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Kick
A Roundhouse kick to the head during Taekwondo Tournament.

In combat sports and hand-to-hand combat, a kick is a physical strike using the foot, leg, or knee (the latter is also known as a knee strike). This type of attack is used frequently, especially in stand-up fighting. Kicks play a significant role in many forms of martial arts, such as Taekwondo, Karate, Pankration, Kung fu, Vovinam, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Capoeira, Silat, and Kalarippayattu.

History[link]

The English verb to kick appears only in the late 14th century, apparently as a loan from Old Norse, originally in the sense of a hooved animal delivering strikes with his hind legs; the oldest use is Biblical, in the metaphor of an ox kicking against the pricks.

The act of kicking in general is a universal form of human aggression. The same movement is also used in non-offensive contexts, e.g. a kick to propel an object such as a ball, or a kicking movement without touching anything, e.g. as a dance move.

Kicks as a form of attack are more typically directed against helpless or downed targets, because using a kick in a combat situation bears the significant disadvantage of losing stability of one's stance, as delivering a kick obviously requires lifting at least one foot off the ground.

Thus, any combat system involving kicks needs to take this into account, either by adapting the rules of combat, such as limiting the contest to stand-up fighting, reducing the penalty resulting from a failed attempt at delivering a kick, or an emphasis on training very efficient and technically perfected forms of kicks. The more elaborate kicks used in martial arts, especially high kicks aiming above the waist or to the head have long been a distinguishing feature of Asian martial arts. This feature was introduced in the west in the 19th century with early hybrid martial arts inspired by Asian styles such as Bartitsu and Savate. Practice of high kicks became more universal in the second half of the 20th century with the more widespread development of hybrid styles such as kickboxing and eventually mixed martial arts.

The history of the high kick in Asian martial arts is difficult to trace. It appears to be prevalent in all traditional forms of Indochinese kickboxing, but these cannot be traced with any technical detail to pre-modern times. For example, Muay Boran or "ancient boxing" in Thailand was developed under Rama V (r. 1868-1910). While it is known that earlier forms of "boxing" existed during the Ayutthaya Kingdom, it is difficult if not impossible^{[clarification needed]} to recover any detail regarding the techniques these involved. Some stances that look like low kicks, but not high kicks, are visible in the Shaolin temple frescoes, dated to the 17th century.^{[citation needed]} The Mahabharata (4.13), an Indian epic compiled at some point before the 5th century AD, describes an unarmed hand-to-hand battle, including the sentence "and they gave each other violent kicks" (without providing any further detail).

• 

  A kick delivered to a downed or falling enemy (a demon), Angkor period (ca. 13th century) bas-relief at Banteay Chhmar.

• 

  A kick used in armed combat as a means of displacing the opponent's shield in historical European martial arts (Hans Talhoffer 1459)

• 

  A kick to the knee as depicted in a Baroque Ringen treatise (Johann Georg Passchen 1659)

Practicality[link]

The usefulness of kicks in self-defense and actual combat has been debated. Some, like Bruce Lee, have commented that the leg, thanks to its size and weight, is a more powerful weapon than the arm. Because the leg is longer than the arm, kicks tend to keep an opponent at a distance and to surprise him or her with their range.

On the other hand, stance is very important in any combat system, and any attempt to deliver a kick will necessarily compromise one's stability of stance. The practicality of kicks is thus a question of the tradeoff between the power that can be delivered vs. the cost incurred to balance. Since combat situations are fluid, understanding this tradeoff and making the appropriate decision to adjust to each moment is key.

The high kicks practiced in modern martial arts or the flying/jumping kicks performed in synthesis styles are primarily performed for conditioning or aesthetic reasons. The proponents have viewed that some high front snap kicks are effective for striking the face or throat, particularly against charging opponents, and flying kicks can be effective to scare off attackers. Some contrasting views have stated that high kicks are completely ineffective as it would be much quicker and more probable to be able to strike the throat, nose or face with a palm strike for the face or a claw hand to strike at or choke the throat. It has been noted that high kicks (and other complicated kicks for that matter) can be almost impossible to perform in an actual confrontation due to the adrenal shock that one experiences in a stressful situation. This "adrenal dump" as it is called by some experts, causes the body to lose the ability of fine motor control, which is what many modern high kicks require to perform. Additionally, high kicks nearly always expose the groin, inviting a swift kick to the area from an agile opponent. As a result, the use of high kicks in defensive situations is considered risky at best for anyone but highly skilled martial artists. It should be further noted, that many styles use a more vulnerable stance (circular stance) that exposes the groin constantly (as noted by Bruce Lee for example in his defense manuals). Linear stance such as in Shotokan Karate, Wado Karate and most other original forms of Karate and Te fighting do not expose the groin. Taekwondo, Jeet Kune Do, and Shotokan Karate share nearly identical stances in terms of the initial attack and even after basic attacks (roundhouse, front kick, etc.). As with the varieties of kicks themselves, the choice of stance reflects a tradeoff between speed, commitment, power, range, balance, and maneuverability. Some self defence experts only condone the use of kicks as an intimidation or distraction tool, scaring off the attacker or distracting them so other techniques can be used. ( see Geoff Thompsons "real kicking" and "the fence" ) and even then only advocate the use of kicks to the lower abdomen at the highest.

