Biography of Iron Maiden

Early Days:

Iron Maiden was formed by bassist Steve Harris in 1976. They released their first album in 1980. The band's first two albums did reasonably well, but with the 1982 replacement of vocalist Paul Di'Anno with Bruce Dickinson, their success skyrocketed. 1982's The Number Of The Beast is a classic heavy metal record

Early years (1986-1988)

Skid Row was formed in Toms River, New Jersey, in 1987 by bassist Rachel Bolan and guitarist Dave "The Snake" Sabo. The pair added guitarist Steve Brotherton who was replaced with Kurtis Jackson and later by Scotti Hill, drummer Rob Affuso, and lead vocalist Sebastian Bach, who replaced original lead vocalist Matt Fallon, to the line-up by early 1987. The band began playing shows in clubs throughout the eastern United States.

Bon Jovi had been put in a position to seek out new and upcoming talent. Jon had setup a publishing company called the Underground Music Company. Jon and Dave Sabo had been friends for a very long time. They agreed that if one of them made it in the music business, they would help the other out. Bon Jovi manager Doc McGhee sought out Skid Row, and signed them. Skid Row would eventually signed a publishing deal with Jon and Richie Sambora, which proved to be a mistake. Skid Row signed over a lot of ownership of the band, including the publishing rights to Bon Jovi, which became a big issue as the band became more successful.

Thanks to the assistance of friend Jon Bon Jovi, who secured a record deal for Skid Row with Atlantic Records in 1988, they entered the studio with Michael Wagener (of Ozzy Osbourne, White Lion and Extreme fame) to record their first album. The album was recorded in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin at the Royal Records studio. Skid Row would later open for Bon Jovi, who were touring behind their New Jersey album.

Skid Row would also take part in the Moscow Peace Festival Concert, which was setup to keep manager Doc McGhee out of jail. Doc was facing drug trafficking charges, and therefore setup a anti-drug/peace concert in Russia, featuring a few of the artists that he and his brother managed. Bon Jovi and Motley Crue later dropped Doc as their manager.

As soon as the publishing deal went sour, frontman Sebastian Bach let the press know about the bad deal that was made. Under pressure, Sambora agreed to give the band back a percentage of their publishing.

Former Members:

Paul Mario Day - Vocals (1975-1976)
Dennis Wilcock - Vocals (1976-1977)
Paul Di'Anno - Vocals (1977-1981)
Blaze Bayley - Vocals (1993-1999)
Terry Rance - Guitar (1975-1976)
Paul Sullivan - Guitar (1975-1976)
Ron "Rebel" Matthews - Drums (1975-1976)
Bob D'Angelo - Guitar (1976)
Terry Wapram - Guitar (1976)
Tony Moore - Keyboards (1976)
Barry "Thunderstick" Purkis - Drums (1976)
Doug Sampson - Drums (1977-1980)
Tony Parsons - Guitar (1979)
Clive Burr - Drums (1980-1982)
Dennis Stratton - Guitar (1980)

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Biography of Skid Row

Formed: 1986 in New Jersey
Years Active: 80 's, 90 's, 00's
Genre: ROCK

Skid Row were one of the very last hair metal bands to hit the mainstream before grunge took over in the early '90s. While the band's self-titled debut employed standard pop-metal riffs and generic lyrics (albeit to great commercial success), 1991's Slave to the Grind and 1995's Subhuman Race broke away from the pop-metal mold with uncharacteristically hard, thrashy guitars and unique songwriting techniques. Though personal differences and changing trends would eventually tear the core lineup apart by 1996, Skid Row showed tremendous promise during their short time in the spotlight.
Early years (1986-1988)

Skid Row was formed in Toms River, New Jersey, in 1987 by bassist Rachel Bolan and guitarist Dave "The Snake" Sabo. The pair added guitarist Steve Brotherton who was replaced with Kurtis Jackson and later by Scotti Hill, drummer Rob Affuso, and lead vocalist Sebastian Bach, who replaced original lead vocalist Matt Fallon, to the line-up by early 1987. The band began playing shows in clubs throughout the eastern United States.

Bon Jovi had been put in a position to seek out new and upcoming talent. Jon had setup a publishing company called the Underground Music Company. Jon and Dave Sabo had been friends for a very long time. They agreed that if one of them made it in the music business, they would help the other out. Bon Jovi manager Doc McGhee sought out Skid Row, and signed them. Skid Row would eventually signed a publishing deal with Jon and Richie Sambora, which proved to be a mistake. Skid Row signed over a lot of ownership of the band, including the publishing rights to Bon Jovi, which became a big issue as the band became more successful.

Thanks to the assistance of friend Jon Bon Jovi, who secured a record deal for Skid Row with Atlantic Records in 1988, they entered the studio with Michael Wagener (of Ozzy Osbourne, White Lion and Extreme fame) to record their first album. The album was recorded in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin at the Royal Records studio. Skid Row would later open for Bon Jovi, who were touring behind their New Jersey album.

Skid Row would also take part in the Moscow Peace Festival Concert, which was setup to keep manager Doc McGhee out of jail. Doc was facing drug trafficking charges, and therefore setup a anti-drug/peace concert in Russia, featuring a few of the artists that he and his brother managed. Bon Jovi and Motley Crue later dropped Doc as their manager.

As soon as the publishing deal went sour, frontman Sebastian Bach let the press know about the bad deal that was made. Under pressure, Sambora agreed to give the band back a percentage of their publishing.

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Biography of Megadeth

Formed: 1983 in Los Angeles, CA
Years Active: 80 's, 90 's, 00's
Genre: ROCK

After he left Metallica in 1983, guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine formed the thrash metal quartet Megadeth. Though Megadeth followed the basic blueprint of Metallica's relentless attack, Mustaine's group distinguished themselves from his earlier band by lessening the progressive rock influences, adding an emphasis on instrumental skills, speeding the tempo up slightly, and making the instrumental attack harsher. By streamlining the classic thrash metal approach and making the music more threatening, as well as making the lyrics more nihilistic, Megadeth became one of the leading bands of the genre during the mid-'80s and late '80s. Each album they released went at least gold, and they continually sold out arenas across America, in addition to developing a strong following overseas. By the early '90s, they had toned their music down slightly, yet that simply increased their following; all of their proper '90s albums debuted in the Top Ten.

