Goldfrapp Artistfacts

1999-
Allison GoldfrappVocals
Will GregoryKeyboards/synthesizer
Will Gregory met Allison Goldfrapp in 1999 after after he had heard an early version of the song, "Human." The connection was immediate and Gregory invited Goldfrapp to record a demo for a film soundtrack he was composing.
Allison Goldfrapp is known for her changing styles. She has appeared as a Marlene Dietrich inspired New Wave diva, which utilized military inspired clothing, custom-designed T-shirts and false eyelashes. She has also reinvented her image to that of a circus performer, and has been known to dress in black leggings with a jacket covered in glittery black plastic strips that would be blown around by two electric fans placed on the stage.
In addition to playing keyboards and synthesizers, Will Gregory is an accomplished saxophonist. He's played with Tears for Fears, Peter Gabriel, Portishead and The Cure.
Gregory studied classical music at the University of York. His first opera, a libretto entitled Piccard in Space, premiered at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on March 31, 2011.
Allison Goldfrapp is not particularly a big fan of Madonna's music. About the music icon, Goldfrapp stated, "I can't get passionate about the music she puts out there. I think her persona is far more fascinating for me and for a lot of people. She's been amazing inspiration to women and I think it is fantastic that she's 47 and still does what she's doing. I think that's quite inspirational."
Speaking of the inspiration for Goldfrapp's album, Seven Tree, and its clown imagery, Allison Goldfrapp declared, "I'm interested in images that are very familiar, I suppose. The clown is such a familiar image. It's an iconic image, in a way. It has so many different connotations. It's meant to be something that's sort of comical and funny and yet actually we associate it with sadness and a slightly desperate entertainer. So it's got all of these connotations and it's something that's been depicted in art and in movies and, you know, we've made it into this really quite sinister image"
Alison Goldfrapp collects rocks. "I'm obsessed with them. I don't pick up any old rock; it has to have some kind of interest," she smiled to The Guardian "I am drawn to anything that twinkles."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

Eyes Without A FaceBilly Idol

Billy Idol's "Eyes Without A Face" has a gruesome inspiration. It's based on a 1959 French movie about a surgeon who abducts young women and removes their facial features.

TemptedSqueeze

The Squeeze song "Tempted" is one of their few with lead vocals by Paul Carrack, who sang the Ace song "How Long" and was in Mike + The Mechanics.

FancyIggy Azalea

The video for Iggy Azalea's "Fancy" pays homage to the classic 1995 film Clueless with the rapper playing Cher and featured singer Charli XCX portraying Tai. It was filmed at some of the same locations used in the movie.

NameThe Goo Goo Dolls

"Name" by The Goo Goo Dolls was partly inspired by lead singer John Rzeznik's flirtation with the MTV VJ Kennedy, who didn't want him to tell anyone her real name.

RoyalsLorde

Lorde was 16 years and 11 months old when "Royals" topped the Hot 100. In doing so she became the youngest ever solo artist to write and perform a #1 hit.

Red Red WineUB40

UB40's cover of Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine" was a minor hit when first released in 1983, but it went to #1 five years later when radio stations in Phoenix started playing it.