"What I Got" is a song from Sublime's eponymous third album titled Sublime and was the band's biggest radio hit, posthumously after singer Bradley Nowell's 1996 heroin overdose. It was the second single to be released by the band, following "Date Rape" (1991). The song was one of the most popular singles of 1997 in the US. At the time of its release, it reached the #1 spot on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It was also a mainstream Top 40 hit, peaking at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay.^[1]

It is ranked among the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone at #83.^[2] The song is noted for carrying a melody almost identical to that heard on The Beatles' "Lady Madonna"^[3] and an overlayed comparison of the said melody matches up almost exactly.

The song itself is also an adaptation of the track "Loving" by Half-Pint.^[4] Half-Pint has since performed songs with the Long Beach Dub Allstars, which includes the two surviving members of Sublime. It can be heard on the movie, Fun with Dick and Jane. A shortened, clean version of the song was also included in the video game Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX. It also appeared on the soundtrack of Guitar Hero 5 and was sung by the Protagonist and Pierce Washington during the fourth mission of Saints Row: The Third.

The guitar solo was played by Michael “Miguel” Happoldt, the founder of Skunk Records.^[5]

The song was covered by Michael Franti & Spearhead feat. Gift of Gab on the tribute album Look at All the Love We Found.

The song was covered by Bret Michaels of the glam metal band Poison on his solo album Custom Built released in 2010.

It was also covered by the Blues Traveler on their "25" album.

The song contains a sample of the words "too short" from "Life Is... Too Short" by the American rapper Too Short. The song also contains a sample from a Richard Pryor quote found on "That Nigger's Crazy", the same Richard Pryor quote that is used in Ol' Dirty Bastard's Shimmy Shimmy Ya.

The sentence "Never had to battle with no bulletproof vest" is taken from "Mona Lisa (Nappy Heads Remix)" by The Fugees.

A second version, "What I Got (Reprise)", is a more rock-oriented version of the song on the album Sublime. This version was also heard on many rock stations. The lyrics, "I never start no static, I just get it off my chest, never had to battle with no bullet proof vest" are reversed in the reprise version. So he says, "Never had to battle with no bullet proof vest," first, then "never start no static, I just get it off my chest."

What I Got: The Seven Song EP[link]

Track listing[link]

1. "What I Got" (Kahne Radio Edit) (2:47)
2. "40 oz. to Freedom" (3:03)
3. "D.J.s" (3:18)
4. "All You Need" (2:46)
5. "Same in the End" (2:39)
6. "Work That We Do" (2:35)
7. "Doin' Time" (Marshall Arts Remix) feat. the Pharcyde (4:12)

Music video[link]

The video for "What I Got", shot after Nowell's death, mainly contains a collage of archive videos and photos of Bradley, as a tribute to the singer. The video includes images of Long Beach, CA, where the band met their success, as well as live footage from a Sublime show at The Capitol Ballroom in Washington, DC. The rollerblading woman in the beginning of the video is wearing a shirt with the words "I ♥ Slayer" in reference to the thrash metal band Slayer who emerged from the same area.

References[link]

External links[link]

• "What I Got" Official music video on YouTube

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2012)

Mario Mims (born May 19, 1981), better known by his stage name Yo Gotti, is a southern rapper from the northern side of Memphis, Tennessee who was previously known as Lil Yo.

Music career[link]

Independent Albums[link]

Yo Gotti released a string of independent albums. From Da Dope Game 2 Da Rap Game (2000),Self-Explanatory (2001), Life (2003) and Back 2 da Basics (2006) Yo Gotti became very well known in Memphis after the release of his album Life. The song "Dirty South Soldiers" featuring Lil Jon propelled Gotti into the higher ranks of Memphis rappers. The album Back 2 da Basics had even more success. The singles "I Got 'Em", "Full Time", "Shawty", & "Gangsta Party" featuring 8Ball & MJG solidified his status as one of the top rappers from the city.

[edit] Live from the Kitchen (2009-2012)

Yo Gotti's first studio album is called Live From The Kitchen. The album's original first single was titled ""5 Star"" and it was released on May 20, 2009. The single peaked at 79 on the Hot 100, 19 on U.S R&B and 11 on U.S Rap. "Women Lie, Men Lie" was the second official single released December 11, 2009. The song peaked at 81 on 100, 22 on the U.S R&B and 12 on the U.S Rap. "Look In the Mirror" was the third single released 7 months after his second single on July 27, 2010. The song peaked at 97 on the U.S R&B chart "For the Hood" featured rapper Gucci Mane it was released on October 1, 2010 and charted at 86 on the U.S R&B chart. "We Can Get It On" was released May 10, 2011, and the single featured R&B singer Ciara. It peaked at 40 on the U.S R&B Chart. "Single" was released on August 5, 2011. This song is said to be the first "official" single off the album, all the others would be cut from the album. The second single will be a song with rapper Drake, entitled by "All About Mine", produced by Giarad Fleetwood.

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• 2012: Live from the Kitchen

Independent albums

• 2000: From Da Dope Game 2 Da Rap Game
• 2001: Self-Explanatory
• 2003: Life
• 2006: Back 2 da Basics

Mixtapes

• 2006: Full Time Hustlin'
• 2006: I Told U So (Gangsta Grillz)
• 2008: Cocaine Muzik
• 2009: CM2
• 2009: Cocaine Muzik 3
• 2010: Cocaine Muzik 4.5 (Da Documentary)
• 2010: CM5 (White Friday)
• 2011: CM6 (Gangster Of The Year)
• 2011: January 10th (The Mixtape)

Collaboration mixtapes

• 2008: Definition of a G (with Gucci Mane)
• 2010: Cocaine Muzik 4 (with Zedzilla)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Yo Gotti Official Site
• Yo Gotti RCA Label Site
• Yo Gotti | Features Artist | Global Hit Music
• Behind the Scenes, Yo Gotti, "Women Lie, Men Lie" in Los Angeles, February 4, 2010 by Streetgangs.com
• Yo Gotti Interview, Jan 18, 2010
• Non-commercial Yo Gotti mixtapes

Keri Hilson
Keri Hilson performing at Supafest in Australia, April 2011
Background information
Birth name	Keri Lynn Hilson
Born	(1982-12-05) December 5, 1982 (age 29) Decatur, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	R&B, pop
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, dancer, actress
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Zone 4, Mosley Music, Interscope
Associated acts	The Clutch, Polow da Don, Timbaland, Chris Brown, Akon, Kanye West
Website	kerihilson.com

Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, and spent most of her youth working with producer Anthony Dent, as a songwriter and background vocalist for several R&B and hip hop artists. By the age of 14, Hilson had secured a record deal with the girl group D'Signe, who later disbanded. She attended Emory University in Atlanta, while she continued writing songs for artists, including Britney Spears and Mary J. Blige, with the production and songwriting team, The Clutch. In 2006, Hilson signed with American rapper and producer Timbaland's record label, Mosley Music. Her breakthrough came the following year after appearing on Timbaland's single, "The Way I Are", which topped charts around the world.