The general consensus is that for most defense and combat applications, simple kicks aimed at vulnerable targets below the chest (self defence experts such as author and teacher Marc Macyoung claim that kicks should be aimed no higher than the waist/stomach) may be highly efficient, but should be executed with a degree of care. Thus, the fighter should not compromise their balance while delivering a kick, and retract the leg properly to avoid grappling. The front kick could be aimed at the groin/pelvis area when attacking, or to the waist/stomach area when being used defensively, knees and shins, inflicting respectable damage. The defensive side kick is a great move for stopping a blitzing opponent. The roundhouse kick performed at low level may be effective due to its power, and the vulnerability of many of its targets ( knees, ribs etc.) since attacking leg muscles will often cripple opponent's mobility, however the technique still throws a fighter's balance off and leaves them vulnerable. It is often recommended to build and drill simple combinations that involve attacking different levels of opponents. A common example would be distracting an opponent's focus via a fake jab, following up with a powerful attack at the opponent's legs and punching. Further, since low kicks are inherently quicker and harder to see and dodge in general they are often emphasized in a street fight scenario.

Basic kicks[link]

Front kick[link]

Tae kwon do front snap kick

Delivering a front kick involves raising the knee and foot of the striking leg to the desired height and extending the leg to contact the target. The actual strike is usually delivered by the ball of the foot for a forward kick or the top of the toes for an upward kick. Taekwondo practitioners utilize both the heel and ball of the foot for striking. Various combat systems teach 'general' front kick using the heel or whole foot when footwear is on. Depending of fighter's tactical needs, a front kick may involve more or less body motion. Thrusting one's hips is a common method of increasing both reach and power of the kick. The front kick is typically executed with the upper body straight and balanced. Front kicks are typically aimed at targets below the chest: stomach, thighs, groin, knees or lower. Highly skilled martial artists are often capable of striking head-level targets with front kick.

Roundhouse kick[link]

Also referred to as a round kick or turning kick, this is the most commonly used kick in kickboxing due to its power and ease of use. In most styles, the instep is used to strike, though most Karate styles would allow the shin as official technique for a street fight. To execute, the attacker swings their leg sideways in a circular motion, kicking the opponent's side with the front of the leg, usually with the instep, ball of the foot, toe, or shin. Also performable is a 360-degree kick in which the attacker performs a full circle with their leg, in which the striking surface is generally either the instep, shin or ball of the foot.

There are many variations of the roundhouse kick based on various chambering of the cocked leg (small, or full, or universal or no chambering) or various footwork possibilities (rear-leg, front-leg, hopping, switch, oblique, dropping, ground spin-back or full 360 spin-back). An important variation is the downward roundhouse kick, nicknamed the Brazilian Kick from recent MMA use: A more pronounced twist of the hips allows for a downward end of the trajectory of the kick that is very deceiving.^[1]

This particular kick was made famous by actor and martial artist Chuck Norris.

Side kick[link]

The side kick refers to a kick that is delivered sideways in relation to the body of the person kicking. There are two areas that are commonly used as impact points in sidekicks: the heel of the foot or the outer edge of the foot. The heel is more suited to hard targets such as the ribs, stomach, jaw, temple and chest. However, when executing a side kick with one's heel one should pull their toes back so that they only make contact with your heel and not with the whole foot. If a person hits with the arch or the ball of the foot, then that can injure the foot or break an ankle. A standard sidekick is performed by first chambering the kicking leg diagonally across the body, then extending the leg in a linear fashion toward the target, while flexing the abdominals.

Another way of doing the side kick is to make it an end result of a faked roundhouse. This technique is considered antequated, and used only after an opponent is persuaded to believe it is a roundhouse, and then led to believe that closing the distance is best for an upper body attack, which plays into the tactical position and relative requirement of this version of the side kick. In Korean, yeop chagi. In Okinawan te fighting, it is sometimes called a dragon kick. Some have called this side kick a "twist kick" due to its roundhouse like origins. This side kick begins as would a roundhouse kick however the practitioner allows the heel to move towards the center of the body. The kick is then directed outward from a cross-leg chamber so that the final destination of the kick is a target to the side, rather than one that is directly ahead.

Traditional Back kick (reverse side kick)[link]

Tae kwon do back kick.

Also referred to as a donkey kick, mule kick, or turning back kick. This kick is directed backwards, keeping the kicking leg close to the standing leg and using the heel as a striking surface.

Advanced kicks[link]

These are often complicated variations of basic kicks, either with a different target or combined with another move, such as jumping.

Axe kick[link]

Axe-kick by Christine Theiss vs. Marina Zueva

In Japanese, kakato-geri; in Korean, doki bal chagi or naeryeo chagi or "chikka chagi".

An axe kick, also known as a hammer kick or stretch kick, is characterized by a straightened leg descending onto an opponent like the blade of an axe. It begins with one foot rising upward as in a crescent kick. The upward arc motion is stopped, and then the attacking foot is lowered so as to strike the target from above. The arc can be performed in either an inward (counter-clockwise) or outward (clockwise) fashion.

A well-known proponent of the axe kick was the late Andy Hug, the Swiss Kyokushinkai Karateka who won the 1996 K-1 Grand Prix.

Butterfly kick[link]

The butterfly kick is done by doing a large circular motion with both feet in succession, making the combatant airborne. There are many variations of this kick. The kick may look like a slanted aerial cartwheel, and at the same time, the body spins horizontally in a circle. It begins as a jump with one leg while kicking with the other, then move the kicking leg down and the jumping leg up into a kick, landing with the first kicking leg, all while spinning. It may also resemble a jumping spin roundhouse kick (developed by James 'Two Screens' Perkins) into a spinning hook kick, all in one jump and one spin.^[2]

First practiced in Chinese martial arts, the butterfly kick, or "xuan zi", is widely viewed as ineffective for actual combat. Attempting to use this technique to actually attack an opponent could result in leg injuries. However, its original purpose was to evade an opponent's floor sweep and flip to the antagonist's exposed side.

