Events

Births

Deaths

References

Biography

Early life

Later, Monroe and McCoy played together for a short time in a band called Bolin. Next Monroe played saxophone in Maukka Perusjätkä's band, where he also met guitarist Nasty Suicide. Monroe also auditioned as a bassist for Pelle Miljoona Oy. Even though the audition went well they chose bassist Sami Yaffa.

Hanoi Rocks (1979-1985)

The band released their first album in 1981 titled ''Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks'', with most of the songs written by McCoy. The album was produced by Andy McCoy and Michael Monroe, who were known as "The Muddy Twins". In 1982 Hanoi Rocks moved to London and released their second studio album ''Oriental Beat'', which the band later dismissed as a failure, stating that the album was mixed badly by the producer Pete Woolcroft.

After the album's release, the band fired drummer Gyp Casino and hired Nicholas Dingley, better known as Razzle. This line-up, consisting of Michael Monroe, Andy McCoy, Nasty Suicide, Sam Yaffa and Razzle, has often been cited as the classic and definitive line-up. The band has said that Razzle revitalised them. Later that year the band released ''Self Destruction Blues'', which had Razzle on the cover, but he didn't play on the album, because it was actually a compilation of old singles. The tour for the album took the band to Asia for the first time.

The next year, 1983, the band released ''Back to Mystery City''. In 1984, the band got together with legendary producer Bob Ezrin, and started work on their fifth studio album ''Two Steps from the Move'' which was their first recording deal to US markets. The original title of the album was "Silver Missiles and Nightingales", but was changed before release. The album has been cited as one of the best glam rock albums, and Monroe has said that he "is very proud of it."

1984 Michael Monroe and Hanoi Rocks were one of the most popular performers in the UK. The readers of the Sounds magazine voted Hanoi Rocks as the second best band in the world just after best Marillion. The Hanoi Rocks single release "Underwater World" and the album "Two Steps from the Move" were voted as the fifth best single and album of the year. The television concert of which Hanoi Rocks recorded in England was voted as the second best concert video and as a stage performers the group was voted to be #3. Michael Monroe was voted as "The Sex Symbol of the Year". Kerrang! magazine readers voted Hanoi Rocks as the ninth important newcomer and their album was chosen to be the tenth best album of the year. The readers of Kerrang! also voted Michael Monroe to be the seventh sexiest performer in the music business.

While on their first large tour in the US, Monroe fractured his ankle, and some dates had to be pushed back. The band traveled to Los Angeles to spend some free time and to prepare for their two outsold gigs. Some of the band members joined in with the members of Mötley Crue to have a party at the home of Mötley Crue singer Vince Neil while Monroe decided to stay in his hotel room and rest. During the party Razzle and Neil got into a car crash ending up with Razzle losing his life.

After Razzle's tragic death, the band performed in Helsinki, Finland, in a concert which was partly televised all over Europe as part of the Europa Go Go -project. The show had over 500 million viewers all over the Europe and it was the first public concert with a new drummer, Terry Chimes. It was also the last performance of Hanoi Rocks with Sam Yaffa who left the band due to personal differences with McCoy. The band tried to record some demos with the new members, Rene Berg and Terry Chimes, but referring to Michael Monroe things "didn't feel the same anymore" and the band disbanded after a short tour of Poland. One of the shows in Poland tour was recorded and it became the "Rock and Roll Divorce" album which was released after the band had already split.

Solo years and other projects (1985-2001)

In December, 1985 Monroe announced that he would move to New York, and in 1986 Monroe founded his first solo band. In 1987 Monroe released his first solo album, ''Nights Are So Long''. The album was a moderate hit, but it attracted big record labels: In 1988 Monroe signed to Mercury Records. In 1989 Monroe's second solo album was released, titled ''Not Fakin' It''. The album featured guest appearances by Monroe's friend's and fellow musicians including Steven Van Zandt, Ian Hunter and Nasty Suicide. The album reached number 161 on the US Billboard Charts, and was Monroe's first album to be distributed internationally. The album also got good reviews from critics, fans and fellow musicians alike. Music videos were shot for the singles "Dead, Jail or Rock 'N' Roll" and "Man With No Eyes". Axl Rose also appeared in the music video for "Dead, Jail or Rock 'N' Roll". At that time Michael Monroe also hosted MTV's Headbangers Ball where he introduced the new music video to the world.

