Somerville may refer to:

Institutions[link]

• Somerville College, Oxford, a constituent college of the University of Oxford

Places[link]

United States

• Somerville, Alabama
• Somerville, Indiana
• Somerville, Maine
• Somerville, Massachusetts
• Somerville, New Jersey
  • Somerville Circle, a traffic circle near Somerville, New Jersey
• Somerville, Ohio
• Somerville, Tennessee
• Somerville, Texas
  • Somerville Lake, a reservoir near Somerville, Texas

Elsewhere

• Somerville, Victoria, Australia
• Somerville, New Zealand, a small suburb of Manukau City, New Zealand
• Somerville (crater), small lunar crater in the eastern part of the Moon

People[link]

• Somerville (surname)
• William Somervile

See also[link]

• Summerville (disambiguation)
• Sommerville (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (October 2009)

Jimmy Somerville
Concert in Warsaw, 10 June 2006
Background information
Birth name	James William Somerville
Born	(1961-06-22) 22 June 1961 (age 51) Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Genres	Pop, synth pop, hi-NRG
Occupations	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, synthesizers
Years active	1983–present
Labels	London Records Gut Records BMG
Associated acts	Bronski Beat The Communards
Website	www.jimmysomerville.co.uk

James William Somerville (born 22 June 1961) is a Scottish pop singer and songwriter. He had considerable success in the 1980s with the pop groups Bronski Beat and The Communards, and has also had a successful solo career.^[1] He is known in particular for his falsetto singing voice. He is also openly gay and vocal about gay rights.

Somerville's latest album, Suddenly Last Summer was released in May 2009.

Career[link]

In 1983, Somerville co-founded the synth pop group Bronski Beat,^[2] which proceeded to have a number of hits in the British charts. Their biggest hit was "Smalltown Boy" which reached #3 in the charts. Somerville played the song's titular character in the music video who leaves his hostile 'straight' hometown for the friendlier city.

Somerville left Bronski Beat in 1985, and formed The Communards with classically trained pianist Richard Coles (now a Church of England vicar).^[3] They had a number of hits, including a cover version of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes's "Don't Leave Me This Way", which spent four weeks at #1 in the UK charts, and became the biggest-selling single of 1986 in the UK. He also sang backing vocals on Fine Young Cannibals' version of "Suspicious Minds", which was a UK Top 10 hit.

The Communards split in 1988, and Somerville launched his solo career. He had several solo hits between 1989 and 1991, also singing on the second Band Aid project at the end of 1989. After releasing his 1989 album Read My Lips, which included a hit cover of Sylvester's disco classic "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" as well as a cover of The Bee Gees' hit song "To Love Somebody" a year later, Somerville left the limelight and was absent from recording for a number of years. In 1990, Somerville contributed the song "From This Moment On" to the Cole Porter tribute album "Red Hot + Blue" produced by the Red Hot Organization, the proceeds from which benefited AIDS research.

In 1991 Somerville provided backing vocals to a track called "Why aren't you in love with me?" from the album "Ripe" by Communards offshoot band Banderas. The Banderas duo Caroline Buckley and Sally Herbert had previously been part of Somerville's backing band.

Somerville returned in 1995 with the album Dare to Love, which included "Heartbeat", a #1 hit on the U.S. dance chart. Another album, entitled Manage The Damage, was released in 1999, and its companion remix album Root Beer came out a year later. His dance-oriented fourth solo album, Home Again, was released in 2005.

May 2009 saw the release of Somerville's Suddenly Last Summer album, which contained acoustic interpretations of other people's songs. The album was initially only available as a digital download but in May 2010 was made available in a limited edition (3.000 copies) CD/DVD in the UK.

In 2011 Somerville released a dance EP called "Bright Thing".

Somerville has also led an acting career, appearing in Sally Potter's 1992 film of Virginia Woolf's Orlando, in Isaac Julien's 1998 Looking for Langston, and in an episode of the cult science fiction television series Lexx ("Girltown").

