An iconoclast is someone who performs iconoclasm — destruction of religious symbols, or, by extension, established dogma or conventions.

Iconoclast may also refer to:

''Iconoclasts'' (TV show), featuring celebrity interviews, shown on the Sundance Channel

''Iconoclast (Part 1: The Final Resistance)'', album by the metalcore band Heaven Shall Burn

''Iconoclast'', Texas newspaper edited by William Cowper Brann in the 1890s, critical of powerful institutions

''Iconoclast'', album by goth-rock band Ascension of the Watchers

''Iconoclast'' (Nazxul album)'', album by black metal band Nazxul

''Iconoclast'' (Symphony X Album), album by progressive metal band Symphony X

''Iconoclasts'', a BBC Radio 4 series interviewing different iconoclasts

''Iconoclast'', an album by hip-hop artist Ivan Ives

''Iconoclast'', a 2008 book by the neuroscientist Gregory Berns

'' The Swansea Devil'', a Welsh sculpture.

See also

"Lisa the Iconoclast", an episode of the animated TV series ''The Simpsons''

nl:Iconoclast

name	Symphony X
landscape	Yes
background	group_or_band
years active	1994–present
genre	Progressive metal, neo-classical metal, symphonic metal
origin	Middletown, New Jersey, United States
label	Nuclear Blast, Inside Out, Zero Corporation
current members	Russell AllenMichael RomeoMichael PinnellaMichael LepondJason Rullo
past members	Thomas WallingThomas MillerRod Tyler
website	www.symphonyx.com }}

Symphony X is an American progressive metal band from Middletown, New Jersey.

Founded in 1994 by guitarist Michael Romeo, their albums ''The Divine Wings of Tragedy'' and ''V: The New Mythology Suite'' have given the band considerable attention within the progressive metal community. They also have achieved more commercial success with the 2007 album ''Paradise Lost''; the band's 2011 album ''Iconoclast'' is the highest chart position and the most first-week sales in the band's history.

Biography

''The Dark Chapter'', ''Symphony X'' and ''The Damnation Game'' (1994−1995)

In early 1994 Michael Romeo (ex-Phantom's Opera, ex-Gemini) recorded a studio album entitled ''The Dark Chapter'', which featured himself and keyboard player Michael Pinnella. The tape attracted a fair share of attention, particularly in Japan. He then recruited bassist Thomas Miller, drummer Jason Rullo, and vocalist Rod Tyler. Their self-titled debut album was recorded in the same year, and released to a positive reception in Japan by the now-extinct record company Zero Corporation Label. The band's second studio album, ''The Damnation Game'', followed six months later. Singer Rod Tyler had left the band by then and was replaced by current singer Russell Allen.

''The Divine Wings of Tragedy'' and ''Twilight in Olympus'' (1996−1998)

''The Divine Wings of Tragedy'' was the album that first gave Symphony X exposure in metal circles. It took a considerable time to record the album, with the recording sessions beginning in 1996 and concluding in 1997. The positive feedback from the specialized press served to establish Symphony X in Europe; their success in Japan only continued to grow.

At the end of 1997 and for part of the next year, Jason Rullo, their drummer, had to stay away from the band in order to solve personal issues. He was temporarily replaced by Thomas Walling. Even with a temporary drummer, the band recorded ''Twilight in Olympus'', released in early 1998. That year also saw the first live performances from the band, which by then had already gathered many fans from around the globe. Their first official show happened in 1998, in Japan. It was soon followed by a world tour. Bassist Thomas Miller left the band and was replaced by Michael Lepond in that year.

A compilation album, ''Prelude to the Millennium'', was released by the end of 1998. As an extra, it featured a second version of the song "Masquerade" from the first album, with Russell Allen on vocals.

''V: The New Mythology Suite'' and ''The Odyssey'' (1999−2002)

Jason Rullo returned to the drums for the band's fifth album, ''V: The New Mythology Suite'', released in 2000. It was the band's first release on major progressive label InsideOut Music. The album was their first concept album, dealing with the myth of Atlantis. The album features classics such as "Communion and the Oracle," "Egypt" and the mini-suite "Rediscovery," and includes pieces of classical music.

The band went on a European tour shortly after its release and recorded their first live album, ''Live on the Edge of Forever''.

In 2002, the band released ''The Odyssey'', an album prominently featuring a 24-minute long musical interpretation of the Homeric epic, the Odyssey.

Solo albums (2003−2006)

Keyboardist Michael Pinnella released a solo album, entitled ''Enter By the Twelfth Gate'', on October 12, 2004. Vocalist Russell Allen's solo debut, entitled ''Atomic Soul'', was released in the summer of 2005. With this album, Allen took a different musical direction from that seen in his work with Symphony X. It was considered by many—including Allen himself—to be a hard rock album. Also in 2005, he recorded an album called ''The Battle'' with former Masterplan vocalist Jørn Lande under the moniker "Allen/Lande." The two would later record a follow-up album entitled ''The Revenge'', released May 11, 2007. In 2005 Symphony X was featured on Gigantour, a summer festival headlined by Megadeth with Dream Theater and Anthrax. Two Symphony X songs from the tour, "Inferno" and "Of Sins and Shadows," are featured on the Gigantour DVD and CD-set, released in September 2006.

''Paradise Lost'' (2007-2010)

The band's album ''Paradise Lost'', a concept album loosely inspired by John Milton's epic poem of the same name, was recorded in Romeo's studio and released worldwide on June 26, 2007. The band claimed this work had darker themes musically. The album included a special DVD of footage shot by the band throughout their history, available in FYE stores. The release coincided with a 14-month world tour, including a tour through all of Europe with Dream Theater in the fall of 2007. The band also revealed plans to perform in Japan and other Asian countries, as well as appear for the first time ever in Russia, India, and the Middle East.

