Events

762 – Baghdad is founded by caliph Al-Mansur.

1419 – First Defenestration of Prague: a crowd of radical Hussites kill seven members of the Prague city council.

1502 – Christopher Columbus lands at Guanaja in the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras during his fourth voyage.

1608 – At Ticonderoga (now Crown Point, New York), Samuel de Champlain shoots and kills two Iroquois chiefs. This was to set the tone for French-Iroquois relations for the next one hundred years.

1619 – In Jamestown, Virginia, the first representative assembly in the Americas, the House of Burgesses, convenes for the first time.

1629 – An earthquake in Naples, Italy, kills about 10,000 people.

1656 – Swedish forces under the command of King Charles X Gustav defeat the forces of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at the Battle of Warsaw.

1729 – Foundation of Baltimore, Maryland.

1733 – The first Masonic Grand Lodge in the future United States is constituted in Massachusetts.

1756 – In Saint Petersburg, Bartolomeo Rastrelli presents the newly-built Catherine Palace to Empress Elizabeth and her courtiers.

1811 – Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, leader of the Mexican insurgency, is executed by the Spanish in Chihuahua, Mexico.

1825 – Malden Island is discovered by captain George Anson Byron.

1859 – First ascent of Grand Combin, one of the highest summits in the Alps.

1863 – Indian Wars: Chief Pocatello of the Shoshone tribe signs the Treaty of Box Elder, agreeing to stop the harassment of emigrant trails in southern Idaho and northern Utah.

1864 – American Civil War: Battle of the Crater – Union forces attempt to break Confederate lines at Petersburg, Virginia by exploding a large bomb under their trenches.

1865 – The steamboat ''Brother Jonathan'' sinks off the coast of Crescent City, California, killing 225 passengers, the deadliest shipwreck on the Pacific Coast of the U.S. at the time.

1866 – New Orleans's Democratic government orders police to raid an integrated Republican Party meeting, killing 40 people and injuring 150.

1871 – The Staten Island Ferry ''Westfield'''s boiler explodes, killing over 85 people.

1916 – Black Tom Island explosion in Jersey City, New Jersey.

1930 – In Montevideo, Uruguay wins the first Football World Cup.

1932 – Premiere of Walt Disney's ''Flowers and Trees'', the first cartoon short to use Technicolor and the first Academy Award winning cartoon short.

1945 – World War II: Japanese submarine I-58 sinks the , killing 883 seamen.

1956 – A joint resolution of the U.S. Congress is signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, authorizing ''In God We Trust'' as the U.S. national motto.

1962 – The Trans-Canada Highway, the largest national highway in the world, is officially opened.

1965 – U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Social Security Act of 1965 into law, establishing Medicare and Medicaid.

1967 – Israel passes the Jerusalem Law and annexes East Jerusalem.

1969 – Vietnam War: US President Richard M. Nixon makes an unscheduled visit to South Vietnam and meets with President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu and U.S. military commanders.

1971 – Apollo program: Apollo 15 Mission – David Scott and James Irwin on the Apollo Lunar Module module ''Falcon'' land on the Moon with the first Lunar Rover.

1971 – An All Nippon Airways Boeing 727 and a Japanese Air Force F-86 collide over Morioka, Japan killing 162.

1974 – Watergate Scandal: U.S. President Richard M. Nixon releases subpoenaed White House recordings after being ordered to do so by the United States Supreme Court.

1974 – Six Royal Canadian Army Cadets are killed and fifty-four are injured in an accidental grenade blast at CFB Valcartier Cadet Camp.

1975 – Jimmy Hoffa disappears from the parking lot of the Machus Red Fox restaurant in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, at about 2:30 p.m. He is never seen or heard from again, and will be declared legally dead on this date in 1982.

1975 – The Troubles: three members of a popular cabaret band and two gunmen are killed during a botched paramilitary attack in Northern Ireland (see Miami Showband killings).

1978 – The 730 (transport), Okinawa changes its traffic on the right-hand side of the road to the left-hand side.

1980 – Vanuatu gains independence.

1980 – Israel's Knesset passes the Jerusalem Law

1990 – George Steinbrenner is forced by Commissioner Fay Vincent to resign as principal partner of New York Yankees for hiring Howie Spira to "get dirt" on Dave Winfield.

2003 – In Mexico, the last 'old style' Volkswagen Beetle rolls off the assembly line.

2006 – The world's longest running music show ''Top of the Pops'' is broadcast for the last time on BBC Two. The show had aired for 42 years.

2006 – Lebanon War: At least 28 civilians, including 16 children are killed by the Israeli Air Force in what Lebanese call the Second Qana massacre and what Israel considers to be an attempt to stop rockets' being fired, from Lebanon, at Israeli civilian targets.

Births

1511 – Giorgio Vasari, Italian painter, biographer, art historian and architect (d. 1574)

1549 – Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (d. 1609)

1641 – Regnier de Graaf, Dutch physician and anatomist (d. 1673)

1751 – Maria Anna Mozart, Austrian musician (d. 1829)

1763 – Samuel Rogers, English poet (d. 1855)

1809 – Charles Chiniquy, Quebec excommunicated Catholic priest (d. 1899)

1818 – Emily Brontë, English novelist (d. 1848)

1818 – Jan Heemskerk, Dutch politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 1897)

1825 – Chaim Aronson, Lithuanian inventor, academic and memoirs writer (d. 1893)

1855 – Georg Wilhelm von Siemens, German industrialist (d. 1919)

1857 – Thorstein Veblen, American economist (d. 1929)

1859 – Henry Simpson Lunn, English humanitarian (d. 1939)

1863 – Henry Ford, American industrialist (d. 1947)

1872 – Princess Clémentine of Belgium (d. 1955)

1881 – Smedley Butler, American Marine general (d. 1940)

1889 – Vladimir Zworykin, Russian physicist (d. 1982)

1890 – Casey Stengel, American baseball manager (d. 1975)

1893 – Fatima Jinnah, Pakistani political activist, sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and "Mother of the Nation" (d. 1967)

1895 – Wanda Hawley, American actress (d. 1963)

1898 – Henry Moore, English sculptor (d. 1986)

1899 – Gerald Moore, English pianist (d. 1987)

1901 – Alfred Lépine, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 1955)

1904 – Salvador Novo, Mexican writer (d. 1974)

1909 – C. Northcote Parkinson, English historian (d. 1993)

1909 – Magda Schneider German actress (d. 1996).