Hilson's debut studio album, In a Perfect World..., was released in 2009, and debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart, eventually being certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album spawned the hit singles, "Knock You Down", "Turnin Me On" and "I Like". It also earned Hilson two Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Knock You Down". Her second studio album, No Boys Allowed, was released in 2010 and was considerably less successful than its predecessor; however, it included the hit single, "Pretty Girl Rock". Hilson's achievements include a BET Award, MOBO Award, NAACP Image Award and two Soul Train Music Awards. Apart from her work in music, she has pursued a career in acting. Hilson made her acting debut in the romantic comedy film, Think Like a Man, in 2012.

Biography[link]

1982–2007: Early life and career beginnings[link]

Keri Lynn Hilson was born on December 5, 1982 in Decatur, Georgia.^[1][2] She was raised in an African-American neighborhood and came from a middle class family.^[3] Hilson and her siblings did not attend a school within the neighborhood because her parents cared a lot for their education, stating that "they shipped us off for an hour to get to school every day. It was just that important for us to maintain the life that they had created".^[3] From the age of 12, Hilson wanted to pursue a musical career, after watching television talent shows, Star Search and Showtime at the Apollo.^[1] Her mother then hired a piano teacher to give her piano lessons; however, Hilson wanted to become a singer and therefore "converted those sessions into vocal lessons, accompanying the teacher on piano".^[1] By the age of 14, Hilson had secured a record deal with the girl group D'Signe, who later disbanded.^[4][1]

Hilson spent most of her teenage years working with producer Anthony Dent, as a songwriter and background vocalist for the likes of Usher, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, Ciara and Polow da Don.^[1] After graduating from high school, Hilson attended Emory University in Atlanta for three years and studied a course in theater.^[3] She continued working as a songwriter and background vocalist during her schooling years.^[1] Hilson eventually stopped working with Dent, and began working more with Polow da Don.^[1] She also became a member of the songwriting and production team, The Clutch.^[1] Together, they wrote Mary J. Blige's "Take Me as I Am" (2006), Omarion's "Ice Box" (2006), Ciara's "Like a Boy" (2006), The Pussycat Dolls' "Wait a Minute" (2007) and Britney Spears' "Gimme More" (2007).^[1][4] In 2006, Polow introduced Hilson to American rapper and producer Timbaland, who then signed her to his record label, Mosley Music Group.^[1] In November 2006, Hilson was featured on American rapper Lloyd Banks' single, "Help", for his album Rotten Apple (2006).^[5]

The following year, Hilson was featured on three singles; in June, on Timbaland's song "The Way I Are", the second single from his album Shock Value (2007); on Rich Boy's "Good Things" with Polow da Don; and thereafter, in December, on Timbaland's song "Scream" with Nicole Scherzinger, the fifth single from Shock Value.^[6] Out of the three singles, "The Way I Are" achieved the most success, topping nine charts around the world.^{[7][8][9][10][11]}

[edit] 2008–09: In a Perfect World...

Hilson in April 2009

In 2008, Hilson appeared in the music videos for Usher's single, "Love in This Club", and Ne-Yo's single, "Miss Independent".^[12][13] Her debut studio album, In a Perfect World..., was released on March 24, 2009.^[14] The album contained pop-oriented R&B songs.^[15] It was initially planned to be released the previous year; however, the album was delayed several times because Hilson wanted to make sure it came out to her liking, stating "I'm just a perfectionist. I have had many [release dates], but it's all for a good cause. The label wants to make sure the album has its proper release, and I'm thankful for that. Very grateful, even though fans look at it like it's a bad thing."^[16] In the US, In a Perfect World... debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with first-week sales of 94,000 copies.^[17][18] By October 2009, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[19] Its first single, "Energy", released in May 2008, peaked within the top eighty on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[20] It reached the top fifty in the United Kingdom, and peaked the highest in New Zealand at number seven, and was certified gold in the country.^[10][21][22] Hilson also featured on three singles in 2008; in June, on rapper Nas' song "Hero"; in September, on Kardinal Offishall's "Numba 1 (Tide Is High)"; and thereafter, in October, on Chris Brown's song "Superhuman".^[23][6][24]

"Return the Favor", featuring Timbaland, served as the second international single from Hilson's In a Perfect World... album, while "Turnin Me On" featuring Lil Wayne, was released as the second US single. The latter achieved commercial success, reaching number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, eventually being certified platinum in the US.^[20][19] The next single, "Knock You Down" featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo, achieved more success, reaching number three on the Hot 100 and number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, eventually being certified two times platinum.^[20][19] The song also reached the top ten in Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.^{[20][25][21][10]} "Make Love", "Slow Dance", and "Change Me" featuring Akon, were released as the album's fourth, fifth and sixth US singles, respectively.

Hilson, along with Gym Class Heroes, Gorilla Zoe and T-Pain, were supporting acts on Lil Wayne's I Am Music Tour in North America.^[26] At the 2009 BET Awards, she was nominated in four categories, including Best New Artist, Best Female R&B Artist, as well as Viewer's Choice and Best Collaboration for "Turnin Me On" with Lil Wayne.^[27] She eventually won the Best New Artist category.^[28] In 2009, Hilson was featured on five singles; "Number One" with R. Kelly, "She Don't Wanna" with Asher Roth, "Everything, Everyday, Everywhere" with Fabolous, "Medicine" with Plies, and on the remix of Sean Paul's song, "Hold My Hand".^[29][6] Hilson was nominated for Breakthrough Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist at the 2009 American Music Awards, but lost to Beyoncé Knowles.^[30] The re-released edition of In a Perfect World..., in January 2010, included the single "I Like", which reached number one in Germany, Poland and Slovakia, and peaked within the top ten in Austria, Norway and Switzerland.^{[31][32][33][34]} At the 52nd Grammy Awards, Hilson was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Knock You Down" with Kanye West and Ne-Yo.^[35]