''Paradise Lost'' debuted at number 123 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States, selling 6,300 copies in its first week. The record also debuted at number 1 on the Top Heatseekers Chart.

Symphony X released their first music video for the song "Serpent's Kiss" on July 28, 2007. It was followed by a video for "Set the World on Fire," released on January 11, 2008. The band toured North and South America from October to November 2008, and toured Asia in February 2009.

''Iconoclast'' (2011-present)

On March 1, 2010, an update on the Symphony X official website announced that the band had recorded most of their next album and that Romeo and Allen were working on lyrics; Romeo was getting ready to start doing tracking for the album. The album's name and lyrical concept were revealed on January 29, 2011 in an interview by DJ JC Green of Metal Messiah Radio's "Heavy Metal Thunder" show with Russell Allen: the follow-up to ''Paradise Lost'' will be titled ''Iconoclast'' and will have its lyrics centered around "machines taking over everything and all this technology we put our society into pretty much being our demise." When asked about a release date Allen said, "We are in post-production, so the album is pretty much almost done. At this point, mixes are being wrapped up and finalized and it's off to mastering and should be ready for release in a few months, definitely first quarter of 2011. We've got the artworks all done, we're taking pictures next week... all that good stuff. So everything's on track for release pretty soon. Allen also commented that "Sonically, it's in the realm of [''Paradise Lost''] in a way, in terms of the sound of things; the guitar sound is a little different. Basically, the album is pretty intense, probably the most intense record we've ever done... "This album will contain a good body of work that harkens back to a lot of early metal, some early metal, and a lot of Symphony X standards that you guys know already, and a little bit of a newer sound too, here and there, just a newer direction."

On February 25, 2011, Symphony X played the first show of their 2011 tour in Stuttgart, Germany, where they performed two songs from ''Iconoclast'': "End of Innocence" and "Dehumanized." Some days later, in Antwerp, Belgium, they performed yet another new song, "Heretic." During their show in London, England, the band debuted another new song titled "Prometheus."

On March 25, 2011 It was announced on the Nuclear Blast website and Blabbermouth.net that new Symphony X album, "Iconoclast", would be released in Europe on June 17 and in North America on June 21. as a Standard Edition as well as a 2-CD Digipack.

''Iconoclast'' debuted at number 76 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States, selling more than 7,300 copies in its first week. The record also debuted at number 7 on the Top Hard Rock Chart, number 19 on the Top Rock Chart and number 13 on the Top Independent Chart. The album showcases the highest chart position and the most first-week sales in the band's history.

Sound

Symphony X is often compared to other progressive metal bands such as Dream Theater, Fates Warning and Shadow Gallery. Their music includes complex timings and odd meters while incorporating elements of symphonic metal and more traditional heavy metal. It also contains strong neo-classical elements reminiscent of Yngwie Malmsteen, Cacophony, Randy Rhoads, and other neo-classical metal artists.

Recording Studio: The Dungeon

The Dungeon is the studio located at the home of Symphony X's guitarist and composer Michael Romeo. The albums ''The Divine Wings of Tragedy'' and ''V: The New Mythology Suite'' were partly recorded in The Dungeon, while ''The Odyssey'', ''Paradise Lost'' and ''Iconoclast'' were fully recorded there and produced by Romeo himself. Symphony X spent a sum of money upgrading The Dungeon and buying state of the art orchestration software and tools for the rich symphonic arrangements in their songs.

Line-up

Current members

Russell Allen − lead vocals (1995–present)

Michael Romeo − guitar, backing vocals (1994–present)

Michael Pinnella − keyboards, backing vocals (1994–present)

Michael Lepond − bass guitar, backing vocals (2000–present)

Jason Rullo – drums (1994–1998, 2000–present)

Former members

Rod Tyler − vocals (1994)

Thomas Miller − bass guitar (1994−2000)

Thomas Walling − drums (1998−2000)

Discography

Year	Title	Type	!width="40"	FR	!width="40"
	align="center"
	align="center"
	align="center"
	align="center"
	align="center"
	align="center"

Music videos

"The Serpent's Kiss" - 2007

"Set The World On Fire" - 2008

References

External links

Symphony X's official website

Symphony X's official MySpace page

Official French website

Category:Former Metal Blade Records artists Category:Heavy metal musical groups from New Jersey Category:American progressive metal musical groups Category:Musical quintets Category:Middletown Township, New Jersey

bs:Symphony X cs:Symphony X de:Symphony X es:Symphony X fa:سیمفونی ایکس fr:Symphony X gl:Symphony X it:Symphony X he:סימפוני אקס hu:Symphony X nl:Symphony X ja:シンフォニーX no:Symphony X pl:Symphony X pt:Symphony X ru:Symphony X simple:Symphony X sl:Symphony X sr:Symphony X fi:Symphony X sv:Symphony X tr:Symphony X uk:Symphony X zh:X交響樂樂團

name	Heaven Shall Burn
landscape	Yes
background	group_or_band
alias	Concense
origin	Saalfeld, Thuringia, Germany
genre	Death metal, deathcore, metalcore, thrash metal
years active	1996–present
label	Century Media, Lifeforce
associated acts	Caliban, Fall of Serenity
website	www.heavenshallburn.com
current members	Matthias VoigtMaik WeichertAlexander DietzEric BischoffMarcus Bischoff
past members	Patrick Schleitzer }}

Heaven Shall Burn is a German heavy metal band from Saalfeld, formed in 1996. They combine an aggressive metal sound with lyrics that show a militant support of anti-racism and fighting social injustice. All members of the band are vegan.