At the same, while Not Fakin' It was released the Guns N' Roses's own record label, UZI Suicide, was re-releasing Hanoi Rocks' albums in America. Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash also made a guest appearance on Monroe's Los Angeles -shows in December, 1989, performing the song "Looking at You". Aerosmith's lead singer Steven Tyler had also taken notice of Monroe, and asked him to perform with Aerosmith at the Les Paul's 75th birthday at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York. Monroe played saxophone on the song "Big Ten Inch Record." The rest of 1989 and 1990 was mostly spent on touring.

Monroe's solo career didn't prove to be as successful as he'd hoped, so in 1990 he decided to put together a new band. The band was called Jerusalem Slim, and was completed by former Billy Idol-guitarist Steve Stevens, Sami Yaffa, Greg Ellis and Ian McLagan.

In 1991, Monroe was asked by Guns N' Roses to appear on their ''Use Your Illusion I'' album, where he plays harmonica and saxophone, on the song "Bad Obsession". Monroe also later appeared on GNR's 1993 album, ''"The Spaghetti Incident?"'', where he sang on the cover of The Dead Boys' "Ain't It Fun". At that time Monroe also joined Guns N' Roses on stage performing Honky Tonk Women together with the band members and Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones.

Jerusalem Slim released an album titled ''Jerusalem Slim'', but broke up in 1992, due to Monroe and Stevens' musical disagreements. Next, Monroe tried to form another band called Demolition 23., with Yaffa, Jimmy Clark and Jay Fenning, who was eventually replaced by Nasty Suicide. Demolition 23. did release an album, titled ''Demolition 23.'' and they toured successfully for example in Japan and Europe, but the band also broke up after Suicide announced that he would be retiring from the music business.

During the rest of the 1990s and the early 2000s, Monroe released four more solo albums, before re-forming Hanoi Rocks, with Andy McCoy.

Reformation of Hanoi Rocks (2002-2009)

Michael Monroe's and Andy McCoys's book ''All Those Wasted Years'' was published later in 2009 in Finland telling the story of Hanoi Rocks from the beginning to the end.

In June 2009 Monroe performed in Helsinki and in Tampere, on Sauna Open Air -festival with Duff McKagans Loaded band. In July 3, 2009 Monroe also performed in Finland, in Ruisrock -festival with Gingers band, The Wildhearts. At the end of July Monroe also shared the stage for the first time in many years with Sam Yaffa while his band, the New York Dolls were performing in Helsinki. After these performances with Yaffa and Ginger, Monroe started to discuss with Yaffa about possibilities of working together again. In December 2009 Monroe met Ginger again, while he was playing in Alice Cooper's band. Monroe joined the stage with Alice Cooper on his Espoo concert, in Finland to play "School's Out". After the show Ginger and Monroe discussed more about the possibilities of working together and soon after this Monroe, Ginger and Yaffa decided to line up a band together.

New band (2010-present)

During the summer of 2010 Michael Monroe band played a number of festival gigs all over the world, including Helsinki Live in Finland together with Guns N' Roses, the Sweden Rock Festival and the Download Festival in England. The band also performed at Ruisrock festival in Turku, Finland, where Slash was also performing. Monroe joined Slash on stage for a performance of "We're All Gonna Die" (from Slash's solo album) and "Up Around the Bend." At the Ankkarock festival in Finland, Steve Conte couldn't perform and he was replaced for this one show with the ex-Hanoi Rocks guitarist, Nasty Suicide. Since the early 90's and the Demolition 23 tour this was the first time of these three members of the original Hanoi Rocks to perform on the stage together. Michael Monroe also performed on Summer Sonic festivals in Tokyo and Osaka, where Slash was also performing. The two got together again sharing a stage for a couple of songs. During the performance of the song "We're All Gonna Die" Monroe broke two of his ribs while hitting a metal barrel in front of the stage.

On June 28, 2010 it was announced that the Michael Monroe band would be supporting Motörhead on their 35th anniversary UK tour.

The first album of Michael Monroe's new band, the live album Another Night in the Sun was released in September 2010. The album was recorded at the Tavastia Club in Helsinki, Finland and mixed in Los Angeles by Niko Bolas whose credits include Neil Young, Frank Sinatra, Keith Richards, Kiss, Spinal Tap and more. The album was mastered by Grammy winner Richard Dodd, the man behind Tom Petty & Dixie Chicks.

In September, 2010 the band went into a studio to record their first studio album, ''Sensory Overdrive''. The album was recorded in Los Angeles and it was produced by legendary producer Jack Douglas (Aerosmith, John Lennon). The first single, "78", was released in January and the album is set for release on March 14, 2011. The band has also booked an extensive UK tour for April 2010, taking in venues in London, Brighton, Birmingham, Leeds and Exeter among others. In September 2010, Monroe also signed a recording deal with Spinefarm Records / Universal Music, which will distribute Monroe's upcoming albums.