1910 – Edgar de Evia, American photographer (d. 2003)

1914 – Lord Killanin, Irish IOC president (d. 1999)

1916 – Dick Wilson, American actor (d. 2007)

1919 – Berniece Baker Miracle, half-sister of Marilyn Monroe

1921 – Grant Johannesen, American pianist (d. 2005)

1922 – Henry W. Bloch, American co-founder of H&R; Block

1925 – Alexander Trocchi, Scottish writer (d. 1984)

1925 – Jacques Sernas, French actor

1926 – Christine McGuire, American singer (The McGuire Sisters)

1927 – Pete Schoening, American mountaineer (d. 2004)

1927 – Victor Wong, American actor (d. 2001)

1928 – Eunice Muñoz, Portuguese actress

1928 – Joe Nuxhall, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 2007)

1929 – Sid Krofft, Canadian children's television producer

1933 – Edd Byrnes, American actor

1934 – Bud Selig, American Commissioner of Baseball

1936 – Buddy Guy, American blues guitarist and singer

1936 – Infanta Pilar of Spain

1936 – Ralph Taeger, American actor

1938 – Hervé de Charette, French politician

1939 – Peter Bogdanovich, American film director

1939 – Eleanor Smeal, American feminist

1940 – Pat Schroeder, American politician

1940 – Sir Clive Sinclair, English entrepreneur and inventor

1941 – Paul Anka, Canadian singer and composer

1943 – Henri-François Gautrin, Quebec politician

1945 – Patrick Modiano, French novelist

1945 – David Sanborn, American saxophonist

1946 – Neil Bonnett, American race car driver (d. 1994)

1947 – William Atherton, American actor

1947 – Jonathan Mann, American AIDS activist (d. 1998)

1947 – Anna Panayiotopoulou, Greek actress and theatrical writer

1947 – Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austrian-born American actor, bodybuilder and politician, 38th Governor of California

1948 – Jean Reno, Moroccan-born French actor

1948 – Otis Taylor, American musician

1948 – Julia Tsenova, Bulgarian composer and pianist (d. 2010)

1949 – Duck Baker, American guitarist

1950 – Frank Stallone, American singer and actor

1951 – Alan Kourie, South African cricketer

1954 – Ken Olin, American actor

1956 – Delta Burke, American actress

1956 – Réal Cloutier, Canadian ice hockey player

1956 – Anita Hill, American academic, witness at the sexual harassment trial against Clarence Thomas

1956 – Soraida Martinez, American painter, creator of Verdadism

1957 – Clint Hurdle, American baseball player and manager

1957 – Bill Cartwright, American basketball player

1957 – Nery Pumpido, Argentine footballer

1957 – Rat Scabies, English drummer (The Damned)

1958 – Kate Bush, English singer-songwriter

1958 – Neal McCoy, American singer-songwriter and humanitarian

1958 – Daley Thompson, English decathlete

1960 – Richard Linklater, American filmmaker

1961 – Laurence Fishburne, American actor

1962 – Alton Brown, American television host and chef

1962 – Jay Feaster, American National Hockey League executive

1963 – Lisa Kudrow, American actress

1963 – Chris Mullin, American basketball player

1964 – Vivica A. Fox, American actress

1964 – Jürgen Klinsmann, German footballer and manager

1964 – Alek Keshishian, Lebanese-born American film director

1965 – Tim Munton, England cricketer

1966 – Allan Langer, Australian Rugby League Player

1968 – Terry Crews, American football player and actor

1968 – Robert Korzeniowski, Polish racewalker

1968 – Sean Moore, Welsh drummer (Manic Street Preachers)

1969 – Simon Baker, Australian actor

1969 – Errol Stewart, South African cricketer and lawyer

1970 – Dean Edwards, American comedian

1970 – Christopher Nolan, English film director

1971 – Elvis Crespo, Puerto Rican singer

1971 – Tom Green, Canadian comedian and actor

1971 – Sagi Kalev, Israeli-born American bodybuilder

1971 – Christine Taylor, American actress

1973 – Anastasios Katsabis, Greek footballer

1973 – Markus Näslund, Swedish ice hockey player

1973 – Sonu Nigam, Indian singer and actor

1974 – Sandra Diaz-Twine, American winner of ''Survivor: Pearl Islands'' and ''Survivor: Heroes vs. Villians''

1974 – Radostin Kishishev, Bulgarian footballer

1974 – Jason Robinson, English dual-code rugby player

1974 – Hilary Swank, American actress

1975 – Graham Nicholls, English author and artist

1975 – Cherie Priest, American writer

1977 – Diana Bolocco, Chilean television presenter

1977 – James Branaman, American model and reality show contestant (''The Amazing Race'')

1977 – Jaime Pressly, American actress

1977 – Ian Watkins, Welsh singer (Lostprophets)

1979 – Carlos Arroyo, Puerto Rican basketball player

1979 – Show Luo, Taiwanese singer, television host, dancer and actor

1979 – Graeme McDowell, Northern Irish golfer

1980 – Sara Anzanello, Italian volleyball player

1980 – Justin Rose, British golfer

1980 – Chuck Thomas, British TV producer and presenter

1981 – Nicky Hayden, American motorcycle racer

1981 – Juan Smith, South African rugby player

1982 – James Anderson, English cricketer

1982 – Jehad Al-Hussain, Syrian footballer

1982 – Yvonne Strahovski, Australian actress

1983 – Sean Dillon, Irish footballer

1984 – Gabrielle Christian, American actress

1984 – Kevin Pittsnogle, American basketball player

1985 – Daniel Fredheim Holm, Norwegian footballer

1986 – Tiago, Brazilian footballer

1990 – Coco Sumner, Italy-born English singer-songwriter and guitarist, daughter of Sting

1991 – Diana Vickers, English singer and stage actress

1999 – Joey King, American actress

2002 – Prince Hridayendra of Nepal, Nepalese royal

Deaths

578 – Jacob Baradaeus, Bishop of Edessa (birth date unknown)

579 – Pope Benedict I (birth date unknown)

1540 – Thomas Abel, English priest (martyred) (b. c. 1497)

1540 – Robert Barnes, English churchman (martyred) (b. 1495)

1550 – Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton, English politician (b. 1505)

1652 – Charles Amédée de Savoie, 6th Duc de Nemours, French soldier (b. 1624)

1680 – Thomas Butler, Earl of Ossory, Irish naval commander (b. 1634)

1683 – Maria Theresa of Spain, Spanish-born Queen consort of France, wife of Louis XIV of France (b. 1638)

1691 – Daniel Georg Morhof, German writer and scholar (b. 1639)

1718 – William Penn, English founder of the Province of Pennsylvania (b. 1644)

1771 – Thomas Gray, English poet and letter-writer (b. 1716)

1789 – Giovanna Bonanno, Italian poisoner and alleged witch (b. c. 1713)

1811 – Miguel Hidalgo, Mexican patriot and Independence leader (b. 1753)

1875 – George Pickett, American Confederate general (b. 1825)

1889 – Charlie Absolom, England cricketer (b. 1846)

1898 – Otto von Bismarck, 1st Chancellor of the German Empire (b. 1815)

1900 – Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (b. 1844)

1912 – Emperor Meiji, Japanese emperor (b. 1852)

1918 – Joyce Kilmer, American poet (b. 1886)

1920 – Albert Gustaf Dahlman, Swedish executioner, the last to carry out capital punishment in Sweden (b. 1848)

1930 – Joan Gamper, Swiss-born Spanish football pioneer, businessman and founder of FC Barcelona (b. 1877)

1947 – Joseph Cook, 6th Prime Minister of Australia (b. 1860)

1965 – Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, Japanese novelist (b. 1886)

1970 – Sir Walter Murdoch, Australian academic and essayist (b. 1874)

1970 – George Szell, Hungarian conductor (b. 1897)

1982 – Roberta Pedon, American glamour model (b. 1954)

1983 – Howard Dietz, American lyricist (b. 1896)

1983 – Lynn Fontanne, English actress (b. 1887)

1985 – Julia Robinson, American mathematician (b. 1919)

1989 – Lane Frost, American bull rider (b. 1963)

1992 – Joe Shuster, Canadian comic book artist (b. 1914)

1992 – Brenda Marshall, American actress (b. 1915)

1994 – Ryszard Riedel, Polish singer (b.1956)

1996 – Claudette Colbert, American actress (b. 1903)

1997 – Bảo Đại, Emperor of Vietnam (b. 1913)

1998 – Buffalo Bob Smith, American television host (''Howdy Doody'') (b. 1917)