Current Megadeth Band Members:

Dave Mustaine - Vocals, guitar (Fallen Angels, Metallica, Panic, Sanctuary)
Chris Broderick - Guitar (Jag Panzer)
David Ellefson - Bass (F5)
Shawn Drover - Drums (Dimension Infinite, Eidolon)
Former Band Members:

Gregory L. Handevidt - Guitar (1983)
Chris Poland - Guitar (1984-1986, 2003-2004)
Jay Reynolds - Guitar (1987)
Jeff Young - Guitar (1987-1989)
Marty Friedman - Guitar (1990-2000)
Glen Drover - Guitar (2004-2008)
Al Pitrelli - Guitar (2000-2002)
Jimmy Sloas - Bass (2003-2004)
James MacDonough - Bass (2004-2006)
James LoMenzo - Bass (2006-2010)
Dijon Carruthers - Drums (1983)
Lee Rauch - Drums (1983-1984)
Gar Samuelson - Drums (1984-1986) Died in 1999 Chuck Behler - Drums (1987-1989)
Nick Menza - Drums (1989-1998)
Jimmy DeGrasso - Drums (1998-2002)
Vinnie Colaiuta - Drums (2003-2004

Early Days:

After being kicked out of Metallica in 1983, guitarist Dave Mustaine started Megadeth. The original lineup included bassist David Ellefson, guitarist Kerry King and drummer Lee Rash. Shortly thereafter Kerry King left for his old band Slayer and was replaced by Chris Poland and Lee Rash was replaced by Gar Samuelson. In 1985 their debut album Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good was released.

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Biography of Pantera

Formed: 1982 in Arlington, TX
Years Active: 80 's, 90 's, 00's
Genre: ROCK

The preeminent metal band of the early to mid-'90s, Pantera put to rest any and all remnants of the '80s metal scene, almost single-handedly demolishing any notion that hair metal, speed metal, power metal, et al., were anything but passé. Loathe to admit it, the Texas band had in fact been one of those '80s metal bands, releasing fairly unsuccessful (and later disowned) glam-inspired music throughout much of the decade. The about-face came with the addition of vocalist Phil Anselmo, and the key turning point was the band's major-label debut, Cowboys from Hell (1990). Pantera's mainstream breakthrough came next with Vulgar Display of Power (1992), their second major-label album, which thrust the band to the forefront of the metal scene, alongside such veteran bands as Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax, as well as fellow up-and-comers Sepultura and White Zombie. By the time Pantera unleashed Far Beyond Driven (1994), after two long years of touring, they were the most popular metal band in the land: the new album debuted atop the Billboard Top 200 as its lead single, "I'm Broken," was getting massive airplay.

At the height of their popularity and influence, Pantera began to self-destruct. Less than two months after the release of The Great Southern Trendkill (1996) -- an album ridden with allusions to drug abuse and personal destruction -- Anselmo overdosed on heroin after a homecoming concert in Texas, and as tensions rose between him and his fellow bandmembers, he began engaging with a growing list of side projects that kept him away from Pantera. A live album, Official Live: 101 Proof (1997), was compiled for release when it became evident that no new studio album was forthcoming any time soon. One final studio album did result, Reinventing the Steel (2000), but that was more or less it for the briefly reunited Pantera. The bandmembers once again went their sperate ways, forming such bands as Damageplan, Down, and Superjoint Ritual.

The end of Pantera then became official on December 8, 2004, when guitarist Dimebag Darrell was murdered on-stage by a deranged fan. This much-publicized murder shone the spotlight back on Pantera for an extended moment, and amid all of the emotional outpouring and tributes, a consensus arose: in retrospect, there was no greater metal band during the early to mid-'90s than Pantera, who inspired a legion of rabid fans and whose oft-termed "groove metal" style bucked all prevailing trends of the day -- from hair metal and grunge to nu-metal and rap-metal -- and remains singular to this day, as defined by the vocals of Anselmo as it is by the guitar of Dimebag. Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide

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Biography of Black Sabbath

HISTORY
Black Sabbath is a British heavy metal band, originally comprised of John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Terence “Geezer” Butler (bass), and Bill Ward (drums). They are cited by many as the very first heavy metal band.

Black Sabbath formed in Birmingham, England in 1966 under the name Polka Tulk Blues Band (soon shortened to “Polka Tulk”), and later Earth. Initially a blues-rock band, Earth moved in a darker direction when Geezer Butler, a fan of the black magic novels of Dennis Wheatley, wrote an occult-themed song titled “Black Sabbath” (the song name was apparently inspired by a 1963 Boris Karloff film). When the band found themselves being confused with another local band called Earth, they adopted the song title as their new name.
Originally, they started as a blues-influenced hard rock group, but as they progressed they added more European folk elements and gothic flourishes to their sound, a sound that was not like any other group during their time. Their lyrics dealt with darker issues than most conventional rock as well.

The newly-named Black Sabbath adopted darker lyrical themes, and a slower, ominous style – a significant element in the genre that would later be known as heavy metal, often ranked above Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Judas Priest in importance and influence in the genre.

Even though Blue Cheer, Led Zeppelin, Cream, and Deep Purple may have had a profound influence on the emergence of hard rock and heavy metal music, Black Sabbath is considered to be the first true heavy metal band.

The group found its signature sound almost by accident. After seeing a horror movie, Geezer Butler (and not Ozzy, as many believe) reportedly said to the rest of the band, “If people pay to see scary movies, why wouldn’t they pay to listen to scary music?” The band began to purposely write dark, ominous riffs in an attempt to be music’s answer to horror movies.

However, much of the group’s material featured an acoustic guitar, piano, symphony orchestras, keyboards, and even horns. After the band’s first three albums, the group became increasingly experimental and progressive, leaving much of their dark metal roots behind.

1970′S

With an extremely gifted rhythm section and the extraordinary on-stage antics of Ozzy Osbourne, the band enjoyed success with memorable songs and brutal riffs beginning with their first album, the eponymous Black Sabbath (1970). Their follow-up album, Paranoid (also 1970), was a tremendous success, bringing them even greater attention in America and the UK.

The content of the songs (both originals and cover versions) from both albums demonstrated a tongue in cheek interest in the occult and black magic. This was a crucial step in establishing the “darkness” and “heaviness” of later heavy metal lyrics, and Black Sabbath was the first group to feature such lyrical content, almost to the exclusion of other topics. Led Zeppelin, The Doors and others might have hinted at magic or the occult, but few contemporaries could match Black Sabbath for directness, such as “My name is Lucifer/Please take my hand” (from Black Sabbath’s “N.I.B.”). Butler wrote most of the lyrics.

