Rockall

Disputed island
Location of Rockall in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Geography
Location	North Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates	57°35′48″N 13°41′19″W / 57.59667°N 13.68861°W / 57.59667; -13.68861
Area	784.3 m2 (8,442 sq ft)
Length	31 m (102 ft)
Width	25.3 m (83 ft)
Highest point	Rockall 21.4 m (70 ft)
Administered by
Claimed by
Denmark
Autonomous province	Faroe Islands
Iceland
Ireland
United Kingdom
Council area	Na h-Eileanan Siar (Outer Hebrides), Scotland

Rockall (Irish: Rocal, Scottish Gaelic: Rocabarraigh) is an extremely small, uninhabited, remote rocky islet in the North Atlantic Ocean. It gives its name to one of the sea areas named in the shipping forecast provided by the British Meteorological Office.

Historically the islet has been referred to in Irish folklore, and since the late sixteenth century it has been noted in written records, although it is likely that some northern Atlantic fishing crews knew of the rock before these historical accounts were made. In the twentieth century the location of the islet became a major concern due to oil and fishing rights, spurring continued debate amongst several European nations.

Rockall has also been a point of interest for adventurers and amateur radio operators who variously in the past have landed on or occupied the islet for up to several months, although fewer than twenty individuals have ever been confirmed to have landed on Rockall.

In 1956 the British scientist James Fisher referred to the island as "the most isolated small rock in the oceans of the world."^[1] The neighbouring Hasselwood Rock and several other pinnacles of the surrounding Helen's Reef are however smaller, at half or less the size of Rockall and equally remote. Yet these formations are, while being noted in the Island of Rockall Act 1972, technically not considered islands or points on land per se, as they are often submerged completely, only revealed momentarily under certain types of swell and visible by ocean surface waves.

The ownership of Rockall is disputed, as are the exploration and fishing rights on the surrounding Rockall Bank and Trough, and the Rockall Plateau. The islet is claimed by Denmark (for the Faroe Islands), Iceland, Ireland and the United Kingdom. All four governments have made submissions to the commission set up under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The issue was included in the provisional agenda of the meeting of the commission to be held in New York from 7 March to 21 April 2011 and recommendations pursuant to Article 76 of the Convention were made.^[2]

The United Kingdom declared Rockall to be part of Inverness-shire, under the terms of the Island of Rockall Act 1972.

Etymology[link]

The southern face of Rockall in 2005. The neighbouring Hasselwood Rock is visible by breakers directly to the right of the islet.

The origin of the name Rockall is uncertain but it has been suggested that it derives from the Gaelic Sgeir Rocail, meaning skerry (or sea rock) of roaring,^[3] (although rocail can also be translated as "tearing" or "ripping").^[4][5] There may also be an etymological link with the Old Norse 'hrukka'.

The first literary reference to the island, where it is called Rokol, is found in Martin Martin's A Description of the Western isles of Scotland published in 1703. In the book the author gives an account of a voyage to the archipelago of St. Kilda and its proximity to Rockall: "... and from it lies Rokol, a small rock sixty leagues to the westward of St. Kilda; the inhabitants of this place call it 'Rokabarra'."^[6]

Dutch mapmakers P. Plancius and C. Claesz show an island 'Rookol' northwest of Ireland in the their Map of New France and the Northern Atlantic Ocean (Amsterdam, c. 1594). The name 'Rocabarraigh' is also used in Scottish Gaelic folklore for a mythical rock which is supposed to appear three times, the last being at the end of the world: "Nuair a thig Rocabarra ris, is dual gun tèid an Saoghal a sgrios" (When Rocabarra returns, the world will likely come to be destroyed).

It has most recently been suggested that the name derives ultimately from Old Norse, and comes from the word *rok (as in Icelandic rok), meaning 'foaming sea', and kollR, meaning 'bald head', a word which appears in other local names in Scandinavian-speaking areas.^[7] The Gaelic name would then be derivable from the Norse form.

Geography[link]

Winter waves breaking over the islet in January 1943.

The islet of Rockall makes up the eroded core of an extinct volcano (a volcanic plug), and is one of the few pinnacles of the surrounding Helen's Reef. It is located 301.4 kilometres (187.3 mi), or 162.7 nmi west of the island of Soay, St Kilda, Scotland, and 423.3 kilometres (263.0 mi), or 228.6 nmi, north-west of Tory Island, County Donegal, Ireland.^{[citation needed]} The surrounding elevated seabed is called the Rockall Bank, lying directly south from an area known as the Rockall Plateau. It is separated from the Western Isles by the Rockall Trough, itself located within the Rockall Basin. (Also known as the "Hatton Rockall Basin".) The Anton Dohrn Seamount is a submarine elevation on Rockall Trough about halfway between Rockall and the Outer Hebrides.^{[citation needed]}

Cold-water coral mounds have been identified in the region,^[8] They are currently being researched.^[9] Rockall lies near the Darwin Mounds, deep water coral mounds about 185 km (100 nmi or 115 mi) north-west of Cape Wrath.^{[citation needed]} These corals are long-lived and slow-growing, a justification for designating Rockall and the Rockall as a Marine Protected Area.^[10]

Rockall is about 25.3 metres (83 ft) wide and 31 metres (102 ft) long at its base^[11] and rises sheer to a height of approximately 21.4 metres (70 ft).^[12] It is regularly washed over by large storm waves, particularly in winter. There is a small ledge of 3.5 by 1.3 metres (11 by 4 ft), known as Hall's Ledge, 4 metres (13 ft) from the summit on the rock's western face.^[13] It is the only named geographical location on the rock, other than Rockall as a whole.^{[citation needed]}

The nearest point on land from Rockall is 301.4 kilometres (187.3 mi), or 162.7 nmi, east at the uninhabited Scottish island of Soay in the St. Kilda archipelago.^{[citation needed]} The nearest inhabited area lies 303.3 kilometres (188.5 mi), or 163.8 nmi, east^{[citation needed]} at Hirta, the largest island in the St. Kilda group, which is populated intermittently at a single military base.^[14][15] The nearest permanently inhabited settlement^{[citation needed]} is 367 kilometres (228 mi), or 198.1 nmi, west of the headland of Aird an Runair, near the crofting township of Hogha Gearraidh on the island of North Uist at NF705711 (57°36′33″N 7°31′7″W / 57.60917°N 7.51861°W / 57.60917; -7.51861 (Hogha Gearraidh / Hougharry)). North Uist is part of the Na h-Eileanan Siar council area of Scotland.

Ecology[link]

The island's only permanent macro-organism inhabitants are common periwinkles and other marine molluscs. Small numbers of seabirds, mainly fulmars, northern gannets, black-legged kittiwakes, and common guillemots, use the rock for resting in summer, and gannets and guillemots occasionally breed successfully if the summer is calm with no storm waves washing over the rock. In total there have been just over 20 species of seabird and 6 other animal species observed (including the aforementioned molluscs) on or near the islet.

Geology[link]

1889 illustration of Rockall.^[16]

The exact position of Rockall and the size and shape of the Rockall Bank was first charted in 1831 by Captain A.T.E. Vidal, a Royal Navy surveyor. The first scientific expedition to Rockall was led by Miller Christie in 1896 when the Royal Irish Academy sponsored a study of the flora and fauna.^[17] They chartered the Granuaile.^[1][18]

The RV Celtic Explorer surveyed the Rockall Bank and North West of Donegal in 2003.^[19] The ILV Granuaile was chartered by the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI), on behalf of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (DCMNR), to conduct a seismic survey at the Rockall and Hatton Banks in July 2004.^[20] The seismic survey was part of the National Seabed Survey which has been ongoing for four years.^[20]

Rockall is made of a type of peralkaline granite that is relatively rich in sodium and potassium. Within this granite are darker bands richer in the alkali pyroxene mineral aegirine and the alkali amphibole mineral riebeckite. The dark bands are a type of granite that geologists have named "rockallite", although use of this term is now discouraged. In 1975, a new mineral was discovered on Rockall. The mineral is called bazirite, (chemical composition BaZrSi₃O₉), named after the elements barium and zirconium.^[21] Rockall forms part of the deeply eroded Rockall Igneous Centre that was formed as part of the North Atlantic Igneous Province,^[22] approximately 55 million years ago, when the ancient continent of Laurasia was split apart by plate tectonics. Greenland and Europe separated and the north-east Atlantic Ocean was formed between them.^[23]

Disasters[link]

There have been disasters on the neighbouring Hasselwood Rock and Helen's Reef (the latter was not named until 1830).