[edit] 2010–present: No Boys Allowed

Hilson performing at the 2010 VH1 Divas Salute the Troops concert

During the first half of 2010, Hilson guest featured on rapper Trina's single, "Million Dollar Girl", and on T.I.'s single, "Got Your Back".^[6] In April 2010, it was made known that she had replaced Jennifer Hudson as the new face of the cosmetics and personal care products company, Avon.^[36] "Breaking Point" was released as the first single from Hilson's second studio album, No Boys Allowed, in September 2010; it only appeared on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart at number 44.^[20] On December 2, 2010, Hilson was among one of the many female artists who performed at the VH1 Divas Salute the Troops concert, where she sang "Turnin Me On", "Knock You Down", "Pretty Girl Rock", and a duet with American country music duo, Sugarland, on the Aretha Franklin song, "Think".^[37] No Boys Allowed was released on December 21, 2010.^[38] Described as a "girl power album", No Boys Allowed was primarily of the R&B and pop genres.^[39][40] Despite the album's title, Hilson stated "it's not about excluding men. It's more about women understanding that there comes a time in your life when you want a man. A real man. A grown up. Not a boy. And that's not a bad thing."^[41] Speaking of the songs on the album, she explained "I write from a female perspective, but I'm also telling men what women are really thinking and feeling about them".^[41] In the US, No Boys Allowed debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200, and number seven on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with first-week sales of 102,000 copies.^[42][43] Although it sold 8,000 copies more than her debut album, In a Perfect World..., it failed to match that album's debut chart position of number four.^[42] As of February 2011, No Boys Allowed has sold 205,500 copies in the United States.^[44]

Hilson achieved success with the album's second single, "Pretty Girl Rock", which reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart, eventually being certified platinum.^[20][19] The single reached the top twenty in Germany and New Zealand, and top thirty in Austria and Slovakia.^{[45][21][46][47]} "One Night Stand" featuring Chris Brown, and "Lose Control (Let Me Down)" featuring Nelly, were released as the album's third and fourth singles, respectively. In 2011, she was featured on British rapper Chipmunk's single "In the Air", for his album Transition (2011).^[48] In April 2011, Hilson, along with many other R&B and hip hop acts, traveled to Australia to be part of its biggest urban music festival, Supafest.^[49] At the 2011 BET Awards, Hilson was nominated for Best Female R&B Artist and Video of the Year for "Pretty Girl Rock".^[50] In July 2011, she was a supporting act on the second leg of Lil Wayne's I Am Still Music Tour in North America, before embarking on her first headlining European tour in October.^[51][52]

2012–present: Acting debut and third studio album[link]

During an interview with 106 & Park on October 25, 2011, Hilson revealed that she has already begun recording her third studio album.^[53] She explained, "There's some people in the world that aren't gon' like this album coming from me. As I was experiencing the world, there were things that I was also experiencing on a personal front, and in my music it's coming out. There's a specific few people who ain't gon' like to listen to this album. Very emotional, I'll say that."^[53] She further explained in an interview with The Boombox that she's working on a new sound for the album, and described it as a mixture of her first two albums with some surprising elements thrown in.^[54] Hilson also said a release date has not been confirmed yet, saying "I just write about my experiences and keep the release dates far, far from me. When I feel that I have [good material] is when I will give it to the label. But I'm not quite there yet. I'm still working."^[54] Hilson made her acting debut in the romantic comedy film, Think Like a Man, released on April 20, 2012.^[55][56] She will also star alongside Vin Diesel in the sci-fi action film, Riddick (2013), but it is unknown what role Hilson will play.^[57]

Artistry[link]

Musical style and influences[link]

Hilson's music is generally R&B and pop. Her debut album, In a Perfect World..., consists of a pop/R&B style, with elements of electro music.^[15][58] Many of the album's themes deal with relationships, physical attraction and lovemaking.^[59] Hilson said, "lyrically it's a very vulnerable album. You know, I definitely didn't want to paint myself as perfect on this project. Instead, I wanted it to be something that was very relatable, especially to women".^[60] Her second album, No Boys Allowed, displays a wide variety of styles, including pop, R&B, hip hop, soul, acoustic, electronic and reggae.^{[40][61][62][63]} Hilson describes the album as "more self assured. It's a lot more aggressive".^[64] Kristin Macfarlane of The Daily Post noted that the album is "pure girl power and about being sexually confident, and confident as a woman; not putting up with crap relationships and getting your way".^[65] Hilson sings with "smooth vocals".^[66] Following the release of her debut album, Sophie Bruce of BBC Music expressed that, "there's no denying Hilson has a great voice, but it lacks the feisty edge of [Nicole] Scherzinger, [Mary J.] Blige or [Beyoncé] Knowles".^[67] Mark Nero of About.com commented, "Keri's voice, while strong, isn't particularly distinctive or memorable".^[68] Hilson has stated that her musical influences come from her father's side of the family.^[60] In addition, she cites Michael Jackson and Lauryn Hill as inspirations.^[69][70]

Philanthropy[link]

Besides her career in music, Hilson has also been involved with several charities. In January 2010, she teamed up with Akon on the charity single, "Oh Africa".^[71] All proceeds of the single benefited underprivileged African youth.^[71] The following month, Hilson joined the extended list of artists during the recording session of the single, "We Are the World 25 for Haiti", to benefit victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.^[72] On May 25, 2010, she performed at the Virginia Stand Up! A Call to Action benefit concert, organized by Chris Brown to help with continued relief efforts in Haiti.^[73] On October 21, 2010, Hilson attended Collins Academy High School in Chicago as part of the Get Schooled National Challenge and Tour, a "program aimed at increasing high school and college graduation rates and promoting the importance of education".^[74][75] A year later, she received a Get Schooled Award for her involvement with the program.^[76] In 2011, Hilson contributed in the fight against AIDS, by posing in retail-clothing company H&M's celebrity-driven collection for Fashion Against AIDS.^[77] 25% of all sales from the collection were donated to the Designers Against Aids charity.^[77] Hilson contributed to the It Gets Better Project, a project which aims to prevent suicide among LGBT youth.^[78][79]

In June 2011, Hilson became an ambassador for MTV Staying Alive, a foundation which raises awareness and prevention of HIV and AIDS.^[80] In September 2011, she lent her support to US First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign, which aims to combat childhood obesity.^[81] She made t-shirts for the campaign that read "Pretty Girls Sweat", and exercised with the young women at The Educational Alliance's Sirovich Senior Center in New York on September 24.^[81] During Hilson's visit in Africa in November 2011, she stopped by an orphanage to visit her young fans who had lost their families during the 2010–2011 Ivorian crisis.^[82] She gave each orphan a "care" package, which consisted of bookbags, t-shirts, sunglasses, notebooks and an electric keyboard.^[82] In April 2012, Hilson teamed up with DoSomething.org to encourage young people to join in the nationwide Epic Book Drive by bringing books to local people in need.^[83] In a press release, she stated: "Joining DoSomething.org's newest effort to provide for people in need with Epic Book Drive was the easiest decision ever!. I truly believe providing access to those who want to learn is the key to bettering lives around the country. And helping kids find healthy outlets, such as books, has always been a passion of mine. So my involvement here is a natural fit."^[83]

