom tours, the custom at that time being for US singers to travel solo and be backed by pickup bands. At this time, Winwood was living on Atlantic Road in Great Barr, close to the Birmingham music halls where he played. Winwood had modelled himself on Ray Charles.

At the age of 14 Winwood joined the Spencer Davis Group, along with his older brother Muff, who later had success as a record producer. Steve's distinctive high tenor singing voice and vocal style drew comparisons to Ray Charles. At the end of 1965 the group had their first number one single with "Keep On Running" and the money from this success allowed Winwood to buy his own Hammond B-3 organ.

During this time Winwood joined forces with guitarist Eric Clapton as part of the one-off group Eric Clapton's Powerhouse. Songs were recorded for the Elektra label, but only three tracks were released on the compilation album, ''What's Shakin'''.

Winwood co-wrote and recorded the hits "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "I'm a Man" before leaving the Spencer Davis Group. Winwood met drummer Jim Capaldi, guitarist Dave Mason, and multi-instrumentalist Chris Wood, when they jammed together at The Elbow Room, a club in Aston, Birmingham. After Winwood left the Spencer Davis Group in April 1967, the quartet formed Traffic. Soon thereafter, they rented a cottage near the rural village of Aston Tirrold, Berkshire to write and rehearse new music. The period at the cottage would prove important in the development of the band.

In 1968 Winwood played the organ on the song "Voodoo Chile" on the Jimi Hendrix album ''Electric Ladyland''. The following year he played keyboards on albums as diverse as Toots & the Maytals' ''Reggae Got Soul'' and Howlin' Wolf's ''The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions''.

Blind Faith and Traffic: 1970s

He formed the supergroup Blind Faith in 1969 with Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech. The band was short-lived because of Clapton's greater interest in Blind Faith's opening act Delaney & Bonnie & Friends—Clapton left the band after the tour had ended. However, Baker, Winwood, and Grech stayed together to form Ginger Baker's Air Force. The lineup consisted of 3/4 of Blind Faith (without Clapton, who was replaced by Denny Laine), 2/3 of Traffic (Winwood and Chris Wood, minus Jim Capaldi), plus musicians who interacted with Baker in his early days, including Phil Seamen, Harold McNair, John Blood and Graham Bond. But it turned out to be just another short-lived project. Winwood soon went into the studio to begin work on a new solo album, tentatively titled ''Mad Shadows''. However, Winwood ended up calling Wood and Capaldi in to help with session work, which prompted Traffic's comeback album ''John Barleycorn Must Die''. In 1976, Winwood played guitar on the Fania All Stars’ ''Delicate and Jumpy'' record and performed as a guest with the band in their only UK appearance, a sell-out concert at the Lyceum Theatre, London.

In 1972, Winwood recorded the part of Captain Walker in the highly successful orchestral version of The Who's ''Tommy''. In 1973 Winwood recorded an album with Remi Kabaka, ''Aiye-Keta'', for Antilles Records. In 1976, Winwood provided vocals and keyboards on ''Go'', a concept album by Japanese composer Stomu Yamashta.

Solo career: 1977 onwards

Weariness with the grind of touring and recording prompted Winwood to leave Traffic and retire to sessioning for some years. Under pressure from Island Records, he resurfaced with his self-titled first solo album in 1977. This was followed by his 1980 hit ''Arc of a Diver'' (which included his first solo hit, "While You See a Chance") and ''Talking Back to the Night'' in 1982. Both albums were recorded at his home in Gloucestershire with Winwood playing all instruments. He continued to do a number of sessions during this period, and in 1983 he co-produced and played on Jim Capaldi's top 40 hit "That's Love" and co-wrote the Will Powers top 20 hit "Kissing with Confidence".

In 1986, he enlisted the help of a coterie of stars to record ''Back in the High Life'' in the US, and the album was a hit. He topped the Billboard Hot 100 with "Higher Love", and earned two Grammy Awards: for Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

All these albums were released on Island Records. However, at the peak of his commercial success, Winwood moved to Virgin Records and released ''Roll with It'' and ''Refugees of the Heart''. The album ''Roll with It'' and the title track hit #1 on the USA album and singles charts in the summer of 1988. Another album with Virgin, ''Far From Home'', was officially credited to Traffic, but nearly all the instruments were played by Winwood. Despite lacking a significant hit, it broke the top 40 in both the UK and USA. His final Virgin album ''Junction Seven'' also broke the UK top 40, but was Winwood's first commercial flop in the USA.