Calf kick[link]

This kick strikes with the backside of the calf. A variation which is known as the jumping calf kick is when the user jumps before performing the kick. This attack often takes the form of a sweep in clinching situations and is most often seen in Judo matches or MMA.

Crescent kick[link]

In Japanese, mikazuki Geri; in Korean, bandal chagi (반달 차기).

The crescent kick, also referred to as a 'swing' kick, has some similarities to a hook kick, and is sometimes practised as an off-target front snap kick. The leg is bent like the front kick, but the knee is pointed at a target to the left or right of the true target. The energy from the snap is then redirected, whipping the leg into an arc and hitting the target from the side. This is useful for getting inside defenses and striking the side of the head or for knocking down hands to follow up with a close attack. In many styles of T'ai chi ch'uan, crescent kicks are taught as tripping techniques. When training for crescent kicks, it is common to keep the knee extended to increase the difficulty. This also increases the momentum of the foot and can generate more force, though it takes longer to build up the speed.

The inward/inner/inside crescent hits with the inside edge of the foot. Its arch is clockwise for the left leg and counter-clockwise for the right leg. Force is generated by both legs' hip adduction. The inward variant has also been called a hangetsu geri (Crescent moon kick) in karate and is employed to "wipe" an opponents hand off of one's wrist. It can quickly be followed up by a low side-blade kick to the knee of the offender.

The outward/outer/outside crescent hits with the 'blade', the outside edge of the foot. Its path is counter-clockwise for the left leg and clockwise for the right leg, and force is generated by both legs' hip abduction. This is similar to a rising side kick, only with the kicking leg's hip flexed so that the line of force travels parallel to the ground from front to side rather than straight up, beginning and ending at the side.

Hook kick[link]

In Korean, huryeo chagi (후려 차기) or golcho chagi.

Steven Ho executing a Jump Spin Hook kick

The hook kick strikes with the heel from the side (or flat of the foot in sparring). It is executed similar to a side kick. However, the kick is intentionally aimed slightly off target in the direction of the kicking foot's toes. At full extension, the knee is bent and the foot snapped to the side, impacting the target with the heel. In Taekwondo it is often used at the resulting miss of a short slide side kick to the head, but is considered a very high level technique in said circumstance. Practitioners of jeet kune do frequently use the term heel hook kick or sweep kick.^[3] It is known as Gancho in Capoeira.

There are many variations of the hook kick, generally based on different footworks: rear- or front-leg, oblique or half-pivot, dropping, spin-back and more. The hook kick can be delivered with a near-straight leg at impact, or with a hooked finish (Kake in Japanese Karate) where the leg bends before impact to catch the target from behind. An important variation is the downward hook kick, delivered as a regular or a spin-back kick, in which the end of the trajectory is diagonally downwards for a surprise effect or following an evading opponent.

Spinning hook kicks can be seen used by Bruce Lee in Fists of Fury (The Chinese Connection in America). Lee also used the move in Enter the Dragon, where he used it several times to knock out opponents. Bill Wallace was also a great user of this kick, as seen in his fight with Bill Briggs, where he KO'd his opponent with the clocked 60 mph kick. The Jump Spin Hook Kick was popularized in the mid-eighties by Steven Ho in open martial art competitions. The hook kick is mainly used to strike the jaw area of an opponent,but is also highly effective in the temple region.

Reverse roundhouse/heel kick[link]

In Japanese, ushiro mawashi geri (後ろ回し蹴り^?); in Korean, bandae dollyo chagi (반대 돌려 차기), dwit hu ryo chagi, nakkio mom dollyo chagi or parryo chagi.

This kick is also known as a heel kick, reverse turning kick, reverse round kick, spinning hook kick, or spin kick. A low reverse roundhouse is also known as a Sweep Kick. This kick traditionally uses the heel to strike with. The kicking leg comes from around the kicker's back and remains straight, unlike a reverse hooking kick. See above for more on hook kicks. Variations exist for low, middle and high height. Spinning and leaping variations of the kick are also popular, and are often showcased in film and television media.

A different kick that is similarly named also exists. It is literally a roundhouse kick performed by turning as if for a back straight kick and executing a roundhouse kick. It is known as a Reverse Roundhouse Kick because the kicker turns in the opposite, or "reverse", direction before the kick is executed. This kick strikes with the ball of the foot for power or the top of the foot for range. The kick was exhibited by Bruce Lee on numerous occasions in his films Enter the Dragon and The Big Boss.

In Olympic format (sport) taekwondo, this technique is performed using the balls of the feet, and in a manner similar to a back thrust, rather than the circular technique adopted in other styles/Martial Arts.

Spinning back heel kick[link]

This is a spinning kick to the back of the head of the opponent. This move was made famous by Yoshiko.

Flying kicks[link]

A flying kick, in martial arts, is a general description of kicks that involve a running start, jump, then a kick in mid-air. Compared to a regular kick, the user is able to achieve greater momentum from the run at the start. Flying kicks are not to be mistaken for jumping kicks, which are similar maneuvers. A jumping kick is very similar to a flying kick, except that it lacks the running start and the user simply jumps and kicks from a stationary position. Flying kicks are often derived from the basic kicks. Some of the more commonly known flying kicks are the: flying side kick, flying back kick and the flying roundhouse kick, as well as the flying reverse roundhouse kick. Flying kicks are commonly practiced in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Wushu, and Muay Thai for fitness, exhibitions, competition, as well as self defense. It is known as tobi geri in Japanese martial arts, and twimyo chagi in Taekwondo.

Scissor kick[link]

Several kicks may be called a scissor kick, involving swinging out the legs to kick multiple targets or using the legs to take down an opponent.