• 1686 — a Spanish, French, or Spanish-French ship ran aground on Rockall. Several men of the crew, Spanish and French, were able to reach St. Kilda in a pinnace and save their lives. Some details of this event were recounted by Martin Martin in his A late voyage to St. Kilda, published in 1698.^[6] The ship was perhaps a fishing vessel based in the Bay of Biscay and bound for North Atlantic cod fisheries.
• 1812 — survey vessel Leonidas foundered on Helen's Reef.
• 1824 — brigantine Helen of Dundee, bound for Quebec, foundered at Hasselwood Rock; "the crew left most of the passengers to drown, including seven women and six children".
• 1904 — DFDS steamer SS Norge, 3,318 tons with 727 emigrants and a crew of 68, bound for New York on 28 June 1904; 635 lives were lost with the 163 survivors being taken to Stornoway.^[3]

There have also been reports in national newspapers in both Ireland and the United Kingdom that at least two unexploded bombs from World War II lie within a 250-metre radius of Rockall. At present, no attempts have been made to remove them.

Law of the Sea[link]

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea states, “Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.”

The convention was ratified by all four states in dispute over the Rockall Plateau – Iceland on 26 January 1985, Ireland on 21 January 1996, the United Kingdom on 25 July 1997 and Denmark on 16 November 2004.

The twenty-fourth session of the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) was held in New York from 10 August to 11 September 2009. Iceland,^[24] Ireland,^[25] and the United Kingdom^[26] have made submissions. Denmark will make a submission before 2014.^[27]

On 7 November 1988 the United Kingdom and Ireland agreed a delineation which ignores Rockall's existence and have granted exploration rights.^[28][29] This bilateral agreement is disputed by Iceland and by Denmark.^[27]

In 1997, the UK Government declared that "The United Kingdom's fishery limits will need to be redefined based on St Kilda, since Rockall is not a valid base point for such limits under Article 121(3) of the Convention". This is the only example to date of a state voluntarily downgrading an insular feature to "a rock" and thus reducing the area of its claimed maritime zones.^[30]

History and conflicting claims[link]

British claims[link]

Rockall is within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) claimed by the United Kingdom.^[31][32] In 1997, the UK ratified^[33] the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and thus relinquished any claim to an extension of its EEZ beyond the islet. The remaining issue is the status of the continental shelf rights of surrounding ocean floor. These are the exclusive rights to exploit any resources on or under the ocean floor (oil, natural gas, etc.) and should not be confused with the EEZ, as continental shelf rights do not carry any privileges with regard to fisheries. Ownership of these rights in the Rockall area are disputed between the United Kingdom, Denmark (for the Faroe Islands), Ireland and Iceland.

Lt Cdr Scott hoists the Union Flag in 1955

The nearest (seasonally) inhabited land to Rockall is Hirta, and the nearest permanently inhabited land is North Uist, both of which are in the United Kingdom (see above). In 1997 the United Kingdom ratified the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. In doing so it relinquished its right to claim an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 200 nmi (370 km) extending onward from the rock, as the agreement states that "Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf". However, as Rockall lies within 200 nmi (370 km) of both St. Kilda and North Uist, the island itself remains within the EEZ of the United Kingdom and, as such, under international law the UK can claim "…the sovereignty of the coastal state in relation to the exploitation, conservation and management of natural and living resources fishery and mineral resources" of the rock itself and an area of territorial waters extending for 12 nmi (22 km) around it. Furthermore, the United Kingdom and Ireland have signed an EEZ boundary agreement which includes Rockall in the United Kingdom area.

Rockall, and a large sea area around it, was declared as coming under the jurisdiction of Scots law under the Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order (map) in 1999. This sea area is co-terminous with the UK's EEZ.^[34]

The date for the earliest recorded landing on the island is often given as 8 July 1810, when a Royal Navy officer named Basil Hall led a small landing party from the frigate HMS Endymion to the summit. However, research by James Fisher of the 1955 landing (see below) in the log of the Endymion and elsewhere, indicates that the true date for this first landing was Sunday 8 September 1811.^[35]

The Endymion was taking depth measurements around Rockall when it drifted away in a haze. The expedition made a brief attempt to find the frigate in the haze, but soon gave up and returned to Rockall. After the haze became a fog, the lookout sent to the top of Rockall spotted the ship again, but it turned away from Rockall before the expedition in their boats reached it. Finally, just before sunset, the frigate was again spotted from the top of Rockall, and the expedition was able to get back on board. The crew of the Endymion reported that they had been searching for five or six hours, firing their cannon every ten minutes. Hall related this experience and other adventures in a book entitled Fragment of Voyages and Travels Including Anecdotes of a Naval Life.

The next landing was accomplished by a Mr Johns of HMS Porcupine, whilst the ship was on a mission, from June and August 1862, to make a survey of the sea bed prior to the laying of a transatlantic telegraph cable. Johns managed to gain foothold on the island, but failed to reach the summit.

On 18 September 1955 at precisely 10.16 am, in what would be the final territorial expansion of the British Empire, the island was officially annexed by the British Crown when Lieutenant-Commander Desmond Scott RN, Sergeant Brian Peel RM, Corporal AA Fraser RM, and James Fisher (a civilian naturalist and former Royal Marine), were deposited on the island by a Royal Navy helicopter from HMS Vidal (coincidentally named after the man who first charted the island). The team cemented in a brass plaque on Hall's Ledge and hoisted the Union Flag to stake the UK's claim. The inscription on the plaque read:

By authority of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, and in accordance with Her Majesty's instructions dated the 14th day of September, 1955, a landing was effected this day upon this island of Rockall from HMS Vidal. The Union flag was hoisted and possession of the island was taken in the name of Her Majesty. [Signed] R H Connell, Captain, HMS Vidal, 18 September 1955.

In 2010, it was revealed that the plaque had gone missing. An Englishman, Andy Strangeway, announced his intention to land on the island and affix a replacement plaque in June 2010.^[36] The Western Isles Council have approved planning permission for the plaque.^[37] The 2010 expedition was cancelled, but Strangeway still intends to replace the plaque.^[38] This he intends to do in 2011.^[39]

The formal annexation of Rockall was announced by the Admiralty on 21 September 1955. The initial incentive for this had little to do with any territorial claim to rights of exploitation of the seas around the island. It was the test firing of the UK's first guided nuclear weapon, the American-made Corporal missile. The missile was to be launched from South Uist and over the North Atlantic. The Ministry of Defence was concerned that the unclaimed island would provide a unique opportunity for the Soviet Union to spy on the test by placing surveillance equipment on the island; and so in April 1955 a request was sent to the Admiralty to seize the island, and declare UK sovereignty lest it become an outpost for foreign observers.

On 10 February 1972, the Island of Rockall Act received Royal Assent to make the island administratively part of the Isle of Harris (St. Kilda being administratively part of Harris), in what was then Inverness-shire, fully incorporating it into the United Kingdom. A navigational beacon was later installed on the island and the UK declared that no ship would be allowed within a 50-mile (80 km) radius of the rock.^{[citation needed]} In United Kingdom law,^{[citation needed]} it now falls administratively under the Outer Hebrides.

Former SAS member and survival expert Tom McClean lived on the island from 26 May 1985 to 4 July 1985 to affirm the UK's claim to the island.^[40]

Rockall 2011 is an expedition to be undertaken by Nick Hancock in order to raise money for the charity Help for Heroes.^[41] The challenge is to land on Rockall and survive solo for 60 days thereby setting a record for the longest occupation of Rockall. It had been proposed that this landing would coincide with the 200th anniversary of the first recorded landing on Rockall, by the Royal Navy in 1811. However, it is now intended for the end of May 2012.