1990s to present

In 1994, Capaldi and Winwood reunited Traffic for a new album, ''Far From Home'', and a tour, including a performance at Woodstock '94 Festival. That same year, Winwood appeared on the ''A Tribute To Curtis Mayfield'' CD, recording Mayfield's "It's Alright". In 1995 and 1996, Winwood released ''Reach for the Light'' for the animated film ''Balto''. In 1997, Winwood released a new album, ''Junction Seven'', toured the US and sang with James Taylor at the VH-1 Honors. In 1998, Winwood joined Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval, Ed Calle and other musicians to form the band "Latin Crossings" for a European tour, after which they split without making any recordings. Winwood also appeared in the film ''Blues Brothers 2000'', as a member of the Louisiana Gator Boys, appearing on stage with Isaac Hayes, Eric Clapton, and KoKo Taylor at the battle of the bands competition.

In 2003, Winwood released a new studio album, ''About Time'' on his new record label, Wincraft Music. 2004 saw his 1982 song "Valerie" used by Eric Prydz in a song called "Call on Me". It spent five weeks at #1 on the UK singles chart. Winwood heard an early version of Prydz's remix and liked it so much, he not only gave permission to use the song, he re-recorded the samples for Prydz to use.

In 2005, his Soundstage Performances DVD was released, featuring recent work from the ''About Time'' album along with prior hits including "Back in the High Life". Winwood also performed hits from his days with Traffic as well as current recordings. In 2005, he accepted an invitation from 2008 Grammy Award winner Ashley Cleveland to appear on her album ''Men and Angels Say''. This album of rock, blues and country arrangements of well known hymns includes "I Need Thee Every Hour" which features a vocal duet and organ performance. Christina Aguilera features Winwood (using the piano and organ instrumentation from the "John Barleycorn" track, "Glad") on one of her songs from her 2006 record ''Back to Basics'', called "Makes Me Wanna Pray".

In July 2007, Winwood performed with Eric Clapton in the latter's Crossroads Guitar Festival. Among the songs they played together were "Presence of the Lord" and "Can't Find My Way Home" from their Blind Faith days. Winwood played several guitar leads in a six song set. The two continued their collaboration with three sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City in February 2008. On 19 February 2008 Winwood and Clapton released a collaborative EP through iTunes titled ''Dirty City''. Clapton and Winwood released a CD and DVD of their Madison Square Garden shows and then toured together in the summer of 2009.

A new studio album, ''Nine Lives'', was released 29 April 2008 on Columbia Records. The album opened at #12 on the Billboard 200 album chart, his highest US debut ever. Also in 2008, Winwood received an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music to add to his honorary degree from Aston University, Birmingham.

Personal life

Winwood lives in a 300-year-old manor house in the Gloucestershire countryside with Eugenia Crafton, a native of Trenton, Tennessee, whom he married in 1987. They have four children, Mary-Clare, Eliza, Cal and Lilly. He was previously married (1978–1986) to the late Nicole Weir, who also contributed background vocals to Winwood's early solo work.

Discography

Solo

1977: ''Steve Winwood''

1980: ''Arc of a Diver''

1982: ''Talking Back to the Night''

1986: ''Back in the High Life''

1988: ''Roll with It''

1990: ''Refugees of the Heart''

1997: ''Junction Seven''

2003: ''About Time''

2008: ''Nine Lives''

Traffic

''See Traffic discography''

Blind Faith

1969: ''Blind Faith''

Go

1976: ''Go''

1976: ''Go Live from Paris''

Session work

Chris Knipp - ''blast''

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - ''Electric Ladyland'', 1968

McDonald and Giles - ''McDonald and Giles'', 1971

Shawn Phillips - ''Faces'', 1972

London Symphony Orchestra – ''Tommy - As Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra & Chamber Choir'', 1972

Jim Capaldi - ''Oh How We Danced'', 1972

Lou Reed - ''Berlin'', 1973

Jim Capaldi - ''Whale Meat Again'', 1974

Robert Palmer – ''Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley'', 1974

Jim Capaldi - ''Short Cut Draw Blood'', 1975

Jade Warrior - ''Waves'', 1975

Toots & the Maytals - ''Reggae Got Soul'', 1976

John Martyn – ''One World'', 1977

Pierre Moerlen's Gong - ''Downwind'', 1978

George Harrison - ''George Harrison'', 1978

Vivian Stanshall - ''Sir Henry at Rawlinson End'', 1978

Jim Capaldi - ''Daughter of the Night'', 1978

Marianne Faithfull - ''Broken English'', 1979

Jim Capaldi - ''The Sweet Smell of... Success'', 1980

Jim Capaldi - ''Let the Thunder Cry'', 1981

Marianne Faithfull - ''Dangerous Acquaintances'', 1981

Jim Capaldi - ''Fierce Heart'', 1983

David Gilmour - ''About Face'', 1984

Christine McVie - ''Christine McVie'', 1984

Eddie Harris - ''E.H. in the U.K.''