Personal life

During the years Michael Monroe established a close friendship with many music business icons including Stiv Bators, Steven Van Zandt, Deborah Harry, Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan, Alice Cooper and one of Monroe's idols Johnny Thunders.

Michael Monroe and Hanoi Rocks have influenced many rock'n'roll artists and bands: Slash had bought tickets to the outsold gigs of Los Angeles, which were canceled because of the death of Razzle. Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue and bands like Guns N' Roses have said in public that they were all inspired by Hanoi Rocks. In the Hanoi Rocks autobiography "All Those Wasted Years" Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett says "The Hollywood scene changed in just one night after people saw the pictures of Hanoi Rocks. After that everyone was wearing the same kind of hair, clothes and make up as Monroe". Michael Monroe and Hanoi Rocks have often been mentioned as the starters of the Hollywood's glam-rock scene, which was then adopted and developed by many 1980's glam-, punk-, and hard rock bands like Motley Crue, Jetboy, LA Guns and Poison.

Monroe met his first wife Jude Wilder in 1985 while she was working at CBS for Hanoi Rocks' ''Two Steps From The Move'' project. After they married the couple moved to Los Angeles and then to New York. Later on the couple moved to Turku, city in Finland, where Monroe relocated after many years in the United States. Wilder died of cancer on June 19, 2001. Michael Monroe married his current wife, Johanna, on July 3, 2003.

Discography

Solo albums

Hanoi Rocks albums

Jerusalem Slim albums

Demolition 23. albums

Guest appearances

References

External links

Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:Finnish heavy metal singers Category:Finnish saxophonists Category:People from Helsinki Category:Hanoi Rocks members

He became famous outside Hawaii when his album ''Facing Future'' was released in 1993. His medley of "Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World" was subsequently featured in several films, television programs, and commercials.

Through his ukulele playing and incorporation of other genres (such as jazz and reggae), Kamakawiwoʻole remains one of the major influences in Hawaiian music.

Early life

In his early teens, he studied at Upward Bound (UB) of the University of Hawaii at Hilo and his family moved to Mākaha. There he met Louis "Moon" Kauakahi, Sam Gray, and Jerome Koko. Together with his brother Skippy they formed the Makaha Sons of Niʻihau. From 1976 throughout the 1980s, the Hawaiian contemporary band gained in popularity as they toured Hawaii and the continental United States and released fifteen successful albums.

In 1982, Kamakawiwoʻole's brother, Skippy Kamakawiwoʻole died of a heart attack. In that same year, Kamakawiwoʻole married his childhood sweetheart Marlene. Soon after, they had a daughter whom they named Ceslie-Ann "Wehi."

Music career

In 1990, Kamakawiwoʻole released his first solo album ''Ka ʻAnoʻi'', which won awards for Contemporary Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year from the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts (HARA). ''Facing Future'' was released in 1993 by The Mountain Apple Company. It featured his most popular song, the medley "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World", along with "Hawaiʻi 78", "White Sandy Beach of Hawaiʻi", "Maui Hawaiian Sup'pa Man", and "Kaulana Kawaihae". ''Facing Future'' debuted at #25 on ''Billboard'' magazine's Top Pop Catalogue chart. On October 26, 2005, ''Facing Future'' became Hawaii's first certified platinum album, selling more than a million CDs in the United States, according to figures furnished by the Recording Industry Association of America. On July 21, 2006, BBC Radio 1 announced that "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World(True Dreams)" would be released as a single in America.

In 1994, Kamakawiwoʻole was voted favorite entertainer of the year by the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts (HARA).

''E Ala E'' (1995) featured the political title song "ʻE Ala ʻE" and "Kaleohano", and ''N Dis Life'' (1996) featured "In This Life" and "Starting All Over Again".

Kamakawiwoʻole was known for promoting Hawaiian rights and Hawaiian independence, both through his lyrics, which often stated the case for independence directly, and his life.

In 1997, Kamakawiwoʻole was again honored by HARA at the Annual Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards for Male Vocalist of the Year, Favorite Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, and Island Contemporary Album of the Year. He watched the awards ceremony from a hospital room.

''Alone in Iz World'' (2001) debuted at #1 on Billboard's World Chart and #135 on Billboard's Top 200, #13 on the Top Independent Albums Chart, and #15 on the Top Internet Album Sales charts.

Death

The Hawaiʻi State Flag flew at half-staff on July 10, 1997, the day of Kamakawiwoʻole's funeral. His koa wood coffin lay in state at the Capitol building in Honolulu. He was the third person in Hawaiian history to be awarded this honor, and the only one who was not a government official. Approximately ten thousand people attended the funeral. Thousands of fans gathered as his ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean at Mākua Beach on July 12, 1997.