Another innovation was the by-product of an accident: Iommi’s fretting fingers were injured in an industrial accident during his early tenure with Earth. He was working in a sheet metal factory at the time and the tops of the two middle fingers on his right hand were sliced off. Initially, he forged himself prosthetics from a melted plastic detergent bottle. The injured fingers were understandably tender, so Iommi downtuned his Gibson guitar from standard E to C#. The resultant slackness of the string allowed him to play with less bother to his fingertips. Butler also downtuned his bass guitar to more easily follow Iommi’s playing. The lower pitch often seemed “heavier” or more substantive, and Black Sabbath were perhaps the first popular group to downtune. The practice of downtuning is now common perhaps even standard ? among metal groups.

Black Sabbath released another smash hit in 1971, Master of Reality. This was the first Sabbath album to feature a significant amount of acoustic material (“Solitude” contained a flute solo by Iommi). This was a crucial and often overlooked switch in style by Sabbath, as they are largely known only for their simple, dark riffs from their earlier releases. By the time the band released Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 in (1972), they were a full-fledged progressive rock group. Featuring the hit “Changes” (containing only vocal, bass, piano, and strings) and sonic rock anthems like “Supernaut” and “Snowblind,” Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 was the group’s most mature record to date.

By this point, the band were one of the most popular bands in the world, and were a major concert attraction. Arguably the band’s creative peak, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973) saw the band work with Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman (who remains a close friend of the band today). The album contains some of the best known Black Sabbath material, including the space rock voyage, “Spiral Architect,” and the haunting prog-rock workout, “A National Acrobat.”

The band was heavily addicted to drugs and for over two years Ozzy and Ward took LSD every day. Towards the end of Ozzy’s tenure in 1978, Ozzy was so embroiled in drugs that he claims he was “very unhappy and got drunk and stoned every day”. Many of the band’s songs address drugs, both explicitly and implicitly.

The band was suffering major management problems (the group was managed by Ozzy’s future father-in-law, Don Arden). The management problems and then a label change from Vertigo to WWA disrupted the release schedule of the band’s new album. Despite the troubles, Sabotage was released in 1975 with continued success. However, drug problems, continued experimentation in their music style (Gregorian chants and a chorale of monks highlighted “Supertzar”), the hard rock scene’s changing environment and some internal issues were affecting the stability and output of the band.

Technical Ecstasy (1976) turned out to be a commercial failure. The album was laden with symphony orchestras, synthesizers, and even drummer Bill Ward singing a Beatles-esque pop song. Some consider it one of the group’s most ambitious records, yet fans of the classic Sabbath formula were disillusioned. After the 1977 tour, Ozzy Osbourne stopped turning up at band rehearsals. The remaining band members even recorded music with singer Dave Walker, formerly of Fleetwood Mac, but Ozzy continued on with Sabbath, releasing the highly controversial Never Say Die! (1978). By far the band’s most experimental release, Never Say Die! is widely regarded as an excellent album (some hardcore fans call it their best), but a poor Black Sabbath album (“Breakout” featured a 15-piece horn section). Like the previous album, its sales were poor.

Due to internal conflicts and a shown lack of commitment, Osbourne was asked to leave the band in 1979, leading to a successful solo career – he went on to become one of the most successful solo artists in the history of heavy metal. The whole definitive tale is told in the book “How Black was our Sabbath”. He was replaced by former Rainbow singer Ronnie James Dio.

    The First Black Sabbath Album:

    1) Black Sabbath
    2) The Wizard
    3) Wasp/Behind The Wall of Sleep
    4) Bassically/N.I.B.
    5) Wicked World
    (Euro versions had 'Evil Woman' instead)
    6) Sleeping Village/Warning

 

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Biography of Slipknot

Famous as :
Nu metal band
Birth Date :
1995
Birth Place :
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Claim to fame :
Album "Iowa" (2001)

"Slipknot -- which features DJ Sid Wilson (0), drummer Joey Jordison (1), Gray (2), percussionist Chris Fehn (3) Root (4), sampler Craig Jones - 133 (5), percussionist M. Shawn Crahan - Clown (6), guitarist Mick Thomson (7) and Taylor (8), -- is still heavy, still enamored of great, big walls of deeply textured layers of sound. But this time, they've approached their music with an eye towards stylistic expression that completely invalidates any and all comments about heavy metal clichés. Moreover, they've continued the exploration of melody  that began on their first record. 
   
Songs like "Sulfur" and "Psychosocial" deliver crushing verses and bridges, but then explode into soaring choruses that provide a powerful showcase for Taylor's voice. The song "Vendetta" features a sleazy, rough-and-tumble kind of swagger, but still delivers Slipknot's trademark balls-out fury. And "All Hope Is Gone" just spews raw anger, aggression, hate and foulness that serves as a reminder to anyone still stupid enough to harbor doubts that Slipknot are experts at delivering pure, heavy-metal punishment.
   
"It's our fourth album, and we wanted to do something different," says Gray. "You can't put out the same record over and over again. At the same time, you can definitely still tell that this is Slipknot."
   
"I'm looking forward to the expressions on people's faces when they hear the new record," says Taylor. "There's very, very heavy stuff on this album, and it's gonna blow people's minds. But I'm also excited for them to see the stuff that's different on this album, the more experimental music. No one's going to expect it."
   
Much of the album's diversity comes from the band's new approach to writing and recording. Over the years, most of the members have worked on various side projects, none of which sound remotely like Slipknot. It's no surprise to find out that these efforts influenced the writing process. Perhaps even more importantly, All Hope Is Gone was the first album on which contributions came from nearly all the band members, with each person bringing his own unique voice to the mix.  The band co-produced the album with Dave Fortman.
   
"I think everyone just went in with an open mind. We would always listen to everyone's ideas, and if they worked, they worked, if they didn't, they didn't," explains Gray. "This time, we really tried to build off the ideas, really tried to work on them.  I think it helped that so many of us were able to spend time doing our own thing, too.  Just writing with different people really makes a difference in how you think about music. When we finally came together, we were able to bring that to the mix."
   