Billy Joel - ''The Bridge'', 1986

Talk Talk - ''The Colour of Spring'', 1986

Soulsister - ''Heat'', 1990

Paul Weller - ''Stanley Road'', 1995

Grateful Dead, played a special version of "Low Spark of High Heeled Boys"

References

External links

Official website

Albums that Winwood guested on and/or produced

Steve Winwood & Eric Clapton live@ Bucharest (review)

Category:1948 births Category:Living people Category:English keyboardists Category:English male singers Category:English rock guitarists Category:English songwriters Category:Blue-eyed soul singers Category:People from Birmingham, West Midlands Category:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Category:Blind Faith members Category:Ginger Baker's Air Force members Category:Traffic members Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Musicians from Birmingham, West Midlands Category:British rhythm and blues boom musicians

cs:Steve Winwood da:Steve Winwood de:Steve Winwood es:Steve Winwood fr:Steve Winwood hr:Steve Winwood id:Steve Winwood it:Steve Winwood nl:Steve Winwood ja:スティーヴ・ウィンウッド no:Steve Winwood nn:Steve Winwood pl:Steve Winwood pt:Steve Winwood ru:Уинвуд, Стив sk:Steve Winwood sh:Steve Winwood fi:Steve Winwood sv:Steve Winwood zh:史蒂夫·温伍德

Name	Michael Flatley
Birth name	Michael Ryan Flatley
Birth date	July 16, 1958
Birth place	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Nationality	American
Education	Brother Rice High School
Occupation	Dancer, actor, occasional broadcaster, writer, flautist, choreographer
Years active	1991–present
Networth	$650 million £421 million; €495 million
Known	''Riverdance (1994–present)''''Lord of the Dance (1996–present)''''Feet of Flames (1998–2001)''''Celtic Tiger (2004–2007)''
Children	Michael St. James Flatley(born 2007)
Spouse	(divorced)
Website	Official website }}

Michael Ryan Flatley (born July 16, 1958) is an Irish-American dancer, choreographer, actor, musician and occasional television presenter. He became internationally known for Irish dance shows ''Riverdance'', ''Lord of the Dance'', ''Feet of Flames'', and ''Celtic Tiger''. On April 20 2010, Michael announced he would return to the stage for the European tour of 'The Return of Michael Flatley as Lord of the Dance'. A movie of the show was released worldwide on Saint Patrick's Day 2011 in 3D and was released on DVD and Blu-Ray disc in 2011.

Early life

Flatley is a native of the South Side of Chicago. He is of Irish American background, being born to Irish parents. He began dancing lessons at 12 and, in 1975, became the first non-European resident to win the World Championship for Irish dance. He is a trained amateur pugilist as well as a proficient flautist, having twice won the All-Ireland Competition. In dance, Flatley was taught by Dennis Dennehy at the Dennehy School of Irish Dance in Chicago, then went on to producing his own show. After graduating from Brother Rice High School, on Chicago's Southwest Side, he opened a dance school.

Career

He was the first American to win the World Irish Dance Championships and also won numerous All-Ireland Flute Championships. From 1978 to 1979 he toured with Green Fields of America. Later he toured with The Chieftains in the 1980s.;

He received the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship in 1988. In May 1989, Flatley set a Guinness Book world record for tapping speed at 28 taps per second. Flatley was named one of National Geographic Society's Living Treasures in 1991 for mastery of a traditional art form by a living person – the youngest person at that time ever to receive this accolade.