The popularized version of a scissor kick is, while lying down, or jumping, the kicker brings both legs to both sides of the opponent's legs or to their body and head, then brings both in as a take down (as the name states, leg motions are like that of a pair of scissors).

The scissor kick in Taekwondo is called kawi chagi. In Capoeira it is called tesoura (scissors).

Scissor kicks and other variants are also commonly applied in Vovinam.

Vertical kick (thrust kick/push kick/side kick)[link]

The vertical kick involves bringing the knee forward and across the chest, then swinging the hip while extending the kicking leg outward, striking with the outside ("sword") edge of the foot. It can deliver a considerable amount of power. This is called a yoko geri keage in karate.

In Taekwondo, the vertical kick is called sewo chagi, and can be performed as either an inward (anuro) or outward (bakuro) kick.

Multiple kick[link]

In Japanese karate, the term ren geri is used for several kicks performed in succession. Old karate did not promote the use of the legs for weapons as much as modern karate does, seeing them as being too open for countering. However, in modern competitions, the ability to use multiple kicks without setting the foot down has become a viable option, not only for effectiveness but also for stylish aesthetics.

In Taekwon-Do, three types of multiple kick are distinguished:

Double kick (i-jung chagi) - two kicks of the same type executed in succession by the same foot in the same direction.

Consecutive kick (yonsok chagi) - two or more kicks executed in succession by the same foot but in different directions, or with different attacking tools.

Combination kick (honhap chagi) - two or more kicks executed in succession by both feet.

One such Multiple Kick commonly seen in Taekwondo, is a slightly complex Side Kick where a High Side Kick is followed by a Low Side Kick which is in turn followed by a more powerful Side Kick. This combination is done rapidly and is meant not for multiple targets but for a single one. The Multiple Kick usually targets the face, thigh, and chest, but in turn can be a multiple chest attack which is useful for knocking the breath out of an attacker. The Multiple Kick is usually done in the "second" style described in the Side Kick article which "involves shooting the leg forward as in a front kick and then pivoting and turning so" to actually deliver a side kick. That style "has far less power but is much faster and more deceptive", which is what the Multiple Kick was designed for. The Multiple Kick, unlike some Side Kicks or "side blade kicks", never uses the outer edge of the foot; it is intended solely for the heel to be used as the impact point. Depending on the strength and skill of the attacker and the attacked, the combination can be highly effective or highly ineffective when compared to more pragmatic attacks. In some encounters with highly trained and conditioned fighters, multiple side-kicks have seen disastrous results against the abs of their targets.

See also[link]

• Dynamic stretching
• Stomp

References[link]

External links[link]

• Examples of basic kicks at Exershare.com
• Kicking books and resources

Derek Panza
Born	Derek Panza (1971-02-16) February 16, 1971 (age 41) New York, New York, USA
Nationality	American
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	220 lb (100 kg; 16 st)
Division	Heavyweight
Style	Boxing/Kickboxing/Karate
Fighting out of	Huntington, New York, USA
Team	Panza Kickboxing
Trainer	Yoel Judah
Years active	16 (1995–present)
Kickboxing record
Total	23
Wins	22
By knockout	12
Losses	1
Draws	0
Other information
Website	www.panzamma.com

Derek Panza (born February 16, 1971) is an American kickboxer and boxer from Queens, New York. He is the current reigning ISKA Full Contact World Champion and held both the PKF and USKBA world titles as well. Derek is undefeated as a professional boxer with a record of 7-0.^[1] He currently trains fighters at his Gym Panza MMA inside world champion power lifter and bodybuilder Bev Francis' Powerhouse Gym located at 235A Robbins Lane Syosset, NY.

Biography and career[link]

Derek was born in New York. He started training in Shotokan Karate at the age of 8, by the time he was 14 he was promoted to Black Belt, earning the rank of assistant martial arts instructor. In 1986 at the age of 15 he won first place in kumite at National Junior Karate Championships. Derek fought in sport karate as a member of the United States Karate Team and Paul Mitchell Sport Karate Team.

In 1997 Derek won his first World Kickboxing Championship by Knocking out UFC Legend Pat Smith.^[2] he would go on to Capture the Prestigious ISKA World Heavyweight Kickboxing Championship with a Unanimous Decision win over England’s Simon Dore.^[3] Derek was also one of the original fighters that fought in the World Combat League, produced by martial arts legend Chuck Norris. After fighting for the WCL Derek was appointed Head Coach for the World Combat League Team “The New York Clash”

Notable Wins[link]

• KO of UFC Veteran Larry Cureton

• KO of UFC Veteran Dwayne Casom

• KO of UFC and K-1 Veteran Patrick Smith

• KO of K-1 Veteran Dennis Lane

• Unanimous Win Over K-1 Veteran Kelly Leo

• Unanimous Win over Sabaki Challenge Champion Clarence Thatch

• Unanimous Win over Simon Dore for ISKA World Championship

Accomplishments[link]

Derek has trained fighters two World Championships, World Kickboxing Champion Tim Lane, and IFL Champion Deividas Taurosevičius who currently competes in the WEC. Derek has also prepared professional fighters for their matches in UFC and Pride Fighting Championships including Lion’s Den standouts Guy Mezger and Pete Williams. Derek also trained Stuttering John Melendez, 175 lbs, of the Howard Stern Show to victory against K-Rock DJ Crazy Cabbie, 260 lbs, in their celebrity boxing match.

