Badly Drawn Boy
Encyclopedia
Damon Gough is an English
alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable
, Bedfordshire
. He grew up in the Breightmet
area of Bolton
, Lancashire
, England
.
Damon Gough chose his stage name from the title character in the show Sam and his Magic Ball, which he saw on TV
at a party in Trafford
, Manchester
in 1995. Before he thought of using this name he made some business cards, each one unique, with a printed picture of a drawing by his nephew and a small collage by Gough. This was then laminated and given out to friends and people at clubs
in Blackburn and Manchester.
A chance meeting with Andy Votel
at the Generation X bar in Manchester, where Gough's friends Scott Abraham and Damon Hayhurst were contributing to an exhibition by the Space Monkey Clothing Company and Votel was DJing
, led to the foundation of Twisted Nerve Records
. Badly Drawn Boy's first 7-inch single
, EP1, was pressed the following year to critical acclaim, although only 500 copies were made.
In 2002, Q magazine named Badly Drawn Boy in their list of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die", although this was as part of a sub-list of "5 Bands That Could Go Either Way" on account of Gough's tendency to talk and tell stories for extended periods in concert rather than play songs.
began in September 1997 with the five track vinyl
release "EP1". This was distributed among friends and family members. With only 500 being pressed, the record is now considered something of a Holy grail
for Badly Drawn Boy enthusiasts, with copies commanding as little as £100 on eBay
.
In April 1998 Gough released his second EP, "EP2". This featured one track less than its predecessor but twice as many copies were pressed. The highlight track "I Love You All" was later transferred to a music box
which was released alongside the EP. The box plays eleven seconds of the song and is considered much rarer than the record itself due to its limited production.
Gough's third EP, "EP3", was released in November 1998 on both CD
and vinyl formats, and was the first release in what would become a long-term partnership with XL Recordings
. In the same year he collaborated with Unkle
for their first album Psyence Fiction
. "Road Movie" was released as a live recording with Gough's fellow Mancunians Doves. The B-side to the single was another track from the EP, "My Friend Cubilas". Music videos were recorded for both tracks.
Gough's last EP, Once Around the Block, was released in August 1999 in two vinyl formats and one CD edition. The release is almost short enough to be considered a single.
Following the success of his early EPs, Gough's debut album, The Hour of Bewilderbeast
, was released in June 2000, accompanied by four singles (including a re-release of Once Around the Block).
The album was critically acclaimed and Badly Drawn Boy was successful in winning the 2000 Mercury Music Prize, beating his contemporaries Doves to the £20,000 prize. The album sold well (300,000 copies) and is widely considered to be his defining work.
After a short break, Gough returned to score the film adaptation of Nick Hornby
's novel About a Boy
. Impressed by his past work, the Weitz brothers asked Gough to score the film, a task which he undertook alone. Three singles from the album were released over the course of 2002.
His third album, Have You Fed the Fish?
, introduced more guitars and an increasingly mainstream pop sound which was not welcomed by all critics. The album is a play on Gough's minor celebrity status and namechecks music icons such as Madonna
and John Lennon
. Another three singles and a long American tour accompanied the album.
, Cheshire
, One Plus One Is One
was a portrait of his personal life. Documenting a death of a close friend and the loss of a grandfather in the Battle of Normandy
, the album was released in 2004. It was not a great commercial success, and Gough decided to leave his contract with XL Recordings after only one single was released. He then signed to EMI
.
Two years went by before Born in the U.K.
, which aims to explain Gough's experience of growing up in the United Kingdom
. The album was promoted with a small UK tour, profits from which were donated to Oxfam
, a charity which "offers the chance for thousands of people to use music to achieve something together, which is an idea that gets me excited," said Gough.
The album "Is There Nothing We Could Do?
", featuring 'music taken from and inspired by the motion picture The Fattest Man in Britain
was released on his own BDB Records label in 2009.
A seventh album, It's What I'm Thinking Pt.1 – Photographing Snowflakes
, the first of a planned trilogy of albums all to be released under the title It's What I'm Thinking, was released in October 2010.
On 17 December 2010 while on stage at the Troubador in Los Angeles, Gough became unhappy with the quality of the sound acoustics at the venue and the audience, which lead to Gough swearing at some members of the audience.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable
Dunstable
Dunstable is a market town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the eastward tail spurs of the Chiltern Hills, 30 miles north of London. These geographical features form several steep chalk escarpments most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the north.-Etymology:In...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
. He grew up in the Breightmet
Breightmet
Breightmet is a neighbourhood of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically a township of the civil and ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors in the Salford hundred of Lancashire, it lies 2 miles north east of Bolton and 4 miles north-west of Bury...
area of Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Damon Gough chose his stage name from the title character in the show Sam and his Magic Ball, which he saw on TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
at a party in Trafford
Trafford
The Metropolitan Borough of Trafford is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 211,800, covers , and includes the towns of Altrincham, Partington, Sale, Stretford, and Urmston...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in 1995. Before he thought of using this name he made some business cards, each one unique, with a printed picture of a drawing by his nephew and a small collage by Gough. This was then laminated and given out to friends and people at clubs
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in Blackburn and Manchester.