1998 – Jorge Russek, Mexican actor (b. 1932)

2001 – Anton Schwarzkopf, German amusement ride engineer (b. 1924)

2003 – Sam Phillips, American record producer (b. 1923)

2004 – Andre Noble, Canadian actor (b. 1979)

2005 – Ray Cunningham, American baseball player (b. 1905)

2005 – John Garang, Vice President of Sudan (b. 1945)

2005 – Anthony Walker, English hate crime murder victim (b. 1987)

2006 – Anthony Galla-Rini, American accordionist (b. 1904)

2006 – Al Balding, Canadian golfer (b. 1924)

2006 – Murray Bookchin, American libertarian socialist (b. 1921)

2007 – Michelangelo Antonioni, Italian film director (b. 1912)

2007 – Teoctist, Romanian-born Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church (b. 1915)

2007 – Ingmar Bergman, Swedish stage and film director (b. 1918)

2007 – Bill Walsh, American football coach (b. 1931)

2008 – Anne Armstrong U.S. ambassador to Britain (b. 1927)

2009 – Peter Zadek, German theatre director (b. 1926)

Holidays and observances

Christian Feast Day:

*Abdon and Sennen

*Peter Chrysologus

*Ursus of Auxerre

*July 30 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

Feast of the Throne (Morocco)

Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Vanuatu from the United Kingdom and France in 1980.

External links

BBC: On This Day

On This Day in Canada

----

Category:Days of the year Category:July

af:30 Julie ar:ملحق:30 يوليو an:30 de chulio frp:30 j·ulyèt ast:30 de xunetu az:30 iyul zh-min-nan:7 goe̍h 30 ji̍t be:30 ліпеня be-x-old:30 ліпеня bcl:Hulyo 30 bs:30. juli br:30 Gouere bg:30 юли ca:30 de juliol cv:Утă, 30 ceb:Hulyo 30 cs:30. červenec co:30 di lugliu cy:30 Gorffennaf da:30. juli de:30. Juli dv:ޖުލައި 30 et:30. juuli el:30 Ιουλίου myv:Медьковонь 30 чи es:30 de julio eo:30-a de julio eu:Uztailaren 30 fa:۳۰ ژوئیه hif:30 July fo:30. juli fr:30 juillet fy:30 july fur:30 di Lui ga:30 Iúil gv:30 Jerrey Souree gd:30 an t-Iuchar gl:30 de xullo gan:7月30號 gu:જુલાઇ ૩૦ xal:Така сарин 30 ko:7월 30일 hy:Հուլիսի 30 hr:30. srpnja io:30 di julio ig:July 30 ilo:Julio 30 bpy:জুলাই ৩০ id:30 Juli ia:30 de julio ie:30 juli os:30 июлы is:30. júlí it:30 luglio he:30 ביולי jv:30 Juli kl:Juuli 30 kn:ಜುಲೈ ೩೦ pam:Juliu 30 krc:30 июль ka:30 ივლისი csb:30 lëpinca kk:Шілденің 30 sw:30 Julai kv:30 сора ht:30 jiyè ku:30'ê tîrmehê la:30 Iulii lv:30. jūlijs lb:30. Juli lt:Liepos 30 li:30 juli lmo:30 07 hu:Július 30. mk:30 јули ml:ജൂലൈ 30 mr:जुलै ३० xmf:30 კვირკვე arz:30 يوليه ms:30 Julai mn:7 сарын 30 nah:Tlachicōnti 30 nl:30 juli nds-nl:30 juli ne:३० जुलाई new:जुलाई ३० ja:7月30日 nap:30 'e luglio no:30. juli nn:30. juli nrm:30 Juilet nov:30 de julie oc:30 de julhet mhr:30 Сӱрем uz:30-iyul pa:੩੦ ਜੁਲਾਈ pag:July 30 nds:30. Juli pl:30 lipca pt:30 de julho ksh:30. Juuli ro:30 iulie qu:30 ñiqin anta situwa killapi rue:30. юл ru:30 июля sah:От ыйын 30 se:Suoidnemánu 30. sco:30 Julie sq:30 Korrik scn:30 di giugnettu simple:July 30 sk:30. júl sl:30. julij ckb:٣٠ی تەمموز sr:30. јул sh:30.7. su:30 Juli fi:30. heinäkuuta sv:30 juli tl:Hulyo 30 ta:சூலை 30 tt:30 июль te:జూలై 30 th:30 กรกฎาคม tg:30 июл tr:30 Temmuz tk:30 iýul uk:30 липня ur:30 جولائی vec:30 de lujo vi:30 tháng 7 vo:Yulul 30 fiu-vro:30. hainakuu päiv wa:30 di djulete vls:30 juli war:Hulyo 30 ts:Mawuwani 30 yi:30סטן יולי yo:30 July zh-yue:7月30號 bat-smg:Lėipas 30 zh:7月30日

country	England
fullname	Steven Sharp
living	true
dayofbirth	22
monthofbirth	9
yearofbirth	1962
placeofbirth	Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire
countryofbirth	England
batting	Right-handed
club1	Minor Counties
year1	1990
club2	Cumberland
year2	1982–2002
deliveries	balls
columns	1
column1	List A
matches1	8
runs1	212
bat avg1	35.33
100s/50s1	–/1
top score1	75
deliveries1	18
wickets1	–
bowl avg1	–
fivefor1	–
tenfor1	–
best bowling1	–
catches/stumpings1	1/–
date	1 April
year	2011
source	http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/20527.html Cricinfo }}

Steven Sharp (born 22 September 1962) is a former English cricketer. Sharp was a right-handed batsman. He was born in Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire.

Sharp made his debut for Cumberland in the 1982 Minor Counties Championship against Durham. Sharp played Minor counties cricket for Cumberland from 1982 to 2002, including 65 Minor Counties Championship matches and 19 MCCA Knockout Trophy matches. In 1986, he made his List A debut against Lancashire in the NatWest Trophy. He played five further List A matches for Cumberland, the last of which came against Leicestershire in the 1994 NatWest Trophy. He also played two List A matches for the Minor Counties cricket team in the 1990 Benson and Hedges Cup against Sussex and Derbyshire. In his eight List A matches, he scored 212 runs at a batting average of 35.33, with a high score of 75. His only half century for Cumberland came against Essex in the 1992 NatWest Trophy.

He also played Second XI cricket for the Lancashire Second XI.

References

External links

Steven Sharp at ESPNcricinfo

Steven Sharp at CricketArchive

Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:People from Barrow-in-Furness Category:People from Lancashire Category:English cricketers Category:Cumberland cricketers Category:Minor Counties cricketers

name	Blind Guardian
landscape	Yes
background	group_or_band
origin	Krefeld, Germany
genre	Power metal, speed metal
years active	1984–present
label	No Remorse, Virgin, Century Media, Nuclear Blast
associated acts	Demons & Wizards, Gamma Ray, Helloween, Iced Earth, Iron Savior, Savage Circus, Schattentantz, Power Quest
website
current members	Hansi KürschAndré OlbrichMarcus SiepenFrederik Ehmke
past members	Thomas "Thomen" StauchMarkus DörkChristof TheißenHans-Peter Frey }}

Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres. Blind Guardian is a part of the German heavy metal scene that emerged in the mid-1980s.

The band's lyrics, written by vocalist Hansi Kürsch, are inspired by the fiction of fantasy authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien, Michael Moorcock, and Robert Jordan as well as traditional legends and epics. Over the years, a running theme has developed personifying the band members as travelling bards.