Biography

Heaven Shall Burn was formed in Autumn 1996, under the name Consense. With the recording of its second demo in early 1997, the band changed its name to Heaven Shall Burn. The name is taken from a Marduk album titled ''Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered''. In an interview, the band said, "It’s not that we’re huge Marduk fans, but we liked the name. It sounds a bit provoking and so people ask us again and again for the meaning behind our name. It has been like that since the very beginning. We use the term ''heaven'' as a metaphor for some kind of a fake paradise that people create in their heads. Some people close their eyes and don’t see the truth surrounding them. So this kind of fake heaven should burn. Some people might think that our name is an anti-religious statement, but it isn’t."

In 1998 the band released an MCD entitled "In Battle There Is No Law" followed by a split-LP with "Fall of Serenity" in 1999. Following these releases the band signed with Lifeforce Records, and in 2000 they released their debut album, ''Asunder''. It was followed by a split-CD with their long-time friends Caliban in 2000, as well as the 2002 album ''Whatever it May Take''. In 2002, ''In Battle, there is No Law'' was re-released through Circulation Records.

Upon the release of ''Whatever it May Take'', Heaven Shall Burn toured England, South America, and Iceland. There, the band met Ólafur Arnalds, who wrote three Western classical-style interlude parts for its album ''Antigone'': "Echoes," "Risandi Von," and "Deyjandi Von." The three songs consist mostly of violin and piano, although in Echoes and Risandi Von one can hear weak noises of a war raging in the background.

In 2004, the band released "Antigone" through Century Media Records, which featured more of a melodic edge because of more harmonies and Scandinavian-style dual-guitar work. The album was produced by Patrick W. Engel and engineered by Ralf Müller at Rape of Harmony Studios, Germany. It was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studio, Denmark.

In December 2005, guitarist Patrick Schleitzer left the band amicably. He was replaced by Alexander Dietz, who had already performed guest vocals on some of the band’s prior tracks.

In 2006, Heaven Shall Burn released ''Deaf to Our Prayers'' via Century Media Records. It was recorded and mixed by producer Jacob Hansen (Mercenary, Raunchy) and following its release, ''Deaf To Our Prayers'' entered the official LP charts in Germany at position 65 and in Greece at position 50. The band supported the album with the Hell on Earth Tour throughout Europe, featuring As I Lay Dying and Evergreen Terrace. They toured with Caliban in December 2006 and played on festivals like the Rock Hard Festival and Wacken Open Air Festival in 2007.

The popular and critically acclaimed album "Whatever it May Take" saw a re-release in 2007. The album was a remix of the original recordings and contained no additional material, with the exception of the addition of the track "io", which was a long-forgotten acoustic piece played by Patrick Schleitzer. The album included new artwork and a new song order.

In February 2008, Iconoclast (Part One: The Final Resistance) was released to positive reviews from critics and fans alike. The album lyrically reviews subjects such as Laicism, Nietzsche’s “God is dead” philosophy, heroes of the German Resistance in World War II, and their country’s ongoing struggle to reconcile with its past. This is a concept album and each song is related to the story of the Iconoclast, a breaker or destroyer of images, esp. those set up for religious veneration.

In May 2009, Heaven Shall Burn released their first DVD, ''Bildersturm - Iconoclast II (The Visual Resistance)''. The DVD contains footage of two concerts – Summerbreeze Festival in Germany and Vienna, Austria – both performed in 2008. A bonus CD was released with live performances from both concerts, as well as special features and documentary footage.

Their latest album, ''Invictus (Iconoclast III)'', was released in Germany on 21 May 2010 and in the United States in early June of the same year.

Cover songs

Most of Heaven Shall Burn's studio recordings include at least one cover song. The band has covered Contrition/Fall of Serenity ("Contrition"), Day of Suffering ("The Eternal Jihad"), Abhinanda ("Competition by Hatred"), Bolt Thrower ("The IVth Crusade"), Liar ("Battlecries"), Point of No Return ("Casa de Caboclo"), Disembodied ("Dislocation"), Hate Squad ("Not My God"), Die Skeptiker ("Straßenkampf"), Merauder ("Downfall of Christ"), Endstand ("Destroy Fascism"), Edge of Sanity ("Black Tears"), Paradise Lost ("True Belief"), Tiamat ("Whatever That Hurts") and Therapy? ("Nowhere").

Members

;Current members

Marcus Bischoff – vocals

Maik Weichert – guitar

Alexander Dietz – guitar

Eric Bischoff – bass

Matthias Voigt – drums

;Previous members

Patrick Schleitzer – guitar (1998–2005)

;Session members

Patrick W. Engel – bass on "Whatever It May Take"

Andre Moraweck – live vocals

Christian Bass – live drums

John Gahlert – live vocals

Discography

Studio albums

''Asunder'' (2000)

''Whatever It May Take'' (2002)

''Antigone'' (2004)

''Deaf to Our Prayers'' (2006)

''Iconoclast (Part 1: The Final Resistance)'' (2008)

''Invictus (Iconoclast III)'' (2010)

EPs

''In Battle There Is No Law'' (1998)

Compilation albums

''In Battle... (There Is No Law)'' (2002)

''Voces Del Underground'' (2007)

''A Century Of Classics'' (2008, Century Media compilation)

DVDs

''Bildersturm – Iconoclast II (The Visual Resistance)'' (2009) - contains live material from Summer Breeze 2008 and a live performance in Vienna during September 2008.