Flatley choreographed the original ''Riverdance'' along with Ms. Jean Butler and led the show to great success as the intermission act in the Eurovision Song Contest on April 30, 1994. He then starred in the full-length show that was developed from the original seven-minute act. He also took a starring role in the show's UK debut. After leaving the show due to disagreement over creative control after its first run in London in late 1995, he produced, directed, and choreographed ''Lord of the Dance'' which was played mostly in arenas and stadiums instead of theaters. He also put together a dance production called ''Feet of Flames'' in 1998. He later went on to produce another version of that show of which around 50% of the numbers were different from that of the 1998 show. Titled 'Feet of Flames The Victory Tour', he toured Europe in 2000 and the U.S. in 2001.

He broke his own record for tapping speed in February 1998, by achieving 35 taps per second.

Flatley also received Guinness Book recognition in both 1999 and 2000 for being the highest paid dancer, earning $1,600,000 per week and for having the highest insurance policy placed on a dancer's legs at $40,000,000.

In December 2001, Flatley became the first recipient of the Irish Dancing Commission Fellowship award, an honorary degree in Irish dance, and was simultaneously made a Fellow of the American Irish Dance Teachers’ Association. Irish America magazine named Flatley Irish American of the Year in March 2003.

In 2004, Flatley received an honorary doctorate degree from University College Dublin and that same year received the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor in New York.

His latest Irish dance show is ''Celtic Tiger'', which opened in July 2005. The show explores the history of the Irish people and Irish emigration to the US, fusing a wide range of dance styles, including jazz. The show also includes popular elements from his previous shows, such as Flatley's flute solos and the line of dancers in the finale.

In March 2006, Flatley released his own autobiographical book titled ''Lord of the Dance: My Story''. Regarding his future, Flatley was quoted in the ''Celtic Tiger'' program book as saying, "I will be a dancer until the day I die," though more developments in entertainment are planned (see below).

On the June 3, 2007, The Freedom of the City of Cork was conferred on the entertainer at a ceremony in Cork's City Hall. In 2008, he was conferred with the Freedom of the Borough of Sligo at a ceremony in Sligo City Hall.;

The Variety Club of Ireland presented Flatley with their Entertainer of the Decade Award in 2008 as well.; In the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars in the US, he appeared as a guest, filling in for Len Goodman. In the fall of 2007, Flatley and a troupe of male dancers performed on Dancing with the Stars in the U.S. and in 2008, he performed the solo 'Capone' from Celtic Tiger.

He was the host of the NBC show Superstars of Dance, which premiered on January 4, 2009. Michael Flatley returned to the stage in 2009 for a limited run of the "Hyde Park" version of Feet of Flames in Taiwan. His return was met with multiple standing ovations and the run of shows had to be extended to meet the demand for tickets.;

In April 2010, he announced that he would be returning to headline the Lord of the Dance show, with performances in Dublin's The O₂, Belfast's Odyssey Arena, London's O₂ arena, Sheffield's Sheffield Arena, Manchester's MEN Arena, Birmingham's LG Arena, Nottingham's Trent FM Arena, Liverpool's Echo Arena, London's Wembley Arena, Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena in November 2010, with dates also announced in Germany, Switzerland & Austria, the first time he will have done so since 1998;.

June 2010 Michael launched The Garden of Music and Memory in Culfadda, County Sligo the village his father left to seek a new life in America, part of this ceremony including Michael's speech and an impromptu performance of one of his father's favourite tunes can be heard at http://www.podcasts.ie/michael-flatley-in-culfadda/

Michael Flatley was among the list of international film and sports stars and amateur golfers who participated in the fundraising golf Pro-Am, the JP McManus Pro-Am in Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort in Adare, County Limerick, Ireland on the 5th and 6 July 2010.

In March 2011, Lord of the Dance 3D, the movie, debuted in theatres worldwide. Filmed during Flatley’s return tour in the fall of 2010, the movie featured new sets, new costumes, state-of-the-art lighting, pyrotechnics and projections. A DVD and Blu-Ray disc of the film was released entitled "Michael Flatley Returns as Lord of the Dance" on June 28, 2011 in USA and Canada, and August 4 in Australia, September 12, 2011 in the U.K. and October in Germany, France, Benelux and Scandinavia. The 3D version of the film was released only in Blu-Ray in late 2011. The film shows the performances from the O2 Arenas of London, Dublin, and Berlin.

In March 2011, Michael Flatley was inducted into Irish America magazine's Irish America Hall of Fame.

Personal life

In 1986, Flatley wed Polish make-up artist Beata Dziąba; they divorced in 1997.

In April 2006, Flatley spoke about his recent discovery of a facial skin cancer. He had kept the cancer a closely guarded secret, but said, "I'm completely fine now, thank God."