Danish/Faroese claims in the area[link]

The Faroe Islands are an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark. Since 1948 they have had self-government in almost all matters except defence and foreign affairs. Consequently their interests in Rockall are represented by Denmark. On their behalf, Denmark claims continental shelf rights in the Hatton-Rockall area.

A communiqué issued by the Prime Minister's Office on 7 May 1985 announced the designation of not only the seabed in the immediate vicinity of the Faroes but also a vast area of the Rockall plateau to the south west. The press release which accompanied the communiqué indicated that the legal basis of this designation was the assumption that "the Faroe Islands are part of the microcontinent" formed by the "Faroes-Rockall Plateau", an "elevated plain with its summit in the Faroe Islands".^[42]

Icelandic claims in the area[link]

Iceland does not claim the rock itself, considering it irrelevant as far as delimitation of EEZs and continental shelf is concerned. Iceland however claims an extended continental shelf in the Hatton-Rockall area.

Iceland considers St. Kilda to be "a minuscule, effectively uninhabited, islet, categorized under article 121(3) of the Law of the Sea Convention". Furthermore St. Kilda lies outside the British territorial sea limit. Therefore it is not an "equitable basepoint for an equidistant line".^[43]

Iceland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1985; it was the first Western country to do so. A regulation was issued by the government in that same year outlining the area where Iceland claimed continental shelf rights for itself; the regulation^[44] was based on legislation^[45] from 1979 claiming for Iceland the exclusive right to research and exploitation of continental shelf-based resources within the limits of the Icelandic continental shelf. Regarding the Hatton-Rockall area, it claims the area within 60 nautical miles (110 km) from the foot of the continental shelf and assumes that the UK and Ireland cannot claim a continental shelf outside their EEZs. To its fullest extent, this area reaches about 700 nautical miles (1,300 km) to the south from Iceland's coast, which is further south than the United Kingdom's southernmost point.

In 2001, Iceland began working on its submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf; it is scheduled to finish in 2007. The most important aspect of this work is to survey the entire ocean floor in the areas claimed outside the EEZ and, in Iceland's case, a part of the area inside the EEZ as well. In all, 1.3 million square kilometres (500,000 sq mi) have been surveyed by Icelandic marine research institutions for this purpose, an area 13 times larger than the land area of Iceland. The commission does however not make proposals regarding areas that are claimed by two or more states unless they have already reached an agreement on its division. Therefore Iceland's submission is expected to deal only with the area that just Iceland has claimed and not the Hatton-Rockall area. Iceland also hosted an informal meeting of all parties to the dispute in 2001. It was the first such meeting regarding the dispute where all four countries participated.

Irish claims to areas around Rockall[link]

Historically, the Irish claim to the rock was based on its distance from a mainland^[46] (the islet being nearer to the island of Ireland (specifically County Donegal, Republic of Ireland) than to the island of Great Britain) while the UK's claim was based on Rockall's distance from the Western Isles. Rockall is 430 kilometres (270 mi) from County Donegal.^[47] Ireland regards Rockall as merely an uninhabitable rock without any territorial waters and thus irrelevant when determining the boundaries of the exclusive economic zones.^[48][49]

According to a Written Parliamentary Answer from the Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs on 14 June 1990, an agreement^[28][28] was reached between the British and Irish governments on delimitation of the continental shelf between the two countries and that this included a line of delimitation across the Rockall Plateau.^[50] As a result, a very extensive area under Irish jurisdiction, including part of the Rockall Trough and Plateau, is not disputed by the United Kingdom. No further negotiations were taking place in relation to the rock at the time.

More recently, on 11 June 2003, the Irish Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources gave a Written Parliamentary Answer, stating: "Ireland claims an extended continental shelf ... up to more than 500 nautical miles (926 km), particularly in the Hatton–Rockall area".^[51]

As the United Nations^[52] has no mandate regarding issues of delimitation between neighbouring states and cannot consider an area under dispute without the agreement of all the parties concerned, Ireland has participated in informal discussions with Iceland and the Faroe Islands in an attempt to resolve the dispute before making its submission to the Commission.

Independent Irish politician Seán Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus (1927–2010), a former Lord Mayor of Dublin (1995–1996), long advocated that Ireland make a territorial claim on Rockall, and enthusiastically supported Greenpeace's occupation. Loftus, who had changed his name by deed poll to "Seán Dublin Bay Loftus" to highlight his campaign for the protection of the environment of Dublin Bay, changed it again, adding "Rockall" to demonstrate his commitment to an Irish claim on the islet.

"Waveland" and the Greenpeace occupation[link]

In 1997, the environmentalist organisation Greenpeace occupied the islet for a short time as a publicity stunt,^[53] calling it Waveland, to protest against oil exploration. Greenpeace declared the island to be a "new Global State" (in this case qualifying it as a micronation) called Waveland, and offered citizenship to anyone willing to take their pledge of allegiance. The British Government's response was simply to give them permission to be there, and otherwise ignore them. Indeed, when asked, the Home Office responded that since Rockall was part of the United Kingdom, and since the United Kingdom was a free country, Greenpeace were perfectly entitled to be at Rockall.^{[citation needed]}

Negotiations[link]

Ongoing talks have been held over the last five years^[when?] with the aim of reaching an agreement which will end the dispute over territorial rights to Rockall-Hatton basin.

Reykjavík conference[link]

Representatives from the UK, Ireland, Iceland, and Denmark, met in Reykjavík, Iceland in September 2007^[54] for negotiations over territorial rights over the continental shelf in the area. The final boundary will be determined by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. The parties have until May 2009 to submit reports to the commission, which it will take into account when determining the boundary. The involved nations have the option of submitting separate reports, or a joint one.

Ownership of the rock itself did not form part of the negotiations.^[55]

Copenhagen conference[link]

In November 2007, talks were held in Copenhagen. Here a template for a deal was secured by Irish, Danish, British and Icelandic diplomats.

Dublin conference[link]

As a follow-up to Copenhagen, the Government of Ireland was to host negotiations. They were due to commence in January 2008, but were postponed because of elections in the Faroe Islands. The talks are hoped to bring the four nations closer to reaching an agreement over the Rockall-Hatton basin. It is understood a final deal is not likely to be agreed at the Dublin meeting.^[56] The Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs at the time, Dermot Ahern said

There have certainly been protracted talks, but that is not unusual when one considers the complexity of the issue at hand and the competing interests. However, there was some progress made at the last talks in Copenhagen. I believe further progress can be made in Dublin. The deadline is May 2009 so we have time on our hands. It is in the interests of Ireland, UK, Denmark and Iceland to come to a deal on the division of the seabed area. We have come to outline agreements in relation to other parts of our seabed in the Atlantic. There is no reason ultimately why we also can't do a deal on this protracted issue. Finding a deal is a significant challenge but the rewards are there for future generations from all four countries.

References to Rockall in popular culture[link]

The 1955 British landing, complete with the trappings such as the hoisting the flag, caused a certain amount of popular amusement, with some seeing it as a sort of farcical end to imperial expansion. The satirists Flanders and Swann sang a successful piece entitled "Rockall", playing on the similarity of the word to the vulgar expression "fuck all". Similarly, in The Goon Show episode "Napoleon's Piano" Seagoon made a less-than-triumphant landfall on Rockall with the titular piano. Rockall was the launching site for the prototype "Jet propelled guided NAAFI" in the Goon Show episode of the same name. Musty Mind, the parody of Mastermind on the lunchtime radio programme of Noel Edmonds featured a send-up subject, The Cultural and Social History of Rockall. And the cast of I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again claimed to have spent the break between two series of the programme making a "triumphant tour of Rockall".

In literature, it has been suggested that Rockall is the rock which forms the setting for William Golding's novel Pincher Martin. The Master, a 1957 novel by T. H. White, is set inside Rockall.^[57] William Sarjeant's series of fantasy novels, The Perilous Quest for Lyonesse is set in an imaginary version of Rockall. Ben Fogle made a claim to Rockall by sticking a post-it note onto the rock bearing the words "Property of Ben Fogle" in his book Offshore. Rockall is cited several times in Kirmen Uribe's 2008 novel, Bilbao-New York-Bilbao.