He wrote a monthly column called “Puncher’s Corner” in Full Contact Fighter Magazine for six years. This was an instructional column including basic striking technique, advanced technique, fight strategy, and training methods. He has made several TV appearances on The Howard Stern Show, ESPN2, Martial Arts World, and has had fights featured on MSG, ESPN2, and VS Network. Derek also has his own fitness video "Start-Punching" With Derek Panza designed to yield aerobic benefits while maintaining an overall focus on throwing the six styles of punches that create maximum impact.^[4]

Currently Derek is featured on FitnessRxmag.com giving functional training advice. Derek has worked as a spokesperson for Met-Rx Nutrition and has been featured in countless martial arts and fitness magazines and books for both fight career coverage as well as giving training insight and instruction. Some of the books and magazines featuring Derek are “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Kickboxing,” “Black Belt Magazine,” “Fight Sport Magazine,” “Ultimate Fighter Magazine,” “Full Contact Fighter Magazine,” “Axle Magazine,” “Met Rx Magazine,” and “Fitness Rx Magazine.” Derek has made numerous TV appearances on The Howard Stern Show, ESPN2, Martial Arts World, and has had fights featured on MSG, ESPN2, and Vs Network.

World Cagefighting Alliance[link]

Currently Derek is the President of the World Cagefighting Alliance.^[5] The WCA is a Mixed Martial Arts fight promotion company that is currently producing professional fights in Atlantic City.

References[link]

Brantley Gilbert (born January 20, 1985 in Jefferson, Georgia) is an American country rock music singer-songwriter. He has released two albums, both on the Average Joe's Entertainment Group label. His songs have also been recorded by Colt Ford and Jason Aldean. In December 2010, he left Average Joe's label to join Valory Music Group, where he has charted "Country Must Be Country Wide". A deluxe edition of Halfway to Heaven was released on September 13, 2011, two months before "Country Must Be Country Wide" reached number one on the Hot Country Songs charts.

Albums[link]

His first album, Modern Day Prodigal Son, was originally set to be released in 2006. After signing with Average Joe's Entertainment in mid-2009, he finally released the album.^[2] Halfway to Heaven, followed in 2010.^[3] In February 2011, he signed with Big Machine Records' Valory Music Group division.^[4] He then re-released Halfway to Heaven as a deluxe edition with additional tracks.

Songwriting[link]

Gilbert decided to become a singer after an almost fatal car accident when he was nineteen, he survived with a DUI as his worst problem from it. Brantley Gilbert has written songs that Colt Ford and Jason Aldean have cut. The songs "Dirt Road Anthem" (co-written and originally recorded by Colt Ford) and "My Kinda Party" were both released as major hits for Aldean from his 2010 album My Kinda Party; they were both recorded by Gilbert himself on his first album "Modern Day Prodigal Son" and revisited in his second album "Halfway to Heaven". Aldean also cut Brantley Gilbert's "The Best of Me", which is available on the Wal-Mart exclusive and iTunes release of his 2009 album Wide Open.^[5]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Singles[link]

• ^A Current single.

Music videos[link]

References[link]

Colin Farrell
Farrell at the premiere of Ondine at the Tribeca Film Festival, 28 April 2010
Born	Colin James Farrell (1976-05-31) 31 May 1976 (age 36) Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1996–present
Spouse	Amelia Warner (2001; divorced)
Partner	Kim Bordenave (2002–03; 1 child) Alicja Bachleda-Curus (2009–2010; 1 child)
Website
www.colinfarrell.org

Colin James Farrell (born 31 May 1976) is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such films as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T.. In 2008 he received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his role in In Bruges.

Early life[link]

Farrell was born in Dublin, the son of Rita (née Monaghan), a housewife, and Eamon Farrell, a footballer who played for Shamrock Rovers F.C. and owned a company importing and exporting canned goods in Dublin City.^[1][2] He was raised as a Roman Catholic.^[3][4] His uncle Tommy Farrell also played for Rovers. Farrell has two sisters, Claudine (who is his personal assistant)^[5] and Catherine, and a brother, Eamon Jr. When he was ten, the Farrells moved to Castleknock, a Dublin suburb.^[6] Farrell was educated at St. Brigid's National School Castleknock followed by Castleknock College and Gormanston College. Farrell unsuccessfully auditioned for the Irish group Boyzone when he was still unknown.^[7] Farrell attended The Gaiety School of Acting, but dropped out and was cast in the part of Danny Byrne on Ballykissangel, a BBC television drama. Farrell appeared on the show seven times from 1998 to 1999. He was inspired to try acting after being brought to tears while watching E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.^[8]

Career[link]

Farrell had small parts in television shows and films, including the BBC drama Ballykissangel in 1998, and his film debut in Tim Roth's The War Zone.^[9] In 2000, he was cast in the lead role of Private Roland Bozz in Tigerland, an American film directed by Joel Schumacher. Farrell's next American films, American Outlaws (2001) and Hart's War (2002), were not commercially successful, but his 2003 films, including Phone Booth, S.W.A.T., and The Recruit were well-received box office successes. Although he has a pronounced Irish accent, Farrell uses an American accent in some of his films including American Outlaws and his breakthrough role, Tigerland.