Other releases

''Heaven Shall Burn / Fall of Serenity'' (1999) - split with Fall of Serenity

''The Split Program'' (2001) - split with Caliban

''Tsunami Benefit CD-Single'' (2005) - split

''The Split Program II'' (2005) - split with Caliban

''Century Media: Covering 20 Years Of Extremes'' (2008) - Century Media bands covering each other

References

External links

Official website

Category:German heavy metal musical groups Category:German metalcore musical groups Category:German death metal musical groups Category:Deathcore musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1996 Category:Century Media Records artists Category:Musical quintets

bs:Heaven Shall Burn bg:Heaven Shall Burn cs:Heaven Shall Burn da:Heaven Shall Burn de:Heaven Shall Burn es:Heaven Shall Burn fr:Heaven Shall Burn hr:Heaven Shall Burn it:Heaven Shall Burn lt:Heaven Shall Burn nl:Heaven Shall Burn ja:ヘヴン・シャル・バーン no:Heaven Shall Burn pl:Heaven Shall Burn pt:Heaven Shall Burn ru:Heaven Shall Burn simple:Heaven Shall Burn sk:Heaven shall burn fi:Heaven Shall Burn sv:Heaven Shall Burn uk:Heaven Shall Burn

birth date	August 17, 1960
birth place	Santa Monica, California, U.S.
birth name	Sean Justin Penn
occupation	Actor, screenwriter, director, producer
years active	1974–present
spouse	Madonna (1985–1989)Robin Wright (1996–2010)
parents	Leo Penn (deceased)Eileen Ryan
relatives	Aimee Mann (sister-in-law) }}

Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism. He is a two-time Academy Award winner for his roles in ''Mystic River'' (2003) and ''Milk'' (2008), as well as the recipient of a Golden Globe Award for the former and a Screen Actors Guild Award for the latter.

Penn began his acting career in television with a brief appearance in a 1974 episode of ''Little House on the Prairie'', directed by his father Leo Penn. Following his film debut in 1981's ''Taps'' and a diverse range of film roles in the 1980s, Penn emerged as a prominent leading actor with the 1995 drama film ''Dead Man Walking'', for which he earned his first Academy Award nomination and the Best Actor Award at the Berlin Film Festival. Penn subsequently received another two Oscar nominations for ''Sweet and Lowdown'' (1999) and ''I Am Sam'' (2001), before winning his first Academy Award for Best Actor in 2003 for ''Mystic River'' and a second one in 2008 for ''Milk''. He has also won a Best Actor Award of the Cannes Film Festival for ''She's So Lovely'' (1997), and two Best Actor Awards at the Venice Film Festival for ''Hurlyburly'' (1998) and ''21 Grams'' (2003).

Penn made his feature film directorial debut with 1991's ''The Indian Runner'', followed by the drama film ''The Crossing Guard'' (1995) and the mystery film ''The Pledge'' (2001). In 2002, Penn directed one of the 11 segments of ''11'09"01 September 11'', a compilation film made in response to the September 11 attacks. In 2007, Penn directed his fourth feature film ''Into the Wild'', which garnered critical acclaim and two Academy Award nominations.

In addition to his film work, Penn is known for his political and social activism, most notably his criticism of the George W. Bush administration, his contact with the Presidents of Venezuela and Cuba, and his humanitarian work in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Penn also attracted media attention for his previous marriages to pop icon Madonna and actress Robin Wright.

Early life

Penn was born in Los Angeles County, California, the middle son of actor and director Leo Penn and actress Eileen Ryan (née Annucci). His older brother is musician Michael Penn. His younger brother, actor Chris Penn, died in 2006. His paternal grandparents were Jewish emigrants from Lithuania and Russia, while his mother is a Catholic of Italian and Irish descent. Penn was raised in a secular home and is an agnostic. He attended Santa Monica High School and began making short films with some of his childhood friends, including actors Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen, who lived near his home.

Career

Acting

Penn appeared in a 1974 episode of the ''Little House on the Prairie'' television series as a then blond-haired extra when his father, Leo, directed some of the episodes.

Penn launched his film career with the 1981 action-drama ''Taps,'' where he played a key role, as a military high school cadet, opposite protagonist Timothy Hutton. Tom Cruise also made one of his first film appearances, as another cadet. A year later, Penn appeared in the hit comedy ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'', in the role of surfer-stoner Jeff Spicoli, with his character helping popularize the word "dude" in popular culture. In 1983, Penn appeared as Mick O'Brien, a troubled youth, in the drama ''Bad Boys''. The role earned Penn favorable reviews and jump-started his career as a serious actor.

In 1985, Penn played Andrew Daulton Lee in the film ''The Falcon and the Snowman'', which closely followed an actual criminal case. Lee was a former drug dealer by trade, convicted of espionage for the Soviet Union and originally sentenced to life in prison, later being paroled in 1998. Penn later hired Lee as his personal assistant, partly because he wanted to reward Lee for allowing him to play Lee in the film; also, he was a firm believer in rehabilitation and thought Andrew Lee should be successfully reintegrated into society, since he was a free man again.

In 1986, he starred in the drama ''At Close Range'', opposite Christopher Walken. The film featured his then-wife Madonna's single "Live to Tell". The music video for the song, which featured clips from the film, played heavily on MTV and helped promote the film. Penn stopped acting for a few years in the early 1990s, having been dissatisfied with the industry, and focused on making his directing debut.

Penn, nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor five times, has won the award twice. The Academy first recognized his work in nominating him for playing a racist murderer on death row in Tim Robbins' 1995 drama ''Dead Man Walking''. Penn was nominated again for his comedic performance as an egotistical jazz guitarist in Woody Allen's 1999 release ''Sweet and Lowdown''. He received his third nomination after portraying a mentally-handicapped father in 2001's ''I am Sam''. Penn finally won for his role in Clint Eastwood's 2003 Boston crime-drama ''Mystic River''. In 2004, he played a disturbed man bent on killing the president in ''The Assassination of Richard Nixon''. He was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2004.