Slipknot also made the executive decision to abandon Los Angeles, where they had recorded previous records. Instead, they came back home and set up camp in Iowa. The differences were immediately apparent.

“It gave us more time and energy to experiment in the studio.   I was able to come up with more guitar sounds than ever,” says Root.

While the heart of Slipknot remains its music, its soul is planted firmly on stage. Today, Slipknot are playing in sold-out arenas, but the band developed their talents by slogging it out in the Midwest, playing any show they could find. These were frequently one-off shows; the band would travel from their hometown of Des Moines to places like Omaha  and Chicago. "There were never any actual tours in those days," says Thomson. "Our shows were like sporting events: We’d put everything into them and then afterwards, we'd be fucking exhausted. We weren't going to pile into a van -- all nine of us -- and then drive all night to the next show. We'd have fallen asleep at the wheel and died."
   

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Biography of Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy metal band active from the 1980s to the 2000s. After building a loyal following through its role in the development of thrash metal in the 1980s, Metallica successfully broadened its audience in the early 1990s. Accordingly, the band stood as the most commercially visible example of the metal genre for most of that decade. However, Metallica's vastly increased commercial success was accompanied by stylistic changes that fostered accusations of 'selling out' by some long-time fans. In 2003 Metallica released St. Anger,  a collection of the most aggressive music they'd written in a decade, to deeply divided critical reviews and comparatively mediocre sales figures. Nevertheless, extensive and successful tours throughout 2003 and 2004 reinforced the band's reputation as a top-notch live act.

Metallica was formed in Los Angeles, California  in 1981 by drummer and former tennis prodigy Lars Ulrich, and guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield, who met after each had separately placed classified advertisements in the American  publication The Recycler. Bassist Ron McGovney was also an original member, and the band used a few transient guitar players, such as Brad Parker and Jef Warner, in the course of settling on a four-person lineup. Metallica got its name when drummer Lars Ulrich was helping San Francisco-area metal promoter Ron Quintana pick out a name for a new magazine to promote metal and the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) bands. Quintana came up with a suggestion 'Metallica,' but Lars quickly suggested another and decided to use that name for the band he and James Hetfield had just started.

In early 1982, Metallica recorded 'Hit the Lights' for the first Metal Massacre compilation. Guitarist Lloyd Grant was brought in to do the lead guitar solos on the track but was never a full member of the band. Desperate for a full-time lead guitarist, Ulrich posted an ad in the local newspapers. Dave Mustaine, a guitarist from the band Panic responded, and upon arrival started a sound check. Ulrich and Hetfield were so impressed with Mustaine's soundcheck that they immediately asked him to join. A few months later the band recorded a full demo, No Life Till Leather, which quickly drew attention on the underground tape trading circuit. By this point bassist Cliff Burton had also joined Metallica, lured from his band Trauma in exchange for the other members of Metallica relocating to the San Francisco area.

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Biography of Nirvana

Band members

    * Kurt Cobain - vocals, guitar
    * Krist Novoselic - bass
    * Aaron Burckhard - drums (1987)
    * Dale Crover - drums (1987-1988, 1990)
    * Jason Everman - guitar (1989)
    * Chad Channing - drums (1988-1990)
    * Dan Peters - drums (1990)
    * Dave Grohl - drums (1990-1994)
    * Pat Smear - guitar (1993-1994)

Early band members

    * Buzz Osborne - Bass
    * Dave Foster - Drums
    * Greg Hokanson - Drums
    * John Duncan - Guitar
    * Mike Dillard - Drums
    * Steve Newman - Bass

Nirvana was a popular rock band founded in 1987 in Aberdeen, Washington. Their music was an offshoot of punk and alternative rock and was labeled grunge rock by the mainstream press and media of the time. The group disbanded in 1994 upon the death of its leader, Kurt Cobain. Many critics and historians hail Nirvana as the 'flagship band' of 'Generation X'.

Early years

Cobain and Krist Novoselic met in 1985. Both were fans of The Melvins, and both were interested in forming a band. They worked with a series of drummers (Aaron Burckhard, Dan Peters and Dale Crover of The Melvins, who played on their first demos), before settling on Chad Channing. Channing played on their first album, Bleach, released by Sub Pop records. Bleach was highly influenced by Cobain's then-favorite band, The Melvins, as well as the heavy dirge-rock of Mudhoney.

Though he did not actually play on the album, Jason Everman was credited as playing guitar on Bleach because he put up the money for the recording sessions. After the album's completion, Everman had a brief and contentious tenure with the band as a second guitar player, but was ousted following their first US tour. Not long after, he briefly played bass with Soundgarden, and later formed the band Mind Funk.

In early 1990, the band began working with producer Butch Vig on recordings for the follow-up to Bleach. During the sessions, Kurt and Krist realized that Chad wasn't quite the drummer the band needed, and he was let go after the sessions were complete. After a few weeks with Dale Crover of The Melvins filling in, they drafted Mudhoney drummer Dan Peters, with whom they recorded the song 'Sliver'. In 1990, Dave Osbourne of The Melvins later hooked them up with Dave Grohl, who drummed with D.C. Hardcore punks Scream. 1 (http://www.subpop.com/scripts/main/bands_page.php?id=163) Nirvana continued touring aftwards, including a stint with Sonic Youth chronicled in the documentary 1991: The Year Punk Broke.

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Biography of Guns N Roses

 is an American hard rock band whose dangerous reputation, controversial front man, and technical prowess have made them one of the most popular rock and roll bands ever. The band's 1987 major label debut, Appetite for Destruction, gained them world notoriety with its infamously self-destructive attitude while their 1991 second major effort, the simultaneous album releases of Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, and subsequent tour cemented the band's place as a heavily influential and permanent member of rock and roll history.