Farrell roles as a supporting actor include his performances as an ambitious cop who chases after a potential criminal, played by actor Tom Cruise, in Minority Report (2002), and as the skilled villain Bullseye in Daredevil (2003). Matt Damon was originally offered the Minority Report role but he turned it down to appear in Ocean's Eleven.^[10] Farrell said "he had no problem" that people knew he was the producer's fall back pick after Damon declined.^[11] The character of Bullseye is that of an assassin with perfect accuracy and deep-rooted pride of it. Farrell was attached to this role in December 2001, though initially he was considered for the lead role as Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil, until Ben Affleck signed.^[12] Farrell was encouraged to keep his Irish accent as this version of Bullseye is from Ireland.^[13] Farrell had to read into Frank Miller's Daredevil comics to understand Bullseye "because the expression on the character's faces in the comic books, and just the way they move sometimes, and the exaggerations of the character I'm playing […] he's so over-the-top that you do draw from that. But it's not exactly a character you can do method acting for... you know, running around New York killing people with paper clips."^[14]

Farrell at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival

In late 2003, Farrell starred as a criminal who plots a bank heist with Cillian Murphy in the comedy Intermission, which held the record as highest-grossing Irish independent film in Irish box office history until 2006.^[15] In 2004, Farrell appeared in several independent films that received only a limited theatrical release in most countries, including A Home at the End of the World, which received some positive reviews.^[16][17] Farrell appeared in the title role of Alexander the Great in Oliver Stone's 2004 biographical film Alexander, which, while receiving some favourable reviews internationally, was poorly received in the United States.^[18] It was marked by controversy for portraying the ancient conqueror as bisexual, and received criticism from some historians for its portrayal of the ancient Persians,^[19] though others praised it for its accuracy in these regards as well.^[20][21] The movie grossed a total of $167 million worldwide, despite its poor showing within the United States, just exceeding its budget of $155 million.^[22]

Farrell's next film was 2005's Academy Award-nominated The New World, also a historical epic that was met with mixed reviews.^[23] Farrell played the leading role of Captain John Smith, the founder of 17th century colonial Jamestown, Virginia who falls in love with a beautiful Native American princess, Pocahontas, played by Q'Orianka Kilcher. The film received positive reviews, despite being released in only 811 theatres worldwide and having a relatively low box office gross.^[24][25]

The New World was followed by Ask the Dust, a romance film set in period Los Angeles and co-starring Salma Hayek. It received a very limited theatrical release and was not a financial success.^[26] 2006 brought more success in Farrell's career, as he appeared opposite Jamie Foxx in Michael Mann's action-crime film Miami Vice. The film was a box office success grossing a total of US $164 million worldwide.^[27] Farrell was next seen in Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream, which premiered in 2007 and was distributed in the U.S. in early 2008. Farrell's next film, Martin McDonagh's In Bruges, opened the Sundance Film Festival in 2008; Farrell received his first Golden Globe nomination and win for his role as Ray, a hired hitman. Shortly thereafter, he appeared in Kicking It, a documentary following six homeless men from different countries as they attempt to qualify for the Homeless World Cup. Farrell appeared on screen and provided narration. The film released simultaneously in theatres and television, airing on ESPN2 with a very short window to DVD release. Farrell received positive press for his involvement in the heartwarming true-life tale, and enthusiastic reviews for the two dramatic roles that preceded it.

On 11 January 2009, he won the Golden Globe award for Best Actor: Musical or Comedy for his role in In Bruges, in which he co-starred with Brendan Gleeson. The same year, he starred in Terry Gilliam's film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, alongside Christopher Plummer. He was one of the actors, along with Johnny Depp and Jude Law, who helped complete the late Heath Ledger's role after he died before filming ended. They all played "Imaginarium" versions of Ledger's character Tony. He also took a supporting role as Tommy Sweet in Crazy Heart, alongside Academy Award-winning Jeff Bridges.

2010 saw the release of Ondine, a fantasy-drama directed by Neil Jordan, which stars Farrell as a fisherman. It also saw him star opposite Keira Knightley in the crime / romance London Boulevard. The film was directed by William Monahan, screenplay writer of The Departed and Body of Lies.

Farrell starred in the 2011 comedy movie Horrible Bosses, with Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman and Jason Sudeikis, directed by Seth Gordon. The film focuses on a trio of employees who plot to murder their titular tyrannical supervisors.^[28] Later that year, Farrell played the lead role in the Fright Night remake.^[29] Farrell joined Anton Yelchin, David Tennant, and Toni Collette in this story about a charismatic vampire who moves in next to a high school student. The film was released by Dreamworks, with Craig Gillespie having directed.

Upcoming films[link]

Farrell at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival

Farrell is involved in a film adaptation of Flann O'Brien's metafictional novel At Swim-Two-Birds alongside Cillian Murphy and Gabriel Byrne. Actor Brendan Gleeson will direct the film, which was scheduled for release in 2010.^[30] In October 2009, however, Gleeson expressed fear that, should the Irish Film Board be abolished as planned by the Irish State, the production may fall through.^[31]

Additionally, Farrell is set to star in Columbia Pictures' Total Recall (a remake of the 1990 film of the same name), which filmed from May to September 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Directed by Len Wiseman, the film is a new take on the Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi picture about a sleeper agent who is compelled to travel to a colony on Mars. Kurt Wimmer (Salt) wrote the script, which like the original is based on the Philip K. Dick story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale."^[32]

Personal life[link]

Colin Farrell was reportedly married to English actress Amelia Warner from July 2001 to November 2001.^[33] However, in December 2011, Amelia Warner said that the marriage ceremony was not legal.^[34]

Colin and British writer Emma Forrest dated for over a year, an experience she discusses in depth in her memoir Your Voice In My Head. According to Forrest, they had planned to have a child together, before he ended the relationship.

Colin and US model Kim Bordenave became parents of James Padraig Farrell, born in 2003, in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles. In October 2007, Farrell revealed that his son has Angelman Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder characterised by intellectual and developmental delay.^[35]

Farrell and Ondine co-star Alicja Bachleda-Curus have a son, Henry Tadeusz Farrell, born in October 2009^[36] One year after the birth of their son, Alicja Bachleda Curus and Colin Farrell decided to end their relationship. ^{[37][dead link]}

Friendship with Elizabeth Taylor[link]

Farrell had reportedly grown very close to Elizabeth Taylor shortly before her death and was one of the few non-family members to attend her private funeral.^[38] He recited the poem The Leaden Echo and The Golden Echo by Gerard Manley Hopkins at her funeral, requested by Taylor herself.