Biography

Blind Guardian formed in 1984 in Krefeld, Germany, by Hansi Kürsch (vocals, bass) and Andre Olbrich (guitar) under the name Lucifer's Heritage. The band first released two demos in 1985 and 1986, despite undergoing chaotic lineup changes: Markus Dörk (guitar) and Thomen Stauch (drums) were replaced by Christof Theißen and Hans-Peter Frey, respectively. Finally, in 1987, Marcus Siepen joined and Thomen came back to form the lineup which would stay consistent for the next 18 years.

After Lucifer's Heritage signed a contract with No Remorse Records, the band changed their name to Blind Guardian to avoid any speculations about Satanism (in a bio it was stated that they also wanted to distance themselves from the black metal movement, as their demos were placed in with black metal albums at local record shops). They released their debut album ''Battalions of Fear'' in 1988, which was essentially a speed metal album heavily influenced by Helloween. These two German bands had close ties, and Helloween founder Kai Hansen made a guest appearance on Blind Guardian's second LP, ''Follow the Blind'' (1989), where the band revealed some thrash metal influence. Their third LP, ''Tales from the Twilight World'' (1990), had a much more melodic and "epic" feeling, with usage of choir and classical music influence.

Blind Guardian signed with Virgin Records in 1991, and released their fourth studio album ''Somewhere Far Beyond'' in 1992 and the live album ''Tokyo Tales'' in 1993. Flemming Rasmussen, former Metallica producer, began working with the band in 1994, producing their fifth studio album ''Imaginations from the Other Side'', released in 1995, and ''The Forgotten Tales'', an album that contained half covers and half original work, released in 1996.

In 1998, Blind Guardian released their epic album ''Nightfall in Middle-Earth''. "Complete with anthemic choruses, spoken word story lines, and plenty of bombastic power metal punctuating every dramatic turn", says Allmusic's Vincent Jeffries, "Nightfall in Middle-Earth is perhaps Blind Guardian's most triumphant". A concept album based on J. R. R. Tolkien's ''The Silmarillion'', Blind Guardian's music demonstrated some folk rock influence, but also featured heavy use of Queen-style layered backing vocals. Since ''Nightfall'', bass guitar has been played by sessional member Oliver Holzwarth, and Hansi has been able to devote all his attention to singing. ''Nightfall'' was also the last Blind Guardian album produced by Rasmussen.

''A Night at the Opera'', named after the Queen album, was released four years later. On this album, the band's sound lacked almost all influence of their original speed metal. Power and progressive metal abound, with over the top orchestral backing and a consistent vocal and guitar layering throughout. Though not a true concept album, many of the lyrics dealt with the common themes of religion and relations between human and divine powers. It was followed by a live album in 2003 and a DVD, ''Imaginations Through the Looking Glass'', in 2004, which was the last recorded Blind Guardian material to feature Thomen Stauch on drums. He left the band due to musical differences and was replaced by Frederik Ehmke. The first album with Ehmke was ''A Twist in the Myth'', which came out in 2006.

Blind Guardian recently participated in the soundtrack for the ''In the Name of the King: a Dungeon Siege Tale'' fantasy movie (Uwe Boll), which came out in 2008. The band also recorded a theme song for ''Sacred 2 Fallen Angel'' RPG video game, the prequel to ''Sacred''.

A Voice in the Dark was the next single from Blind Guardian that was released 25 June 2010. On July 30, 2010 the album followed, called ''At the Edge of Time''. The band started "The Sacred Worlds and Songs Divine Tour 2010", the European dates will have the opening acts Enforcer and Steelwing. The 22 October in Gothenburg, Sweden only Steelwing was the opening act. The US dates will have Holy Grail and Seven Kingdoms and later they were announced that they would play at Wacken Open Air in 2011.

Musical style

Blind Guardian's first two albums, ''Battalions of Fear'' and ''Follow the Blind'', were more in the style of speed metal than their following works. Beginning with their third album ''Tales from the Twilight World'', Blind Guardian gradually began to write more complicated compositions focusing less on speed. As of their sixth album, ''Nightfall in Middle Earth'', Hansi stopped playing bass to focus on singing. At this point the band began to incorporate large amounts of orchestral arrangements, and utilized the technique of overdubbing, heavily influenced by the English rock band Queen.

Blind Guardian's music features the staccato guitars and double bass drumming characteristic of power metal, as well as the use of overdubs and numerous backing vocals to create a dense sound. This technique, especially notable in the guitar and vocal tracks, creates the impression of a vast army of musicians playing in unison and singing in harmony. This proved significant on all albums after the first two but most particularly on ''A Night at the Opera''.

Another definitive feature of Blind Guardian music is frequent use of folk tunes and instruments, especially in power ballads such as "Lord of the Rings", "The Bard's Song", "A Past and Future Secret", "Skalds and Shadows" and "Curse My Name", among others.

Side projects

Along with Jon Schaffer, the leader and founder of Iced Earth, Kürsch is a member of Demons & Wizards, where he is the lead singer.

Blind Guardian have been working on and off for eight years on an orchestral project writing music about ''The Lord of the Rings'' (negotiations failed to be included on the famous ''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy as the soundtrack, because the band wanted to concentrate on their next album). Although it will not be a power metal album, it will be published under the name of Blind Guardian because it matches the theme of the band's lyrics, according to Hansi.

Due to the tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011, Blind Guardian began working with their former record company, EMI Music, and auctioned off an exclusive studio session for two in the Twilight Hall Studio in Grefrath, Germany for charity in which 100% of proceeds would be donated to the tsunami relief efforts. The auction ended on April 22, 2011 with a final bid of £1,171.00.

Line-up

Current members

Hansi Kürsch – Lead vocals (1984–present), Bass guitar (1984–1996)

André Olbrich – Lead guitar (1984–present)

Marcus Siepen – Rhythm guitar (1987–present)

Frederik Ehmke – Drums, Percussion, Flute and Bagpipes (2005–present)

With:

Oliver Holzwarth – Bass guitar (Sessional Member) (1997–)

Michael Schüren – keyboards, Grand piano (Sessional Member) (1997–)

Pat Bender – Keyboards, Sound effects (Sessional Member) (2002–)

Thomas Hackmann – Backing vocals (1990–)

Olaf Senkbeil - Backing vocals (1998–)

Former members

Thomas "Thomen" Stauch – Drums (1984–1985, 1987–2005)

Mathias Wiesner – keyboards, effects (studio) (1989–2002)

Markus Dörk – Guitars (Lucifer's Heritage) (1984–1985)

Christof Theißen – Rhythm guitar (Lucifer's Heritage) (1986)

Hans-Peter Frey – Drums (Lucifer's Heritage) (1986)

Guest musicians

Dirim Ceseroglu - solo violin (Wheel of Time) (2010)

Rolf Köhler – backing vocals, lead vocals (1990–2007—his death)

Martin G. Meyer – Keyboards (2006–2008)

Alex Holzwarth – drums (live) (2002–2003)

Billy King – backing vocals (1992–2002)

Boris Schmidt, Sascha Pierro – Keyboards and sound effects (2002)

Max Zelzner – flute & alto-flute (1998)

Norman Eshley, Douglas Fielding – narration (1998)

Piet Sielck – guitar, backing vocals, effects (1990–1996)

Kalle Trapp – backing vocals, lead vocals, lead guitar (1990–1996)

Otto Sidenius – organ (1996)

Stefan Will – piano (1992–1996)

Jacob Moth – acoustic guitar on (1996)