At the 10th Anniversary of ''Lord of the Dance'' in June 2006, Flatley was accompanied by dancer Niamh O’Brien, who dances with him in ''Celtic Tiger.'' The 30-something O'Brien had danced with Flatley in ''Riverdance'', ''Lord of the Dance'', and ''Feet of Flames'' before they shared the stage in ''Celtic Tiger.'' The two shortly thereafter announced that they were dating, and were married in a Roman Catholic ceremony in Fermoy, County Cork, on October 14, 2006.

On November 15, 2006, Flatley was admitted at Harley Street hospital in London after falling ill in his London home as said by his publicist. According to media reports, a serious viral infection caused the illness. All the fall and winter tours of his latest production, ''Celtic Tiger'', were cancelled. He was discharged after spending two weeks there and claimed that he will release future tour dates but never did.

Niamh Flatley gave birth to son, Michael St. James Flatley, on Thursday April 26, 2007.

There was a false allegation from real estate agent and former stripper and girlfriend of NFL and Chicago Bear player Brian Urlacher, Tyna Marie Robertson claiming that Michael had raped her in 2002 at a Las Vegas hotel and even threatened to sue him unless he paid a settlement of at least seven figures. She was ordered to pay $11 million in a defamation suit. It was revealed that she tried to extort $33 million from him. Michael claimed that he will donate the recovered money to charity.

Flatley's financial worth in 2006 was estimated at £350 million (US $700 million) in a ''Daily Mail'' article, and he is known to maintain homes in Barbados, Chicago, France, Ireland and London. As of 2010, his estimated fortune is around $650 million (UK: £421 million; Ireland: €495 million)

In other media

Flatley and his work have been referenced and parodied in a wide variety of media, including television shows such as ''Britain's Got Talent'', ''I'm Alan Partridge'', ''3rd Rock from the Sun'', and ''Celebrity Deathmatch'', and movies such as ''Dudley Do-Right'' and ''The Boondock Saints'', as well as ''The Simpsons'' episode ''The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star''.

References

External links

Official website

''Riverdance'' website

''Lord of the Dance'' website

In-depth information on Flatley and his shows

Category:1958 births Category:American dancers Category:American Roman Catholics Category:American people of Irish descent Category:Living people Category:National Heritage Fellowship winners Category:People from Chicago, Illinois Category:Performers of Irish dance

de:Michael Flatley el:Μάικλ Φλάτλεϊ es:Michael Flatley eo:Michael Flatley eu:Michael Flatley fa:مایکل فلتلی fr:Michael Flatley ga:Michael Flatley it:Michael Flatley he:מייקל פלטלי hu:Michael Flatley nl:Michael Flatley ja:マイケル・フラットレー no:Michael Ryan Flatley pl:Michael Flatley pt:Michael Flatley ru:Флэтли, Майкл sv:Michael Flatley zh:麥可·佛萊利

bgcolour	orange
name	Nicola Formichetti
birth date	May 31, 1977
birth place	Tokyo, Japan
field	fashion direction, editing, design,creative direction, art direction
awards	2010 Isabella Blow Award
website	}}

Nicola Formichetti (; born 31 May 1977) is an internationally prolific fashion director and fashion editor of mixed Italian and Japanese heritage. He is most widely known as the new creative director for the French fashion house MUGLER, and for being a frequent collaborator with singer-songwriter and performance artist Lady Gaga. Formichetti is also known as fashion director of ''Vogue Hommes Japan'', is a contributing editor of several other fashion magazines, and is fashion director for the clothing company Uniqlo. In November 2010 he was named one of the "most influential creative forces working in fashion today." The following month he was awarded the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator at the 2010 British Fashion Awards.

Early life

The son of a Japanese stewardess and an Italian pilot, Formichetti was born in Japan and grew up in Rome and Tokyo, attempting to assimilate in both cultures. As a child he trained as a classical pianist (and still plays for relaxation). But moving to London became his great desire and he used the excuse of attending an architecture school to which he was accepted in order to get there. Formichetti has explained that instead of attending he "literally walked in the front door of the architecture school and then ran out of the back one to go clubbing for three years." He became a student of the nightlife and street fashions, and began working at a fashionable boutique called 'The Pineal Eye' where he would become art director and head buyer for two years.