Drug addictions[link]

In December 2005, Farrell voluntarily checked into a rehabilitation treatment center for addictions to recreational drugs and painkillers.^{[citation needed]} His publicist commented that Farrell had started taking painkillers due to a back injury.^{[citation needed]}

Sex tape[link]

In July 2006, Farrell filed a lawsuit suing his former girlfriend, Playboy model Nicole Narain, and the Internet Commerce Group (ICG) over the unauthorised public distribution of a 14-minute sex tape that Farrell made with Narain in 2003.^[39] It was leaked to ICG who tried to release it publicly. A Los Angeles judge issued an injunction barring the sale, distribution, or display of the tape.^{[citation needed]}

Narain claimed that she did not give the tape to anyone and was not sure if or how copies were taken from her. She originally said that she would work with Farrell to ensure that it remained private, but Farrell said that Narain was trying to release it in order to damage his acting career and "make money out of it", which Narain denies.^{[40][41][dead link]}

A trial date for the Narain lawsuit was set for 17 July 2006, but the judge allowed Farrell and Nicole to mediate until 20 April. On 16 April, the two reached a settlement with confidential terms. However, Farrell's lawsuit against ICG continued with a trial date set for 21 July 2006.^[42]

Stalker incidents[link]

Farrell has a stalking restraining order against telephone sex worker Dessarae Bradford.^[43]. Bradford had twice attempted to sue Farrell, alleging abusive messages, but the lawsuits were dismissed due to a lack of evidence provided by Bradford.^[44][45] Bradford also failed a lie detector test on an i TV program while attempting to support her claims and stories.^[46]

On 20 July 2006, as Farrell was being interviewed by Jay Leno on the set of The Tonight Show, Bradford evaded security, walked on stage as cameras were rolling, confronted Farrell, and threw her book on Leno's desk. Farrell escorted her off the stage himself, telling the camera crew to stop filming, and handed her over to security. As Bradford was led out of the studio, she shouted "I'll see you in court." Farrell's response was, "Darling, you're insane!" NBC security handed her to Burbank police, who eventually released her. After Farrell apologised to the audience, describing Bradford as "my first stalker", the show continued filming and the incident was edited out of the aired broadcast.^[45] The following day, Farrell obtained a restraining order against Bradford.^[43]

Bradford has recorded a song entitled "Colin Farrell is My Bitch" and has self-published a book called Colin Farrell: A Dark Twisted Puppy.^[44]

Celebrity status[link]

Farrell was named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2003.^[47] He was also voted sixth in the World's "Sexiest Man" contest by Company magazine that same year.^[48]

In 2007, Farrell joined other celebrities to become an official games spokesman for the Special Olympics World Games in Shanghai, China.^[49]

Filmography[link]

Awards[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Colin Farrell

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Colin Farrell

• Colin Farrell at the Internet Movie Database
• Colin Farrell at AllRovi
• Colin Farrell – biography, filmography

Sebastian Bach
Sebastian Bach, West Hollywood, CA on March 1, 2012
Background information
Birth name	Sebastian Philip Bierk
Born	(1968-04-03) April 3, 1968 (age 44) Freeport, Bahamas
Origin	Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Heavy metal, hard rock, progressive metal, glam metal, country rock
Occupations	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1985–present
Associated acts	Skid Row, Frameshift, Damnocracy, Guns N Roses, James LaBrie, Dokken, Winter Rose

Sebastian Bach (born April 3, 1968) is a Canadian heavy metal singer who achieved mainstream success as frontman of Skid Row from 1987 to 1996. Since his departure from Skid Row, he has had many television roles, acted in Broadway plays, and led a successful solo career.

Early life[link]

Bach was born Sebastian Philip Bierk on April 3, 1968, in Freeport, Bahamas, and raised in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He attended nearby Lakefield College School in the same class as Michael Kulas, of the British rock group James, a year behind Felipe, Prince of Asturias and a year ahead of the comedian/actor Will Arnett. He is of Norwegian, French Canadian, and Native American descent. Bach's father was the visual artist David Bierk. He is the brother of retired NHL goaltender Zac Bierk, model/actress Heather Dylan Bierk, and Toronto-based artists Jeff, Nick, Alex, and Charles Bierk.

Career[link]

Skid Row (1987-1996)[link]

Skid Row initially formed in the late eighties with lead singer Matt Fallon. They began playing at various New Jersey clubs. Fallon would soon leave the band in 1987, leaving Skid Row without a singer. Bach, who had just left his previous band Madam X, was spotted singing at rock photographer Mark Weiss's wedding and the members asked him to join. He turned them down, but changed his mind after hearing the demo tapes of "Youth Gone Wild" and "18 and Life". He sent them a demo of him singing "Saved By Love." They loved it and flew him to New Jersey where they began playing gigs. Sebastian also recorded demos with Bon Jovi & Sabo's friend Jack Ponti. (The song "She's on Top" later came out on Jack Ponti Presents Vol. 1)

In 1989, Bach was criticized for performing wearing a T-shirt reading "AIDS Kills Fags Dead." Later he claimed he wore it without reading it first; it had been thrown to him by a fan. Although he made light of the incident in his original apology (stating that he would've been offended by someone mocking his grandmother's then-recent death with a "Cancer Kills Grandmas Dead" shirt), Bach has since repeatedly apologized for and disavowed the statement, "That was really stupid and wrong for me to wear that for one half-hour in my life. What nobody brings up is in 2000, when I was in Jekyll & Hyde, and at an auction for Broadway Cares, I donated $12,000 of my own money to fight AIDS."^[1]

In 1990, Bach performed with Guns N' Roses and Metallica, on the same stage, at a party held by RIP Magazine, the improvised name for the band was: The Gak. In 1992, he sang the Canadian National Anthem at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in San Diego, California.