Ronnie Atkins, Aman Malek – backing vocals (1996)

Kai Hansen – lead vocals, guitar solos, backing vocals (1989–1992)

Peter Rübsam – Scottish and Irish bagpipes (1992)

Niko Trznadl – bass (live) (1988)

Thomas Kelleners – vocals (Lucifer's Heritage) (1984)

Discography

''Battalions of Fear'' (1988)

''Follow the Blind'' (1989)

''Tales from the Twilight World'' (1990)

''Somewhere Far Beyond'' (1992)

''Imaginations from the Other Side'' (1995)

''Nightfall in Middle-Earth'' (1998)

''A Night at the Opera'' (2002)

''A Twist in the Myth'' (2006)

''At the Edge of Time'' (2010)

References

Blind Guardian-Battlefield is the theme song for Robot Unicorn Attack heavy metal version

External links

Official website

Category:German heavy metal musical groups Category:German power metal musical groups Category:Middle-earth music Category:Musical groups established in 1984 Category:Musical quartets Category:Speed metal musical groups

br:Blind Guardian bg:Blind Guardian ca:Blind Guardian cs:Blind Guardian da:Blind Guardian de:Blind Guardian el:Blind Guardian es:Blind Guardian fa:بلایند گاردین fr:Blind Guardian gl:Blind Guardian hr:Blind Guardian it:Blind Guardian he:בליינד גארדיאן ka:Blind Guardian la:Blind Guardian lt:Blind Guardian hu:Blind Guardian nl:Blind Guardian ja:ブラインド・ガーディアン no:Blind Guardian pl:Blind Guardian pt:Blind Guardian ro:Blind Guardian ru:Blind Guardian sk:Blind Guardian sl:Blind Guardian sr:Блајнд гардијан fi:Blind Guardian sv:Blind Guardian tr:Blind Guardian uk:Blind Guardian

name	The Basics
background	group_or_band
origin	Melbourne, Australia
genre	Rock
years active	2002 – (present)
label	Independent, Albert Records
associated acts	Gotye, Down Hills Home, Dog With Wheels, Blood Red Bird
website	The Basics Official Website
current members	Wally De BackerTim HeathKris Schroeder
past members	Michael Hubbard
notable instruments	Lead guitar, drums, bass guitar. }}

The Basics ( ) are a three-piece band from Melbourne, Australia, formed by Wally De Backer and Kris Schroeder in 2002. Their style has been described as anything from 'indie-pop' to 'rock'n'roll' to 'pop-rock', though their records show them span a wide range of genres including reggae, ska, country, and electro-pop. They are "recognised as one of Australia's hardest-working bands".

With close to 1000 shows in their nine-year career, their live performances are well-known for their sense of humour and energy.

Formation

The Basics were formed after Kris met Wally at a party in Melbourne. The event was to see off the young aspiring producer, who was about to depart for Los Angeles, and together with a number of musician friends, the two jammed on some blues-rock standards. Later that night, they bonded over a mutual love of The Beatles, 70s & 80s cartoon theme songs and old Sierra adventure games.

Initially they played around Melbourne as an acoustic guitar/drums combo, starting at The Opposition in Frankston and the House of Fools in Footscray, where in late 2002 they met and later invited Michael Hubbard to join them on electric guitar. Though lacking any real experience with the instrument, Kris willingly purchased his first bass guitar and the trio was born. During this time the group start performing songs with more complicated three-part harmony.

During late 2002 and early 2003 The Basics recorded and released an album called ''Get Back'' through MGM Distribution. They began what was to become regular tours of the East and West coasts of Australia.

2004-2005: Current lineup

Tim Heath joined the group in June 2004, after Michael decided to pursue his solo career, which has included being one half of Down Hills Home. Tim was reportedly the only person to reply to an advertisement in Melbourne's Beat Magazine looking for a new guitarist. Tim apparently answered the advertisement - which said the applicant "must have a love of 50s and 60s rock'n'roll" - thinking that he would be meeting "a couple of old guys to play with on the weekends over some beers". They soon recorded ''For Girls Like You''.

The Basics in 2005 continued to tour and play small festivals, and after releasing ''For Girls Like You'' through MGM Distribution they departed for a national tour of Australia, which lasted for two months and took them to every Australian state and territory. Stuart Padbury, a young Melbourne sound engineer, joined them on much of this tour. On returning, the band began demoing songs for a new album.

2006-2009: Touring and soundtracks

In 2006, The Basics began recording what is to become known as ''Stand Out/Fit In''. This took several months and was not completed until the end of the year, despite intentions to have it released in June. Instead, they held a successful 'album preview' where each of the tracks was demonstrated in 'rough form' accompanied by a music video for each (produced by Melbourne photographic artist James Bryans). The band also talked about the origins of the songs. This event brought a lot of attention to the band for the idea's originality. They pre-released a radio single 'Just Hold On' from the album. The band were invited to play the hugely popular Homebake Festival in Sydney, where they received a great response ("one of the highlights" wrote ''The Daily Telegraph'').

In 2007, the band departed on a tri-state residency which saw them play Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane every week for the month of April - a bold move which brought further attention to the band for its original idea. Riding on the wave of this tour, Schroeder, De Backer and Heath departed on their first overseas tour which saw them performing 26 shows around Japan, Norway and the United Kingdom. They also toured twice more up the East Coast, one of which was with popular Japanese band The Bawdies. Their song 'Rattle My Chain' was used in a series of commercials for Volvo Australia. The song 'Hey There!' featured in the British film ''The Bank Job'' - starring Jason Statham - and was used as the backing for a February 2007 short film directed by Tim Longhurst called The Rip. Their song 'Better' was featured in a surfing documentary about the invention of the shortboard in 1967.

In 2008, the band appeared on Australia's Channel 9 for Australia Day celebrations, performing two of their songs - 'Just Hold On' and 'Hey There!' - to an estimated audience of 2 million. Securing an Australian Government grant, they embarked on a two-month tour of Australia, specifically targeting "culturally underprivileged groups" in rural and regional schoolchildren and Indigenous communities. The programme had them holding masterclasses and performing alongside Indigenous groups in the remote Northern Territory and Queensland. Their initiative also had them raising money for the charity Lifeline, their contribution to which was recognised with a plaque at the end of the tour. Season two of ''Californication'' starring David Duchovny featured their cover of the classic 'Have Love, Will Travel', most famously covered by 'The Sonics'.

In 2009, The Basics for the first time enjoyed the support of Australian radio network Triple J, which had reportedly snubbed the band's previous material. The singles 'With This Ship' and 'Like A Brother' were added to the station's playlist, and momentum carried The Basics overseas for a second tour of the United Kingdom and Norway, and also a series of shows in Dublin, Ireland. They were joined by the longtime front-of-house engineer Stuart Padbury who had been mixing them since 2005. The band was often seen in the Grafton Street Mall in Dublin busking to promote their concerts there. Their second show in Oslo, Norway saw the band perform with Hot Tub, one of the members of the Norwegian boy band "Boyzvoice", in his first performance for several years. Season Eight of ''Scrubs'' featured the song 'Lookin' Over My Shoulder'.

Despite all this promise, the band's album ''Keep Your Friends Close'' - produced and part-recorded by Peter Cobbin at London's Abbey Road Studios - though enjoying many favourable reviews, failed to impress Richard Kingsmill, music director of Triple J. This effectively ended the band's apparent upward spiral and the resulting album launch tour was reportedly "trying".

