Billy Martin (guitarist)
Encyclopedia
William Dean "Billy" Martin (born June 15, 1981 in Annapolis
, Maryland
) is an American
musician
best known as the guitarist
and keyboardist
of the pop punk
band Good Charlotte
.
, Martin has been playing guitar since he was in 6th grade when he received his first guitar for Christmas
. He went on to attend Severna Park High School
in Severna Park, Maryland. He started his first band, Overflow, with Steve Sievers, who now helps Martin run his clothing line, LeVeL 27. Billy Martin is a vegetarian and is a huge animal lover. While recording Good Charlotte
's third album The Chronicles of Life and Death
, he and Benji Madden
switched guitar roles. Martin also plays keyboards on the album, with the exception of "The Truth", and occasionally plays keyboards at their concerts. Martin, who enjoys drawing, created the artwork for The Chronicles of Life and Death
album sleeve and cover. He also designed all the artwork for the videos "Predictable
" and "The Chronicles of Life and Death
".
Martin also co-wrote "Mountain" and "Ghost of You", which appeared on The Chronicles of Life and Death
.
Martin's favorite director is Tim Burton
and his favourite film is Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
.
On March 1, 2008, Martin married hairstylist Linzi Williamson, who he had been dating for eight years. On January 26, 2009 she gave birth to their son Dreavyn Kingslee Martin in Pasadena, California
.
In December 2009 Billy Martin liquidated his clothing company Level 27 saying that it was a great outlet for his artistic whims, it had served its purpose and would not be kept going as a clothing brand. http://www.bloodzilla.com/blog/index.php?blog_id=112
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
best known as the guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
of the pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
band Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
.
Life and career
Born in Annapolis, MarylandAnnapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, Martin has been playing guitar since he was in 6th grade when he received his first guitar for Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. He went on to attend Severna Park High School
Severna Park High School
Severna Park High School is a public high school located in Severna Park, Maryland. It is a part of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools system. Its current feeder school is Severna Park Middle School. SPHS opened its doors to students in 1959 and its current principal is Mr...
in Severna Park, Maryland. He started his first band, Overflow, with Steve Sievers, who now helps Martin run his clothing line, LeVeL 27. Billy Martin is a vegetarian and is a huge animal lover. While recording Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
's third album The Chronicles of Life and Death
The Chronicles of Life and Death
The Chronicles of Life and Death is the third studio album by Good Charlotte. The album was released on October 5, 2004, by Daylight Records. The album was released with two different versions: a "Life" and a "Death" version which came with different cover art and a special bonus track...
, he and Benji Madden
Benji Madden
Benji Madden is an American guitarist and backup vocalist for the band Good Charlotte, which he co-founded with his identical twin brother, Joel Madden.-Early life:...
switched guitar roles. Martin also plays keyboards on the album, with the exception of "The Truth", and occasionally plays keyboards at their concerts. Martin, who enjoys drawing, created the artwork for The Chronicles of Life and Death
The Chronicles of Life and Death
The Chronicles of Life and Death is the third studio album by Good Charlotte. The album was released on October 5, 2004, by Daylight Records. The album was released with two different versions: a "Life" and a "Death" version which came with different cover art and a special bonus track...
album sleeve and cover. He also designed all the artwork for the videos "Predictable
Predictable (Good Charlotte song)
"Predictable" is the first single taken from Good Charlotte's third studio album, The Chronicles of Life and Death. This was the first single released that featured Chris Wilson as the band's drummer. This is not to be confused with "The Anthem", which was the first video to feature Wilson. The...
" and "The Chronicles of Life and Death
The Chronicles of Life and Death (song)
“The Chronicles of Life and Death” is the third single from Good Charlotte’s third album, The Chronicles of Life and Death. This was the band’s first single after Chris Wilson left the band — this is noticeable when the band are seen playing in the video because there is no drummer present.-Track...
".
Martin also co-wrote "Mountain" and "Ghost of You", which appeared on The Chronicles of Life and Death
The Chronicles of Life and Death
The Chronicles of Life and Death is the third studio album by Good Charlotte. The album was released on October 5, 2004, by Daylight Records. The album was released with two different versions: a "Life" and a "Death" version which came with different cover art and a special bonus track...
.
Martin's favorite director is Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
and his favourite film is Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas, often promoted as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a 1993 stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to...
.
On March 1, 2008, Martin married hairstylist Linzi Williamson, who he had been dating for eight years. On January 26, 2009 she gave birth to their son Dreavyn Kingslee Martin in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
.
In December 2009 Billy Martin liquidated his clothing company Level 27 saying that it was a great outlet for his artistic whims, it had served its purpose and would not be kept going as a clothing brand. http://www.bloodzilla.com/blog/index.php?blog_id=112
Discography
- Good CharlotteGood Charlotte (album)Good Charlotte is the name of the self-titled first album by Good Charlotte released in 2000. It contains the song "Little Things". The album was positively received.-2000 track listing:...
(2000) - The Young and the HopelessThe Young and the HopelessThe Young and the Hopeless is the second studio album by Good Charlotte, released on October 1, 2002. It was well received and contained their popular songs "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," "The Anthem," and "Girls and Boys." It had sold 3,464,000 copies in the US up to October, 2010.The album...
(2002) - The Chronicles of Life and DeathThe Chronicles of Life and DeathThe Chronicles of Life and Death is the third studio album by Good Charlotte. The album was released on October 5, 2004, by Daylight Records. The album was released with two different versions: a "Life" and a "Death" version which came with different cover art and a special bonus track...
(2004) - Good Morning RevivalGood Morning RevivalGood Morning Revival is the fourth studio album by Good Charlotte and the follow-up to the 2004 release The Chronicles of Life and Death. It is the first album to feature Dean Butterworth on drums, who joined the band in March 2007 after former drummer Chris Wilson departed in 2005. Billy Martin...
(2007) - CardiologyCardiology (album)Cardiology is the fifth studio album by pop punk band Good Charlotte. After various updates and uncertainty, it was finally announced the album would be released on November 2, 2010 through Capitol Records. Certain disruptions in the release involve the decision to re-record the entire album...
(2010)