A chance meeting with Andy Votel
Andy Votel
Andrew Shallcross, known by his stage name Andy Votel, is an electronic musician, DJ and record producer, co-founder of Twisted Nerve Records and the reissue label Finders Keepers Records...
at the Generation X bar in Manchester, where Gough's friends Scott Abraham and Damon Hayhurst were contributing to an exhibition by the Space Monkey Clothing Company and Votel was DJing
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, led to the foundation of Twisted Nerve Records
Twisted Nerve Records
Twisted Nerve Records is a Manchester, England-based record label. It is most well known for being the home of the singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy, who co-founded the label with Andy Votel.-Musical artists:...
. Badly Drawn Boy's first 7-inch single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, EP1, was pressed the following year to critical acclaim, although only 500 copies were made.
In 2002, Q magazine named Badly Drawn Boy in their list of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die", although this was as part of a sub-list of "5 Bands That Could Go Either Way" on account of Gough's tendency to talk and tell stories for extended periods in concert rather than play songs.
Early years: 1995–1998
Gough's recording careerSound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
began in September 1997 with the five track vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
release "EP1". This was distributed among friends and family members. With only 500 being pressed, the record is now considered something of a Holy grail
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
for Badly Drawn Boy enthusiasts, with copies commanding as little as £100 on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
.
In April 1998 Gough released his second EP, "EP2". This featured one track less than its predecessor but twice as many copies were pressed. The highlight track "I Love You All" was later transferred to a music box
Musical box
A music box is a 19th century automatic musical instrument that produces sounds by the use of a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder or disc so as to pluck the tuned teeth of a steel comb. They were developed from musical snuff boxes of the 18th century and called carillons à musique...
which was released alongside the EP. The box plays eleven seconds of the song and is considered much rarer than the record itself due to its limited production.
Gough's third EP, "EP3", was released in November 1998 on both CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
and vinyl formats, and was the first release in what would become a long-term partnership with XL Recordings
XL Recordings
XL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire...
. In the same year he collaborated with Unkle
UNKLE
Unkle are a British musical outfit founded in 1994 by school friends James Lavelle and Tim Goldsworthy. Originally categorized as trip-hop, the group once included producer DJ Shadow and have employed a variety of guest artists and producers.-First incarnation :Lavelle and Goldsworthy were joined...
for their first album Psyence Fiction
Psyence Fiction
-Samples:*"Intro "**Quannum MCs – "Blue Flames"**Massive Attack – "Teardrop"**Air – "All I Need"**Invisibl Skratch Piklz – "Invisibl Skratch Piklz vs...
. "Road Movie" was released as a live recording with Gough's fellow Mancunians Doves. The B-side to the single was another track from the EP, "My Friend Cubilas". Music videos were recorded for both tracks.
Mainstream success: 1999–2002
It Came from the Ground was the next EP, released in March 1999 on CD and vinyl. The style of this recording focused on woodland environments, an aspect displayed in both the cover art and the title track's video. Also released during this period was the single "Whirlpool". An instrumental was released on vinyl in April 1999.Gough's last EP, Once Around the Block, was released in August 1999 in two vinyl formats and one CD edition. The release is almost short enough to be considered a single.
The Hour of Bewilderbeast
The Hour of Bewilderbeast is an album that was released by Badly Drawn Boy in 2000 . The album won the 2000 Mercury Prize. The album featured members of Alfie and Doves as backing musicians.-Copyright issues:...
, was released in June 2000, accompanied by four singles (including a re-release of Once Around the Block).
The album was critically acclaimed and Badly Drawn Boy was successful in winning the 2000 Mercury Music Prize, beating his contemporaries Doves to the £20,000 prize. The album sold well (300,000 copies) and is widely considered to be his defining work.
After a short break, Gough returned to score the film adaptation of Nick Hornby
Nick Hornby
Nick Hornby is an English novelist, essayist and screenwriter. He is best known for the novels High Fidelity, About a Boy, and for the football memoir Fever Pitch. His work frequently touches upon music, sport, and the aimless and obsessive natures of his protagonists.-Life and career:Hornby was...
's novel About a Boy
About a Boy
About a Boy is a 1998 novel by British writer Nick Hornby. It was adapted into a film of the same name in 2002.-Plot summary:The novel is about Will Freeman, a 36-year-old bachelor, and Marcus, an introverted, bullied 12-year-old who lives alone with his suicidal mother, Fiona...
. Impressed by his past work, the Weitz brothers asked Gough to score the film, a task which he undertook alone. Three singles from the album were released over the course of 2002.
His third album, Have You Fed the Fish?
Have You Fed the Fish?
Have You Fed the Fish? is an album released by Badly Drawn Boy in 2002. The album's title originates from the question which Gough asks his daughter each day "to the point where it got to sound like one of those words you say too many times and it sounds silly."Also included with the album's...