Discography[link]

• In a Perfect World... (2009)
• No Boys Allowed (2010)

Filmography[link]

Tours[link]

Headlining

• European Tour (2011)

Supporting

• I Am Music Tour (2009) (with Lil Wayne)
• I Am Still Music Tour (2011) (with Lil Wayne)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

	Book: Keri Hilson
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

Media related to Keri Hilson at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website
• Keri Hilson at the Internet Movie Database

Marina and the Diamonds
Marina and the Diamonds performing in Edinburgh on 2 November 2010
Background information
Birth name	Marina Lambrini Diamandis
Born	(1985-10-10) 10 October 1985 (age 26) Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales
Genres	indie pop, pop, New Wave, electropop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, musician poet,
Instruments	Vocals, keyboard, piano, glockenspiel, casio VL-tone, organ
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Neon Gold, 679, Chop Shop
Website	marinaandthediamonds.com

Marina Lambrini Diamandis^[1] (Greek: Μαρίνα-Λαμπρινή Διαμάντη, pronounced [ðʝaˈmadi];^[2] born 10 October 1985), better known by her stage name Marina and the Diamonds (sometimes stylised as Marina & the Diamonds), is a Welsh singer-songwriter.^[3][4] She rose to fame after reaching number two on the BBC Sound of 2010 poll list, coming second to Ellie Goulding. After releasing one private EP, Diamandis released her second extended play, The Crown Jewels EP, with help from Neon Gold Records, in 2009.^[5] Now signed to 679 Recordings, she released her debut full length studio album, The Family Jewels, followed by her third extended play, The American Jewels EP, in 2010. In 2011, Diamandis announced that she was working on her second album, Electra Heart, which was released in April 2012 and went to #1 in the UK and Ireland.

Her stage name, "Marina and the Diamonds", consists of Diamandis' first name and the translation of her surname which means "Diamonds" in Greek. Although "The Diamonds" is often mistakenly believed to refer to her backing band,^[6] it in fact refers to Diamandis' fans: she explains this on her Myspace page by saying "I'm Marina. You are the diamonds."^[7]

Diamandis' musical style ranges from keyboard-based ballads to more up-tempo New Wave-style songs with full band backing.^[4] She has cited a wide-range of influences such as Daniel Johnston, Blondie, The Distillers, Patti Smith, Tom Waits, Nirvana, PJ Harvey, Kate Bush, Britney Spears, Yann Tiersen, Elliott Smith, Dolly Parton and Madonna.^[8][9]

Background[link]

Diamandis was born in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales. Her father is Greek and her mother is Welsh,^[10] and brought up in the village of Pandy with her parents and her older sister.^[11] She attended Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls, of which she said "I sort of found my talent there... I was the one who always skived off choir, but I had an incredible music teacher who managed to convince me I could do anything."^[12] When her parents separated, Diamandis moved to Greece when she was sixteen years old to live with her father but returned to Wales two years later.^[11]

Diamandis moved to London at the age of eighteen where she attended dance school for only two months.^[6] Following this, in 2005 she took a one year singing course at Tech Music Schools.^{[citation needed]} Diamandis enrolled in a music degree at the University of East London, transferring in her second year of studies to Middlesex University, but later dropped out.^[13] She went for many auditions including the West End musical, The Lion King.^[14] Diamandis admitted that she auditioned for a reggae boy band, held by Virgin Records, in 2005 to try to make it into the music business. She said she was "delusional with drive" and ultimately decided to dress up in male attire to try to amuse the record label to sign her, but she was unsuccessful. However, she was called back by the record label a week later.^[15][16]

Diamandis has a synaesthetic condition that involves seeing musical notes and days of the week in different colours.^[17]

Musical career[link]

2005–2008: Early career[link]

Diamandis live at the NME Radar Tour

In 2005, Diamandis created the name "Marina and the Diamonds".^[18] When describing the origin of the name, she said:

I never envisaged a character, pop project, band or solo artist. I saw a simple group made up of many people who had the same hearts. A space for people with similar ideals who could not fit in to life's pre-made mould. I was terribly awkward for a long time! I really craved to be part of one thing because I never felt too connected to anybody and now I feel I have that all around me.^[18]

Early demos of Marina and the Diamonds' songs were self composed and produced on the Apple software application Garageband.^[14] Through Gumtree she found someone to produce a few tracks, for which she paid £500.^[19] These ended up on her debut extended play Mermaid Vs. Sailor EP which was released on 23 November 2007. The record was created on hand-made CD-Rs by Diamandis and sold through her MySpace page. An estimated seventy copies were sold overall.^[20]

In January 2008, Diamandis was first discovered by music scouter Derek Davies of Neon Gold Records. Davies booked Diamandis to open for Belgian-Australian singer Gotye later that year where Warner Music Group first saw her and ended up signing her in October 2008 to 679 Recordings.^[19]

Marina and the Diamonds performing at The Bell House in Brooklyn, New York.

Diamandis' debut single was a double a-side consisting of "Obsessions" and "Mowgli's Road" which was issued on Neon Gold Records in the United States on 19 November 2008, followed by her second extended play The Crown Jewels EP on 1 June 2009 featuring her second single "I Am Not a Robot".^[21] Her first major label single, a re-recording of "Mowgli's Road", was released on 13 November 2009 under 679 Recordings in the UK and through Atlantic Records in the USA. On 7 December 2009 she was listed on the longlist for the BBC Sound of 2010 poll,^[22] and on 7 January 2010 it was announced that she had taken second place.^[23]

[edit] 2009–2010: The Family Jewels

Marina and the Diamonds' debut album, The Family Jewels, was released in February 2010. It peaked at number five on the UK Albums Chart and was certified silver in the United Kingdom days before its release.^[24] A re-release of "Mowgli's Road" was released as the album's lead single in November 2009.^[25] However, the song "Hollywood" was released as the first major single from the album in February 2010.^[26] A re-release of "I Am Not a Robot" in April 2010 became the album's third single; Diamandis said she decided to re-release the song because "people seem to empathize and relate with the song, regardless of gender or age."^[27] "Oh No!" became the album's fourth single in August 2010,^[28] and "Shampain" became the fifth single in October 2010.^[29] She embarked on her first headlining tour on 14 February 2010, consisting of seventy dates around the United Kingdom, Ireland, mainland Europe, the United States and Canada.^[30]

Also during 2010, Diamandis collaborated with producer Benny Blanco and guitarist Dave Sitek in Los Angeles on new material which she described as "a really great opportunity for me as a songwriter. [We are] such a weird threesome—a combination of super pop and really indie".^[6]