Career

While working at 'The Pineal Eye' Formichetti was spotted by fashion editor Katy England and she offered him a monthly page at ''Dazed & Confused'' called "Eye Spy," and after being named the magazine's fashion director in 2005 would eventually be promoted to become its creative director 2008. His work at ''Dazed & Confused'' led to other fashion magazines, including ''V'', ''Another Magazine'', ''Arena Homme +'', and ''Harper's Bazaar USA''. Among fashion designers he has worked with Kim Jones, collaborating with him on his collections and shows, and has worked with fashion houses such as Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh, Carri "Cassette Playa" Mundane, Prada, Missoni, Iceberg, and brands such as Nike, Umbro, Puma, Stussy, Topman, H&M;, and Edwin. Among fashion photographers Formichetti has worked with Nick Knight, Hedi Slimane, Terry Richardson, Steven Klein, and Oliviero Toscani, as well as others.

Lady Gaga

2009-2012

His collaboration with Lady Gaga as her stylist, or more appropriately fashion director, began in early May 2009 at a shoot with photographer Sebastian Faena for the July 2009 issue of ''V Magazine'' (''V60''), Formichetti saying that "It was an instant love." This was soon followed by a cover shoot for ''V61'' (September issue) with Mario Testino. The following June he was fashion director for her performance at the 2009 MuchMusic Video Awards, and following that for the majority of Lady Gaga's important performances and appearances in the second half of 2009, including at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards in September, where she appeared in four dresses by Jean-Paul Gaultier and one by Alexander McQueen, then on ''Saturday Night Live'' in October, where she appeared in a metal orb structure designed by Nazir Mazhar, and later at the Royal Variety Performance in December, where she appeared in a latex dress, by Atsuko Kudo, designed to resemble those worn by Elizabeth I of England, for Gaga's introduction to her namesake Elizabeth II. In the fall she also appeared in the third volume of ''Vogue Hommes Japan'', the editorial titled "Lady Gaga & Araki's Tokyo Love" shot by Nobuyoshi Araki, with the fashion direction naturally by Formichetti. Their first collaboration in a music video together, the immensely successful Bad Romance, directed by Francis Lawrence, would later be voted Video of the Year and then win the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video. In this Gaga appears in several outfits and footwear by Alexander McQueen, reappears in the orb by Nazir Mazhar, as well as in a "diamond crown" outfit by Franc Fernandez, and one by her creative team, the "Haus of Gaga" itself, among other pieces. Formichetti is also credited as stylist for her album ''The Fame Monster'' (shot by Hedi Slimane), and has been fashion director for her sold-out The Monster Ball Tour.

2010

In late January 2010 he was stylist/fashion director for Lady Gaga's music video Telephone, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, which was later released in March. Immediately after this video was filmed came her appearance at the 52nd Grammy Awards (where Gaga performed with Elton John), for which Formichetti was also fashion director. In February he was again for her appearance at the 2010 BRIT Awards, where she dedicated her performance to their friend Alexander McQueen, who had committed suicide only five days earlier. Following their collaboration for several more appearances and performances over the next months came Formichetti's styling for her video Alejandro, directed by his collaborator in the past Steven Klein, and for the associated cover shoot by Terry Richardson for the mid-July issue of ''Rolling Stone''. Her ''American Idol'' performance of "Alejandro" in early May was also styled by Formichetti. Among other projects, next came the styling for Richardson's shoot of Gaga (in a meat bikini) and Nick Knight's shoot of model Jo Calderone (Gaga in "drag") for the fifth volume of ''Vogue Hommes Japan''. Around the same time Richardson shot Gaga as styled by Formichetti for the company Supreme NYC, but the shoot would wait until 2011 to be released both in the Supreme ad campaign and in the French magazine ''Purple''. Knight then photographed her again, styled by Formichetti, for the upcoming September issue of ''Vanity Fair''. In August the three would appear yet again in collaboration for the 30th birthday issue of the magazine ''i-D'' (the shoot itself actually dating from 2009), Formichetti also giving a short interview for the Gaga piece following hers. Then in September came her celebrated appearance, for which he did the styling, at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, where she wore (among other outfits) the famous "meat dress" by Franc Fernandez. Also in September the Fall issue of ''V Magazine'' (''V67'') appeared on newsstands, with Gaga, styled by Formichetti and shot by Mario Testino, on the cover with Marc Jacobs.

At the end of 2010 she was named Best-Dressed of the Year by ''Vogue''.