, introduced more guitars and an increasingly mainstream pop sound which was not welcomed by all critics. The album is a play on Gough's minor celebrity status and namechecks music icons such as Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
. Another three singles and a long American tour accompanied the album.
Later years: 2003–present
After his long spell in America, Gough suffered from homesickness and decided to record his next album closer to home. Recorded at Moulin Rouge studios in StockportStockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, One Plus One Is One
One Plus One Is One
One Plus One Is One is the fourth studio album by Badly Drawn Boy in 2004. It is his last album for XL Recordings.Damon Gough said about the album: "It’s still about relationships but not so much about just me and Claire this time, it’s about wider friendships. I’m asking people not to wish their...
was a portrait of his personal life. Documenting a death of a close friend and the loss of a grandfather in the Battle of Normandy
Battle of Normandy
The Invasion of Normandy was the invasion and establishment of Allied forces in Normandy, France, during Operation Overlord in World War II. It was the largest amphibious operation in history...
, the album was released in 2004. It was not a great commercial success, and Gough decided to leave his contract with XL Recordings after only one single was released. He then signed to EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
.
Two years went by before Born in the U.K.
Born in the U.K.
Born in the U.K. is the fifth album released by singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy, real name Damon Gough, released on 16 October 2006. The album's title is a reference to Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 album Born in the U.S.A....
, which aims to explain Gough's experience of growing up in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The album was promoted with a small UK tour, profits from which were donated to Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
, a charity which "offers the chance for thousands of people to use music to achieve something together, which is an idea that gets me excited," said Gough.
The album "Is There Nothing We Could Do?
Is There Nothing We Could Do?
Is There Nothing We Could Do? is the sixth studio album by Badly Drawn Boy, released in 2009. It contains music inspired by the television film The Fattest Man in Britain.-Track listing:#"Opening Theme" – 1:55...
", featuring 'music taken from and inspired by the motion picture The Fattest Man in Britain
The Fattest Man in Britain
The Fattest Man in Britain is a comedy-drama written by Caroline Aherne and Jeff Pope which aired on ITV on 20 December 2009. It starred Timothy Spall, Bobby Ball, Aisling Loftus and Barry Austin...
was released on his own BDB Records label in 2009.
A seventh album, It's What I'm Thinking Pt.1 – Photographing Snowflakes
It's What I'm Thinking Pt.1 – Photographing Snowflakes
It's What I'm Thinking Pt.1 – Photographing Snowflakes is the seventh studio album by Badly Drawn Boy, released on October 4, 2010.-Track listing:# "In Safe Hands" - 4:02# "The Order of Things" - 5:14# "Too Many Miracles" - 3:45...
, the first of a planned trilogy of albums all to be released under the title It's What I'm Thinking, was released in October 2010.
On 17 December 2010 while on stage at the Troubador in Los Angeles, Gough became unhappy with the quality of the sound acoustics at the venue and the audience, which lead to Gough swearing at some members of the audience.
Discography
- The Hour of BewilderbeastThe Hour of BewilderbeastThe Hour of Bewilderbeast is an album that was released by Badly Drawn Boy in 2000 . The album won the 2000 Mercury Prize. The album featured members of Alfie and Doves as backing musicians.-Copyright issues:...
(26 June 2000) - About a BoyAbout a Boy (soundtrack)About a Boy is an album by Badly Drawn Boy released in 2002 as the soundtrack to the film About a Boy. Gough was chosen to compose and perform the entire soundtrack....
(8 April 2002) - Have You Fed the Fish?Have You Fed the Fish?Have You Fed the Fish? is an album released by Badly Drawn Boy in 2002. The album's title originates from the question which Gough asks his daughter each day "to the point where it got to sound like one of those words you say too many times and it sounds silly."Also included with the album's...
(4 November 2002) - One Plus One Is OneOne Plus One Is OneOne Plus One Is One is the fourth studio album by Badly Drawn Boy in 2004. It is his last album for XL Recordings.Damon Gough said about the album: "It’s still about relationships but not so much about just me and Claire this time, it’s about wider friendships. I’m asking people not to wish their...
(21 June 2004) - Born in the U.K.Born in the U.K.Born in the U.K. is the fifth album released by singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy, real name Damon Gough, released on 16 October 2006. The album's title is a reference to Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 album Born in the U.S.A....
(16 October 2006) - Is There Nothing We Could Do?Is There Nothing We Could Do?Is There Nothing We Could Do? is the sixth studio album by Badly Drawn Boy, released in 2009. It contains music inspired by the television film The Fattest Man in Britain.-Track listing:#"Opening Theme" – 1:55...
(14 December 2009) - It's What I'm Thinking Pt.1 – Photographing SnowflakesIt's What I'm Thinking Pt.1 – Photographing SnowflakesIt's What I'm Thinking Pt.1 – Photographing Snowflakes is the seventh studio album by Badly Drawn Boy, released on October 4, 2010.-Track listing:# "In Safe Hands" - 4:02# "The Order of Things" - 5:14# "Too Many Miracles" - 3:45...
(4 October 2010)