In March 2010, Atlantic Records signed Marina and the Diamonds to Chop Shop Records in the United States.^[31][32] Before the album's American release in May 2010,^[33] Diamandis released her third extended play, The American Jewels EP, digitally and exclusively for the United States in March 2010.^[31][32] Diamandis made her North American debut on 14 March 2010 through a series of performances.^[34]

Marina and the Diamonds was nominated for Critics' Choice at the 2010 BRIT Awards^[35] and came fifth in SHREDnews' "Ten Artists To Watch in 2010" list in March 2010.^[36] She also won the award for Best UK & Ireland Act at the 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards.^[37]

[edit] 2011–present: Electra Heart

In a January 2011 interview, Diamandis announced that her second album would mainly be about female sexuality and feminism.^{[citation needed]} The same month, Diamandis was announced as a support act for the U.S. leg of Katy Perry's California Dreams Tour.^[38] Three early demos were leaked in early 2011, called "Sex, Yeah", "Living Dead" and "Jealousy", each showing a more pop sound.^[39] Diamandis recorded material with producers Cirkut, Guy Sigsworth, Labrinth, Greg Kurstin, Diplo, Dr. Luke, Stargate and Liam Howe.

In August 2011, Diamandis uploaded a video to her YouTube page titled "Part 1: Fear and Loathing". In an interview with Popjustice, she explained the concept of the album, titled Electra Heart after a character of her creation; she said the guise "epitomises and embodies the lies, illusions and death of American ideologies involved in the corruption of self [...] Electra Heart is the antithesis of everything that I stand for. And the point of introducing her and building a whole concept around her is that she stands for the corrupt side of American ideology, and basically that’s the corruption of yourself. My worst fear—that’s anyone’s worst fear—is losing myself and becoming a vacuous person. And that happens a lot when you’re very ambitious."^[40] The campaign's first single, "Radioactive" produced by Stargate, was released in October 2011 (reaching number twenty-five in the UK),^[41] followed by a demo of the song "Starring Role" in November^[42] and a video titled ♡ PART 3: "THE ARCHETYPES" ♡ in December.^[43] A track titled "Homewrecker" was issued as a free download to her mailing list subscribers.^[44]

Electra Heart was released in April 2012,^[45] preceded by the single "Primadonna" produced by Dr Luke, Diplo and Cirkut.^[46][47] "Primadonna" debuted at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Diamandis' highest peaking single to date. "Power and Control" has been announced officially as the next single from the album.^[48]

Artistry[link]

Music style and influences[link]

Marina and the Diamonds performing on The Gem Tour in Birmingham, UK.

Marina and the Diamonds has been influenced by a wide-range of musicians from PJ Harvey to Britney Spears.^[8] Diamandis has also noted Daniel Johnston as one of her major influences saying:

He really opened me up to a whole new world of music and a whole new perception of what an artist is. For me, he really encouraged me because if you think of someone who has been spoon-fed pop, up until twenty-one years old, and you hear someone like Daniel Johnston you're like "God, this is terrible, but I love it." It sounds like a child has made it, like, the production is so all over the place. He's obviously got something very captivating here yet he doesn't fit the normal mould and people still love him. I thought "if he can do it then [so can I]," that's when I started to produce things myself and play live, even though I wasn't even great on the piano. It's all about emotion and if you have heart, people connect to that.^[49]

Diamandis calls herself a "DIY musician"^[49] and describes her sound as an alternative to mainstream pop music.^[8] In an interview with ClashMusic Diamandis said that she does not come from a musical background and explained "I probably have a bit of a different sound because I don’t really know what I’m doing".^[50] Lyrically, she says her music analyzes people and that if she wasn't a musician, she would be a psychologist.^[51]

Critics usually catalogue Marina and the Diamonds as a New Wave pop artist. In an interview with The Guardian she said, "I suppose I'm an indie artist with pop goals".^[9] Although Diamandis has asserted that she never tries to sound like any other artist or copy a genre of music, she has been compared to a variety of artists such as Kate Bush^[50] and most commonly Florence and the Machine.^[52] PopMatters commented on her vocal delivery and attitude saying it "has a tendency to overshadow the music, which is often melodically inventive, but we are rarely given the chance to realise this."^[53] The Guardian's Paul Lester wrote that "her songs are hard to fathom. They veer between simple keyboards-based ballads and more upbeat and catchy, quirky new wave-inflected numbers enhanced by percussion, guitar and drums."^[4]

Public image[link]

As well as her music, Marina and the Diamonds is also notable for her unique attire.^[54] When asked in an interview to describe her fashion style in three words, Diamandis said "vintage, cheerleader and cartoon".^[55] You can see an element of this style in the video for 'Oh No!' which was released in June 2010. She has praised model/DJ Leigh Lezark's fashion style and called Gwen Stefani her definitive style icon describing her image as "cartoonized but in a very fresh way".^[55] Diamandis has mentioned that she sometimes makes her own outfits with clothes she buys from charity shops.^[56] She also collects vintage cheer jackets.^[55] She has often been seen wearing clothes by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac,^[57] Laura Mackness,^[58] Beyond Retro,^[59] Motel Rocks,^[60] Jervoise Jackets^[61] amongst others. Diamandis has admitted that she would "like to do something in fashion, not designing, not one of those skanky celebrity lines, but being involved behind the scenes".^[11]

As part of Selfridges' "Sound of Music", Diamandis designed her own window display for the London Oxford Street branch in May 2010.^[62] She also appeared as a "live mannequin" for the display.^[63] Diamandis was featured on Vogue UK's official website throughout November 2010 for a popular sartorial section called "Today I'm Wearing", where she blogged her daily style choices for the fashion website.^[64] In December 2010, Diamandis announced on her Twitter that she would be the new face of the Max Factor make-up range Max Colour Effects.

Discography[link]

• 2010: The Family Jewels
• 2012: Electra Heart

Filmography[link]

• 2013: Homewrecker (Set to be released in Summer 2013)

Touring[link]

Marina and the Diamonds at The Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ

In 2009, Marina and the Diamonds played at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Swindon early in May 2009,^[3] Glastonbury Festival in June 2009,^[65] and the Reading and Leeds Festivals in August 2009.^[66]

In promotion for her album and "Hollywood", Diamandis performed at Brand New: 10 for 10 at London's Dingwalls,^[67] had an eleven minute 4Music special - 4Play: Marina and the Diamonds - on Channel 4,^[68] performed at T4's Outside-In Festival,^[69] New to Q Sessions^[70] in January 2010, was a musical guest on GMTV, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, The Review Show in February 2010^[71] and Later... with Jools Holland and T4's Frock Me! in April 2010. She performed at the Isle of Wight Festival 2010 and Glastonbury Festival 2010 in June 2010 and is planned to appear at other music festivals across the United Kingdom, mainland Europe and North America.