Current Members

    * Axl Rose-vocals (1985-)
    * Tommy Stinson- Bass (1997-)
    * Brian Mantia - Drums (2001-)
    * Richard Fortus- Guitars (2002-)
    * Robin Finck- Guitars (2002-)
    * Dizzy Reed-Keyboards (1990)
    * Chris Pittman-live keyboards and Sound Effects (1998-)

Past Members

    * Tracii Guns, guitar (1985)
    * Robbie Gardner, drums (1985)
    * Slash, guitars (1985-1996)
    * Duff McKagan, bass (1985-1997)
    * Izzy Stradlin, guitar (1985-1991)
    * Gilby Clarke, guitar (1991-1994)
    * Steven Adler, drums (1985-1990)
    * Matt Sorum, drums (1990-1997)
    * Paul Huge, guitar (1994-2002)
    * Josh Freese, drums (1997-2000)
    * Buckethead, guitar (2000-2004)

The Early Days
It all begun in Los Angeles in 1985 when William Bailey (Axl Rose - vocals) formed a rock band with Jeffrey Isbell (Izzy Stradlin - guitar), Tracii Guns (guitar) and Rob Gardner (drums) called in turn Rose, Hollywood Rose and L.A Guns. Soon Guns and Gardner were replaced by Saul Hudson (Slash - guitar) and Steven Adler (drums) and with the addition of bass player Duff McKagan the band was renamed to Guns N' Roses. Playing a unique sound incorporating punk, blues and metal, the band released a self-produced live album called "Live ?!*@ Like A Suicide" in 1986. Having received some interest from the music industry the band signed to Geffen Records.

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Biography of Avenged Sevenfold

Formed: 1999 in Huntington Beach, CA
Years Active: 2000's
Genre: ROCK

The members of metalcore outfit Avenged Sevenfold (or A7X) were still attending high school in Huntington Beach, CA, when they formed their band in 1999. Nevertheless, it didn't take long for M. Shadows (vocals), Zacky Vengeance (guitar), Synyster Gates (guitar), the Reverend (drums), and Johnny Christ (bass) to make an impression with their aggressive hybrid of metal and punk-pop. The band made its official debut in July 2001, releasing Sounding the Seventh Trumpet on the Good Life label before moving to the Hopeless roster for 2003's Waking the Fallen. Warner Bros. took interest in the band's aggressive sound and issued its breakthrough release, City of Evil, in June 2005. The album reached number 30 on Billboard's Top 200, propelled in part by the Top Ten success of the single "Bat Country." The accompany music video was heavily rotated on MTV and Fuse, where live appearances also helped boost Avenged's growing profile, and the band ultimately won the Best New Artist Award (though they were hardly newcomers) at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards.

As demand for their music increased, Avenged Sevenfold canceled their tour dates for fall 2006 and decamped to Houston, TX, where they set to work on a fourth studio album. Boasting a grittier sound than previous releases, the self-titled/self-produced disc appeared in October 2007, debuting at number four on the Billboard Top 200 and spinning off the radio single "Almost Easy." The album also fared well in England, where three songs cracked the Top Five of the U.K. rock charts, and Avenged Sevenfold helped support the release by touring North America on the Taste of Chaos tour. Released in September 2008, the CD/DVD package Live in the LBC and Diamonds in the Rough captured the band during a tour stop in Long Beach. In 2009 the band announced plans to begin work on its third studio release. The following year, drummer Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan passed away at the age of 28. Christina Fuoco, All Music Guide

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Biography of Scorpions

The Scorpions are a heavy metal rock band from Germany. They are best known for a single from the'80s called "Rock You Like A Hurricane". This band has sold over 75 million albums worldwide.

Members
*Klaus Meine
*Matthias Jabs
*Rudolf Schenker
*James Kottak
*Paweł Mąciwoda

Rudolf launched the band in'65, but things really began to come together in'69 when Rudolf's younger brother Michael, and vocalist Klaus Meine joined in. Their debut album Lonesome Crow was a success, and the band was able to open for the British Band UFO. When Michael Schenker left the band broke up. He eventually decided he wanted to work with Uli Roth and resurrected the Scorpions.

In'74 the new lineup of Scorpions released Fly to the Rainbow and was way more of a success than Lonesome Crow. This is where the band really began to have an established sound.

In'75 the Scorpion released "Virgin Killer" who's album cover featured a nude prepubescent girl covered with broken glass. The cover art was designed by Stefan Bohle who was a product manager for RCA Records. This cover brought the band lots of criticism and the album was pulled and replaced in several countries. Despite the controversy music critics and fans loved the music.

Recently some of their singles have been in the Guitar Hero
No One Like You
Rock You Like A Hurricane
Legends of Rock

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Biography of Ac/Dc

Name

The name 'AC/DC' (alternating current/direct current) was suggested by their sister Margaret after she read it on a sewing machine label. The term has a bisexual connotation that they were supposedly unaware of at the time, and they often had to deny they were a gay band, a perception that was exacerbated by their 'glam rock' image at the time.

Some have suggested that the name stood for 'Anti-Christ/ Devil Children'; though this is certainly not the case, the rumour has long persisted both among conservatives who, already disliking the band's image, use it to paint the band as Satanists, and among some fans who, especially in the 1980s, enjoyed the counter-cultural offense such a meaning would cause.

On 1 October 2004 Melbourne's Corporation Lane was officially renamed ACDC Lane in honour of the band (street names in the City of Melbourne cannot contain the '/' character). It is near Swanston Street, the location where the band recorded their 1975 video 'It's a Long Way to the Top'.

The name AC/DC is pronounced one letter at a time, although the band is also known to its Australian fans as 'Acca Dacca'.

One country music band has named themselves Hayseed Dixie, as a parody of the AC/DC name.

Member History

Current Members

    * Angus Young (Lead Guitar) 1973-
    * Malcolm Young (Rhythm Guitar) 1973-
    * Brian Johnson (Vocals) 1980-
    * Phil Rudd (Drums) 1973-1983, 1994-
    * Cliff Williams (Bass Guitar) 1978-

Former Members

    * Bon Scott (Vocals) 1974-1980
    * Mark Evans (Bass Guitar) 1973-1977
    * Simon Wright (Drums) 1984-1989
    * Chris Slade (Drums) 1989-1994

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Biography of Judas Priest

Statistics
    * Genres: Heavy metal, Hard rock, Classic metal
    * Origin: Birmingham, United Kingdom
    * Status: Active
    * Time: 1967 till present
    * Label: Sony Music

Current band members
 

Rob Halford - vocals (1973-1991, and from 2003 onwards)

Glenn Tipton - guitars (1974 - present)

K.K. Downing - guitars (1969 - present)

Ian Hill - bass guitars (1969 - present)

Scott Travis - drums (1989 - present)

Former band members

Tim 'Ripper' Owens - vocals (1996 - 2003)

Alan Atkins - vocals (1967-1973)

Dave Holland - drums (1979-1989)

Les Binks - drums (1977-1979)

Simon Phillips - drums (1977)

John Hinch - drums (1973-1975)

Chris 'Congo' Campbell - drums (1972-1973)

Alan 'Skip' Moore - drums (1971-1973, 1975-1977)

John Ellis - drums (1969-1971)

Judas Priest is a hugely influential heavy metal band formed in 1969 in Birmingham, England. Often called just Priest, the band's classic line-up consists of vocalist Rob Halford, the guitar duet of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton and Ian Hill on bass duties.
Judas Priest
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Judas Priest

One of the originators of heavy metal, with Rob Halford's lead vocals notable for their high-pitched screams, they also feature an innovative two-lead-guitar sound and are particularly noted for their complex guitar duets courtesy of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton.