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• 1984: The Age of Consent with Bronski Beat
• 1986: Communards with The Communards
• 1987: Red with The Communards
• 1989: Read My Lips
• 1995: Dare to Love
• 1999: Manage the Damage
• 2004: Home Again
• 2009: Suddenly Last Summer

Awards[link]

See also[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jimmy Somerville

• Honorific nicknames in popular music
• List of Glaswegians
• List of Scottish musicians
• List of gay, lesbian or bisexual people
• List of performers on Top of the Pops
• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References[link]

External links[link]

• Jimmy Somerville's official fanpage
• Jimmy Somerville's official website
• Jimmy Somerville interview
• Jimmy Somerville at the Internet Movie Database
• Jimmy Somerville Fanbase - The Blog

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (January 2008)

Michael Kiske
Live with Avantasia in 2010
Background information
Born	(1968-01-24) January 24, 1968 (age 44) Hamburg, Germany
Genres	Heavy metal, speed metal, power metal, symphonic metal, hard rock, rock, pop rock, AOR, acoustic
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, keyboards
Years active	1986–present
Associated acts	Helloween, Unisonic, Place Vendome, Avantasia, Kiske/Somerville, SupaRed, Revolution Renaissance
Website	www.michael-kiske.de

Michael Kiske (born January 24, 1968 in Hamburg, Germany) is a singer best known as the lead vocalist for the German power metal band Helloween, from 1986 to 1993. From 1996 up to 2009, Kiske recorded four solo albums, participated on various metal and rock related projects, while he also performed with numerous bands as a guest vocalist. In late 2009, he formed the rock band Unisonic and began touring again after 17 years.^[1]

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Prior to joining Helloween, Kiske sang with the German band Ill Prophecy at the age of 17. The band recorded a demo, but it was never released commercially.

Helloween[link]

At the age of eighteen, Kiske was asked to join the German power metal band Helloween, which was fronted by singer/guitarist Kai Hansen. Hansen had some difficulties being both the lead guitarist and lead vocalist, and it was decided that a new vocalist would be needed. Kiske rejected Helloween's first offer, due to his dislike of the sound of the band's Walls Of Jericho album, but accepted the second and joined Helloween in late 1986. Michael's first album with the band was 1987's Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1, widely considered to be one of Helloween's best albums and a milestone in the creation of the power metal genre. The band went on to release Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II in 1988, whose worldwide success enabled them to embark on a world tour and perform at famous festivals such as Monsters Of Rock.^[2][3] The Keeper of the Seven Keys albums proved to be highly influential and aided in the formation of a new wave of European power metal bands, such as Blind Guardian,^[4] Stratovarius,^[5] HammerFall^[6] and Edguy.^[7]

After the completion of the band's 1988 headlining tour, the album Live in the UK was released, while Kai Hansen left the band and was replaced by guitarist Roland Grapow. Legal disputes with their record company, prevented Helloween from releasing new material until 1991's Pink Bubbles Go Ape, which was followed by 1993's Chameleon. These two albums saw the band moving away from their power metal roots and experimenting with different sounds. Both Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon were commercial failures and resulted in Kiske leaving Helloween. Michael was fired from the band in 1993, reportedly for personal reasons and musical differences. He was replaced by Andi Deris, who has remained with Helloween ever since.

Kiske was rumored to be Bruce Dickinson's replacement, after he departed from Iron Maiden in 1993, but that position was filled by Blaze Bayley.^[8]

Solo work[link]

On August 16, 1996, three years after leaving Helloween, Kiske released his first solo album, Instant Clarity.^[9] The album featured guest appearances by Kai Hansen, Ciriaco Taraxes and Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden. A music video for the ballad Always, dedicated to deceased Helloween drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg, was produced and filmed in New York City. Instant Clarity contained songs in a wide variety of styles. During the same year he also wrote a book, 'Kunst Und Materialismus', which is only available in German.^[2]

His second solo album, Readiness to Sacrifice, was released in Korea and Japan in 1999, and in Europe in 2001. The music on the album featured Michael moving away from his heavy metal roots and even contained two symphonic songs.^[2]

In 2006, Michael Kiske released his third full-length solo album under the name of Kiske.^[10][11] The album contained songs in a mellow, acoustic pop-rock style and was a step away from the sound of his previous solo albums. According to Michael "It's a healthy-careless and musically free album. I am very proud of this record because it is a true statement from myself".^[11]

In 2008, Kiske released his fourth solo work, entitled Past in Different Ways.^[12] The album contained acoustic re-arrangements of his old Helloween material and one new song.^[13][14] According to Kiske the album "on one hand shows that I don't reject my past just because I'm a different person today, and on the other hand it can maybe give people who were part of that past a different view at those songs".^[15]

Collaborations[link]