Diamandis had already sold out the first leg of her first headlining tour, The Family Jewels Tour before the release of her debut album. Her entire tour currently consists of seventy dates across six legs around the United Kingdom, North America, Ireland and mainland Europe.^[30][72][73] Diamandis was accompanied by support acts Clock Opera and Alan Pownall for the first leg of her tour and Spark on The Gem Tour.^[74]

Headlining

• The Family Jewels Tour (2010 - 2011)
• Lonely Hearts Club Tour (2012)

Supporting

• California Dreams Tour (2011)
• Mylo Xyloto Tour (2011 - 2012)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Marina and the Diamonds

• Official website
• Marina and the Diamonds on BBC Wales
• Today I'm Wearing at Vogue UK

Clint Eastwood
Eastwood at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
Born	Clinton Eastwood, Jr. (1930-05-31) May 31, 1930 (age 82) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Actor, director, producer, and composer
Years active	1955–present
Spouse	Maggie Johnson (1953–84; two children) Dina Ruiz (1996–present; one child)
Children	Kimber Tunis Kyle Eastwood Alison Eastwood Scott Reeves Kathryn Reeves Francesca Fisher-Eastwood Morgan Eastwood

	This article is part of a series on Clint Eastwood
Background · 1960s · 1970s · 1980s · 1990s · 2000s · Politics · Personal life · Awards and honors · Filmography · Discography · Malpaso Productions

Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide (1959–1965). He rose to fame for playing the Man with No Name in Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy of spaghetti westerns (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) during the late 1960s, and as Harry Callahan in the Dirty Harry films (Dirty Harry, Magnum Force, The Enforcer, Sudden Impact, and The Dead Pool) throughout the 1970s and 1980s. These roles, among others, have made him an enduring cultural icon of masculinity.^[1][2]

For his work in the films Unforgiven (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004), Eastwood won Academy Awards for Best Director and Producer of the Best Picture, as well as receiving nominations for Best Actor. These films in particular, as well as others including Play Misty for Me (1971), Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), Escape from Alcatraz (1979), Tightrope (1984), Pale Rider (1985), Heartbreak Ridge (1986), In the Line of Fire (1993), The Bridges of Madison County (1995), and Gran Torino (2008), have all received commercial success and critical acclaim. Eastwood's only comedies have been Every Which Way but Loose (1978) and its sequel Any Which Way You Can (1980), which are his two most commercially successful films after adjustment for inflation.

In addition to directing most of his own star vehicles, Eastwood has also directed films in which he did not appear, such as Mystic River (2003) and Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), for which he received Academy Award nominations, and Changeling (2008). He has received considerable critical praise in France, including for several films which were not well received in the United States, and he has been awarded two of France's highest honors: in 1994, the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres medal, and in 2007 the Légion d'honneur medal. In 2000, he was awarded the Italian Venice Film Festival Golden Lion for lifetime achievement.

Since 1967, Eastwood has run his own production company, Malpaso, which has produced all except four of his American films. He also served as the nonpartisan mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, from 1986 to 1988. Eastwood has seven children by five women, although he has only married twice.

Early life[link]

Eastwood was born in San Francisco to Clinton Eastwood, Sr. (1906–70), a steelworker and migrant worker, and Margaret Ruth (née Runner; 1909–2006), a factory worker.^[3] He was nicknamed "Samson" by the hospital nurses as he weighed 11 pounds 6 ounces (5.2 kg) at birth.^[4][5][6] After his father died in 1970, Eastwood's mother remarried to John Belden Wood (1913–2004) in 1972, and they remained married until his death 32 years later.^[7] Eastwood is of English, Irish, Scottish, and Dutch ancestry^[3][8] and was raised in a middle class home with his younger sister, Jean (born 1934).^[9][10] His family relocated often as his father worked at different jobs along the West Coast, including at a pulp mill.^[11][12] The family settled in Piedmont, California, where Eastwood attended Piedmont Junior High School and Piedmont Senior High School, taking part in sports such as basketball, football, gymnastics, and competitive swimming.^[13] He later transferred to Oakland Technical High School where the drama teachers encouraged him to enroll in school plays, but he was not interested. As his family moved to different areas he held a series of jobs including lifeguard, paper carrier, grocery clerk, forest firefighter, and golf caddy.^[14]

In 1950, Eastwood began a one-year stint as a lifeguard for the United States Army during the Korean War^[15] and was posted to Fort Ord in California.^[16] While on leave in 1951 Eastwood was a passenger onboard a Douglas AD bomber that ran out of fuel and crashed into the ocean near Point Reyes.^[17][18] After escaping from the sinking aircraft he and the pilot swam 3 miles (5 km) to safety.^[19]

Career[link]

Early work[link]

Publicity photo for Rawhide, 1961

According to the CBS press release for Rawhide, Universal Studios (then known as Universal-International) was shooting in Fort Ord when an assistant noticed Eastwood and arranged for him to meet the series' director.^[20] According to Eastwood's official biography, a man named Chuck Hill was instrumental in securing employment for Eastwood at Universal;^[20] Hill, who had contacts in Hollywood, managed to sneak Eastwood into one of Universal's studios, where he showed him to cameraman Irving Glassberg.^[20] Glassberg arranged for Eastwood to have an audition with Arthur Lubin who, although impressed with Eastwood's appearance and 6-foot-4-inch (1.93 m) frame,^[21] initially questioned his acting skills, remarking, "He was quite amateurish. He didn't know which way to turn or which way to go or do anything".^[22] Lubin suggested Eastwood attend drama classes, and arranged for his initial contract in April 1954 at $100 (US$865 in 2012 dollars^[23]) per week.^[22] After signing, Eastwood was criticized for his stiff manner, his squint, and for hissing his lines through his teeth, a feature that would become a lifelong trademark.^{[24][25][26][27]}

Eastwood's first acting role was an uncredited bit part as a laboratory assistant in the 1955 film Revenge of the Creature.^[28] He then had uncredited bit parts in several other films, such as Lady Godiva of Coventry and Never Say Goodbye (1956), as well as a small speaking role in Francis in the Navy.^[29][30][31] In 1959, he made a guest appearance on Maverick, opposite James Garner, as a cowardly villain intent on marrying a rich girl for money.^[32] Eastwood had a small part as an aviator in the French picture Lafayette Escadrille and took on a featured role as an ex-Confederate renegade in Ambush at Cimarron Pass, a film which Eastwood viewed as disastrous and the lowest point of his career.^[33][34][35]