Judas Priest's 1980 album British Steel was perhaps the first heavy metal album to be recorded in a concise format with radio-friendly songs with pop hooks, pioneering an approach used by others (Quiet Riot, Dokken, Iron Maiden, Twisted Sister, Accept, Def Leppard) to taste commercial success. Overall, the band has sold in excess of 35 million albums globally.

Halford left the band in the 1990s and was replaced by Tim 'Ripper' Owens, who was plucked from obscurity having previously sung in a Judas Priest tribute band. These events were the inspiration for the film Rock Star, although Owens did not actually participate in the production of the movie.

Judas Priest have released fifteen studio albums to date, the first being Rocka Rolla in 1974 and the latest being Angel of Retribution in 2005.

After more than twelve years apart, Judas Priest and original lead vocalist Rob Halford announced in July 2003 that they were reunited, with a hugely successful live concert tour having taken place in 2004. The reunited Judas Priest also co-headlined the Ozzfest in 2004, being named as the 'premier act' by almost all U.S. media covering the event. Judas Priest and 'Ripper' Owens parted amicably. 'Ripper' is now the singer of Iced Earth. A new studio album, named Angel of Retribution is scheduled for release in early 2005 (on Sony Music/Epic Records) and a global tour is in the works.

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Biography of Bon Jovi

Date of Birth
2 March 1962, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA

Birth Name
John Francis Bongiovi Jr.

Nickname
Captain Kidd

Height
5' 10" (1.78 m)

Spouse
Dorothea Hurley     (29 April 1989 - present) 4 children

Trade Mark

Songs are usually about someone having a hard time but rising above it (ie Livin' On A Prayer, It's My Life, Bounce)

His dancing onstage

Jon's unique voice

Sunglasses

Trivia

Musician/rock star turned actor

Chosen by People (USA) magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world [1996]

Auditioned for the role of Ashe in The Crow: City of Angels (1996), but lost out to French actor Vincent Perez.

Appeared on the Star Wars Christmas album, "Christmas in the Stars". (as John Bongiovi)

The acoustical performance of "Livin' On A Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive" that Jon and Richie Sambora performed at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards is widely acknowledged as being the genesis/greenlight for MTV's "Unplugged" series.

Given title "Sexiest Rock Star" by People Magazine. [November 2000]

Children, with Dorothea Hurley, Stephanie Rose (b. May 31st 1993), Jesse James Louis (b. February 19th 1995), Jacob Hurley (b. May 7th 2002) and Romeo Jon (b. March 29th 2004).

The song "August 7", from his solo album Destination Anywhere, is a tribute to his friend/manager Paul Korzilius' daughter Katherine. She died at the age of six under mysterious circumstances on August 7, 1996.

Likes watching movies, driving cars, sleeping, eating junk food, working out at the gym, football, spending time with his family and playing with his dog Copper.

He's owned a few cars as well, a white Datsun 280Z in 1988, a '58 Corvette 1988-1992, a Ferrari 328 GTSI 1988-1992; in 1995 Jon owned a Ferrari, Camaro, 2 Corvettes, some Jeeps, Mustang Shelby and a 1957 Lincoln Premier, some motorcycles, among them a Harley Davidson and a snowmobile. In 1996 he owned a Harley Davidson, black Mercedes and a red 91/92 Corvette. He loves sports cars, especially Porsches.

Likes wearing casual clothes, jeans and shirts

He has sensitive eyes against sunlight and cigarette smoke, that's why he always wears sunglasses. During spring he has allergies and hay fever.

He started smoking in 1994 during the making of _Moonlight and Valentino (1995)_ but quit again. Picked it back up during the making of The Leading Man (1996) and after the 1996 tour because he "just likes it".

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Biography of Led Zeppelin

Formed:
1968 in London, England

Years Active:
1968 through 1980.

Group's Main Members:
Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham

ledzep72.jpg (20720 bytes)Led Zeppelin was rock's first real Heavy Metal band. Yet many of their fans were not even fans of metal music. They came about after guitarist Jimmy Page, (who was rock's most sort after session man in the early and mid sixties) was left with what was the remains of theYardbirds. He had join the Yardbirds to record with them on what would be their final album, Little Games in 1967. In the spring of 1968, Page played lead guitar on Donovan's song "Hurdy Gurdy Man" which also featured bassist John Paul Jones. Jones had heard rumors that the Yardbirds might break up and told Page he would like to be part of any new band he might put together. By the summer of '68 the Yardbirds' frontman Keith Relf, along with James McCarty left the band leaving behind Page and bassist Chris Dreja with the rights to the name and obligation of fulfilling an upcoming fall tour. Page wanted to hire vocalist Terry Reid as Relf's replacement, but Reid was still with Procol Harum and suggested Page check out his friend, Robert Plant, who was singing for a band called Hobbstweedle. After hearing Plant sing, Page asked him to join the Yardbirds. About the same time, Dreja left the band and Jones joined the group. Plant then suggested that Page hire his former drummer John Bonham, who played with Plant in the group, The Band Of Joy. At first Bonham turned them down as he was being offered more money by others, but by that September he agreed to join them. They played the previously booked Yardbirds engagements in late September '68 as the "New Yardbirds". The following month they changed the name to Led Zeppelin (the name was suggested by the Who's Keith Moon, who got the name from fellow Who member John Entwistle, who came up with the name and wanted to use it for his backup band). Page felt a new name was needed since they really were no longer in any way the Yardbirds. They wanted to play the blues, but in a way not yet done by any other bands.