On September 20, 2003, hundreds paid tribute to Kamakawiwoʻole as a bronze bust of the revered singer was unveiled at the Waianae Neighborhood Community Center on Oʻahu. The singer's widow, Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole, and sculptor Jan-Michelle Sawyer were present for the dedication ceremony.

Legacy

"Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" reached #12 on ''Billboard'''s Hot Digital Tracks chart the week of January 31, 2004 (for the survey week ending January 18, 2004), and passed the 2 million paid downloads mark in the USA as of September 27, 2009.

On July 4, 2007, Kamakawiwoʻole debuted at No. 44 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart with "Wonderful World," selling 17,000 units.

In April 2007, "Over the Rainbow" entered the UK charts at #68, and eventually climbed to #46, spending 10 weeks in the Top 100 over a 2 year period.

In October 2010, following its use on a TV advertisement – for Axe deodorant (which is itself a revival of the advertisement originally aired in 2004) – it hit #1 on the German singles chart, was the number one seller single of 2010 and was eventually certified 2× Platinum in 2011.

As of November 1, 2010, "Over the Rainbow" peaked at No. 6 on the OE3 Austria charts, which largely reflect airplay on Austria's government-operated Top 40 radio network. It also peaked at No.1 in France and Switzerland in late December 2010. It also peaked at No.1 in Germany at November 3.

On December 6, 2010, "Iz" was named one of the 50 great voices on National Public Radio.

Discography

Albums

Notes

References

External links

Category:1959 births Category:1997 deaths Category:Native Hawaiian musicians Category:American male singers Category:Native Hawaiian activists Category:Ukulele players

Schwizgebel was born on 28 September 1944 in Bern and lived in Renconvillier in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. From 1960-65 he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts et des Arts Décoratifs at Geneva. In 1971 he founded Studio GDS where he produced and directed animated films as well as working in graphic design. From 1986 to 1995 he worked on retrospectives and exhibitions, among others, in Nuremberg, Stuttgart, Tokyo, Osaka, Paris and New York. In 2002 he was awarded Swiss Film Prize, Best Short Film for “La jeune fille et les nuages”. His film, ''The Man With No Shadow'' was included in the Animation Show of Shows.

Filmography

References

External links

Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:Swiss animators

Biography

Before releasing scores under his own name, Tiersen recorded background music for a number of plays and short films, such as ''La Vie Rêvée des Anges'' (1998, Erick Zonca), ''Alice et Martin'' (1998, André Téchiné), ''Qui Plume la Lune?'' (Christine Carrière, 1999).

He rose to domestic fame upon the release of his third album, ''Le Phare'', but remained relatively unknown outside France until the release of his score for the film ''Amélie'' in 2001, which was a mixture of both new and previously released material.

Tiersen favors the piano, accordion, and violin, but is also known for his experimentation and use of obscure and found instruments like the ondes martenot and the typewriter.

Yann Tiersen's list of collaborators continues to grow album after album (see discography below for details). While composing his fifth album, ''L'absente'', Tiersen lent his musical talent to Françoiz Breut and Les Têtes Raides for their own albums. His 2005 album, ''Les Retrouvailles'', featured vocals from Stuart Staples of Tindersticks, Jane Birkin, and Elizabeth Fraser, formerly of Cocteau Twins. Tiersen also played piano on Staples' solo album, ''Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04''. In 2004 he also released a collaborative CD with American singer-songwriter Shannon Wright.

His live performances vary greatly. Sometimes he is accompanied by an orchestra and many guest collaborators, like Dominique A. Other times, he offers the more frequent minimalistic sessions, usually accompanied only by a drummer/bassist and a guitarist, with Tiersen switching seamlessly between piano, accordion, and violin for his lighter songs, and electric guitar for his louder pieces (where his Avant-Garde Music meet some rock sonorities). Lately, however, he has almost banished piano, accordion and violin and focused more on his electric guitar instead, as visible in his 2009-2010 Live Tours.

Yann Tiersen was married to Belgian actress Natacha Régnier, but they have since been divorced. They have a daughter, Lise born in 2002.

''Dust Lane'' 2010

Discography

Studio albums

Soundtracks

Live albums

Singles and EPs

Collaborations

Contributions

DVDs

References

External links

Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:French musicians Category:Breton musicians Category:French film score composers Category:Anti-Zionism Category:Antisemitism in France Category:French people of Belgian descent Category:French people of Dutch descent Category:French people of Norwegian descent Category:People from Brest, France