2011

After several months largely out of the spotlight (except on tour) Gaga returned in January 2011 to begin the serious promotion for her upcoming album ''Born This Way'' and Formichetti has been fashion director for the project. The music video for the title track "Born This Way" was directed later in January by Nick Knight, with Formichetti responsible for the styling. In February came her performance at the 53rd Grammy Awards where they collaborated with designer Hussein Chalayan on her appearance and performance. Gaga, interested in the concept of rebirth, sent Formichetti a picture of a human embryo, and he was first inspired to create, as he told her, "egg [shaped] shoes—like you were born that way, with eggs as feet." She took the idea further, resulting in the egg or "vessel" (designed by Chalayan) in which she was carried down the red carpet and later onto the stage, hatching out in a yolk-coloured latex outfit to perform her new single "Born This Way". She was wearing, as he tweeted, "Mugler by Nicola Formichetti." A "Born This Way"-associated shoot called "Alien Excess" done in January by photographer Mariano Vivanco for the Spring 2011 (March) issue of ''i-D'' features Gaga in a latex coat from the new Mugler menswear collection, with Formichetti responsible for the styling. A shot from the same session with Vivanco, but with different styling, also by Formichetti, appeared on the cover of ''Billboard'' in February.

He has also done Gaga's styling (shot by Nick Knight) for her as spokesperson for the MAC VIVA GLAM Campaign of the MAC AIDS Fund. A new project called "The Masterpiece" has been announced in which Formichetti will collaborate with her for MAC to create a "wearable piece of art" composed of the profile photos of fans who join the campaign.

MUGLER

After months of rumours, in September 2010 Formichetti was announced as the new creative director for the Parisian fashion house founded by the celebrated designer Thierry Mugler (who has largely retired from the business), which he has renamed to MUGLER. He has said that it was in fact Lady Gaga who persuaded him to go for the job, when they were looking through pieces from the Mugler archive when shooting the video for "Telephone". At MUGLER Formichetti oversees designers Sébastien Peigné for womenswear and Romain Kremer for menswear. Joël Palix, director general of the company, said "We were looking for a young talent who could really bring energy to the brand... Nicola is a multiculural, techno-savvy expert involved in fashion, communication, image and entertainment. He and the appointed talented designers will represent a new direction for French fashion."

Menswear

The menswear, a collaboration with Romain Kremer, of Formichetti's debut (Fall/Winter) collection "Anatomy of Change" premiered during the Men's Paris fashion week on 19 January 2011. This was accompanied by a video shot by Mariano Vivanco, featuring Formichetti's new muse, the full-body tattooed Canadian model Rick Genest, and by a remix by Lady Gaga, as musical director for the menswear project, of a new track ("Scheiße") from her upcoming album ''Born This Way''. The clothes, worn by Rico Genest and other models on the runway, recall those by Mugler himself from earlier decades, in such ways as the use of the colours navy blue and bright orange, or "hyper-modern"-style jackets lacking lapels. The collection also features some not-so-conventional latex pieces such as biker jackets, gloves, and even latex trousers. On the overall vision, Cathy Horyn of ''The New York Times'' describes Formichetti creating a "mechanical man" in the tradition of Mugler's fantastical woman, yet Adam Tschorn of the ''Los Angeles Times'' found plenty of the pieces surprisingly wearable. Formichetti himself says on the collection "I want to say something that has the past and the future, but what is really important to me is the present." Returning to Rico Genest, it was his discovery by Formichetti and then Gaga's urging which actually resulted in the menswear show, something not originally planned. Genest's discovery also influenced the collection itself. The show was streamed live from Paris on the Internet.

Genest can be seen styled in MUGLER by Formichetti and shot by Mariano Vivanco in the sixth volume of ''Vogue Hommes Japan'', the editorial being titled "Hard To Be Passive". In the Spring/Summer 2011 issue of ''GQ Style'' (UK) Formichetti is interviewed on the future of the brand, with Genest (also interviewed) shot in MUGLER by Karim Sadli for the editorial.