In Steve Bell's Guardian cartoon strip, one of the characters – a penguin – annexes and claims Rockall as the "People's Republic of Rockall".

In music, Irish rebel music band the Wolfe Tones released a track called "Rock on Rockall" that argues against the supposed British ownership of the rock and supports an Irish claim.^[58] English post-punk band Gang of Four reference the rock in the 1979 song "Ether" (from the album Entertainment!), in the line "There may be oil ... under Rockall," possibly a reference to the disputed exploitation rights. Icelandic jazz-funk band Mezzoforte in 1983 released a piece of music entitled Rockall. The House Band named their 1996 album after the island.

In Part Seven of his novel, The Cruel Sea, author Nicolas Monsarrat has the fictitious British naval corvette Saltash receive a message ordering it to "Remain on patrol in vicinity of Rockall" as the end of the Second World War approaches.

See also[link]

• List of outlying islands of Scotland
• Socotra Rock

Notes[link]

References[link]

Other sources[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rockall

• British Birds, birds breeding on Rockall. 86: 16–17, 320–321 (1993).
• Houses of the Oireachtas, Parliament of Ireland – Tithe an Oireachtais debate with the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Dáil Éireann, 1 November 1973.
• Martin Martin A Description of the Western isles of Scotland (1716).

External links[link]

• Rockall.name – a complex website about the islet available in both English and Czech
• RockallIsland.co.uk – a website detailing the MSØIRC/p amateur radio expedition of 16 June 2005
• Rockall2011.com – a website advocating a charitable fund for soldiers based on a pending expedition to Rockall in 2011
• Rockall.be – a website on the MMØRAI/p amateur radio expedition to Rockall in 2011
• Waveland.org – official website of the former micronation Waveland based on Rockall
• 1955: Britain claims Rockall – "On This Day" story of British claim to Rockall from BBC's official website
• British journalist Ben Fogle attempts to claim Rockall
• Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs map showing all parties' claims to the continental shelf around Rockall.

Coordinates: 57°35′48″N 13°41′19″W / 57.59667°N 13.68861°W / 57.59667; -13.68861

Kid Rock
Kid Rock performs on a United Service Organizations show at Camp Phoenix, January 2006.
Background information
Birth name	Robert James Ritchie
Born	(1971-01-17) January 17, 1971 (age 41) Romeo, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Rock, hip hop, rap rock, rap metal, heavy metal, southern rock, blues
Occupations	Musician, singer-songwriter, actor, rapper
Instruments	vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, banjo, slide guitar, steel guitar, lap steel guitar, pedal steel guitar, dobro, keyboards, piano, organ, mellotron, synthesizers, turntables, drums, percussion, talkbox
Years active	1988–present
Labels	Atlantic, Jive, Top Dog
Associated acts	Uncle Kracker, Joe C., Champtown, Yelawolf, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Martina McBride, R. Kelly, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Too Short, Ice Cube, Chuck Nice, Run-D.M.C., Aerosmith, Ludacris, Eminem, Methods of Mayhem, LL Cool J, Esham, Hank Williams Jr., The Howling Diablos, T.I., Bob Seger, Zac Brown, Gretchen Wilson, Robert Bradley, Diana Ross, Dope, Monster Magnet, Hed PE, D Nice, Yo-Yo, Limp Bizkit, Staind, Blink-182, Powerman 5000, Professional Murder Music, Metallica, Sevendust, Creed, Korn, System of Down, Buckcherry, Fuel, David Allen Coe, Lit, Tenacious D, Saliva, Puddle of Mudd, Gov't Mule, Jerry Cantrell, Peter Frampton, Whitestarr, Dicky Betts, Peter Wolf, Bon Jovi, Paradime, Allison Moorer, Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Mohammed Omar, Pamela Anderson
Website	KidRock.com

Robert James "Bob" Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations. Kid Rock released several studio albums that mostly went unnoticed before his 1998 record Devil Without a Cause, released with Atlantic Records, sold 11 million albums behind the hits, "Bawitdaba", "Cowboy", and "Only God Knows Why". In 2000, he released The History of Rock, a compilation of remixed and remastered versions of songs from previous albums as well as the hit single, "American Bad Ass" and the previously unreleased "Abortion".

Kid Rock released the follow-up in 2001, Cocky. After a slow start, his country-flavored hit "Picture" with Sheryl Crow resurrected the album and it went gold as a single and pushed the album's sales over 5 million. It was followed by 2003's self-titled release, which went platinum in the USA and reached No. 8 on the Billboard charts. In 2006 he released Live Trucker, a greatest hits live album that went mostly unnoticed.

He made his comeback in 2007. Kid Rock released Rock n Roll Jesus, which produced a hit in "All Summer Long". It was his first worldwide smash hit, charting No. 1 in eight countries across Europe and in Australia.^[1][2] Rock N Roll Jesus sold 5 million albums worldwide and was certified triple platinum in the U.S. He released Born Free on November 16, 2010. It was announced on June 16, 2011 that "Born Free" was certified platinum by the 'Recording Industry Association Of America' (RIAA) for selling more than one million copies. This gives Kid Rock his sixth Platinum album certification and gives him a career tally of 23 million albums sold.

His sales are not aided by iTunes, as he has boycotted sales of his music on the service. This also affects his singles' chart positions without digital downloads added in (for example, "All Summer Long" only peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100). The only Kid Rock album available on iTunes is "Grits Sandwiches For Breakfast" because Jive Records owns the rights to the album.

Early life[link]

Robert James "Bob" Ritchie was born on January 17, 1971 in Romeo, Michigan to William "Bill" Ritchie, a car dealer who owned several local dealerships, and Susan Ritchie. His family also owned a six-acre orchard and Ritchie regularly helped pick apples and cared for the family's horses.^[3] He has three siblings: two are older, brother William "Billy" Ritchie and sister Carol Ritchie; and one is younger, sister Jill Ritchie who is an actress.^[4] Ritchie found small-town life dull; he became interested in rap music, learned how to breakdance and participated in talent shows in the Detroit area.^[5] At age eleven he joined a breakdance crew called the Furious Funkers, and taught himself to work a cheap belt-driven turntable. In high school, Ritchie DJed at parties for beer. He eventually joined Bo Wisdom of Groove Time Productions, in Mt. Clemens, Michigan to perform basement parties for thirty dollars a night. He was then given his stage name; club goers dubbed him "Kid Rock" after they had enjoyed watching "that white kid rock."

Ritchie eventually ran away to Mt Clemens at 15 and stayed with his friend Chris Pouncy. He was forced to sell drugs out of a car wash he worked at by a local drug gang known as the "Best Friends". A man in the neighborhood, angered by the actions, organized a rap group to keep the neighborhood kids out of trouble. It was composed of The Blackman (founder of the group), Champtown, KDC, Chris "Doc Roun-Cee" Pouncy and Bob. They were known as "The Beast Crew". Rock befriended producer D-Nice of the legendary hip-hop group Boogie Down Productions. When Rock opened for BDP one night, D-Nice invited an A&R representative from Jive Records to see him perform. This meeting led to a demo deal, which developed into a full record contract.

Against his parents' wishes, Rock signed the deal at age seventeen. Despite his new record deal, he had a falling out with The Beast Crew when he signed over fellow member Champtown (the two have become friends again since). They left his vocals on the tracks of their debut underground album "Chapter 1: He Don't Want Us No More," against his wishes. Rock later became part of the Straight From The Underground Tour alongside several heavyweights of rap including Ice Cube, Too Short, D-Nice, Mac Dre, and Yo-Yo.

Career[link]

Early career[link]

On December 30, 1990 Kid Rock released his debut album Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast. As noted by Insane Clown Posse member Violent J, this album made Kid Rock one of the two biggest rap stars in Detroit in 1990, along with local independent rapper Esham.^[6][7] Though Jive Records did not push the album it gained infamy when radio station WSUC-FM (90.5) of Cortland, NY was fined $23,700 by the FCC for playing the song Yo Da-Lin In the Valley then the largest fine against a radio station. Kid Rock's career had begun to decline towards the end of 1990.^[7] Jive Records released Kid Rock from his contract in 1991. Once back in Detroit he became friends with Uncle Kracker after battling his brother in a freestyle rapping competition; Uncle Kracker became Kid Rock's DJ.