2010: Hiatus and live album

In 2010, following the band's fourth stint at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and the recording of a yet-unreleased live album, an indefinite hiatus was announced on the band's websites. This was in part due to the impending release of a new album produced by Wally for his Gotye project, and also to reported tensions within the band following the previous year's disappointments.

However, this hiatus was soon broken with a two-month residency at the Northcote Social Club in Melbourne, which saw an apparent return to form. The band's EP "Wait For You" enjoys airplay on Triple J. The Basics also played a one-off show at Sydney's Oxford Art Factory.

On 20 August 2010, The Basics released their fourth LP , available free online and exclusively from *[www.FreeBasicsAlbum.com]. The band had reportedly moved to expand their listenership through this free giveaway, though 300 "Deluxe" CD/Vinyl versions have been printed. was recorded at the Northcote Social Club on 6 February, "in front of a live studio audience", and like the previous record was mixed by Peter Cobbin at Abbey Road Studios. Technically a self-titled album, the phonetics spell out the accurate pronunciation of the band’s name. Kris Schroeder: "For years we’ve worked at bringing our live energy into the studio and thus far it’s been a bit hit-and-miss. Our trick this time was to pull a switcheroo and bring the studio to us instead; the result is the best and closest to us we’ve sounded yet."

Melbourne thespian and Dog With Wheels bassist David Bramble - friends with Heath from university days - has occasionally joined the band on tour, playing keys, often while sporting a large moustache. Other guests have included Jake Mason (saxophone), also of Cookin' on 3 Burners and The Bamboos, Gideon Brazil (saxophone, flute), Simon Imrei (guitar and vocals) and Monty MacKenzie (saxophone).

Covers have often made an appearance from various sources: to date, some of the bands covered have been Cream, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Police, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, New Kids on the Block, Richard Berry, Sonny Curtis and The Crickets, JJ Cale, Harry Nilsson, Bill Scott, Ryan Adams and The Coasters (via The Beatles for their cover of Three Cool Cats).

Members

Kris Schroeder: Bass, Vocals

Wally De Backer: Drums, Vocals

Tim Heath: Guitar, Vocals

Discography

Albums

Get Back (15 January 2004)

Stand Out/Fit In (5 May 2007)

Keep Your Friends Close (25 September 2009)

(20 August 2010)

EP

For Girls Like You (11 July 2005)

Lookin' Over My Shoulder (10 February 2007)

Like A Brother (5 June 2009)

Wait For You (21 May 2010)

Singles

Call It Rhythm & Blues (20 August 2004)

Just Hold On

With This Ship (22 February 2009)

Upcoming projects

The band are taking a two year hiatus, set to return to the stage together in early 2012. Wally De Backer will be launching a new album under his Gotye act in August 2011, Tim Heath will be touring and recording with Blood Red Bird, and Kris Schroeder is currently recording a solo album.

References

External links

Official Website

Myspace Website

Category:Victoria (Australia) musical groups

name	Victoria Justice
background	solo_singer
birth date	February 19, 1993
origin	Hollywood, Florida, U.S.
instrument	Vocals, piano
genre	Electropop, pop, dance pop
occupation	Actress, singer, songwriter, dancer
years active	2003–present
label	Columbia RecordsSony Music Entertainment
website	VictoriaJustice.net
notable instruments	}}

Victoria Justice (born February 19, 1993) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, and dancer. She debuted as an actress at the age of 10 and has since appeared in several films and television series including the Nickelodeon series ''Zoey 101'' and ''Victorious''. She has made appearances in several theatrical releases, including ''Unknown'' as well as the 2006 thriller ''The Garden''. She has appeared in several Nickelodeon series, including ''True Jackson, VP'', ''The Troop'', ''The Penguins of Madagascar'' and ''iCarly'', as well as on the Nickelodeon game show ''BrainSurge'' as a contestant. In 2010 she starred in the Nickelodeon film ''The Boy Who Cried Werewolf''.

Aside from acting, Justice is involved in her musical career. She has performed several songs for the soundtrack to the Nickelodeon musical ''Spectacular!'', in which she starred. She has recorded a number of songs for the ''Victorious'' series. Justice has announced the release of her debut album, which is expected to be released sometime during the summer of 2011.

Early life

Victoria Justice was born on February 19, 1993, in Hollywood, Florida, to Serene and Zack Justice. Her mother is Puerto Rican and her father is of English, German, and Irish descent. She first developed an interest in acting when she was 8 years old after watching a children's commercial. She and her family relocated to Hollywood, California, in 2003. In 2005, she auditioned and was accepted into the musical theatre program at Los Angeles' renowned Performing Arts Magnet school. Her family moved from Hollywood, Florida, to Los Angeles when she was 11 after Justice had stated she wanted to be a part of filming commercials as well as television series and films. Justice has done commercials for companies such as Ralph Lauren, Gap and Guess. She appeared in national commercials for Mervyn's, Peanut Butter Toast Crunch and Ovaltine.

Career

2003–09: Beginnings and ''Zoey 101''

Justice first began her acting career when she was 10 years old, when she made a guest appearance on the ''Gilmore Girls'' episode "The Hobbit, the Sofa and Digger Stiles". Justice portrayed Jill #2 in a walk-on role. After her appearance in the series, her family moved to Los Angeles, when Justice stated she wanted a career in acting. The following year, Justice guest starred on the second episode of the Disney channel series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'', in which she plays a young pageant contestant named Rebecca. Later, Justice was awarded a role in the 2005 drama-thriller Mary. Justice portrayed the role of Stella, a young girl who begins seeing visions of Mary Magdalene. After informing her family of this, they take her to see a psychiatrist, who places her on medication. Later that night, when Mary comes back, Stella takes her medicine and ignores her. This leads Mary to give Stella's sister the task instead. The film debuted at 2005 Venice Film Festival, before being showed at several other Festivals, including the 2005 Toronto Film Festival, Deauville Film Festival and San Sebastián International Film Festival.

thumb|left|170px|Victoria Justice in June 2007 During the same year, Justice was awarded a main cast role in the Nickelodeon series ''Zoey 101'' as Lola Martinez, a new student who is also an aspiring actress. When she found out she had earned the role, she said "I was extremely happy; I was bouncing up and down and screaming. That was a really great moment." The season 2 episode that introduced Justice's character debuted on September 11, 2005. Justice also had roles in two other films that year. She had a cameo appearance in the R-rated film ''When Do We Eat?'', as well as earning the role of Rose in the Hallmark television film ''Silver Bells'', the following of which has become a Hallmark Hall of Fame film.

In 2006, while filming episodes for ''Zoey 101'', Justice made a guest appearance on an episode of the series ''Everwood'', in the episode "Enjoy the Ride". Justice made her theatrical film debut that year, when she was given a cameo role in the film ''Unknown''. The film was a financial failure, and received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently has a 39% approval rate, and only has a 44% approval rate on metacritic.

2006 also saw Justice in her first major theatrical role, when she was awarded the supporting role of Holly in the thriller film ''The Garden''. The film was met with negative reviews from critics, with Tex Massacre of Bloody Disgusting giving the film a score of 3 out of 10, stating, "Overflowing with way too much exposition, and a barrage of scenes that offer little more than the actors looking pensive, ''The Garden'' felt like five movies – five long strange never-ending tales that were designed to suck the very soul from my body. Perhaps it felt that way because it took me 5 sittings to finally make it through the film!"