In a long sought-after break, Eastwood was cast in the supporting role of Rowdy Yates for the CBS hour-long western series Rawhide in the summer of 1958,^[36][37] although he was not especially happy with his role. Now aged 28, Eastwood felt his character Rowdy was too young and cloddish for him to feel comfortable with the part.^[38] Rawhide premiered in January 1959^[39] and after its release took only three weeks to reach the top 20 in the TV ratings. Although the series never won an Emmy it was a major success for several years, reaching its peak at number six in the ratings between October 1960 and April 1961.^[40] The Rawhide years (1959–65) were some of the most grueling of Eastwood's career. He often filmed for six days a week at an average of twelve hours a day, yet some directors still criticized him for not working hard enough.^[41][40] By late 1963 Rawhide's popularity had declined. Lacking freshness in the scripts, it was canceled in the middle of the 1965–66 television season.^[42] Eastwood made his first attempt at directing when he filmed several trailers for the show, although he was unable to convince producers to let him direct an episode.^[43] In the show's first season Eastwood earned $750 (US$6,042 in 2012 dollars^[23]) an episode. At the time of Rawhide’s cancellation, he received $119,000 (US$877,609 in 2012 dollars^[23]) in compensation.^[44]

1960s[link]

Set of The Good, Bad and the Ugly in Almería in 2009

In late 1963 Eastwood's co-star on Rawhide, Eric Fleming, rejected an offer to star in an Italian-made western called A Fistful of Dollars, to be directed in a remote region of Spain by the then relatively unknown Sergio Leone.^[45] Other actors, including Charles Bronson, Steve Reeves, Richard Harrison, Henry Fonda, James Coburn, and Ty Hardin, were also considered for the role. Knowing that he could play a cowboy convincingly Harrison suggested Eastwood, who in turn saw the film as an opportunity to escape from Rawhide. He signed a contract for $15,000 (US$112,403 in 2012 dollars^[23]) in wages for eleven weeks' work, with a bonus of a Mercedes automobile upon completion.^[46][47] Eastwood later spoke of the transition from a television western to A Fistful of Dollars: "In Rawhide I did get awfully tired of playing the conventional white hat. The hero who kisses old ladies and dogs and was kind to everybody. I decided it was time to be an anti-hero."^[48] Eastwood was instrumental in creating the Man with No Name character's distinctive visual style and, although a non-smoker, Leone insisted Eastwood smoke cigars as an essential ingredient of the "mask" he was attempting to create for the loner character.^[49]

A Fistful of Dollars proved a landmark in the development of spaghetti westerns, with Leone depicting a more lawless and desolate world than in traditional westerns, and challenging stereotypical American notions of a western hero by replacing him with a morally ambiguous antihero. The film's success meant Eastwood became a major star in Italy^[50] and he was re-hired by Leone to star in For a Few Dollars More (1965), the second film of the trilogy. Through the efforts of screenwriter Luciano Vincenzoni, the rights to For a Few Dollars More and the final film of the trilogy (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) were sold to United Artists for approximately $900,000 (US$6.64 million in 2012 dollars^[23]).^[51]

In January 1966 Eastwood met producer Dino De Laurentiis in New York City and agreed to star in a non-western five-part anthology production named Le streghe ("The Witches") opposite De Laurentiis' wife, actress Silvana Mangano.^[53] Eastwood's nineteen-minute installment only took a few days to shoot but his performance did not go down well with critics, with one writing "no other performance of his is quite so 'un-Clintlike' ".^[54] Two months later Eastwood began work on the third Dollars film, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, in which he again played the mysterious Man with No Name. Lee Van Cleef returned to play a ruthless fortune seeker, while Eli Wallach portrayed the cunning Mexican bandit Tuco Ramirez. The storyline involves the search for a cache of Confederate gold buried in a cemetery. During the filming of one scene in which a bridge was to be dynamited, Eastwood urged Wallach to retreat to a hilltop saying, "I know about these things. Stay as far away from special effects and explosives as you can."^[55] Minutes later confusion among the crew over the word "Vaya!" resulted in a premature explosion that could have killed Wallach.^[55]

The Dollars trilogy was not shown in the United States until 1967 when A Fistful of Dollars opened in January, For a Few Dollars More in May, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly in December.^[56] All the films were commercially successful, particularly The Good, the Bad and the Ugly which eventually earned $8 million (US$55.8 million in 2012 dollars^[23]) in rental earnings and turned Eastwood into a major film star.^[56] All three films received generally bad reviews, and marked the beginning of a battle for Eastwood to win the respect of American film critics.^[57] Judith Crist described A Fistful of Dollars as "cheapjack",^[58] while Newsweek considered For a Few Dollars More as "excruciatingly dopey".^[57] Renata Adler of The New York Times opined that The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (now widely considered one of the finest films in the history of cinema.^[59][60]) was "the most expensive, pious and repellent movie in the history of its peculiar genre".^[61] Time magazine drew attention to the film's wooden acting, especially on the part of Eastwood, although critics such as Vincent Canby and Bosley Crowther of The New York Times praised Eastwood's coolness in playing the tall, lone stranger.^[62] Leone's distinctive cinematography style was widely acclaimed, even by critics who disparaged the acting in the film.^[57]

Stardom brought more "tough guy" roles for Eastwood. He signed up to star in the American revisionist western Hang 'Em High (1968), in which he featured alongside Inger Stevens, Pat Hingle, Dennis Hopper, Ed Begley, Bruce Dern, and James MacArthur,^[63] playing a man who seeks revenge after being lynched by vigilantes and left for dead.^[64] A cross between Rawhide and Leone's westerns, the film earned Eastwood a fee of $400,000 (US$2.67 million in 2012 dollars^[23]) and 25 percent of its net box-office takings.^[63] Using money earned from the Dollars trilogy, accountant and Eastwood advisor Irving Leonard helped establish Eastwood's production company, Malpaso Productions, named after the Malpaso Creek on Eastwood's property in Monterey County, California. Leonard arranged for Hang 'Em High to be a joint production with United Artists^[65] and, when it opened in July 1968, the film became the biggest United Artists opening in history — its box office receipts exceeding all the James Bond films of the time.^[66][67] Hang 'Em High was widely praised by critics, including Archer Winsten of the New York Post who described it as, "a western of quality, courage, danger and excitement".^[10]

Before the release of Hang 'Em High Eastwood had already begun work on the film Coogan's Bluff, about an Arizona deputy sheriff tracking a wanted psychopathic criminal (Don Stroud) through the streets of New York City. He was reunited with Universal Studios for the project after receiving an offer of $1 million (US$6.97 million in 2012 dollars^[23])—more than double his previous salary.^[67] Jennings Lang arranged for Eastwood to meet Don Siegel, a Universal contract director who later became one of Eastwood's close friends, with the two forming a partnership that would last more than ten years and comprise five films.^[68] Filming began in November 1967, before the script had been finalized.^[69] The film was controversial for its portrayal of violence,^[70][71] with Eastwood's role creating the prototype for what would later become the macho cop of the Dirty Harry film series.^{[citation needed]} Coogan's Bluff also became the first collaboration with Argentine composer Lalo Schifrin, who would later compose the jazzy score to several Eastwood films in the 1970s and 1980s, including the Dirty Harry films.