In 2006, he portrayed populist governor Willie Stark (based on Huey Long) in an adaptation of the classic American novel ''All the King's Men'', though the film was a critical and commercial failure. In November 2008, Penn earned rave reviews for his portrayal of real-life gay-rights icon and politician Harvey Milk in the biopic ''Milk'' and was nominated for best actor for the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards. The film also earned Penn his fifth nomination and second win for the Academy Award for Best Actor. In 2010 he starred as Joseph Wilson in ''Fair Game'', a film adaptation of Valerie Plame's 2007 memoir. Penn co-starred with Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain in the drama ''The Tree of Life'' which won the Palme d'Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

Directing

In 1991, Penn made his directorial debut with ''The Indian Runner'', a film based on Bruce Springsteen's song "Highway Patrolman", from the ''Nebraska'' album. He also directed music videos, such as Shania Twain's "Dance with the One That Brought You" and Lyle Lovett's "North Dakota" in 1993, and Peter Gabriel's "The Barry Williams Show" in 2002. He has since directed three more films, all of which were well-received by critics: ''The Crossing Guard'' in 1995, ''The Pledge'' in 2001, and ''Into the Wild'' in 2007.

Personal life

Penn was engaged to actress Elizabeth McGovern, his co-star in 1984's ''Racing with the Moon''. Penn's personal life began to attract media attention when he married pop star Madonna in 1985. The two starred in the panned and much-derided ''Shanghai Surprise'', directed by Jim Goddard, and Madonna dedicated her third studio album ''True Blue'' to Penn, referring to him in the liner notes as "the coolest guy in the universe". The relationship was marred by violent outbursts against the press, including one incident for which he was arrested for assaulting a photographer on a film set; Penn was sentenced to 60 days in jail in mid-1987, of which he served 33 days. It is also alleged that when Penn discovered the paparazzo in his hotel room, he hung him by his ankles from the ninth-floor balcony. Later in the marriage, Penn was charged with felony domestic assault, a charge for which he pleaded to a misdemeanor. Penn and Madonna divorced in 1989.

He soon began a relationship with actress Robin Wright, and their first child – a daughter named Dylan Frances – was born in 1991. Their second child, a son whom they named Hopper Jack, was born in 1993. Penn and Wright married in 1996 and lived in Ross, California. The relationship went through on-and-off periods in the late 2000s (decade). The couple filed for divorce in December 2007, but reconciled several months later, requesting a court dismissal of their divorce case. In April 2009, Penn filed for legal separation, only to withdraw the case once again when the couple reconciled in May. On August 12, 2009, Wright Penn filed for divorce again. The couple's divorce was finalized on July 22, 2010, with the couple reaching a private agreement on child and spousal support, division of assets, and custody over their underage son.

During a separation from Wright in the mid 1990s, Penn dated singer and songwriter Jewel. He was also the director of the original video for Jewel's hit song "You Were Meant for Me".

Political and social causes

Penn has been active in supporting several political and social causes. On June 10, 2005, Penn made a visit to Iran. Acting as a journalist on an assignment for the ''San Francisco Chronicle'', he attended a Friday prayer at Tehran University.

On January 7, 2006, Penn was a special guest at the Progressive Democrats of America, where he was joined by author and media critic Norman Solomon, Democratic congressional candidate Charles Brown, and activist Cindy Sheehan. The "Out of Iraq Forum", which took place in Sacramento, California, was organized to promote the anti-war movement calling for an end to the War in Iraq.

In August 2008, Penn made an appearance at one of Ralph Nader's "Open the Debates" Super Rallies. He protested the political exclusion of Nader and other third parties.

In October 2008, Penn traveled to Cuba, where he met with and interviewed President Raúl Castro.

Criticism of President Bush

On October 18, 2002, Penn placed a US$56,000 advertisement in the ''Washington Post'' asking then President George W. Bush to end a cycle of violence. It was written as an open letter and referred to the planned attack on Iraq and the War on Terror. In the letter, Penn also criticized the Bush administration for its "deconstruction of civil liberties" and its "simplistic and inflammatory view of good and evil." Penn visited Iraq briefly in December 2002.

This advertisement was cited as a primary reason for the development of his relationship with Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. In one of his televised speeches, Chávez used and read aloud an open letter Penn wrote to Bush. The letter condemned the Iraq War, called for Bush to be impeached, and also called Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice "villainously and criminally obscene people.". In August 2007, Penn met with Chávez in Caracas for two hours, after which Chávez praised him for urging Americans to impeach Bush. Penn also visited a new film studio on the outskirts of Caracas, though he did not speak publicly.

On April 19, 2007, Penn appeared on ''The Colbert Report'' and had a "Meta-Free-Phor-All" versus Stephen Colbert that was judged by Robert Pinsky. This stemmed from some of Penn's criticisms of Bush. His exact quote was "We cower as you point your fingers telling us to support our troops. You and the smarmy pundits in your pocket– those who bathe in the moisture of your soiled and blood-soaked underwear– can take that noise and shove it." He won the contest with 10,000,000 points to Colbert's 1.

On December 7, 2007, Penn said he supported Ohio Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich for U.S. President in 2008, and criticized Bush's handling of the Iraq war. Penn questioned whether Bush's twin daughters supported the war in Iraq.

Hurricane Katrina

In September 2005, Penn traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana, to aid Hurricane Katrina victims. He was physically involved in rescuing people, although there was criticism that his involvement was a PR stunt as he hired a photographer to come along with his entourage. Penn denied such accusation in an article he wrote for ''The Huffington Post''.