Bach was eventually fired when he booked a show where Skid Row would have opened for KISS in 1996. Other band members told Bach that Skid Row was too big to be an opening act and that they weren't going to do the show. Bach then left a message on a bandmate's answering machine telling him that you're never too big to open up for KISS, and subsequently left the band. Ironically enough, four years later, Skid Row was one of the opening acts for the 2000 Kiss Farewell Tour sans Bach.

Broadway and other Projects (1996-2006)[link]

In 1996, Bach formed a rock band called The Last Hard Men, with Frogs guitarist Jimmy Flemion, The Breeders lead guitarist Kelley Deal, and Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. The group recorded a full-length, self-titled album for Atlantic Records, who then opted not to release it. In 1998 it was released on Kelley Deal's label, Nice Records, with no fanfare and a very limited pressing of 1000 CDs. This run may have been sold via mail order only. The album has since been re-released and can be purchased commercially.

In 1999 Bach released his debut solo album Bring 'Em Bach Alive!, his first release after his departure from Skid Row. The album was mainly a live album composed of Skid Row songs of Bach's era; however it also included five new original solo tracks (studio recordings).

In 2000, Bach began performing in Broadway productions. He made his Broadway debut with the title role in Jekyll & Hyde in April 2000. Although originally only contracted through early September, Bach received good reviews and was asked to extend until October 15. Replacing him was David Hasselhoff, whom Bach mentored slightly during rehearsals. He also appeared as Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show in 2001. On November 28, 2001 Bach appeared at New York Steel, a benefit concert held in response to 9/11. He appeared early in the show, left to perform on Broadway, and returned at the end when all performers gathered for a final song.

In early 2002, he became the host of VH1's Forever Wild. In October that same year, Bach was signed to perform in the national touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar, playing the title role alongside JCS veteran Carl Anderson (who reprised his familiar role from Broadway and film of Judas Iscariot). He has said if he ever did the show again, he would like to try the role of Judas next time. A DVD video of live performances called Forever Wild was released in June 2004. That same year, he reprised the title role(s) in another showing of Jekyll and Hyde.

Sometime in 2003, Bach tried out for Velvet Revolver before the band found Scott Weiland, but was turned down because, according to Slash, "We sounded like Skid Roses!"

From 2003 to 2007, Bach had a recurring role on the WB television show Gilmore Girls as "Gil", the lead guitarist in Lane Kim's band, Hep Alien.

Members of Bach Tight Five (a project initiated by Bach in 2004, but shortly dissolved thereafter) lived with Bach and his family as documented on VH1's I Married ...Sebastian Bach, one of the "I Married ..." series. Stars also included Dee Snider, of the rock band Twisted Sister.

In 2005, Bach cooperated with Henning Pauly to be the singer on the Frameshift album called An Absence of Empathy, which was released in April 2005.

On May 12 and May 14, 2006 at the Guns N' Roses' warmup show at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, Bach joined Axl Rose on stage for the song "My Michelle"..... He joined Rose and gang for a third time the following night (May 15) to sing "My Michelle" once again. He also joined them for their Pre-Download Festival show in the Apollo Hammersmith, London, singing My Michelle. Rose introduced Bach by saying that the two had rekindled their friendship in the previous week after 13 years of not speaking. On June 4, 9 & 11 he again joined Rose on stage at the 2006 Gods of Metal Festival (Milan), Download Festival in RDS Dublin and in Donington, respectively. He also appeared on several other tour dates during GN'R's European tour. On September 23, 2006, he joined Axl on stage once again at KROQ-FM's Inland Invasion festival in California for a rendition of "My Michelle". On July 30, 2006, Bach filled in for an ailing Axl Rose for “Nightrain” and the encore “Paradise City".

SuperGroup and Angel Down (2006-2010)[link]

Sebastian Bach live at Norway Rock Festival in 2010

Bach starred with Ted Nugent, Evan Seinfeld, Jason Bonham and Scott Ian on the VH1 show Supergroup in May 2006. The musicians formed a band called Damnocracy for the reality show, during which they lived in a mansion in Las Vegas for twelve days and created music.

Bach announced a partnership record label with EMI to jointly create a label owned by Bach, including his album Angel Down, which was released on November 20, 2007. Bach also recorded backing vocals for the track "Sorry" on Guns N' Roses' long-delayed Chinese Democracy, which was released on November 23, 2008.

He spent the summer of 2008 playing with Poison and Dokken. He also did a solo Australian tour in May & has been working on new songs with Jamey Jasta from HATEBREED, for the follow-up to his Angel Down CD.

Sebastian Bach was the winner of the second season of the CMT reality show, Gone Country."^[2]

Recent events (2010-present)[link]

Bach toured as an opening act for GNR's "Chinese Democracy Tour" 2009-2010, and performed "My Michelle" with Axl Rose in Quebec City on February 1, 2010.

On January 5, 2011, he was featured on NBC's Jimmy Fallon Show in a live performance and a subsequent video of "We Are The Ducks", a power ballad written for University of Oregon Ducks, set to play in the BCS national championship game Monday, January 10, 2011.

In spring 2011, Bach was interviewed by British metal band Asking Alexandria in the March/April issue of Revolver. The band are fans of Skid Row and covered two of their songs the preceding year of the interview.^[3] Bach also filmed in their music video "Closure".