Liam Ryan James Fray | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Liam James Fray |
Born | Middleton, Greater Manchester, England | 15 May 1985
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Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 2005–present |
Labels |
Liam James Fray (born 15 May 1985) is an English musician, singer, songwriter and lyricist, best known as the founder and frontman of Manchester-based indie rock band Courteeners, which was formed in 2006. [1] Fray hails from Middleton, Greater Manchester and he references his hometown in multiple songs.
Liam James Fray was born on 15 May 1985 in Middleton, Greater Manchester [2] into a family of teachers. Fray went to school with the three other members of the Courteeners whom he has known since he was 10. [3] He has an older sister, Laura.
Other Manchester bands such as the Smiths and Oasis inspired Fray to write and form the band. "Noel [Gallagher]'s the reason why I picked up the guitar when I was 11-years-old – trying to learn 'Wonderwall'", admitted Fray.
First he studied economics, then creative writing at the University of Salford. [4] He ended up leaving in his second year, when the band started to take off. [5] In 2015, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts at a graduation ceremony for the University. [6]
Fray wrote future Courteeners' songs "Not Nineteen Forever" and "Cavorting" during his time at university while working in Manchester's Fred Perry clothes shop and frequently performed at open mic nights as an acoustic singer-songwriter. "I've been gigging since 2005 – I did a year on my own – and in the summer of '06 we [members of the Courteeners] got together and started gigging properly around Christmas." [7]
All the music and lyrics for Courteeners' songs are written by Fray; he claims they are wholly autobiographical. [8] Ex-the Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr once called Fray "an underrated lyricist".[ citation needed ]
With Courteeners, he has released six studio albums. All of them went Top 10 in the UK Albums Chart; St. Jude (2008) and Falcon (2010) achieved Gold status. The band have achieved their highest chart position so far with their sixth studio album More. Again. Forever. (2020) peaking at No. 2. On 27 May 2017, the band played their biggest headline gig to 50,000 people at Manchester's Emirates Old Trafford. [9]
Aside from the band, Fray also performs acoustic solo shows, playing band's songs. [10] Alone in 2013 he completed two sold-out UK tours. [11] He performed a special solo set at Neighbourhood Festival, the Albert Hall, Manchester on 8 October 2016. [12] Fray then went on to complete a sold out acoustic tour in November/December 2017 alongside Adam Payne, including three sets at the Manchester Albert Hall in the space of 2 days.
Fray also painted the cover artwork for Courteeners' debut album St. Jude (2008), which features Audrey Hepburn. [13] He has appeared twice on the cover of NME magazine, one as an individual and the other with Courteeners.
His favourite artists are the Beatles, the Smiths, Oasis, Stephen Fretwell, Elbow, the National, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Fray uses a cherry Epiphone Riviera electric guitar with a frequensator tailpiece (his main live guitar in the St. Jude (2008) era), G6136DC Gretsch White Falcon Double Cutaway electric guitar (appeared in Falcon (2010) era, main in Anna (2013), Concrete Love (2014) eras), and Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitar, amongst others.
Studio albums
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as the Rain, the group initially consisted of Liam Gallagher, Paul Arthurs (guitar), Paul McGuigan and Tony McCarroll (drums). Liam's older brother Noel later joined as a fifth member, finalising the group's core lineup. During the course of their existence, they had various lineup changes, with the Gallagher brothers remaining the only staple members.
William John Paul Gallagher is an English singer and songwriter. He achieved fame as the lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis from 1991 to 2009, and later fronted the rock band Beady Eye from 2009 to 2014, before starting a successful solo career in 2017. Oasis had various line-up changes, and Gallagher and his elder brother Noel were the only constant members. One of the most recognisable figures in British rock music, Gallagher is noted for his distinctive vocal style and outspoken, arrogant, and volatile personality. His demeanour during Oasis' commercial peak in the mid-1990s garnered much attention from British tabloid newspapers, which often ran stories concerning his drug use and self-destructive behaviour.