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Biography of X Japan

Members
Toshi - Vocals
Pata - Guitar
Heath - Bass
Yoshiki - Drums, Piano

Former members
Hide - Guitar (1987-1997)
Taiji - Bass (1985-1992)

X Japan is a popular Japanese band founded in 1982 by Toshimitsu "Toshi" Deyama and Yoshiki Hayashi. Originally named X, the group achieved its breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood. They started out as a power/speed metal band and later gravitated towards a progressive sound, at all times retaining an emphasis on ballads. After three more albums, X Japan disbanded in 1997.

Besides being one of the first Japanese acts to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label, the group is widely credited for pioneering the visual kei movement, though most of the group's members toned down their on-stage attire in later years. As of 2007, the band has sold over twenty million records and over two million home videos.

On June 4, 2007 it was announced the band would reunite, with the band performing on October 22, 2007, during which a music video for a new song, titled "I.V." was shot. The music video was featured as a special feature on the Special Edition DVD of "Saw IV" and the song played through the end credits of the film.

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Biography of Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy metal band of the 1980s, 1990s and the 2000s.

Formation and early work

Metallica was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981 by drummer and former tennis protege Lars Ulrich, and guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield, who met after each had separately placed classified advertisements in the American publication The Recycler. The band got their name when drummer Lars Ulrich was helping a friend to pick out a name for the magazine he was planning to use to promote Thrash metal and the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) bands. Ulrich's friend came up with a suggestion: "Metallica." Lars quickly suggested another and decided to use that name for the band he and James Hetfield had just started.

Band Members

    * Lars Ulrich, drums (all time)
    * Robert Trujillo, bass (joined 2003)
    * Kirk Hammett, lead guitar (joined 1983)
    * James Hetfield, vocals, rhythm guitar (all time)

Former Band Members

    * Jason Newsted, bass (1986 - 2001)
    * Cliff Burton, bass (1983 - 1986)
    * Dave Mustaine, guitars (1981 - 1983)
    * Ron McGovney, bass (1981 - 1983)

Discography

Metallica's albums (in chronological order):

    * Kill Em All (1983)
    * Ride The Lightning (1984)
    * Master Of Puppets (1986)
    * Garage Days Re-Revisited (1987)
    * ...And Justice For All (1988)
    * The Good, the Bad and the Live (1990); (Box set) Collection of singles and live tracks
    * Metallica (1991)
    * Live Shit: Binge & Purge (1993); Live box set (with videos of 2 shows)
    * Load (1996)
    * Reload (1997)
    * Garage Inc (1998)
    * S&M (Symphony and Metallica) (1999)
    * St. Anger (June, 2003)

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Biography of Jennifer Lopez

Date of Birth

24 July 1969, The Bronx, New York, USA

Birth Name

Jennifer Lynn Lopez

Nickname

J. Lo

La Lopez

Lola

Jenny From The Block

Height

5' 6" (1.68 m)

Mini Biography

Jennifer was born on July 24, 1969, in the Castle Hill section of the Bronx. Her father, David, was a computer technician. Her mother, Guadalupe, taught kindergarten. Jennifer is the middle of three daughters. Her elder sister, Leslie, is a housewife who sings opera. Her younger sister, Lynda, is a DJ on New York's WKTU, a VH1 VJ, and a morning news show correspondent on New York's Channel 11. Jennifer's parents were born in Puerto Rico, but did not meet until both came to America. Her mother's parents were Europeans who settled in Puerto Rico. She says that it was her parents' work ethic that made a difference in her life. Jennifer took singing and dancing lessons from age 5. She attended 12 years of Catholic school, including an all-girl high school. She played softball and tennis in high school and was a gymnast.

After high school, she briefly worked in a law office. During this time, she continued dance classes at night. At 18, she left home because her mother was scared by her decision to pursue show business. With casting on "In Living Color" (1990) in 1990, she moved to L.A., but initially hated it. Finally her boy friend, David Cruz, moved to be with her there and she learned to accept her new environment. Her career took off from her "Living Color" stint and reached new peaks with her portrayal of slain Latino singer Selena (1997).

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Biography of Britney Spears

Date of Birth
2 December 1981, Kentwood, Louisiana, USA

Birth Name
Britney Jean Spears

Nickname
Brit
Pinkey
The Princess of Pop

Height
5' 4" (1.63 m)

Mini Biography

Britney Jean Spears was born in rural Louisiana (Kentwood) on December 2, 1981, to Jamie and Lynne Spears. As a child, Britney attended dance classes, and she was great at gymnastics, winning many competitions and the like. But, most of all, Britney loved to sing. At age 8, Britney tried out for "MMC" (1989), but was turned down due to her young age. This directed her to an off-Broadway show, "Ruthless", for a 2-year run as the title character. At age 11, she again tried for "MMC" (1989) and this time made it as a mouseketeer along side many stars of today (Justin Timberlake and J.C. Chasez of N*Sync and Ryan Gosling). Her big break, however, came when she was signed as a Jive Recording Artist in the late 90s. With the release of her debut album, "...Baby One More Time" in early 1999, Britney became an international success, selling 13 million copies of "Baby" and 9 million (as of July 2001) of her sophomore album, "Oops!...I Did It Again," released in May of 2000.

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Biography of Madonna

BORN : August 16, 1958

Singer, performer, actress. Born Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone in Bay City, Michigan, on August 16, 1958, to parents Silvio "Tony" Ciccone and Madonna Fortin. Tony, the son of Italian immigrants, was the first of his family to go to college, where he earned a degree in engineering. Madonna's mother, an x-ray technician and former dancer, was of French Canadian descent. After their marriage in 1955, the couple moved to Pontiac, Michigan, to be close to Tony's job as a defense engineer. Madonna was born three years later, during a visit with family in Bay City. The third of six children, Madonna learned early on how to handle her role as the middle child, admitting that she was "the sissy of the family" who often used her feminine wiles to get her way.
Her parents' strict observation of the Catholic faith played a large role in Madonna's childhood. "My mother was a religious zealot," Madonna explains. "There were always priests and nuns in my house growing up." Many elements of Catholic iconography—including her mother's statues of the Sacred Heart, the habits of the nuns at her Catholic elementary school, and the Catholic altar at which she and her family prayed daily—later became the subject of Madonna's most controversial works.

Another heavy influence on Madonna's early life was her mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer during her pregnancy with Madonna's youngest sister. Treatment had to be delayed until the baby reached full term, but by then the disease had grown too strong. On December 1, 1963, at the age of 30, Madonna's mother passed away. Madonna was only 5 years old at the time of her mother's death.

