China (i/ˈtʃaɪnə/; Chinese: 中国; pinyin: Zhōngguó; see also Names of China), officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is the world's most-populous country, with a population of over 1.3 billion. Covering approximately 9.6 million square kilometres, the East Asian state is the world's second-largest country by land area, and the third- or fourth-largest in total area, depending on the definition of total area.
The People's Republic of China is a single-party state governed by the Communist Party of China. It exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four directly controlled municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing), and two mostly self-governing special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau). Its capital city is Beijing. The PRC also claims Taiwan—which is controlled by the Republic of China (ROC), a separate political entity—as its 23rd province, a claim controversial due to the complex political status of Taiwan and the unresolved Chinese Civil War. The PRC government denies the legitimacy of the ROC.
John Howard Gallagher, Jr. (born June 17, 1984) is a Tony award-winning American actor and musician perhaps best known for originating the role of Moritz Stiefel in Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater's rock musical Spring Awakening. He recently played Johnny aka "Jesus of Suburbia" in Green Day's Broadway musical, American Idiot and Lee in the 2011 Broadway production of Jerusalem.
Gallagher was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware with his parents and two older sisters. He is an avid reader and loves movies. His parents, John, Sr. and June Gallagher, were folk musicians.
He eventually went on to play in numerous bands, including Not Now Murray, What Now, Annie's Autograph, and Old Springs Pike.
Before and throughout his Spring Awakening run, he was in Old Springs Pike. On January 23, 2008, his fellow band members announced his departure. The next day, Gallagher made an official announcement confirming his departure on his MySpace page. Old Springs Pike later officially changed their name to The Spring Standards.
Jan Cyrka is a British guitar player.
In the early 80s Cyrka formed a band in London called The Broadway Metal Choir. The line-up featured himself on guitar, Kevin Riddles (bass, ex-Angelwitch; Tytan), Kevin Fitzpatrick (keyboards) and Andy Beirne (drums). Unlikely vocalist Max Gelt- a deli owner from Florida- was drafted in on vocals, but after six weeks of touring he broke his leg and returned to Miami. The band released an album in 1985 called 'And God Gave Us Max', but split soon afterwards. After they broke up, most of the band returned to session work, but Cyrka was then to spend three years in Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction (under the name Flash Bastard). After a support slot with Guns N' Roses, Cyrka left the band to focus on solo work. He released his critically acclaimed debut, "Beyond The Common Ground," in 1992. The track "Western Eyes" was used as the theme to the Radio 1 Rock Show.
1995's follow-up album, "Spirit," continued the melodic style but dialled-down some of the guitar pyrotechnics of ...Common Ground.
Carol Decker (born 10 September 1957) is an English recording artist. She is best known as the singer and front woman for the band, T'Pau, which enjoyed international success in the late 1980s. Her partner at the time, Ronnie Rogers, born 13 March 1959, in Shrewsbury, was also a member of the band and they co-wrote the majority of T'Pau's songs. Although Decker's music is mainly associated with the group, she also released a solo single in 1995 entitled "One Heart," in support of the Halifax World Cup Rugby League Centenary.
Carol's personal nickname is "GnatFish," and the record label she started bears that name.[citation needed]
Decker was born in Huyton, now in Merseyside and educated in Wellington, Shropshire, along with other members of the band. In addition to her musical achievements, Decker has also acted on both stage and screen, including a part in the movie, Nine Dead Gay Guys.TV appearances include Hit Me, Baby, One More Time (in which she reached the final round, ultimately being beaten by Shakin' Stevens). Decker also appeared in the British comedy series Trigger Happy TV in which she appeared in a "bull in a china shop" sketch (the joke being that she had previously had a hit with the song, "China in Your Hand"), and in another sketch where she accompanied Dom Joly as he pretended to be a door-to-door salesman.
Jai McDowall (born 24 July 1986) is a Scottish singer who won the fifth series of Britain's Got Talent in June 2011. As the winner, he received £100,000 and performed at the 2011 Royal Variety Performance. McDowall was signed to Syco Music, a subdivision of record label giant, Sony Music.
Before Britain's Got Talent, he appeared as a contestant on The X Factor and The American Idol Experience. His debut album Believe was released on 9 December 2011. The lead single "With or Without You" was released the same day. In March 2012, he was dropped by Syco after his one-album contract expired.
McDowall was born and lives in Tarbolton in Ayrshire, Scotland where he worked as a support worker prior to winning Britain's Got Talent. He was a member of the Ayr Amateur Opera Company and Loudoun Musical Society. He played roles such as Frank in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Motel in Fiddler on the Roof.
Before his job of looking after young people with disabilities, Jai spent 2 years studying Music and Audio Technology (NC & HNC) at Music and Sound Production Dept, Ayr College, Scotland, UK.
One more illusion shattered
One more broken dream
Oh that the morning brings the sun
Gone are the days when I could bounce right back again
See how the tears flow down
Like sweet summer rain
Where does it leave me now
I find myself so free again
Even the smallest traces
Of your sweet perfume
Open the flood gates and I'm helpless
Now as the moonlight shadows
Cast across my room
Only these whispered words
Are heard in the night
Only a silent prayer
'I love you still
I always will'
Out of the dark I stumbled
Into the light
Only my fear has tumbled
I think I always knew
That I would run to you
Somewhere there's children playing
Somewhere far away
Running with open arms to greet me
Over the hill the sunset
Dies and fades away
I turn and I close the door
With one last goodbye
I will return no more
We promised that we'd share our lives
And nothing could tear us apart
But I feel that something has gone wrong
I must try to find the way
To tell you what I want to say
That I feel that something has gone wrong
Cause I don't feel the flame again
I don't want to have to pretend
That I'm still in love with you
I don't feel the flame again
I don't want to have to pretend
That I'm still in love with you
See me
Free me
Let me go
I will not promise you
The things I can't do
And I can't afford to live in love that's through
Forgive me I have sinned
I've made a broken dream
And this has to end, I hope you understand
Cause I don't feel the flame again
I don't want to have to pretend
That I'm still in love with you
I don't feel the flame again
I don't want to have to pretend
That I'm still in love with you
See me
Free me
Let me go
Promise that we'd share our lives
And nothing would tear us apart