Director Spike Lee interviewed Penn for his documentary ''When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts'', about Hurricane Katrina.

LGBT civil rights

On February 22, 2009, Penn received the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film ''Milk''. In his acceptance speech, Penn said "...I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone!"

2010 Haiti earthquake: Manager of Relief Organization and Tent Camp

After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Sean Penn co-founded the J/P Haitian Relief Organization and has been running a 55,000 person tent camp.

Filmography and awards

On December 18, 2006, Penn received the Christopher Reeve First Amendment Award from the Creative Coalition.

Actor

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1981		Cadet Captain Alex Dwyer	film debut
1982	''Fast Times at Ridgemont High''	Jeff Spicoli
	''Summerspell''	Buddy
	Michael O'Brien
		Dillard
''Racing with the Moon''	Henry 'Hopper' Nash/Lou
1985	''The Falcon and the Snowman''	Daulton Lee
	''At Close Range''	Brad Whitewood Jr.
''Shanghai Surprise''	Glendon Wasey
1987	''Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam''	Narrator
	''Cool Blue''	Phil the Plumber	uncredited
	Officer Danny McGavin
''Judgment in Berlin''	Guenther X
	''Casualties of War''	Sgt. Tony Meserve
	Jim
1990		Terry Noonan
1991	''Schneeweißrosenrot''	Himself	documentary
1992	''Cruise Control''	Jeffrey	short subject
		Himself	documentary
''Carlito's Way''	David Kleinfeld	Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
1995		Matthew Poncelet
	''Loved''	Man on the Hill (Michael)
''She's So Lovely''	Eddie Quinn
	Bobby Cooper
	Conrad Van Orton
''Hugo Pool''	Strange Hitchhiker
		Eddie	Volpi CupNominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead
	1st Sgt. Welsh
	''Being John Malkovich''	Himself	uncredited
''Sweet and Lowdown''	Emmett Ray	Nominated – Academy Award for Best ActorNominated – Chlotrudis Award for Best ActorNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or ComedyNominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
	''A Constant Forge''	Himself	documentary
''Up at the Villa''	Rowley Flint
	Cuco Sánchez
	Thomas Janes
	''Dogtown and Z-Boys''	Narrator	documentary
''The Beaver Trilogy''	Groovin' Larry (segment Beaver Kid 2)
''Scene Smoking: Cigarettes, Cinema & the Myth of Cool''	Himself	documentary
''See How They Run''	Himself	documentary
''I Am Sam''	Sam Dawson	Nominated – Academy Award for Best ActorNominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture DramaNominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
	''It's All About Love''	Marciello
	Jimmy Markum
''21 Grams''	Paul Rivers	Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor (also for ''Mystic River'')Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor (also for ''Mystic River'')National Board of Review Award for Best Actor (also for ''Mystic River'')Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best CastSatellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama (also for ''Mystic River'')Volpi CupNominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleNominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor
2004	''The Assassination of Richard Nixon''	Samuel J. Bicke	Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
2005	''The Interpreter''	Tobin Keller
2006		Willie Stark
		Marjane's father	English dub; voice only
''War Made Easy''	Narrator	documentary
		Harvey Milk	Academy Award for Best ActorBoston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor (tied with Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler)Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorBroadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best CastLos Angeles Film Critics Award for Best ActorNew York Film Critics Circle Award for Best ActorPalm Springs International Film Festival Award for Best ActorPhoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading RoleSoutheastern Film Critics Award for Best ActorNominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleNominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaNominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead MaleNominated – Irish Film Award People's Choice Award for Best International ActorNominated – London Film Critics Circle Award for Best ActorNominated – MTV Movie Award for Best KissNominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture DramaNominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
	Narrator and Executive Producer	documentary
2010
		Adult Jack
	Cheyenne
2013	''The Gangster Squad''	Mickey Cohen	Filming

Director

Year	Film	Notes
1991	''The Indian Runner''
1995	''The Crossing Guard''	Also writer, Nominated – Golden Lion
2001		Nominated – Golden BearNominated – Bodil Award for Best Non-European FilmNominated – Palme d'Or
2002	''11'9"01 September 11''	anthology short, segment "U.S.A."UNESCO AwardNominated – César Award for Best Film from the European Union
2007		Also writer, Palm Springs International Film Festival Award for Best DirectorRome Film Fest Premiere PrizeSão Paulo International Film Festival Best Foreign Language FilmNominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best DirectorNominated – BFCA Critics' Choice Award for Best WriterNominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Adapted ScreenplayNominated – Directors Guild of America Award for Best Director – Motion PictureNominated – Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Foreign Film – English LanguageNominated – Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay

References

External links

''Guardian'' Interview, April 8, 2005

''Esquire'' magazine interview/profile

Sean Penn's visit to Iran at the San Francisco Chronicle

Smiles for Smirks by Sean Penn, ''The Huffington Post'', April 21, 2009

Sean Penn on Managing a Tent Camp of 55,000 Displaced Haitians – video report by ''Democracy Now!''