2007 and 2008 saw Justice focusing on the third and fourth seasons of ''Zoey 101'', which was coming to a close. Justice released her debut single midway through 2007, while she was still filming ''Zoey 101''. The song was a cover of the Vanessa Carlton song, "A Thousand Miles". The song failed to make an impact on any charts, had little promotion, and no music video was filmed or released. When being interviewed about in 2010 about her musical career, Justice has stated "My family could always tell, ever since I was little, that [music is] something that's always come natural to me and that I've always wanted to do. It's something that's just been in my blood. Ever since I was little, I was taking tap classes, jazz classes, hip-hop classes, acting classes. I just always wanted to cultivate that and do that more. But, the moment where I actually realized, "Woah, this is something that I can actually do for the rest of my life and maybe be successful at," was actually the pilot of Victorious when I did the performance number for the first time. I just remember standing on stage and seeing all these people looking at me and I was nervous. And then, the music started and I started dancing around and really feeling it and having an amazing time, and that's when it clicked for me that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life." May 2, 2008 saw the airing of the final episode of the series.

2009 proved to be a successful year for Justice. She announced plans to guest star on an episode of Nickelodeon's series ''The Naked Brothers Band''. The TV special, titled ''Valentine Dream Date'' featured Justice portraying herself. Justice made no plans of going back into the recording studio until 2009, when she starred in the Nickelodeon musical, ''Spectacular!''. Justice's character performs three songs during the course of the film. When being interviewed about the song writing process, Justice stated "It was really fun. This is the first time that people are going to hear me sing officially. There was a YouTube video where I covered “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton, which I did just for fun with my singing coach. Somehow that got leaked online, and I guess people liked it. But this is the first time that my voice will be on any soundtrack and people are actually going to hear me sing in the studio. It’s really cool and I can’t wait for people to hear it! The songs are really catchy and you can dance around to them. When we were filming, that’s all me, Simon [Curtis], Avan [Jogia] and Andrea [Lewis], would listen to! We would dance around to the songs all the time and practice the moves." She also stated "I completed the songs pretty quickly. I sang three songs that were all duets with Simon, and I finished them in 2 days. I practiced them a long time before, because I wanted to be prepared. So for the 2 weeks before that, I was rehearsing every single day, like 10 times a day. It’s a good idea [to memorize the lyrics] because you’re more prepared. I definitely did, but I don’t think everyone does." Justice starred alongside Nolan Funk and Simon Curtis in the musical film, which aired on Nickelodeon on February 16, 2009. The film has become one of Nickelodeon's most popular movies, attracting an audience 3.7 million viewers on its premiere night. The film received a generally positive review from several critics. Common Sense Media said in their review that "With SPECTACULAR!, Nickelodeon attempts to loosen the iron grip Disney established on tween-targeted modern-day musicals with ''High School Musical'' and its sequels. ''Spectacular!'' definitely has some similarities to HSM – including a talented cast, upbeat song-and-dance numbers, and age-appropriate content for tweens – but there are also some marked differences. Nikko is a bit of a bad boy, mouthing off to his older brother (who acts as his guardian) and flaunting a major superiority complex with the choir members. Courtney's also guilty of some errors in judgment, including allowing her passion for upstaging Ta-Da – and lead singer Royce (Simon Curtis), who defected from ''Spectacular!'' – to lead to promising Nikko money that belonged to the group. But rather than weighing the story down, these character flaws actually benefit the overall package. They allow the characters to evolve – and, in the end, that's what tweens will take away from this story. Spectacular! can't boast the same pure star power of its popular Disney rival, but it does offer equally kid-friendly entertainment with strong positive overtones. Though parents will find the story predictable and more than a little cheesy, tweens are sure to embrace it and the messages it sends." The film has a 76% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes as of 2011.

After the success of The Naked Brothers Band special in which Justice guest starred, producers insisted on placing her in yet another episode. The episode, titled "The Premiere", debuted on April 11, 2009. Shortly afterward, it was announced that Victoria Justice would be guest starring on a special episode of the hit television series ''iCarly''. The episode, which aired on August 8, 2009 saw Justice portraying ring fighter Shelby Marx. After Carly jokingly states she could beat Marx in a fight, Marx goes to Carly's home and challenges her. The plan is to rig the fight, so no one really is hurt. The fight is set to air on TV as well. However, after Carly's enemy, Nevel, intervenes, the fight turns real. The special was later released onto a DVD of the same name, which features not only the episode, but also has three other ''iCarly'' episodes, including "iDate a Bad Boy", "iCarly Awards", and "iLook Alike". The DVD also includes ''Big Time Audition'', the pilot movie of ''Big Time Rush''. September 26 saw the release of the ''True Jackson, VP'' episode "True Crush", which featured an appearance by Justice. On its original airdate, the show received 3.6 million viewers.

On November 30 Justice appeared as herself on the latest Nickelodeon show, called ''BrainSurge''. The game show saw Justice competing as a celebrity contestant as part of a series special. Justice announced that year that she would be working on a thriller film, set for theatrical release. It was later announced the film would feature Dylan Sprouse and Cole Sprouse, who star on the Disney series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' as well as its spin-off series ''The Suite Life On Deck''. The film is about two cousins, Will and Clayton, who witness a murder, but out of fear decide not to tell anyone. They and their friend Betsy (Justice), whose father has been wrongfully accused of the crime, go on a journey to find the real killer, and at the same time redeem themselves. Unlike initial plans of a theatrical release, the film had a limited preview release on December 12, 2009 and was returned to post production. Despite this, the film's worldwide release has been canceled.

Justice guest-starred on the Nickelodeon television series, ''The Troop'', in which she portrays an Eris Fairy who has been running around the school breaking up couples in love in the episode "Speed."

2010–present: ''Victorious'' and other projects

Justice confirmed that she would be receiving her own musical show on Nickelodeon, explaining the show's genesis thus: "I was on ''Zoey 101''. When I was 12, Dan Schneider cast me as a new character, Lola Martinez. From there, I worked with him for three years, on three seasons of ''Zoey 101''. And, after that, Dan found out that I could also sing and dance as well as act, so he thought it would be really cool to create a show for me on Nickelodeon, called Victorious." The pilot for the show, which was presented as a special for the series, debuted on March 27, 2010, and received 5.7 million views, making it the highest rated premiere for a live-action Nickelodeon series. The original broadcast of this episode was an extended cut, all subsequent airings had various scenes and lines were removed to conform to its time-slot. The extended cut version can be downloaded on iTunes and was featured on the ''iCarly'' DVD ''iSpace Out''. The series premiere received generally positive reviews from critics. Brian Lowry of ''variety.com'' said of the shows debut "The difference between "Big Time Rush" – Nickelodeon's lackluster first collaboration with Sony Music—and their latest joint venture, "Victorious," rests almost entirely on 17-year-old Victoria Justice's petite shoulders. Both shows are near plot-free and set in a high school for the performing arts, as if the original "Fame" were given a frontal lobotomy. But Justice is winsome and talented enough to provide the latest show a leg up in connecting with tween girls—and not incidentally, maybe selling some music in the process." Common Sense Media praised Justice's role in the series, stating, "Victorious marks Victoria Justice’s rise from successful supporting roles in ''Zoey 101'' and ''Spectacular!'' to the center stage, and like her TV counterpart, she proves she’s worthy of the promotion. Tweens will find much to like in this upbeat comedy – original music, dance, and plenty of mild teen drama – and the fact that Tori always emerges with unwavering self-assurance sends positive vibes to impressionable viewers."