The loss of her mother significantly affected Madonna's adolescence. Haunted by the memories of her mother's frailty and passive demeanor during her final days, Madonna was determined to make her own voice heard. "I think the biggest reason I was able to express myself and not be intimidated was by not having a mother," she says. "For example, mothers teach you manners. And I absolutely did not learn any of those rules and regulations."

She fought especially hard against the rules imposed by her stepmother, Joan Gustafson, who met Madonna's father while working as the family housekeeper. Madonna says Gustafson often made her take care of the younger children in the household, a task she greatly resented. "I really saw myself as the quintessential Cinderella," Madonna later said. "I think that's when I really thought about how I wanted to do something else and get away from all that." She rebelled against her traditional upbringing by turning her conservative clothing into revealing outfits, frequenting underground gay nightclubs, and rejecting her religious background.

But Madonna balanced this insubordinate side of her personality with a drive for perfectionism and high-achievement. She was a straight-A student, cheerleader, and disciplined dancer who graduated from high school a semester earlier than her peers. In 1976, her hard work earned her the attentions of the University of Michigan, which offered her a full scholarship to their dance program.

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Biography of Shakira

BORN: February 2, 1977

Shakira, the graceful one, has been sneaking up on you-the Grammys, the MTV Video Awards, those Pepsi spots. She's a child prodigy who wrote her first song at age eight, a blond-locked Colombian who speaks three languages and loves only in Spanish. She's a perfectionist who spends hours in the studio; she needs to be close to nature but her passion is the crackle of electric guitars. She is in the blush of youth, but she's far older than her 24 years. As her countryman, Nobel Prize winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote, "Shakira's music has a personal stamp that doesn't look like anyone else's and no one can sing or dance like her, at whatever age, with such an innocent sensuality, one that seems to be of her own invention."

The swift ascent of Shakira's star is the stuff of Latin American legend. At the age of 13, she signed her first recording contract with Sony Music Colombia and released her first album Magia. (Magic). After graduating from secondary school, Shakira decided to dedicate her life to the music, recording Peligro ("Danger") and Pies Descalzos, ("Barefeet") in the years that followed, which broke her in Latin America , Brazil (over one million sales) and Spain.

Her next album, ?Dónde Están Los Ladrones? produced by Shakira and executive produced by Emilio Estefan, established her as the major force behind Latin pop-rock, going multi-platinum in the U.S., Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Central America, Mexico and platinum in Spain. Then came a Grammy and two Latin Grammys, the key TV appearances, the brave new world of Shakira, the star. Shakira is a walking, living, breathing, singing contradiction. "I was born and raised in Colombia, but I listened to bands like Led Zeppelin, the Cure, the Police, the Beatles and Nirvana," said Shakira. "I was so in love with that rock sound but at the same time because my father is of l00% Lebanese descent, I am devoted to Arabic tastes and sounds. Somehow I'm a fusion of all of those passions and my music is a fusion of elements that I can make coexist in the same place, in one song."

It's the songs that make her new album, LAUNDRY SERVICE, her first with English-language tunes, the kind of breakthrough work that will turn the pop world on its head. From the tango-inflected "Objection (Tango)," to the Middle Eastern flavor of "Eyes Like Yours," to the lyrical innovations of "Underneath Your Clothes", to the richness of the melodies of "The One," to the pop-rock of "Whenever Wherever," Shakira will stand in the ranks of the best singer-songwriters in any language.

"I think I am celebrating life more than ever," said Shakira. "I had a slightly narrow vision of love. Now I am feeling unguarded, and it feels great. I feel washed clean of the way I looked at things in the past, which is why I am calling the album LAUNDRY SERVICE."

The most extraordinary thing about LAUNDRY SERVICE is the way she was able to translate her Latin American sensibility into a new language. The idea to do songs in English first came up during Shakira's partnership with Emilio and Gloria Estefan. Gloria initiated the process by translating "Ojos Así," a song that appeared on Shakira's last album, Dónde Están Los Ladrones? (Where are the Thieves?). "I wanted to have her involved in this somehow because she was one of the people that really believed that I could make a record in English," said Shakira.

But nurturing the belief that she could write songs in English was a strong challenge. "The first song I wrote by myself for this record was "Objection," remembered Shakira. "I prayed and asked God to send me a good song today, and I remember I started writing the song a couple of hours after. I wrote the music and lyrics at the same time, and when that happens it's really magical to me." When she completed "Objection," she knew that she could write ten more, so she packed up her loved ones and set up portable studios in rural Uruguay. Taking in the primordial energy of natural surroundings, Shakira came up with a crop of new songs more introspective, more passionate than any she had written before. "I had to find a way to express my ideas and my feelings, my day to day stories in English. So I bought a couple of rhyming dictionaries, read poetry, and authors like Leonard Cohen and Walt Whitman," she said.

"I would feel love in Spanish but I would think about how to express that love in English. Afterwards that became such a natural process, and if you check the subject of my songs, most of them talk about my own experiences and feelings and what I was actually going through in my life," said Shakira. "Is impossible not to write about love.. It's the great mystery of life. It makes me ask myself new questions every day."

Shakira is one of the poetic songwriters of her generation and considered the best female lyricist in Latin America: On the ballad "Underneath Your Clothes," she claims as territory a man she likens to "a song written by the hands of God"; on the blues-rocker "Fool" her "tears make a sea of desert." But she is still as quirky around the edges as she's always been-on "Ready for the Good Times" she remembers close encounters with roaches; on "Poem to a Horse" she scolds a friend dulled by "hydroponic pot," and on "The One," she rewards her true love by shaving her legs and learning how to cook.

"I try to represent only myself, but there are many women that identify with me," said Shakira. "I am definitely not a woman who washes her husband's clothes every day. I hope I don't sound like a feminist leader saying these things. I just try to be honest the way I write."

There's no doubt that Shakira has maintained her creative integrity with her new project. But perhaps more importantly, LAUNDRY SERVICE is a record that reflects her deep love for the basics of rock production. "I felt that I needed to make an organic record with real players in the studio playing live music and doing it like they made records 30 years ago, in the old times," said Shakira. "We used an engineer named Terry Manning, who's worked with ACDC, Led Zeppelin, Lenny Kravitz. He's somebody from the old school. I was determined not to depend on too many electronic sounds, and he definitely understood that."

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