Category:1960 births Category:Actors from California Category:American agnostics Category:American anti–Iraq War activists Category:American film actors Category:American film directors Category:American people convicted of assault Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American people of Italian descent Category:American people of Jewish descent Category:American people of Russian descent Category:American screenwriters Category:American stage actors Category:American television actors Category:Best Actor Academy Award winners Category:Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Category:Independent Spirit Award winners Category:Living people Category:People associated with Charles Bukowski Category:People from Burbank, California Category:People from Marin County, California Category:People from Santa Monica, California

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Name	Jon Krakauer
Birth date	April 12, 1954
Birth place	Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation	Writer, mountain climber
Genre	Non fiction
Debut works	Into the Wild
Footnotes	}}

Jon Krakauer (born April 12, 1954) is an American writer and mountaineer, primarily known for his writing about the outdoors and mountain-climbing. He is the author of best-selling non-fiction books–''Into the Wild'', ''Into Thin Air'', ''Under the Banner of Heaven'', and ''Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman''–as well as numerous magazine articles.

Early life

Krakauer was born in Brookline, Massachusetts as the third of five children and was raised in Corvallis, Oregon from the age of two. His father introduced the young Krakauer to mountaineering at the age of eight. He competed in tennis at Corvallis High School and graduated in 1972. He went on to study at Hampshire College in Massachusetts, where in 1976 he received his degree in Environmental Studies. In 1977, he fell in love with former climber Linda Mariam Moore and they married in 1980. They lived in Seattle, Washington but moved to Boulder, Colorado after the release of ''Into Thin Air''.

Mountaineering

One year after graduating from college (1977), he spent three weeks by himself in the wilderness of the Stikine Icecap region of Alaska and climbed a new route on the Devils Thumb, an experience he described in ''Eiger Dreams'' and in ''Into the Wild. '' In 1992, he made his way to Cerro Torre in the Andes of Argentine Patagonia -- a sheer, jagged granite peak more typical of those found in the Himalayas or Pacific Rim and considered to be one of the most difficult technical climbs in the world.

Krakauer's most recognized climb was a guided ascent of Mount Everest that became known as the 1996 Mount Everest disaster. Soon after summitting the peak, Krakauer's team met with disaster as four of his teammates (including group leader Rob Hall) perished while making their descent in the middle of a storm.

A candid recollection of the event was published in ''Outside'' and eventually in the book ''Into Thin Air''. By the end of the 1996 climbing season, fifteen people died trying to reach the summit, making it the deadliest single year in Everest history. Krakauer publicly criticized the commercialization of Mt. Everest following this tragedy.

Magazine contributions

Much of Krakauer's popularity as a writer came from being a journalist for ''Outside'' magazine. In November 1983, he was able to abandon part-time work as a fisherman and a carpenter to become a full-time writer. His freelance writing involved great variety, in addition to his many works involving mountain climbing. His writing has also appeared in ''Smithsonian'', ''National Geographic Magazine'', ''Rolling Stone'', and ''Architectural Digest''.

On assignment from ''Outside'', Krakauer wrote an article focusing on two parties during his ascent of Mt Everest: the one he was in, led by Rob Hall, and the one led by Scott Fischer, both of which successfully guided clients to the summit but experienced severe difficulty during the descent. The storm, and, in his estimation, irresponsible choices by guides of both parties, led to a number of deaths, including both head guides. Krakauer did not feel his article accurately covered the entire event in only one short account and clarified his initial statements, especially regarding the death of Andy Harris, in his later book after extensive interviews with survivors.

Books

''Into the Wild''

''Into the Wild'' was published in 1996 and shortly thereafter spent two years on the New York Times bestseller list. The book documents the travels Christopher McCandless, a young man from a well-to-do East Coast family who, in 1990, after graduating from college, donated all of the money ($24,000) in his bank account to charity, renamed himself "Alexander Supertramp," and began a journey in the American West. In the book, Krakauer draws parallels between his own experiences and motivations and those of McCandless. ''Into The Wild'' was adapted into a film, which was released on September 21, 2007.

''Into Thin Air''

In 1997, he expanded his September 1996 ''Outside'' article into his best known work, ''Into Thin Air'', describing those parties' experiences and the general state of Everest mountaineering at the time. It reached first place on ''The New York Times'' non-fiction bestseller list, was honored as "Book of the Year" by ''Time'' magazine, and was among the final three books considered for the General Non-Fiction Pulitzer Prize in 1998. The American Academy of Arts and Letters gave Krakauer an Academy Award in Literature in 1999 for his work and commented that, "Krakauer combines the tenacity and courage of the finest tradition of investigative journalism with the stylish subtlety and profound insight of the born writer. His account of an ascent of Mount Everest has led to a general reevaluation of climbing and of the commercialization of what was once a romantic, solitary sport." In the TV-movie version of the book, Krakauer was played by Christopher McDonald. Krakauer has contributed royalties from ''Into Thin Air'' to the Everest '96 Memorial Fund at the Boulder Community Foundation, which he founded as a tribute to his deceased climbing partners.

Criticism of ''Into Thin Air''

In his own book ''The Climb'', Scott Fischer's top guide on the ill-fated 1996 Everest expedition, the late Anatoli Boukreev quotes another climber as having witnessed an exhausted, oxygen-starved Krakauer collapse and nearly tumble off the mountain to his death in an unroped section between the Hillary Step and the South Summit. Krakauer's account contains no mention of such an incident. In addition, Boukreev claims that Krakauer made a number of key observational mistakes up high. As Krakauer details in his book, he mistook climber Martin Adams for Andy Harris and subsequently communicated to Base Camp that Harris—who died on the mountain—had safely returned to high camp.

''Under the Banner of Heaven''

In 2003, ''Under the Banner of Heaven'' became Krakauer's third non-fiction bestseller. The book examines extremes of religious belief, particularly fundamentalist offshoots of Mormonism. Specifically, Krakauer looks at the practice of polygamy among the fundamentalist Mormon religion and scrutinizes it under the context of Mormon religion throughout history past and present. Much of the focus of the book is on the Lafferty brothers, who murdered in the name of their fundamentalist faith.