In late 1991 Kid Rock was picked up by an independent record label called Continuum Records. Though Insane Clown Posse's Violent J disliked Kid Rock's rapping style, he paid Kid Rock to appear on Insane Clown Posse's first album, Carnival of Carnage in 1992, in an attempt to gain notice for the album.^[7] Kid Rock showed up to record the song "Is That You?" intoxicated, but re-recorded his vocals and record scratching the following day.^[7] In March 1993, Continuum released his second album The Polyfuze Method, which featured a more rap rock-oriented sound with Kid Rock teaching himself how to play several different instruments including guitar, drums, keyboard and organ. The album saw some local college radio success at Central Michigan University with the tracks "Back From The Dead" and "Balls In Your Mouth". He released "U Don't Know Me" as the first single from the album, but it failed to chart, and the music video received little airplay on major music video channels. Kid Rock re-released "Back From The Dead" as a single to mainstream radio, but that too failed as a single. The album has sold around 15,000 copies.

He released an EP called Fire It Up in December 1993. The EP featured the song "I Am the Bullgod" which wouldn't be a hit until six years later. Continuum didn't see a future with Kid Rock after this and released him from his contract in 1994.

He moved back to Detroit where his on again off again relationship with Kelly South resulted in a son Robert James Ritchie Jr. Kid Rock released monthly demo tapes dubbed The Bootleg Series which featured demos of him and other up-and coming rappers and garage rock bands in the Detroit area. Around the same time Kid Rock formed his back up band Twisted Brown Trucker, later recruiting Joseph "Joe C." Calleja whom he met at a 1994 concert as part of the group. In 1995 Rock took a job as a janitor at Whiterooms Studios to pay studio fees. When he wasn't working, Kid Rock recorded the material that eventually made up his fourth album Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp, which Rock released on his own label Top Dog Records. During the recording process he met piano player Jimmie Bones who joined the band soon after. The album was released on February 12, 1996. A loan from his father aided the release and Kid Rock sold 6,000 copies from the trunk of his car including after his concerts.

Lava/Atlantic Records A&R man Andy Karp was interested, after seeing Kid Rock in Cleveland in December 1996 and again in March 1997. Following a two song demo tape containing "Somebody's Gotta Feel This" and "I Got One For Ya" [Jason Flom] supported Karp in signing Kid Rock for $100,000.^[8] However, when recording sessions began Atlantic wanted more of a rock sound and didn't initially like "Cowboy," "Devil Without A Cause" and "Only God Knows Why." They asked Rock to take out the "I'm going platinum" line on the tile track's chorus but he refused. The conflict slowed down production, however Devil Without a Cause was completed on schedule with Rock mostly playing all the instruments himself.

[edit] Devil Without a Cause to Cocky (1997–2002)

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In 1997, Kid Rock added drummer/vocalist Stefanie Eulinberg to his band, joining Kenny Olson, Jason Krause, Jimmie Bones, Uncle Kracker, Misty Love, Shirley Hayden and Joe C.. On August 18, 1998, Atlantic released Devil Without a Cause behind the single "Welcome 2 The Party." Kid Rock went on the Vans Warped Tour to support the album, performing one of his first New York City shows at Luna Lounge on the Lower East Side during the CMJ convention.

Sales of "Welcome 2 The Party" and Devil were slow, though the 1998 Warped Tour in Northampton, Massachusetts stimulated regional interest in Massachusetts and New England. This led to substantial airplay in the summer and fall of 1998 on rock staples in Massachusetts WZLX and WAAF for the single "I Am The Bullgod." In December 1998, while DJ'ing at a club he met and became friends with MTV host Carson Daly. He performed on MTV Fashionably Loud in Miami, then on MTV's Wanna B A VJ doing "My Name Is Rock" and was the DJ for TRL on the Spring Break Special as well as a judge on Say What Karaoke. This raised his profile so by April 1999 Devil Without a Cause had achieved a gold disc.^[9] In May 1999 the single "Bawitdaba" off the album was released to radio outlets, and by June, Devil had gone platinum.^[9] Kid Rock went on his first major tour, Limptropolis, with Limp Bizkit and Staind. By the time he made his career defining performance at Woodstock 1999 on July 24, 1999, he was double platinum.^[9] The following single "Cowboy" was an even bigger hit. It was a mix of southern rock, country and rap that made the Top 40. Rock's next single, the rock ballad "Only God Knows Why", was the biggest hit off the album charting at No 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. By the time the final single "Wasting Time" was released the album had sold 7 million albums, Devil Without A Cause was certified 11 times platinum by the RIAA on April 17, 2003.^[9]

Rock was nominated as Best New Artist at the 2000 Grammy Awards, but lost to Christina Aguilera. He was nominated for "Bawitdaba" for Best Hard Rock Performance, but lost to Metallica's "Whiskey in the Jar."

After reacquiring the rights to his early material in 2000, Rock released The History of Rock, a collection of remixed and re-recorded songs from The Polyfuze Method and Early Mornin Stoned Pimp. "American Bad Ass", one of two new tracks, was released as a single. It sampled the Metallica track "Sad But True".

On May 27 Kid Rock appeared on Saturday Night Live performing "American Bad Ass" and an acoustic version of "Only God Knows Why" that featured Phish's Trey Anastasio. Kid Rock joined Phish later in the year in Las Vegas, Nevada, for a set of cover songs.

A 2000 tour in which David Allan Coe performed as an opening act for Kid Rock was the subject of criticism from journalist Neil Strauss, who alleged that Coe's songs were racist.^[10]

From June 30 to August 22, 2000, Kid Rock joined the Summer Sanitarium Tour with Metallica, Korn, Powerman 5000, and System of a Down. Kid Rock filled in for James Hetfield of Metallica, singing vocals on the songs "Enter Sandman", "Sad But True", and "Nothing Else Matters" and the turntables for "Fuel", for three shows after Hetfield injured his spine riding a jet ski on Lake Lanier the day before the July 7 Atlanta concert.

On November 16, 2000 Joseph "Joe C" Calleja died in his sleep from Coeliac disease in Taylor, MI. The disease stunted his growth and forced him to take 60 pills a day. Joe C's final song was "Cool Daddy Cool" for the Osmosis Jones soundtrack. The band made a cameo in the movie as the band playing in the club scene. Kid Rock was referred to as Kidney Rock to go along with the cartoon aspect of being a cell in the body of Frank played by Bill Murray.

In early 2001, Rock inducted Aerosmith into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and performed "Sweet Emotion" at the induction ceremony. The same year, Rock landed his first acting role in the David Spade white trash comedy Joe Dirt. His character was Robbie a redneck bully to Joe Dirt who was chasing after Joe's unaware love interest Brandy.

"American Bad Ass" was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 2001 Grammy Awards. Losing out to Rage Against The Machine's "Guerilla Radio". The History of Rock would go on to be certified double platinum.

In November, Kid Rock blessed us with Cocky, which was marketed as the official follow up to Devil Without a Cause. With the era of rap metal on the decline, Kid Rock included several southern rock and country ballads on the album. The first single, "Forever", featured his standard brash rap-rock sound, but lacked the selling power of "Devil Without A Cause". The songs "Lonely Road of Faith"and "You Never Met a Motherfucker Quite Like Me" were released as singles, but were only minor hits, and the album struggled to reach platinum a year later. Rock had problems with the release of "Picture", a country-influenced duet with Sheryl Crow: his label felt it was wrong for his image, and was not keen to spend more money promoting a flagging album; then, when they agreed to release it, Sheryl Crow's label initially refused to give permission. Rock, meanwhile, made a radio version with Allison Moorer, which was gaining airplay. Crow's label caved and their version was finally released. When "Picture" was released it introduced Kid Rock to a wider audience, and was ultimately the most successful single on the album.^[11] The song would chart at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on Country radio. The song remains his most successful pop song in the U.S. to date.

