Nick Laird-Clowes
Encyclopedia
Nick Laird-Clowes is a musician
, most famous for his membership as the lead singer and one of the principal songwriter
s for the band
called The Dream Academy
. His most famous songs from this classic era include "Life in a Northern Town
", "The Love Parade", "The Edge of Forever", "This World", "Indian Summer", "Power to Believe", and "12/8 Angel."
He was also a presenter
for the first series of the Channel 4
music show, The Tube
.
He was a member of Alfalpha and The Act, which predate The Dream Academy.
Laird-Clowes descended into drug abuse
, finally getting clean during a stay at a Himalayan
monastery
.
His solo album Mona Lisa Overdrive was released under the name Trashmonk in 1999 under Alan McGee's Creation Records
, then subsequently re-released a few years later with two exclusive tracks ("Mr Karma" and "Fur Hat") under the reinvented PopTones label, again by McGee.
A friend of David Gilmour
, he co-wrote several lyrics
on Pink Floyd
's album The Division Bell
. As Trashmonk, he opened for some of Gilmour's performances in the early 2000s.
In recent years, he has been heavily involved in movie
soundtrack
s, producing the score for The Invisible Circus
, was the musical consultant
for The Dreamers (he can be seen in a DVD extra featurette about music from the film), and was responsible for Fierce People
, a 2005 film starring Diane Lane
and Donald Sutherland
.
Nick Broomfield
's hard-hitting film Battle for Haditha premiered at the London Film Festival
in 2007, also featured a Laird-Clowes soundtrack. In June 2009, he scored Broomfield's agitprop
documentary for Greenpeace, A Time Comes, featuring the single "Mayday".
He is currently finishing a second solo Trashmonk album.
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....
, most famous for his membership as the lead singer and one of the principal songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
s for the band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
called The Dream Academy
The Dream Academy
The Dream Academy was a folk rock band from England, comprising singer/guitarist Nick Laird-Clowes; multi-instrumentalist Kate St John; plus keyboardist Gilbert Gabriel. They are most noted for their hit single, "Life in a Northern Town".-History:Laird-Clowes and Gabriel met each other in the late...
. His most famous songs from this classic era include "Life in a Northern Town
Life in a Northern Town
"Life in a Northern Town" is a pop song by The Dream Academy, an English dream pop group. The song is the first single from their 1985 self-titled debut, The Dream Academy. Reaching #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1986, it is also their highest-peaking chart single in the US...
", "The Love Parade", "The Edge of Forever", "This World", "Indian Summer", "Power to Believe", and "12/8 Angel."
He was also a presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
for the first series of the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
music show, The Tube
The Tube (TV series)
The Tube was an innovative United Kingdom pop/rock music television programme, which ran for five seasons, from 5 November 1982 until 1987...
.
He was a member of Alfalpha and The Act, which predate The Dream Academy.
Laird-Clowes descended into drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
, finally getting clean during a stay at a Himalayan
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
.
His solo album Mona Lisa Overdrive was released under the name Trashmonk in 1999 under Alan McGee's Creation Records
Creation Records
Creation Records was a British independent record label headed by Alan McGee. Along with Dick Green and Joe Foster, McGee founded Creation in 1983. The label lasted until its demise in 1999. The name came from the 1960s band The Creation , whom McGee greatly admired. McGee, Green and Foster were...
, then subsequently re-released a few years later with two exclusive tracks ("Mr Karma" and "Fur Hat") under the reinvented PopTones label, again by McGee.
A friend of David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
, he co-wrote several lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
on Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
's album The Division Bell
The Division Bell
The Division Bell is the fourteenth and last studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. It was released in the United Kingdom by EMI Records on 28 March 1994, and in the United States by Columbia Records on 4 April....
. As Trashmonk, he opened for some of Gilmour's performances in the early 2000s.
In recent years, he has been heavily involved in movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s, producing the score for The Invisible Circus
The Invisible Circus (film)
The Invisible Circus is a 2001 drama film, directed by Adam Brooks, and starring Cameron Diaz, Jordana Brewster, Christopher Eccleston and Blythe Danner. It is based on Jennifer Egan's best-selling novel.-Storyline:...
, was the musical consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
for The Dreamers (he can be seen in a DVD extra featurette about music from the film), and was responsible for Fierce People
Fierce People (film)
Fierce People is a 2005 drama thriller film adapted by Dirk Wittenborn from his 2002 novel of the same name. Directed by Griffin Dunne, it starred Anton Yelchin, Diane Lane, Kristen Stewart, Chris Evans, and Donald Sutherland.-Plot:...
, a 2005 film starring Diane Lane
Diane Lane
Diane Lane is an American film actress.Born and raised in New York City, Lane made her screen debut at the age of 13 in George Roy Hill's 1979 film A Little Romance, starring opposite Sir Laurence Olivier. Soon after, she was featured on the cover of Time magazine...
and Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland
Donald McNichol Sutherland, OC is a Canadian actor with a film career spanning nearly 50 years. Some of Sutherland's more notable movie roles included offbeat warriors in such war movies as The Dirty Dozen, , MASH , and Kelly's Heroes , as well as in such popular films as Klute, Invasion of the...
.
Nick Broomfield
Nick Broomfield
Nicholas "Nick" Broomfield is an English documentary film-maker. He is the son of Maurice Broomfield, a photographer.Broomfield works with a minimal crew, recording sound himself and using one or two camera operators...
's hard-hitting film Battle for Haditha premiered at the London Film Festival
London Film Festival
The BFI London Film Festival is the UK's largest public film event, screening more than 300 features, documentaries and shorts from almost 50 countries. The festival, , currently in its 54th year, is run every year in the second half of October under the umbrella of the British Film Institute...
in 2007, also featured a Laird-Clowes soundtrack. In June 2009, he scored Broomfield's agitprop
Agitprop
Agitprop is derived from agitation and propaganda, and describes stage plays, pamphlets, motion pictures and other art forms with an explicitly political message....
documentary for Greenpeace, A Time Comes, featuring the single "Mayday".
He is currently finishing a second solo Trashmonk album.