In 2006, Tom Elliott and Pawel Gula produced the documentary, ''Damned to Heaven'', inspired by the book, ''Under the Banner of Heaven''.

Official Mormon response to ''Under the Banner of Heaven''

Mike Otterson, director of Media Relations for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), declared to the Associated Press that "This book is not history, and Krakauer is no historian. He is a storyteller who cuts corners to make the story sound good. His basic thesis appears to be that people who are religious are irrational, and that irrational people do strange things." Robert Millet, Professor of Religious Understanding at Brigham Young University, an LDS institution, reviewed the book and described it as confusing, poorly organized, "misleading", erroneous, prejudicial and insulting.

In response, Krakauer criticized the LDS Church hierarchy, citing the opinion of D. Michael Quinn, an historian who was excommunicated in 1993, who wrote that "The tragic reality is that there have been occasions when Church leaders, teachers, and writers have not told the truth they knew about difficulties of the Mormon past, but have offered to the Saints instead a mixture of platitudes, half-truths, omissions, and plausible denials." Krakauer wrote, "I happen to share Dr. Quinn's perspective."

''Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman''

In the October 25, 2007 season premiere of ''Iconoclasts'' on the Sundance Channel, Krakauer mentioned being deeply embroiled in the writing of a new book, but did not reveal the title, subject, or expected date of completion. Doubleday Publishing originally planned to release the book in the fall of 2008, but postponed the launch in June of that year, announcing that Krakauer was "unhappy with the manuscript".

The book, ''Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman'', was released by Doubleday on September 15, 2009. It draws on the journals and letters of Pat Tillman, an NFL professional football player and U.S. Army Ranger whose death in Afghanistan made him a symbol of American sacrifice and heroism, though it also became a subject of controversy about the handling of the announcement of his death by the U.S. Army. The book draws on the journals and letters of Tillman, interviews with his wife and friends, conversations with the soldiers who served alongside him, and research Krakauer performed in Afghanistan. It also serves in part as a historical narrative, providing a general history of the civil wars in Afghanistan.

A ''New York Times'' book review, written by Dexter Filkins, commented that the book provided a good compilation of the facts and "nauseating" details regarding a cover-up of Tillman's death.

As editor

, Krakauer edits the Exploration series of the Modern Library.

''60 Minutes'' and ''Three Cups of Deceit''

Krakauer was featured during a CBS ''60 Minutes'' report on April 17, 2011 where ''60 Minutes'' reporter Steve Kroft raised questions about humanitarian Greg Mortenson and the non-profit Central Asia Institute (CAI). Krakauer questioned the accuracy of events in Mortenson's book ''Three Cups of Tea'' and whether Mortenson was kidnapped by the Taliban in 1996 as described in his second book, ''Stones into Schools''. Krakauer went on to question Mortenson's credibility through the financial practices of CAI. Krakauer had been a financial supporter of Mortenson's work before becoming disillusioned with him and his management of CAI and had previously donated $75,000. The ''60 Minutes'' story largely retraced the conclusions Krakauer came to as described in his e-book, "Three Cups of Deceit - How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way". The e-book was released the day after the ''60 Minutes'' piece aired.

Scott Darsney, a respected mountaineer and friend of Greg Mortenson, wrote a response to Krakauer's allegations that were published as an exclusive article in ''Outside'' magazine's online version. Darnsey's response questioned the accuracy and fairness of both the Krakauer piece and the ''60 Minutes'' report. He further stated that Krakauer either misquoted or misunderstood what he said when interviewed by the author. Darnsey went on to say that Krakauer took Mortenson's experiences in Afghanistan and and Pakistan out of context and added, "If Jon Krakauer and some of Greg’s detractors had taken the time to have three or more cups of tea with Greg and others—instead of one cup of tea with a select few who would discredit him—they would have found some minor problems and transgressions. But to the extent to call it all ‘lies’ and ‘fraud’? No way." Darnsey stated in reference to the possibility that Mortenson has been dishonest in his financial dealings through CAI, "If Greg is misappropriating funds, then show me the luxury cars, fancy boats, and closets full of shoes. This is not a “ministry” or a business gone corrupt." The ''Outside'' article also touched on the allegations that Mortenson lied about being held captive by the Taliban. In light of that controversy, Darnsey stated, "Greg recounted to me his imprisonment in Waziristan when I met him in Beijing. I don’t doubt that he was held against his will." Darnsey's article went on to say that Krakauer is a respected journalist and a "stickler for details and getting the facts straight", but that he felt "the research needs to continue".

Selected bibliography

''Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men and Mountains'' (1990) ISBN 0-385-48818-1

''Into the Wild'' (1996) ISBN 0-385-48680-4

''Into Thin Air'' (1997) ISBN 0-385-49208-1 (expanded from the original Outside Online article)

''Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith'' (2003) ISBN 0-385-50951-0.

''Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman'' (2009)

''Three Cups of Deceit'' (2011)

References

External links

General McChrystal's Credibility Problem, by Jon Krakauer

To Save Afghanistan, Look to Its Past, by Jon Krakauer

Jon Krakauer articles at Byliner

Book Browse Biography

LDS Church response to Jon Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven

Krakauer's response to LDS Church criticism

Website for documentary ''Damned to Heaven'', based on Krakauer's ''Under the Banner of Heaven''

Category:1954 births Category:Living people Category:People from Brookline, Massachusetts Category:American journalists Category:American mountain climbers Category:American non-fiction outdoors writers Category:Hampshire College alumni Category:Mormon studies Category:People from Boulder, Colorado Category:People from Corvallis, Oregon Category:Journalists from Oregon Category:American summiters of Mount Everest

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