On December 14, 2001, CMT aired an episode of Crossroads featuring Rock with Hank Williams, Jr. The episode drew 2.1 million viewers, a record on CMT.^[12] He would perform for troops in January 2002 on an MTV USO Special at Germany's Ramstein Air Base along with Ja Rule and Jennifer Lopez.

At the end of 2002, Uncle Kracker left the band to pursue a solo career, and Detroit underground rapper Paradime replaced him. Kid Rock made his second movie, Biker Boyz, with Laurence Fishburne.

[edit] Kid Rock to Rock n Roll Jesus (2003–2009)

In 2003, Kid Rock returned with an eponymous album, almost stripping away the accustomed rap metal sound he had created, opting for southern rock and several country ballads in the wake of "Picture"'s success. The album's lead single was a cover of Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love". A media blitz accompanied the single capped off by the VH-1 special called A Kid Rock Christmas, which aired on December 14, 2003. He would release "Cold and Empty", "Jackson, Mississippi" and "I Am" I Am (Kid Rock song) to minor success on radio. The David Allan Coe-penned "Single Father", became his second charting country song, although like the other singles it was minor hit at #50.^[9] The album would go on to go platinum.

Kid Rock was involved in the halftime show controversy at Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston, Texas on February 1, 2004. He was criticized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars for desecrating the American flag, by wearing one slit in the middle as a poncho.^[13]

The following month, Kid inducted Bob Seger into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In September 2005, Kid Rock filled in for Johnny Van Zant, the lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd on the band's hit "Sweet Home Alabama" at the Hurricane Katrina benefit concert.^[14]

He performed the theme song for Spike TV's Striperella, which featured Pamela Anderson in 2003, the song was entitled "Erotica". He appeared in cartoon form on some episodes.

Kid Rock in concert on September 16, 2006 in Denver, Colorado.

On February 28, 2006, Kid Rock released his first live album, Live Trucker, comprising songs from his homestead performances in Clarkston (on September 1, 2000, and August 26 through August 28, 2004), and Detroit's Cobo Hall (March 26, 2004). The album contained the last two performances of Joe C. on "Devil Without a Cause" and "Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp," as well as Kid duetting with country star Gretchen Wilson on "Picture."^[15]

He brought Bob Seger back from semi-retirement during his pre-Super Bowl concerts on February 2 and 3, 2006 in Detroit. The two performed a version of Seger's "Rock 'n' Roll Never Forgets" on both nights. Kid Rock would appear on Bob Seger's album, Face the Promise, on a Vince Gill cover of "Real Mean Bottle," a tribute to country legend Merle Haggard. He would make a cameo in the movie Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector and was in an episode of CSI: New York in 2006.

He inducted Lynyrd Skynyrd into the 2006 Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and performed "Sweet Home Alabama" with them.

Rock n Roll Jesus was released on October 9, 2007, becoming Kid Rock's first album to go number 1, selling 172,000 copies in its first week.^[16] He made the cover of Rolling Stone magazine for the second time,^[17] and appeared for the first time on Larry King Live to discuss the new album.

The album's first two singles were successful on rock radio in "So Hott" and "Amen". The album's third single "All Summer Long", became a global hit. It utilized a mash up of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" and Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London".^[18] "All Summer Long" would chart at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Rock n Roll Jesus" returned to the Top 10 for 17 straight weeks. Both "Roll On" and the title track were released as follow-up singles. The album's final single was "Blue Jeans and a Rosary" which was a minor country hit at No. 50.

In 2008, Kid Rock recorded "Warrior" for a National Guard advertising campaign.^[19][20]

Kid Rock performing at WrestleMania XXV for the Divas Battle Royal on April 5, 2009.

Kid Rock performed on VH1 Storytellers on November 27, 2008, giving an insight to how he wrote some of his hit songs. On April 5, 2009 he performed a 5-song medley at WrestleMania XXV.

He was nominated for best rock album and best male pop/rock performance for "All Summer Long" at the 2009 Grammys. He lost to Coldplay's Viva La Vida for best Rock Album and John Mayer's "Say" for Best Male Pop/Rock Performance. He achieved his first country award winning for Best Wide Open Country Video for "All Summer Long" at the 2009 CMT Awards.

On May 22 Kid Rock's June 8, 2008 concert at Germany's Rock AM Festival was aired on every MTV affiliate around the world on their debut show "World Stage".^[21]

At the 2008 Download Festival Kid Rock was meant to appear between Seether and Disturbed on the Main Stage but pulled out at the last minute. It was first announced that this was due to illness.^[22] Rock later claimed he left the festival grounds after becoming dissatisfied with the amenities.^[23] But, the following year, Download's booker theorized that it had been due to a broken heart.^[24]

On July 3, 2009 "Rock N Roll Jesus" was certified triple platinum by the RIAA. Two weeks later, Kid Rock performed at Comerica Park on July 17 and 18, 2009.

[edit] Born Free (2009–present)

In April 2010 Kid Rock started the Born Free era off with a spring cruise dubbed "The Chillin The Most Cruise". Then he followed that up by hosting the CMT Awards in June and performed "Cowboy".

Kid Rock released Born Free on November 16, 2010 and it debuted at No 5 selling 189,000 copies in its first week. The album was produced by Rick Rubin and featured David Hidalgo and Matt Sweeney on guitar as well as Chad Smith on drums and Benmont Tench on keys and piano. The album became his first album without a parental advisory sticker on it. The album's lead single was the patriotic "Born Free." It peaked at No 14 on the mainstream rock charts, it also charted on the country and hot ac chart. It was the theme song to the 2010 MLB playoffs on TBS as well as WWE's Tribute To The Troops Special. The album reached gold status on December 15, 2010. The follow up single was the southern working man's anthem "God Bless Saturday", which peaked at no 37 on the mainstream rock tracks. It is the secondary theme song for College Gameday on ESPN. The third single was "Collide", Sheryl Crow rejoined him along with Bob Seger (on piano). They then went on a joint tour together the song peaked at No 26 on the hot ac chart and no 51 on the country chart. The next single "Purple Sky" a cover of Jason Boland would fail to chart. In November 2011, Kid Rock released "Care" a protest song about current politics in D.C. There were multiple versions released for the single. The album version feat. Martina McBride and T.I., the international single feat. Mary J. Blige. The last version which was released when Martina McBride's label wouldn't let her in on the music video, and the video was shot with the Pistol Annie's Angeleena Pressley. Id peaks no 26 on the hot ac chart and no 58 on the country chart. An ep was released in the Detroit area along with the album called the Racing Father Time EP feat. It included remixes of Slow My Roll and Lonely Road Of Faith along with "The Midwest Fall" and "Forty". Born Free went platinum in July 2011.

On January 15, 2011 Kid Rock celebrated his 40th birthday with a performance at Ford Field in Detroit. The marathon concert featured Uncle Kracker, Peter Wolfe, Rev Run, Sheryl Crow, Cindy Crawford, Jimmie Johnson and Anita Baker. He also returned to Comerica Park on August 12 and 13.In December he went a 12 city club tour and donated proceeds to various charities in each city to support his single "Care". Kid Rock became the first musician to play in a recorded concert for television at Elvis Presley's Graceland on November 28, 2011 when PBS taped an episode for their Live from the Artists Den series that will air beginning February 24, 2012. He performed "Born Free" at a Michigan Rally for Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney in February as well. On May 12, 2012 he will perform a benefit concert with the Detroit Orchestra, in hopes to raise 1 million dollars.

On December 7, 2011 Kid Rock joined Metallica on-stage at The Fillmore San Francisco during the 30 Years of Metallica celebration (Day 2) to perform Seger's "Turn the Page". On April 14, 2012 he along with Travis McCoy, Black Thought,?uestlove and The Roots performed a medley of Beastie Boys classics at the 2012 Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony.

Kid Rock is currently in the studio for his successor to Born Free. He stated to Billboard.com that he had 16 ideas written and is hoping for a fall release. He made mention of a "very dark" ballad for the album. He described it has a greatest hits album with new songs.