Eastwood was paid $850,000 (US$5.68 million in 2012 dollars^[23]) in 1968 for the war epic Where Eagles Dare,^[72] about a World War II squad parachuting into a Gestapo stronghold in the alpine mountains. Richard Burton played the squad's commander, with Eastwood as his right-hand man. Eastwood was also cast as Two-Face in the Batman television show, but the series was canceled before filming began.^[73]

Eastwood then branched out to star in the only musical of his career, Paint Your Wagon (1969). Eastwood and fellow non-singer Lee Marvin play gold miners who share the same wife (portrayed by Jean Seberg). Bad weather and delays plagued the production, while the film’s budget eventually exceeded $20 million (US$127 million in 2012 dollars^[23]), which was extremely expensive for the time.^[74] The film was not a critical or commercial success, although it was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.^[75]

1970s[link]

In 1970, Eastwood starred in the western Two Mules for Sister Sara with Shirley MacLaine and directed by Don Siegel. The film follows an American mercenary who gets mixed up with a whore disguised as a nun and ends up helping a group of Juarista rebels during the reign of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico.^[76][77] Eastwood once again played a mysterious stranger—unshaven, wearing a serape-like vest, and smoking a cigar.^[78] Although the film received moderate reviews^[79][80][81] the film is listed in The New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made.^[82] Later the same year Eastwood starred as one of a group of Americans who steal a fortune in gold from the Nazis in the World War II film Kelly's Heroes with Donald Sutherland and Telly Savalas. Kelly's Heroes was the last film in which Eastwood appeared that was not produced by his own Malpaso Productions.^[83] Filming commenced in July 1969 on location in Yugoslavia and in London.^[84] The film received mostly a positive reception and its anti-war sentiments were recognized.^[83] In the winter of 1969–70, Eastwood and Siegel began planning his next film, The Beguiled, a tale of a wounded Union soldier held captive by the sexually repressed matron of a southern girl's school.^[85] Upon release the film received major recognition in France and is considered one of Eastwood's finest works by the French.^[86] However, it grossed less than $1 million (US$5.98 million in 2012 dollars^[23]) and, according to Eastwood and Lang, flopped due to poor publicity and the "emasculated" role of Eastwood.^[87]

Eastwood with a fan circa 1970

Eastwood's career reached a turning point in 1971.^[88] Before Irving Leonard died he and Eastwood had discussed the idea of Malpaso producing Play Misty for Me, a film that was to give Eastwood the artistic control he desired and his debut as a director.^[89] The script was about a jazz disc jockey named Dave (Eastwood) who has a casual affair with Evelyn (Jessica Walter), a listener who had been calling the radio station repeatedly at night asking him to play her favorite song—Erroll Garner's "Misty". When Dave ends their relationship the fan becomes violent and murderous.^[90] Filming commenced in Monterey in September 1970 and included footage of that year's Monterey Jazz Festival.^[91] The film was highly acclaimed with critics such as Jay Cocks in Time, Andrew Sarris in the Village Voice, and Archer Winsten in the New York Post all praising the film, as well as Eastwood's directorial skills and performance.^[92] Walter was nominated for a Golden Globe Best Actress Award (Drama) for her performance in the film.

Dirty Harry (1971), written by Harry Julian Fink and Rita M. Fink, centers around a hard-edged New York City (later changed to San Francisco) police inspector named Harry Callahan who is determined to stop a psychotic killer by any means.^[93] Dirty Harry has been described as being arguably Eastwood's most memorable character, and the film has been credited with inventing the "loose-cannon cop" genre.^[94][95] Author Eric Lichtenfeld argues that Eastwood's role as Dirty Harry established the "first true archetype" of the action film genre.^[96] His lines (quoted left) have been cited as among the most memorable in cinematic history^{[by whom?]} and are regarded by firearms historians, such as Garry James and Richard Venola, as the force which catapulted the ownership of .44 Magnum pistols to unprecedented heights in the United States; specifically the Smith & Wesson Model 29 carried by Harry Callahan.^[97][98] Dirty Harry achieved huge success after its release in December 1971, earning $22 million (US$126 million in 2012 dollars^[23]) in the United States and Canada alone.^[99] It was Siegel's highest-grossing film and the start of a series of films featuring the character Harry Callahan. Although a number of critics praised Eastwood's performance as Dirty Harry, such as Jay Cocks of Time magazine who described him as "giving his best performance so far, tense, tough, full of implicit identification with his character",^[100] the film was also widely criticized and accused of being fascistic.^{[101][102][103]}

Following Sean Connery's announcement that he would not play James Bond again, Eastwood was offered the role but turned it down because he believed the character should be played by an English actor.^[104] He next starred in the loner Western Joe Kidd (1972), based on a character inspired by Reies Lopez Tijerina who stormed a courthouse in Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico, in June 1967. During filming, Eastwood suffered symptoms of a bronchial infection and several panic attacks.^[105] Joe Kidd received a mixed reception, with Roger Greenspun of The New York Times writing that it was unremarkable, with foolish symbolism and sloppy editing, although he praised Eastwood's performance.^[106]

In 1973, Eastwood directed his first western, High Plains Drifter, in which he starred alongside Verna Bloom, Marianna Hill, Billy Curtis, Rawhide's Paul Brinegar and Geoffrey Lewis. The film had a moral and supernatural theme, later emulated in Pale Rider. The plot follows a mysterious stranger (Eastwood) who arrives in a brooding Western town where the people hire him to protect them against three soon-to-be-released felons. There remains confusion during the film as to whether the stranger is the brother of the deputy, whom the felons lynched and murdered, or his ghost. Holes in the plot were filled with black humor and allegory, influenced by Leone.^[107] The revisionist film received a mixed reception, but was a major box office success. A number of critics thought Eastwood's directing was "as derivative as it was expressive", with Arthur Knight of the Saturday Review remarking that Eastwood had "absorbed the approaches of Siegel and Leone and fused them with his own paranoid vision of society".^[108] John Wayne, who had declined a role in the film, sent a letter to Eastwood soon after the film's release in which he complained that, "the townspeople did not represent the true spirit of the American pioneer, the spirit that made America great".^[109]