Kevin Rowland (born 17 August 1953) is an English singer-songwriter and frontman for the pop band Dexys Midnight Runners, which had several hits in the early 1980s, the most notable being "Geno" and "Come On Eileen".

Career[link]

Rowland was born in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, England on 17 August 1953 to Irish parents from Crossmolina, Co. Mayo.^[1] His first group, Lucy & The Lovers, were influenced by Roxy Music and turned out to be short-lived. His next project, punk rock act The Killjoys, were slightly more successful, releasing the single "Johnny Won't Get To Heaven" in 1977. Alienated by the punk scene, Rowland, together with Killjoys guitarist, Kevin Archer, decided to form a new soul-influenced group, Dexys Midnight Runners. Many of the group's songs were inspired by Rowland's Irish ancestry and were recognisable through Rowland's idiosyncratic vocal style. On forming the band Rowland thought it was "important to have a vocal style", he later recalled, "and I had the idea of putting that 'crying' voice on", partly inspired by General Johnson of Chairmen of the Board.^[2]

When Dexys disbanded in 1987, Rowland recorded a solo album, The Wanderer, which, together with its three singles, was a commercial failure. His next release was not until 1999 when he recorded a collection of interpretations of classic songs called My Beauty, the album cover of which depicted a heavily made-up Rowland in a dress and women's lingerie.

In 2003, Rowland reformed Dexys Midnight Runners—featuring only one other original member, bassist Pete Williams who fulfilled the role as Rowland's co-vocalist—and embarked on a successful comeback tour backed up with a greatest hits compilation album including two newly recorded songs, "Manhood" and "My Life in England". Both of these new songs were radio tested by the record label, but neither received enough airplay to be considered for release.

In December 2006, Rowland launched his own MySpace page^[3] where he has promised another Dexys album, and posted some articles to his blog. The song "It's OK Johanna" is available there.

Acclaim[link]

According to Paul Moody in Uncut in 2007, "Rowland - as singer and songwriter with Dexys Midnight Runners - gave us some of the great pop moments. From the bolshy vision of Searching for the Young Soul Rebels through the celtic-gumbo of Too-Rye-Ay and '85's neglected masterpiece, Don't Stand Me Down, his is a towering contribution to British music, both visually and musically."^[4]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Singles[link]

Guest appearances[link]

Quotation[link]

Interview - March 2010^[6]

NME - July 1982^[7]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Kevin Rowland on Myspace
• Extensive interview with Kevin Rowland reflecting on his life and career

Tom Meighan
Tom, in concert with Kasabian, in Terville, France 2010.
Background information
Birth name	Thomas Peter Meighan
Born	(1981-01-11) 11 January 1981 (age 31)
Origin	Leicester, England
Genres	Indie rock, space rock, neo-psychedelia, electronica
Occupations	Singer
Instruments	Vocals, tambourine, guitar
Years active	1999–present
Associated acts	Kasabian
Website	www.kasabian.co.uk

Thomas Peter Meighan (born 11 January 1981, Leicester) is an English born, Irish musician, best known as the lead vocalist for the indie rock band Kasabian.

Career[link]

Meighan has been the lead vocalist of Kasabian since the band's inception in Leicester in 1999.^[1] He sings lead vocals on the majority of the band's recordings and does not play any instruments within the group, apart from tambourine on occasion and guitar on live renditions of 'Night Workers' ^[2]

Meighan has also contributed lead vocals to the songs "Viva La Revolution" by Superevolver and the Lysergic Suite's "Ghosts on Crusade." He sang backing vocals on the Jersey Budd single, "She Came Back."^[3]

In addition to the numerous musical awards he shares with the rest of Kasabian, he was named the nineteenth best frontman of all time by a Q Magazine Readers’ Poll,^[4] and 13th best frontman of all time by a 2012 Xfm listener's poll.^[5]

In early 2011, Meighan took his first acting role as Terry Graham in the sitcom pilot Walk Like a Panther.^[6] Reportedly, he had previously rejected offers to play in Marie Antoinette due to being committed to his bandmates.

Media image[link]

Early in Kasabian’s career, Meighan earned a reputation for media provocation, especially concerning other musicians. He became well known for his insults, such as calling Julian Casablancas "a posh fucking skier", Pete Doherty "a fucking tramp", and Justin Timberlake "a midget with whiskers".^[7] Regarding the reportedly depressing nature of emo music and its listeners, he has said: "Teenagers are better than that. I want to tell them to be positive about life. You've been brought up well by your parents, so don't sit around in your bedroom cutting your wrists. Grow up."^[8]

He also offered more serious critiques of the effects of the internet upon the music industry^[9] and was one of a number of celebrities to criticize Simon Cowell's handling of Susan Boyle, stating "It will torture her for the rest of life. She is not ready for it and she is not made for it. She is being manipulated. It's horrible."^[10]

As of 2009, Meighan has made an attempt to tone down his controversial image. "When we released the first album, it didn't help in interviews that we slagged everyone off. We were only messing about, we were having fun but everyone took it a little too seriously…We did it for effect but we were portrayed as monsters instead of just a bunch of lads in a band. They got us so wrong. I don't regret anything we said but it was ridiculous.”^[11]

Meighan’s outspoken attitude, on-stage antics and hard-partying reputation ^[12] have tended to overshadow more positive aspects of his public image. He has given his support to numerous charities including Oxfam,^[13] UNICEF^[14] and the Teenage Cancer Trust. In support of the latter, he assumed the role of Ace Face in the Who’s benefit performance of Quadrophenia.^[15]

His status as both a fashion icon and well-known football fan led him to be chosen to unveil Umbro’s England away football jersey in 2010, the first singer ever to do so.^[16] He has also modeled for award-winning fashion label Pretty Green,^[17] Gio-Goi,^[18] and Deadly Sins.^[19]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Tom Meighan at the Internet Movie Database
• http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=91533392661&ref=mf