Musical style and influences[link]

Kid Rock's musical style ranges from Midwest hip hop and heavy metal to country rock and rap rock.^[25] His influences include Warren Zevon, Jim Croce, Hank Williams, Jr., Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, David Allan Coe, Bob Seger, Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, Whodini, Too Short, Eric B. & Rakim, Esham, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Die Antwoord.^[25][26]

Kid Rock has influenced such artist and groups as Uncle Kracker,Paradime,Ty Stone,Jocaine and 75 North, Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson and Jason Aldean. His son released his debut EP "Wanted Dead Or Alive" under the stage name "Bandit" adapting his father's pre fame rap flow.

Twisted Brown Trucker[link]

Twisted Brown Trucker is Kid Rock's band, formed in 1994 in Sterling Heights, Michigan. The original lineup included Kenny Olson on lead guitar, Uncle Kracker on turntables, Andy Gould and George Metropolous on guitar, Paul Anthony on bass and Bob Ebeling on drums. The band's first involvement was on the 1994 demo of "Dark & Gray" on his Bootleg Series Tapes, they would make three more appearances on the tapes in Watch Me Come, Only a Dog and Box #10. Trucker became both Rock's studio and live band in 1997.

Chris Peters was the studio guitarist for The Polyfuze Method and Fire It Up. Matt O'Brien (Bass) and Kenny Tudrick (Guitar, Drums) were studio musicians for Devil Without a Cause. Kenny Tudrick also played on 2007's "New Orleans" off Rock N Roll Jesus and co-wrote Rock N Roll Jesus.

Kenny Olson went on to form numerous bands for more creative outlets. A Pack of Wolves, The Flask, Five Star Carni, The Motorfly's, and most recent (2010) 7 Day Binge. He has also made appearances on many other recordings such as the song "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" which can be found on the Les Paul & Friends CD as well as a version of "Little Wing" with Chaka Khan on "The Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix" among numerous others.

Tudrick is with the band Detroit Cobras, who he was with before touring on Kid Rock's 'Live' Trucker tour.

Percussionist Larry Frantangelo won a Detroit Music Award in 2009 for Outstanding Urban/Funk Musician.

Current members

• Jimmie "Bones" Trombly – keyboards, piano, organ, harmonica, backing vocals (1996–present)
• Marlon Young – lead & rhythm guitar (1996–1997, 2007–present)
• Jason Krause – rhythm & lead guitar (1997–present)
• Stefanie Eulinberg – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1998–present)
• Paradime – turntables, programming, keyboards (2002–present)
• Aaron Julison – bass guitar, backing vocals (2003–present)
• Shannon Curfman – backing vocals & guitar (2010–present)

with:

• Larry Frantangelo – percussion (2007–present)
• David McMurray – saxophone (2007–present)
• Jessica Wagner;– backing vocals (2007–present)
• Tyra Juliette -backing vocals (2007–present)

Former members

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• Barbara Payton- backing vocals (2007–2009, on and off)
• Stacy Michelle- backing vocals (2007–2009)
• Kenny Olson – lead guitar (1994–2005)
• Uncle Kracker – turntables (1994–2002)
• Joe C – backing vocals (1994–2000)
• Andy Gould – rhythm guitar (1994–1995)
• George Metropolous – rhythm guitar (1994–1995)
• Paul Anthony – bass (1994–1995)
• Bob Ebeling – drums (1994–1995)
• Bill Keros – drums (1995)
• Eric Hogemeyer – drums (1995)
• Jeff Hall – rhythm guitar (1995–1996)
• Chris Zuccaro – drums (1995–1998)
• Ray Echlin – bass (1996)
• Lonnie Motley – bass (1996–1998)
• Chris Lebroux – bongos (1997)
• Thornetta Davis – backing vocals (1997–1998)
• Mike Bradford – bass (1998–2001)
• Misty Love – backing vocals (1998–2001)
• Shirley Hayden – backing vocals (1998–2001)
• Bobby East – bass (2001–2003)
• Smith Curry – dobro (2004–2005)
• Karen Newman – backing vocals (2004–2005)
• Lauren Creamer – backing vocals (2004–2005)
• Kenny Tudrick – lead guitar (2005–2006)

Personal life[link]

Marriage to Pamela Anderson[link]

Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock in 2003

In 2001 Kid Rock began dating actress Pamela Anderson, after the two met at a VH1 tribute to Aretha Franklin. By April 2002, he and Anderson were engaged, but the engagement was later called off.^[27] They later got married in a surprise wedding in July 2006 after it was reported Anderson was pregnant. They divorced five months later because Rock wanted to live in Detroit and Anderson wanted to stay in Los Angeles. It has been suggested that his no-show at the Download Festival 2008 was due to a broken heart.^[28]

Kid Rock has stated in numerous interviews that he is a lover of hunting and fishing. He has hunted with his good friend Hank Williams Jr. several times. When Rock and Pamela Anderson divorced, it was rumored that Rock's hunting passion was the cause of the relationship's end, Anderson being a keen animal rights activist.^{[citation needed]}

Rock later claimed, however, that the divorce was due to Anderson openly criticizing his mother and sister in front of his son from a previous relationship, Robert Jr., which Rock took offense to.^[29] Rock has actively raised Robert Jr., born in 1993, as a single father since birth, and continues to live with him in Michigan.^[30] On July 6, 2011, Kid Rock appeared on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight show where he said he has no regrets about anything he has done in the past. He declined to say whether his marriage to Pamela Anderson had taught him any lessons.

Legal troubles[link]

Kid Rock has had multiple run-ins with law enforcement:

In March 1991 and September 1997, Kid Rock was arrested in Michigan for alcohol related incidents.^[31]

In February 2005, he was arrested on assault charges for punching DJ Jay Campos in 'Christies Cabaret' strip club. Rock pleaded no contest and was sued for $575,000 by Campos.^[32]

Kid Rock was cited for assault on Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee on September 9, 2007 at MTV's Video Music Awards, and pled guilty.^[33]

In October 2007, Kid Rock was involved in a brawl at a Waffle House in Atlanta and charged with simple battery.^[34][35] He pleaded nolo contendere ("no contest") to one count, was fined $1,000, required to perform 80 hours of community service and complete a 6-hour course on anger management.^[36]

Sex tape[link]

Kid Rock and Scott Stapp, singer of the band Creed, appear in a sex tape from 1999 in which the two have sex with four groupies in a mobile home.^[37] California pornography company Red Light District planned to release the tape in 2006, but both Rock and Stapp filed with the California courts to sue Red Light District and stop the tape's distribution.^[38]

Politics[link]

In 2011, Kid Rock agreed to allow Mitt Romney's GOP campaign to officially make use of his music in campaign events. Kid Rock later endorsed Mitt Romney's candidacy and performed on Romney's behalf at campaign event(s). By May 2012, Kid Rock was still the first of only a handful of high-profile musicians to endorse Mitt Romney, including Ted Nugent and Lee Greenwood.

Activism[link]

Kid Rock has been involved with many charitable organizations but his main support has gone to Operation Homefront. Kid Rock has frequently partnered with Jim Beam to make large donations to the organization. He is close friends with Tony Stewart as he helps with charity events, and Kid Rock narrated Tony Stewart: Smoke, a documentary of Stewart's 2002 championship season.^{[citation needed]} Kid Rock has performed for American service men and women in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Kosovo, and has performed for U.S. servicemembers in Great Britain at R.A.F. bases such as RAF Lakenheath.