During 1995, Kiske participated as a guest on Gamma Ray's (Kai Hansen's band, formed after his departure from Helloween in late 1988) Land of the Free album, singing lead vocals on the song "Time To Break Free" and additional vocals on the title track.^[2][16]

Live with Avantasia in 2010

In 2000, Kiske was asked to participate on the Avantasia project The Metal Opera in the role of Lugaid Vandroiy,^[17] which he agreed to do, but only under the nickname of Ernie. The nickname was printed on the back of the first CD, but not on the second, where he was featured under his real name.^[17][18] Michael said in interviews that, at that time, he did not want people to link him to heavy metal anymore. He had a main role in the concept of the Metal Opera albums and sang on a total of 7 songs.^[19]

During 2002, Kiske sang the song "Key to the Universe", which was featured on Timo Tolkki's (guitarist of the band Stratovarius) solo album Hymn to Life.^[2] In the same year, Michael also sang the duet "Heroes" (together with Jorn Lande), featured on Masterplan's self titled debut album.^[2]

In 2003, Michael took part in the metal opera Days of Rising Doom by Aina, in the role of the Narrator, singing on the songs "Revelations", "Silver Maiden", "Serendipity" and "Restoration".^[2][20]

In 2004, Michael sang the duet "The Encounter", together with the female vocalist of the band Thalion on their debut album Another Sun.^[2]

During 2005, Michael was a guest on the heavy metal album Execution by the band Tribuzy, singing on the duet "Absolution".^[21] Following this participation Kiske sang another duet, entitled "Judas At The Opera", together with Tobias Sammet (vocalist of the band Edguy and founder of the Avantasia project) on Edguy's Superheroes EP.^[2]

In 2007, Michael sang on the song "Breathe In Water", together with the female vocalist of the band Indigo Dying on their self titled debut album.^[2][22] During the same year, he recorded guest vocals for two Avantasia tracks; "Promised Land", which appeared on the Lost in Space Part II EP and "Lost In Space [Extended Version]", which appeared on the Lost in Space Part I & II compilation album.^[2]

Avantasia live in 2010. Left to right - Michael Kiske, Tobias Sammet, Kai Hansen

During 2008, Kiske took part on the Avantasia album The Scarecrow, singing lead on the track "Shelter From The Rain" and backing on the title track and on "What Kind Of Love".^[2]

In 2009, Michael was a guest on Trick or Treat's album Tin Soldiers, singing all vocals for the song "Hello Moon" and additional lead vocals on the duet "Tears Against Your Smile".^[23][24]

During 2010, Kiske performed on the Avantasia albums The Wicked Symphony and Angel of Babylon, singing on the tracks "Wastelands", "Runaway Train" and "Stargazers".^[25][26] Following this participation he recorded guest vocals for the song "All You Need To Know", featured on Gamma Ray's To The Metal album.^[27] From November 30 until December 19, Kiske took part in the Avantasia tour "The Metal Opera Comes To Town", sharing the stage with Tobias Sammet, Jorn Lande, Kai Hansen, Bob Catley, Amanda Somerville, Sascha Paeth, and Oliver Hartmann among others.^[28]

Projects[link]

• SupaRed

In 2003, out of desire to make rock music again, Kiske formed a band, named SupaRed. They released a self-titled album in January 2003. This album had a modern rock sound and a song structure, distinct from both his solo albums and the heavy metal sound of Helloween. The project was under promoted and unsuccessful and he dissolved the band.^[2]

• Place Vendome

In 2005, Kiske was a part of the Place Vendome project, on Italian record label Frontiers Records.^[29] Place Vendome was composed of members from the German band Pink Cream 69, the keyboard player from the band Vanden Plas and Kiske on vocals. The band's music was a blend of melodic hard rock and AOR, comparable to the sound of bands such as Foreigner or Journey.^[30]

In 2009, Place Vendome released the second album of the project, entitled Streets of Fire.^[31][32] A video was filmed for the song My Guardian Angel, marking Michael's visual return since 1996. The songwriting for the second album was provided by musicians Magnus Karlsson, Torsti Spoof, Ronny Milianowicz and Robert Sall^[33]

• Revolution Renaissance

During 2008, Timo Tolkki departed from Stratovarius and formed the band Revolution Renaissance. The band's debut album, New Era, was recorded by session musicians and Kiske on the role of the main singer, performing all the vocals for the tracks "I Did It My Way", "Angel", "Keep The Flame Alive", "Last Night On Earth" and "Revolution Renaissance".^[34][35]

