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Bert McCracken | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Edward McCracken |
| Born | February 25, 1982 Provo, Utah, U.S. |
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| Member of | The Used |
Robert Edward McCracken (born February 25, 1982) is an American-born Australian singer who is the lead vocalist and songwriter of the rock band The Used.
McCracken was born in Provo, Utah, and grew up in Orem. He was raised in a Mormon family with three sisters (Katie, Melanie, Rachel) and two younger brothers (Joseph Taylor and Phil McCracken-Wicum). McCracken has stated that he read quite voraciously growing up, due to the influence of his mother, who was a schoolteacher. [1] At age 12, he started playing the trumpet in a local band called "I'm With Stupid". He attended Timpanogos High School for a brief time, before dropping out at 16.
Eldest son of the household, Bert enjoyed a happy home life as a child, but as he grew into a teenager his and his parents' views conflicted. He rebelled against his parents and against their Mormon religion, eventually leaving The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [1] [2] [3] He dropped out of high school; soon after, he left his home at the age of 16. For some time he was homeless until he found enough money for an apartment, moving in with then-girlfriend Kate. [4]
Prior to joining the Used, McCracken was the vocalist in a straight edge band called Cobra Kai, which he was kicked out of after beginning to smoke marijuana. [5]
In January 2001, when the band called Dumb Luck (which later became The Used, then consisting of Quinn Allman, Jeph Howard and Branden Steineckert) were looking for a singer, Allman remembered McCracken and he was invited to try out. After being given music that the band had written without words, McCracken wrote the lyrics to what would become "Maybe Memories" and returned the next day with a newly recorded version of the song. The band welcomed him immediately, and renamed themselves "Used". They were eventually discovered by John Feldmann and signed to Reprise Records; they became "The Used" when it was discovered that a Boston band had already trademarked the name "Used". On June 25, 2002, they released their self-titled debut album.
In 2017, Allman sued McCracken for touring, album, and merchandise proceeds that occurred before his dismissal from the band, as well as damages for late and irregular royalty payments due to him. [6] The case was settled out of court in 2020.
McCracken appeared on the MTV show The Osbournes while he was dating Kelly Osbourne, to her mother's dismay and disapproval.
In 2004, McCracken's then-pregnant ex-girlfriend Kate died of a drug overdose, as the recording of The Used's second album In Love and Death was coming to a close. [7]
In July 2008, McCracken married his Australian fiancée, Alison, at a private ceremony in Los Angeles. In July 2013, he announced that he and his wife had relocated from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia, [8] where their first daughter, Cleopatra Rose, was born in January, 2014. Their second child, Minerva Bloom, was born on March 23, 2018. [9]
McCracken has struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism in the past, [7] the former referenced in the song "Bulimic" on The Used's self-titled album. [10] However, he has since overcome his addictions, being sober since 2012. [7]
Bert McCracken has voiced his support for Palestine and left-wing politics [11] alongside being critical of aspects of contemporary American culture and society, such as the influence of larger corporations on the music industry, which partly prompted his move to Australia in 2013. His political views were also influential in the lyrical content of The Used's 2014 album Imaginary Enemy . [12]
About a year prior to the recording of The Used's 2017 album The Canyon , McCracken's friend Tregen died via suicide which heavily influenced the album's lyrical content. [13] [14]
| Single | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" (Street Drum Corps featuring Bert McCracken) [15] | 2005 | Taste of Christmas |
| "Vampire's Diet" (with 3OH!3) [16] | 2021 | NEED |
| Title | Year | Artist | Album | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Spokesman" | 2002 | Goldfinger | Open Your Eyes | Additional vocals |
| "Open Your Eyes" | ||||
| "Woodchuck" | ||||
| "Anthem of Our Dying Day" [17] | 2003 | Story of the Year | Page Avenue | |
| "You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison" | 2004 | My Chemical Romance | Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge | |
| "Ocean Size" | 2005 | Goldfinger | Disconnection Notice | |
| "At Least I'm Good at Something" | 2006 | The Distance | The Rise and Fall and Everything in Between | Guest |
| "Handjobs for Jesus" | 2008 | Goldfinger | Hello Destiny... | Guest vocals |
| "Days Are Numbered" | 2013 | Black Veil Brides | Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones | Additional vocals |
| "Body Bag" | 2020 | Machine Gun Kelly | Tickets to My Downfall | Featured, Writer |
| "Over My Head" | Girlfriends | Girlfriends | Featured | |
| "Think About Me" | 2021 | Jxdn | Tell Me About Tomorrow | Writer |
| "Give Your Heart A Break" (Rock Version) | 2023 | Demi Lovato | Revamped | Featured |
| "Dearly Departed" | 2024 | Escape the Fate | Single | Featured, Writer |
| "You're So Ugly When You Cry" [18] | 2024 | The Funeral Portrait | Single | Featured |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Punk Rock Holocaust | Himself | |
| 2006 | My Chemical Romance: Life On The Murder Scene | Himself | Documentary film |
| 2007 | Punk's Not Dead | Himself | Documentary film |
| 2013 | Black Veil Brides in the Studio: The Making of Wretched & Divine | Himself | Documentary film |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | The Osbournes | Himself | 2 episodes |
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English musician and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adopted the nickname "Prince of Darkness".
Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler is an English retired musician and songwriter. He is best known as the bassist and primary lyricist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He has also recorded and performed with Heaven & Hell, GZR, Ozzy Osbourne, and Deadland Ritual.
The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah, formed in 2000. The group consists of vocalist Bert McCracken, bassist Jeph Howard, drummer Dan Whitesides, and guitarist Joey Bradford. Former members include Quinn Allman, Branden Steineckert, and Justin Shekoski.
In Love and Death is the second studio album by American rock band the Used. It was released on September 28, 2004, and was later certified platinum in the United States, indicating over 1,000,000 copies shipped. It is their most commercially successful album to date. The title and music reference a number of tragic events that surrounded vocalist Bert McCracken during the album's production, notably the death of his pregnant girlfriend. In Love and Death is the final studio album to feature drummer Branden Steineckert.
The Used is the debut studio album by American rock band The Used, released on June 25, 2002, through Reprise Records. The album has been certified platinum by the RIAA in 2019.
Quinn Allman is a multi-platinum selling artist, musician and producer; best known as the founding member, guitarist and backing vocalist in the rock band The Used.
"I Caught Fire" is the third single from American rock band the Used's second studio album, In Love and Death (2004). It was released to radio in February 2005.
"Take It Away" is the first single from the Used's second studio album In Love and Death. "Take It Away" was released to radio on August 31, 2004. This song, as well as video, was played during the commercials to promote the album.
Brothers and Sisters is the fourth studio album by American rock band The Allman Brothers Band. Co-produced by Johnny Sandlin and the band, the album was released in August 1973 in the United States by Capricorn Records. Following the death of group leader Duane Allman in 1971, the Allman Brothers Band released Eat a Peach (1972), a hybrid studio/live album that became their biggest-selling album to date. Afterwards, the group purchased a farm in Juliette, Georgia, to become a "group hangout". However, bassist Berry Oakley was visibly suffering from the death of Duane, excessively drinking and consuming drugs. In November 1972, after nearly a year of severe depression, Oakley was killed in a motorcycle accident, making it the last album on which he played.
"All That I've Got" is a song by American rock band the Used, released as the second single from their second studio album, In Love and Death (2004), in December 2004. The song was dedicated to Bert McCracken's dog, David Bowie, who was hit by a truck during the making of the album. An acoustic version was later released on iTunes. It also appeared on the Saints Row 2 soundtrack.
Justin Paul Hollis Shekoski is an American guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist, best known for being the former lead guitarist, songwriter, and backing vocalist of Saosin and the Used. He has cited guitarists John Petrucci and Paul Gilbert as some of his main inspirations. Shekoski is also known for his guitar playing style onstage, including "guitar spins," which involves spinning his guitar over his left shoulder multiple times, subsequently catching it mid-air, and continuing to play.
Lies for the Liars is the third studio album by American rock band the Used. It was released on May 22, 2007, and was certified gold by the RIAA on February 28, 2019.
Artwork is the fourth studio album by American rock band the Used, released through Reprise in the United States and the United Kingdom on August 31, 2009.
The Ocean of the Sky is an EP by American rock band the Used, released on July 9, 2013. It is available as a digital download and in compact disc format. A vinyl format was released in September 2013. It peaked at No. 20 on the alternative chart and No. 108 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Imaginary Enemy is the sixth studio album by American rock band the Used. It is the first album released on, and the second label the band created and own, GAS Union.
"Cry" is a song by American rock band the Used, and was released as the first single for their sixth studio album Imaginary Enemy. It was released to radio and music video in January 2014.
Live & Acoustic at the Palace is a live acoustic album by the Used to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the band. It was recorded at a show on October 11, 2015, at the Palace in Los Angeles. It is the first release without the guitarist Quinn Allman. The performance featured guest musicians including a string quartet, pianist, harpist, extra percussion and a three-piece gospel choir.
The Canyon is the seventh studio album by American rock band the Used. The album was released as double album on October 27, 2017, through Hopeless Records and is dedicated to Tregen, a friend of Bert McCracken, who shot himself in Provo Canyon after coming off his anti-depressants for about a week. It is the only studio album to feature guitarist Justin Shekoski since Quinn Allman's departure in 2015. It was highly acclaimed by critics and fans alike and appearing on many best-of-the-year lists, though it only peaked at 50 on the Billboard 200.
Heartwork is the eighth studio album by American rock band the Used. It was released on April 24, 2020, on Big Noise.
Jeph Howard: Bert had a metal band called Cobra Kai. We knew he could scream nonstop the whole show, but he also had a good singing voice.
Bert McCracken: I started smoking pot and the straight-edge band I was in kicked me out. After that, I drifted away from music for a while and drugs became my everyday. Slowly from alcohol, then weed and cocaine to crystal methamphetamines. I got caught up in that world, living with some tweakers in a garage, and on and on and on.
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