Discography[link]

• 1990: Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast
• 1993: The Polyfuze Method
• 1996: Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp
• 1998: Devil Without a Cause
• 2000: The History of Rock
• 2001: Cocky
• 2003: Kid Rock
• 2006: Live Trucker
• 2007: Rock n Roll Jesus
• 2010: Born Free
• 2012: TBA

Tours[link]

• 1989: Straight From the Underground Tour (opened for Ice Cube, Too $hort, D Nice and Yo-Yo)
• 1998: Lollapalooza Tour
• 1998: Vans Warped Tour
• 1998–99: White Thrash on Dope Tour (with Monster Magnet and Hed PE)
• 1999: Destroy Your Liver Tour
• 1999: Limptropolis Tour (with Limp Bizkit and Staind)
• 1999: European Tour (with Blink-182)
• 1999: Between the Legs Tour (with Powerman 5000, Professional Murder Music)
• 1999-00: Millennium Tour (with Metallica, Sevendust and Creed)
• 2000: Summer Sanitarium Tour (with Metallica, Korn, System of a Down, Powerman 5000)
• 2000: The History of Rock Tour (with Dope)
• 2001: The American Bad Ass Tour (with Buckcherry, Fuel and David Allan Coe)
• 2002: The Cocky Tour (with Lit, Tenacious D and Saliva)
• 2002: Girls of Summer Tour (opening for Aerosmith with Run-D.M.C.)
• 2004: Rock n Roll Pain Train Tour (with Puddle of Mudd, Gov't Mule, Jerry Cantrell)
• 2005: Lazy Muthafuga Tour (only 6 concert dates)
• 2006: 'Live' Trucker Tour (with Ty Stone, Peter Frampton (opened in Auburn Hills, Michigan) and Whitestarr)
• 2007–2008: Rock n Roll Revival Tour (with Reverend Run, Dicky Betts, Duane Betts, Peter Wolf, Lynyrd Skynyrd, in a revue style)
• 2008: Rock n Roll Revival Tour: European Tour
• 2008: Rock n Rebels Tour (with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Backdoor Slam)
• 2008: European Tour (with Finger Eleven)
• 2008: All Summer Long Tour (4 nights at Pine Knob with Uncle Kracker & Rev Run)
• 2009: Rock n Rebels Tour II (with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights, Black Stone Cherry, Alice in Chains, Cypress Hill, Robert Randolph and the Family Band)
• 2010: The Circle Tour (opening for Bon Jovi)
• 2011: Born Free Tour Pt 1 (with Ty Stone, Randy Houser,Jamey Johnson)
• 2011: Born Free Tour :Canadian Leg
• 2011: Born Free Tour Pt 2 (with Sheryl Crow)
• 2011: Care Tour

Filmography[link]

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• The Howard Stern Show (8 episodes, 1999–2008)
• Saturday Night Live (Musical Guest, 2000)
• The Simpsons (1 episode, 2000)
• WWF Raw is War (Musical Guest, 2000)
• Joe Dirt (2001)
• All Access: Front Row, Backstage. Live! (IMAX) (Musical Performance)(2001)
• Osmosis Jones (Voice, 2001)
• Kid Rock: Lonely Road of Faith (2001)
• King of the Hill (2002)
• Punk'd (1 episode, 2003)
• Biker Boyz (2003)
• Stripperella (You Only Lick Twice, 2003)
• CMT Outlaws (2003)
• South Park (2004)
• CSI: NY (1 episode, 2005)
• Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector (2005)
• Motorcycle Mania 3 (2005)
• Coors Light Mountain Jam (2005)
• Stacked (1 episode, 2002)
• The 2006 Billboard Music Awards (2006)
• VH1 Storytellers (2008)
• WrestleMania XXV (Musical Guest, 2009)
• 2010 Spike Guy Choice Awards (Presenter, 2009)
• Top Gear (U.S. TV series) (1 episode, 2010)
• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (1 episode, 2011)
• Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (1 episode, 2011)

Awards and nominations[link]

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• Grammy Awards
  • 2000 Best New Artist (Nominated)
  • 2000 Best Hard Rock Performance for "Bawitdaba" (Nominated)
  • 2001 Best Hard Rock Performance for "American Bad Ass" (Nominated)
  • 2009 Best Rock Album for Rock n Roll Jesus (Nominated)
  • 2009 Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "All Summer Long" (Nominated)

• Academy of Country Music
  • 2003, Vocal Event of the Year: "Picture" (Nominated)

• American Music Awards
  • 2008, Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist (Nominated)
  • 2003, Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist: (Winner)
  • 2003, Favorite Pop/Rock Album: Cocky (Nominated)
  • 2001, Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist: (Winner)
  • 2000, Favorite Alternative Artist: (Nominated)
  • 2000, Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist: (Nominated)

• Billboard Music Awards
  • 1999 Best New Artist (Winner)
  • 1999 Best Hard Rock Performance for "Bawitdaba" (Winner)
  • 1999 Best New Hard Rock Artist (Winner)

• MTV Video Music Awards
  • 2001, Best Male Video: "Cowboy" (Nominated)
  • 2001, Best Rock Video: "Cowboy" (Nominated)
  • 2000, Best Male Video: "Bawitdaba" (Nominated)
  • 2000, Best New Artist: "Bawitdaba" (Nominated)

• Teen Choice Awards
  • 2003, Choice Love Song: "Picture" (Nominated)
  • 2003 Choice Hookup Song: "Picture" (Nominated)

• Detroit Music Awards
  • 1999
    • Outstanding National Album for Devil Without a Cause (Winner)
    • Outstanding National Single for "I Am the Bullgod" (Winner)
    • Outstanding National Single for "Bawitdaba" (Nominee)
    • Outstanding National Hip Hop Writer/Producer (Winner)
  • 2000
    • Outstanding National Album for History of Rock (Nominee)
    • Outstanding National Single for "American Bad Ass" (Winner)
    • Outstanding National Single for "Cowboy" (Nominee)
    • Outstanding National Duet for "Higher" with Robert Bradley (Winner)
    • Outstanding National Spokesperson (Winner)
  • 2001
    • Outstanding National Album for Cocky (Nominated)
    • Outstanding National Single for "Forever" (Nominated)
  • 2003
    • Outstanding National Single for "Picture" (Nominated)
  • 2004
    • Outstanding National Album for Kid Rock (Nominated)
    • Outstanding National Single for "Cold and Empty" (Nominated)
    • Outstanding National Single for "Jackson, Mississippi" (Nominated)
  • 2006
    • Outstanding National Album for Live Trucker (Nominated)
  • 2008
    • Outstanding National Album for Rock n Roll Jesus (Winner)
    • Outstanding National Single for "So Hott" (Nominated)
    • Outstanding National Single for "Amen" (Nominated)
  • 2009
    • Outstanding National Single for All Summer Long (Winner)
    • Outstanding National Single for Roll On (Nominated)
• MTV European Music Awards
  • 2008 Most Attictive Track for "All Summer Long" (Nominated)
• BMI Songwriting Award
  • 2002 "Picture" (Winner)
• CMT Music Awards
  • 2003 Choice Male Video for "Picture" (Nominated)
  • 2009 Video of The Year for "All Summer Long" (Nominated)
  • 2009 Wide Open Country Video of the Year for "All Summer Long" (Winner)
• World Music Awards
  • 2008 Worlds Best Male Pop Artist (Winner)
  • 2008 Worlds Best Pop/Rock Artist (Winner)
• People's Choice Awards
  • 2009 Best Rock Song for "All Summer Long" (Winner)
• Kid's Choice Awards
  • 2009 Favorite Male Singer (nominated)
• Echo Award (Germany)
  • 2009 Hit Of The Year for "All Summer Long" (Winner)

Other ventures and honors[link]

• He has his own clothing line called Made in Detroit which he purchased from its creator, Detroit designer Robert Stanzler, in 2003. Stanzler, a longtime friend of Kid Rock, is mentioned by name in Rock's song "Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp".^[39]
• Wayne State University named a scholarship after Kid Rock for musicians. Kid Rock is using his clothing line to fund it.^[40]
• He was Grand Marshal of the Krewe of Endymion Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans on February 21, 2009 and was accompanied by The Chee-Weez, a local area cover band.^[41]
• He released his own beer called Bad Ass Beer on July 17, 2009 released over the entire midwestern part of the U.S.
• Kid Rock is a steadfast loyal supporter of the United States military. He gave proceeds of a concert to the families affected by the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000. He has quietly made numerous trips with the USO, and on his own, to play concerts for soldiers overseas in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait. He also made his album Born Free available to military members to download for free.

References[link]

Sources[link]

• Christe, Ian (2003). Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-380-81127-8
• Friedlander, Paul; Peter, Miller (2006). Rock & Roll: A Social History. Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-4306-2. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kid Rock

• Official website
• Kid Rock at Imeem.com
• Kid Rock at the Internet Movie Database
• Kid Rock Interview on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos
• "Kid Rock: 'I was the kid with the vial full of rocks…'. 11 August 2008 thrashhits.com