• Kiske/Somerville

In early 2010, Kiske collaborated with female vocalist Amanda Somerville in a duet project, put together by Frontiers Records. The project marked the contribution of musicians Mat Sinner, Magnus Karlsson, Sander Gommans, Martin Schmidt and Jimmy Kresic.^[36] Two videos were filmed for the songs Silence and If I Had A Wish, enabling most of the participants to actually meet in person. The album was released on September 24, 2010, under the name Kiske / Somerville.^[37]

Unisonic[link]

On November 10, 2009, Michael formed the band Unisonic together with Dennis Ward, Mandy Meyer and Kosta Zafiriou.^[38] Unisonic began their first tour in June 2010, playing some warm-up shows in Germany and performing at Sweden Rock Festival and Masters Of Rock Festival in the Czech Republic as well. In March 2011, Kai Hansen joined the band.^[39][40] In January 2012, Unisonic released their debut video for the song Unisonic and their first EP named Ignition, through EarMusic (a subsidiary of Edel AG).^[41][42] The band's debut album Unisonic was released on 30 March 2012^[43][44] and entered several international music charts, scoring the highest points on the Finnish albums chart, Japanese albums chart, German albums chart and Swedish albums chart^[45].

Singing style[link]

In comparison to Kai Hansen, Kiske had a more vibrant and clean voice. Some fans and critics have likened his singing style and range to that of Geoff Tate or a young Samson-era Bruce Dickinson, with shades of Rob Halford. He sings in a tenor manner^[46][47] and possesses an almost 4 octave vocal range, as he is capable of reaching extremely high notes (A6) and low baritone notes (E♭2) as well.^[48][49] Kiske's time in Helloween has proved to be highly influential,^[50][51] and many singers cite him as a major influence.^{[17][25][52][53][54][55]}

Recognition and honors[link]

Named favorite vocalist Rank:5 In burrn! (Japanese magazine) Readers poll (April 2012)^[56]

Discography[link]

Solo albums[link]

• Instant Clarity (1996)
  • Always (EP) (1996)
  • The Calling (EP) (1996)
• Readiness to Sacrifice (1999)
• Kiske (2006)
• Past In Different Ways (2008)

As a participant[link]

Helloween[link]

• Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1 (1987)
• Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 2 (1988)
• Live in the UK (1989)
• Pink Bubbles Go Ape (1991)
• Chameleon (1993)

Avantasia[link]

• Avantasia (Single) (2001)
• The Metal Opera (2001)
• The Metal Opera Part II (2002)
• Lost in Space Part II (EP) (2007)
• Lost in Space Part I & II (2008)
• The Scarecrow (2008)
• The Wicked Symphony & Angel of Babylon (2010)

SupaRed[link]

• SupaRed (2003)

Place Vendome[link]

• Place Vendome (2005)
• Streets Of Fire (2009)

Kiske/Somerville[link]

• Kiske/Somerville (2010)

Unisonic[link]

• Ignition (2012, EP)
• Unisonic (2012)

Guest appearances[link]

• Gamma Ray - Land of the Free (1995)
• Timo Tolkki - Hymn to Life (2002)
• Masterplan - Masterplan (2003)
• Aina - Days of Rising Doom (2004)
• Thalion - Another Sun (2004)
• Tribuzy - Execution (2005)
• Edguy - Superheroes (2005)
• Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy (2005)(sampled)
• Indigo Dying - Indigo Dying (2007)
• Revolution Renaissance - New Era (2008)
• Trick or Treat - Tin Soldiers (2009)
• Gamma Ray - To The Metal (2010)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Michael Kiske

• Official website
• Official fan club site
• Michael Kiske Myspace
• Unisonic Myspace
• Official Bulgarian fan site
• Michael Kiske exclusive interview

Amanda Somerville (born March 7, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and vocal coach.

Biography[link]

Personal life[link]

Somerville was born in Flushing, Michigan,^[1] and attended Flushing Senior High School and the University of Michigan in Flint, Michigan. Somerville moved to Wolfsburg, Germany in 1999 where she has since resided, working mainly in Germany and the Netherlands.^[2]

Singing career[link]

Somerville has written and recorded with bands After Forever, Edguy, Kamelot, Epica, Avantasia and Docker's Guild, and has produced two solo albums.^[3] Her music focuses on soft and elegant pop rock with some hard rock, folk and soul music influences.