Justice returned to the recording studio to record music for the series in 2010. She recorded the series first featured song, which also serves as the theme song, titled "Make It Shine". The single had little success charting in the U.S., however it did manage to reach 16 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles chart. Several other songs have been featured in the series, including "You're the Reason", "Finally Falling", "Beggin' on Your Knees","Best Friend's Brother" and "Tell Me That You Love Me". Justice performed her third official single, "Freak the Freak Out", during the ''Victorious'' special episode of the same name. The single became her third song to receive an official release, after "A Thousand Miles" and "Make It Shine" and was officially released on November 22, 2010. The single has become her first song to chart on any major chart, when it debuted at 78 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Justice performed the song live for the first time at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Justice later guest-starred on the animated series ''The Penguins of Madagascar'', voicing the character of Stacy in the episode "Badger Pride". Justice starred in the 2010 Nickelodeon television movie ''The Boy Who Cried Werewolf'', playing Jordan Sands, a girl who is transformed into a werewolf following her move to a creepy manor. The film was a major success for the network, drawing in 5.8 million viewers for the premiere. The film received generally positive reviews from critics. The film currently holds a 69% approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes based on 24 reviews. Felix Vasques Jr. of ''CinemaCrazed'' gave the film a positive review as well, stating "''The Boy Who Cried Werewolf'' ends up being a surprisingly solid family horror comedy that isn't as soapy or girly as I originally assumed it would be. Within the pandering to preteens salivating after Justice, there is also a solid however flawed and derivative story and some wicked special effects." It has been confirmed that in 2011 the cast of ''iCarly'', along with the cast of Victorious will be doing a crossover episode, titled ''iParty with Victorious''. This will mark the second time Justice has guest starred for iCarly, first as Shelby Marx.

In a 2010 interview with the Associated Press, she stated that she is recording an album but will take her time with the process, rather than rush it, and write the songs on the album. But, she is very excited waiting for it. In March 2011 The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Justice had landed the lead role in the coming of age comedy ''Fun Size''.

Other endeavors

Philanthropy

Justice has taken part in a few charity events. She has supported charities such as the ''United Nations Foundation'', which benefits numerous causes such as AIDS, Children, Environment, Health, Human Rights and Peace. On September 30, 2010, Justice announced she would be joining the Charity Campaign ''Girl Up''. When asked about joining, she stated "I’m so excited to become a Champion for Girl Up and to help make a difference for girls who aren’t given the same opportunities that most of us take for granted. I know that there are plenty of girls throughout the country who are just like me – ready and motivated to stand up for the rights and well-being of girls in the developing world. I am confident that, together, we will rise to the challenge." Justice joined ''Girl Up'' on September 30, 2010 for the campaign’s official launch in New York City and will go on to support the “Unite for Girls” tour, which travels to cities across the U.S. to activate and engage teens from coast to coast. She will have the chance to visit Girl Up-supported programs in developing countries to observe first-hand the impact they can have on girls and communities. During an interview with ''Seventeen'' magazine, Justice stated:

Filmography

''The Garden'' ''Spectacular!'' ''The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (2010 film) ''Victorious'' ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' ''Everwood'' ''The Naked Brothers Band (TV series) ''The Troop'' ''2010 Kids' Choice Awards'' ''The Penguins of Madagascar'' ''7 Secrets With Victoria Justice'' ''Nick News'' ''2011 Kids' Choice Awards'' ''BrainSurge'' ''iCarly''

colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;"	Film
Year	Film	Role	! Notes
rowspan="3"	2005	Mary (2005 film)>Mary''	Stella
''When Do We Eat? (2006 film)	When Do We Eat?''	Young Nikky
''Silver Bells (film)	Silver Bells''	Rose
rowspan="2"	2006	|	Holly
''Unknown (2006 film)	Unknown''	Daughter
rowspan="2"	2009	|	Tammi Dyson
''The Kings of Appletown''	Betsy
2010	The Boy Who Cried Werewolf'' ||	Jordan Sands	Lead role
colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;"	Television series
! Year	! Title	! Role	! Notes
2005–2008	''Zoey 101''	Lola Martinez (Zoey 101)>Lola Martinez
2010–present	|	List of Victorious characters>Victoria "Tori" Vega	Lead role
colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;"	Television guest appearances
! Year	! Title	! Role	! Episode(s)
2003	''Gilmore Girls''	Jill #2
2005	|	Rebecca	List of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody episodes#ep2>"The Fairest of Them All" (Season 1, episode 2)
2006	|	Thalia Thompson	"Enjoy the Ride" (Season 4, episode 18)
rowspan="4"	2009	The Naked Brothers Band'' ||	Herself	"Valentine Dream Date (TV special)
''[[iCarly''
''True Jackson, VP''
''BrainSurge''	Herself
2010	|	Eris Fairy	List of The Troop episodes#ep15>Speed" (Season 1, episode 15)
2010	|	Herself	(with the cast of ''Victorious'')
2010	|	Stacy	"Badger Pride" (Season 2, episode 14)
2010	|	Herself	Television Special
2011	|	Herself	Episode: Lies We Tell In Middle School
2011	|	Herself	Performed Beggin' On Your Knees, Nominated for "Favorite Television Actress", (with the cast of ''Victorious'')
2011	|	Herself
2011	|	Tori Vega	"iParty with Victorious" (Season 3, episode 11–13, crossover)

Discography

Soundtracks

+	Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
! scope="col" style="width:7em;font-size:90%;"
! scope="row"		* Released: February 3, 2009	* Format: CD, digital download	* Label: Nick Records	44
! scope="row"		* Released: August 2, 2011	* Format: CD, digital download	* Label: Sony Music Entertainment	5

Singles

Promotional singles

Title	Year	Peak chart Positions	Album
		US
"A Thousand Miles"		–

Soundtrack singles

Title	Year	Peak chart Positions	Album
		US
"Make It Shine"		116	align="center" rowspan=5
"Freak the Freak Out"	50
"Beggin' on Your Knees"		58
"Best Friend's Brother"	86
"I Want You Back"	108

As featured artist

! scope="row"

Title	Year	Positions	Album
		US
"Leave It All to Shine" (iCarly cast & Victorious cast featuring Miranda Cosgrove & Victoria Justice)	2011	124

;Notes :1. "Leave It All to Shine" did not enter the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 but peaked on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at number twenty-four.

Awards

Iconic TV Actress 2011 Kids' Choice AwardsImagen AwardsALMA Awards

style="background-color: #BCBCBC"	Year	Award	Category	Recipient(s)	Result
2010	J-14's Teen Icon Awards	|	Victorious
2011	|	Favorite TV Actress	Victorious
2011	|	Best Young Actress/Television	Victorious
2011	|	Favorite TV Actress – Leading Role in a Comedy	Victorous

See also

List of Puerto Ricans

References

External links

Category:1993 births Category:Actors from Florida Category:American child actors Category:American child singers Category:American film actors Category:American female singers Category:American people of English descent Category:American people of German descent Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American musicians of Irish descent Category:American musicians of Puerto Rican descent Category:American television actors Category:Child pop musicians Category:Hispanic and Latino American actors Category:Musicians from Florida Category:Living people Category:People from Hollywood, Florida

ca:Victoria Justice cs:Victoria Justice da:Victoria Justice de:Victoria Justice es:Victoria Justice fa:ویکتوریا جاستیس fr:Victoria Justice it:Victoria Justice he:ויקטוריה ג'סטיס nl:Victoria Justice ja:ヴィクトリア・ジャスティス pl:Victoria Justice pt:Victoria Justice ru:Джастис, Виктория sl:Victoria Justice fi:Victoria Justice sv:Victoria Justice