Womenswear

On March 2 the womenswear, a collaboration with Sébastien Peigné, premiered. Lady Gaga was again musical director, previewing the track "Government Hooker" from her upcoming album as well as including the already released title track "Born This Way" in the soundtrack. But this time she actually performed on the runway in person for Formichetti's show, modelling pieces from his collection, called "Anatomy of Change Femme – Mode Sans Frontiers." Additionally, Rick Genest from the menswear collection made a reappearance on the runway among the models. The reaction of critics to the clothes was generally similar to their reaction to the menswear two months previously. Formichetti offers a silhouette in the Mugler tradition, "minimally rendered" as described by Cathy Horyn, and with sculptured shoulders (for the appropriate pieces), Alex Fury of SHOWstudio.com describing them as "architectonic". For the show Formichetti employed Rein Vollenga to contribute sculptural elements to the silhouette, Atsuko Kudo skin-like items of torn-up latex, and Franc Fernandez for Gaga's two hats. She herself gave input for the collection, associated with her ''Born This Way'' projects and performances, but is not financially involved with Formichetti's MUGLER. As he says, "It's just friends helping each other... I think when you start talking about money, it stops the whole creative process for me."

Although there was worry it might, Gaga's appearance did not prevent Formichetti's audience from noticing the clothes, variously described as "shiny and sexy", and "taut and futuristic", or like the menswear "surprisingly wearable", in particular the jackets and dresses. He chose to go mainly with the colours black, white, electric/royal blue, and beige. The set he designed for the show was composed of clustered columns from which rose arches to form a structure resembling the long central interior of a Gothic Cathedral, the nave and its flanking aisles, through which the models, Genest and finally Gaga strutted. While it was found by critics among Formichetti's audience who were physically present at the show that both the architecture and lighting made it difficult to properly see the collection, the performance was as much or more for the millions around the world watching it streamed live on the Internet, like the menswear collection, but this time on the brand's Facebook page, and featuring forty five minutes live behind the scenes preshow. In fact he believes the future of the brand is a digital one, Formichetti saying "I design digitally, I communicate digitally, and I live digitally, and I wanted to incorporate that into the brand." For him Gaga's performance fits in the "new Mugler world", a "fantasy world" fusion of high fashion and pop with an existence both real and digital. The performance continued with her wearing a leopard print see-through catsuit from his collection out on a Paris street and into the celebrated restaurant Maxim's for the afterparty.

Vogue Hommes Japan

Uniqlo

MAC

In addition to his collaboration with Lady Gaga for the MAC VIVA GLAM Campaign, Formichetti has styled Irina Lazareanu, shot by Miles Aldridge and co-styled by Dillon Turman, for MAC's ''Quite Cute'' collection.

Philosophy and influence

In the fifth volume of ''Vogue Hommes Japan'', Lady Gaga had the following to say about what she and Formichetti desire for the future of fashion: Formichetti has repeatedly declared he is "not an elitist" in fashion, instead wanting to share what he does with everyone, using the Internet for this purpose. Like Gaga, who has inspired him to do so, he also interacts with and is inspired by his followers, and usually works in collaboration with others. He sees himself not as a "stylist", which term he rejects, but rather as an art director "whose job it is to create moods, oversee an overall image." As he further told ''Vice'':

His influence is varied. Before his MUGLER collections even premiered he was ranked the most influential stylist in the world (even if he dislikes the term), in no small part because of the enormous volume of his fashion magazine work, including making ''Vogue Hommes Japan'' "the most powerful Japanese-language publication in the global fashion industry", and because of his consulting for a number of fashion houses and other brands. It is with and through Lady Gaga as her fashion director, however, that Formichetti's influence on culture is greatest. Previously the role and influence of stylists was more limited, and while others have become designers, he is the first to take control of a major fashion house, interpreted as the most prominent example of a stylist becoming a power broker within the industry. Formichetti's eclectic selection for the avant-garde Gaga of pieces from designers ranging vastly from the great, such as Giorgio Armani, to the obscure, has influenced what has been described as a "cultural phenomenon" of imitation, extending even into "provincial backwaters".

He frequently meets and is very hopeful for many younger talents who are interested in fashion today.

References

External links

Official Website

Blog (for fashion credits)

MUGLER

Vogue Hommes Japan

Uniqlo

VivaGlam

Models.com

Gaga Fashionland (in-depth fashion credits and interviews)

Category:1977 births Category:People of Italian descent Category:People of Japanese descent Category:Magazine editors Category:People in fashion Category:LGBT fashion designers Category:Lady Gaga Category:Living people Category:Italian costume designers Category:Japanese costume designers

id:Nicola Formichetti it:Nicola Formichetti ka:ნიკოლა ფორმიჩეტი mk:Никола Формичети ru:Формичетти, Никола vi:Nicola Formichetti