She has collaborated with several of these metal bands alongside producers Sascha Paeth and Michael Rodenberg, which took her to collaborate with multi-instrumentalist Robert Hunecke-Rizzo co-writing the rock opera Aina. Later she made a similar collaboration with guitarist Sander Gommans (After Forever), providing vocals and lyrical concept for the project HDK.^[2] In 2008, she toured America with Dutch heavy metal band Epica, while regular vocalist Simone Simons recovered from a staph infection.^[1]

In 2010, she has collaborated with Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween singer) on a musical project entitled Kiske/Somerville. The band is a melodic metal act put together by Frontiers Records, as similar project as Allen/Lande. Songwriting and producing was made by Primal Fear bassist Mat Sinner with collaboration by guitarist Magnus Karlsson (Allen/Lande, also from Primal Fear), Sander Gommans, Jimmy Kresic and Amanda herself. Their first single, Silence was released on August 20. Their self-titled album was released on 24 September 2010 by Frontiers Records, after the single accompanied by a music video for Silence.

Amanda was also one of the live guest vocalists for Tobias Sammet's metal opera Avantasia two world tours in 2008 and 2010. Her role onstage was mainly singing backing vocals during the whole setlist and lead vocals for the song Farewell.^[4]

In 2011, Amanda has finally released her first heavy metal-oriented project called Trillium with the record company Frontiers Records. The project has contributions by Sascha Paeth, Michael Rodenberg, Sander Gommans and a guest appearance of Jørn Lande on a duet vocal track with Amanda.^[5]

Discography[link]

Solo[link]

• In the Beginning there was... (2000)
• Blue Nothing (EP, 2000)
• Never Alone (EP, 2003)
• Windows (2009)

Aina[link]

• Days of Rising Doom (2003)

HDK[link]

• System Overload (2008)

Kiske/Somerville[link]

• Kiske/Somerville (2010)

Trillium[link]

• Alloy (2011)

Collaborations[link]

Somerville's contributions include vocals, coaching, production and choir conductor:

• After Forever – Invisible Circles (2004), Remagine (2005), After Forever (2007); vocal coach, vocalist, producer
• Aina - Days of Rising Doom (2003); conceptualist, lyrical editor, co-writer, vocalist, vocal coach
• Andre Matos – Time to Be Free (2007), Mentalize (2009); lyrical choir, vocalist and lyrical editor
• Asrai – Touch in the Dark (2004): lyrical editor
• Avantasia – The Scarecrow (2008); The Flying Opera (live album) (2011): vocalist
• The Boyscout – Blood Red Rose (2011); vocalist
• Docker's Guild – The Mystic Technocracy - Season 1: The Age of Ignorance (2012); vocalist
• Edguy – Hellfire Club (2004), Rocket Ride (2006); vocalist, lyrical editor
• Epica – The Phantom Agony (2003), We Will Take You with Us (2004), Consign to Oblivion (2005), The Road to Paradiso (2006), The Divine Conspiracy (2007), live session singer for USA Canada tour (2008), Design Your Universe (2009); vocal coach, vocalist, co-writer, producer, Requiem for the Indifferent (2012)
• HDK – System Overload (2008); vocalist, co-producer, co-writer, lyrical editor, engineer
• Kamelot – The Black Halo (2005), Ghost Opera (2007), Poetry For The Poisoned (2010); vocalist, lyrical editor
• Luca Turilli – Prophet of the Last Eclipse (2002); vocalist
• Mob Rules – Hollowed Be Thy Name (2002); vocalist
• Shaman – Ritual (2002), Reason (2005); vocalist, lyrical editor
• Virgo – Virgo (2001); worked as vocalist, lyrical editor
• Sebastien - Tears Of White Roses (2010); vocalist
• Serenity - Death & Legacy (2011); vocalist
• DesDemon - Through the Gates (2011); vocals on Into Shadow
• PelleK - Bag of Tricks (2012); vocals on Send My Message Home

References[link]

Notes[link]

• "Signierstunde von Amanda Somerville. Ball mit allen Unterschriften der VfL-Profis zu gewinnen. Amanda Somerville: "Ich trete gern in den Dialog mit den Menschen."" (in German). VfL Wolfsburg-Presseservice. 2003-12-12. http://www.presseportal.de/story.htx?nr=508963. Retrieved 2008-05-07. 

External links[link]

• Official Site
• MySpace page