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Courteeners are an English band formed in Middleton in 2006 by Liam Fray, Michael Campbell, Daniel "Conan" Moores and Mark Cuppello (bass); the last was replaced by the band's producer Joe Cross in 2015. They previously toured with pianist Adam Payne, who has been featured on every album, but in 2019 was replaced with Elina Lin. In December 2012, the band dropped "The" from their name, continuing simply as "Courteeners".
St. Jude is the debut studio album by English rock band the Courteeners, released on 7 April 2008 by Polydor Records. There is also a special edition album which includes a second disc of acoustic versions of songs which feature on the actual album. Although the album was released to mixed reviews from critics, it has become a somewhat cult success though many fans are more favorable to the versions of songs seen on Here Come the Young Men EP and various other demos. In support of the album the band embarked on a European tour.
"What Took You So Long?" is the third single released by indie rock band The Courteeners, available on their debut studio album St. Jude. It was released on 14 January 2008 on a CD single and 7-inch vinyl, reaching #20 in the UK Singles Chart. This song was the Courteeners first single in the top 40.
"Cavorting" is the first single by the Manchester indie rock band The Courteeners. The single was released in the United Kingdom on 6 August 2007 as both a CD single and a 7" vinyl. It was the lead single from the band's first album, St. Jude.
Twisted Wheel are an indie rock band from Saddleworth, Greater Manchester, England.
Falcon is the second studio album by English rock band the Courteeners. It was released through A&M Records on 22 February 2010. While touring the United States in 2009 as part of promotion for their debut studio album St. Jude (2008), the band wrote new material on their tour bus. In August 2009, the band recorded its follow-up with Ed Buller at ICP studios in Brussels, Belgium. Falcon has an arena and indie rock sound, influenced in part by the work of Elbow, and is slower-paced than their previous album.
Beady Eye were an English rock band formed in London in 2009 by former Oasis members Liam Gallagher (vocals), Gem Archer (guitar), Andy Bell (guitar), and Chris Sharrock (drums). In 2013, former Kasabian guitarist Jay Mehler joined the band as a touring bassist following the departure of Jeff Wootton. The band was created when Oasis' lead guitarist and primary songwriter Noel Gallagher quit in August 2009, after which the remaining members decided to rename themselves and continue making music.
Jeffrey Wootton is an English musician, guitarist and songwriter from Manchester. He has been the lead guitarist in the Gorillaz since 2010.
Anna is the third studio album by British rock band Courteeners. It was released on 4 February 2013 through V2 Records and Cooperative Music. Following their second studio album Falcon (2010), the band took a break at the end of 2010. They played a few shows in 2011, spending most of the year working on their next album, debuting some new songs in the process. After frontman Liam Fray broke his ankle, he re-listened to the material they had up to that point and felt they could be improved on. Following a meeting with Joseph Cross, he was enlisted to produce the band's next album; sessions were held at 80 Hertz Studios. Anna is an indie pop album that leans more into the electronic elements found on Falcon.
Concrete Love is the fourth studio album by British rock band Courteeners, released on 18 August 2014 via Cooperative Music label. It features the band delve further into a post-punk sound and was inspired by 1980s music. Promoted by two singles, Concrete Love received generally favourable reviews from music critics and reached number three on the UK Albums Chart.
Mapping the Rendezvous is the fifth studio album by British rock band Courteeners, released on 28 October 2016. The album was announced in August while "The 17th" was made available on streaming platforms. In November the band embarked on a UK/European tour in support of the album.
More. Again. Forever. is the sixth studio album by British rock band Courteeners. Following their fifth studio album Mapping the Rendezvous (2016), the band released a reimagined version of their debut studio album St. Jude (2008) and scrapped an album's worth of new material. After a co-writing session with Rich Turvey and a tour of the United Kingdom, frontman Liam Fray wrote the majority of what would appear on their next album in early 2019. Recording for it concluded by April 2019; More. Again. Forever. is a pop and psychedelic album that takes influenced from the work of LCD Soundsystem, as well as a period of addiction and self-improvement that Fray went through.