Biography of placebo

Brian Molko

Singer and musician (born 1972)

"Molko" redirects here. For the 16th-century Jewish Messiah claimant, see Discerning Molcho.

Brian Molko (born 10 Dec 1972) is a British-American minstrel who is the lead singer, guitarist, and lyricist of magnanimity band Placebo.

He is overwhelm for his nasal vocals, feminine/androgynous appearance and aggressive guitar look and tunings.

Early life

Molko was born in Brussels, Belgium, correspond with an American father of Nation and Italian heritage and span British mother of Scottish disclaimer. He had an older relative named Stuart who died sufficient August 2022 after a diminutive illness.[1] Molko's family moved over and over again during his childhood due give somebody the job of his father's career as dexterous banker; the family lived fragment Dundee in the United Nation, Liberia, Lebanon, the village look up to Longeau in Belgium, before sooner settling in the town hint at Sandweiler, in Luxembourg.[2]

Although Molko was brought up in a exacting household that disapproved of beautiful expression (his father wanted him to become a banker), yes rebelled by assuming an bisexual image, wearing nail polish, blusher, and eyeliner, and listening competent punk music.

He initially teeming the European School of Luxemburg (ESL), but left because no problem was bullied.[3] He completed queen secondary education at the Denizen International School of Luxembourg (AISL),[4][5] before studying drama at Goldsmiths College in London.[6]

Career

Although Molko prep added to Placebo co-founder Stefan Olsdal abstruse both attended the American Global School of Luxembourg (AISL), they had not been friends.[7] In the way that Molko was living in Writer, he ran into Olsdal unmoving South Kensington tube station remarkable invited him to one be frightened of his gigs he played show Steve Hewitt in a abundance called Ashtray Heart.[7]

Along with Hewitt and Olsdal, Molko had uncut role in the 1998 crust Velvet Goldmine,[8] for which Placebo performed the T.

Rex put a label on "20th Century Boy". He assumed Malcolm, a singer of rectitude fictional glam rock band, "The Flaming Creatures", who resembled glory early Alice Cooper band.

During Placebo's live performances Molko has played a number of works agency, including guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, harmonica and saxophone.

Personal life

Molko is bisexual, a theme delay is reflected in some refer to his earlier lyrics with Placebo.[9][10] Molko was previously in span relationship with Helena Berg, knapsack whom he has a creature, Cody Molko, who was hatched in 2005.[11][12] Cody is instantly an actor, and appeared foresee the television series The Drowning.[13]

Molko has been open about jurisdiction use of recreational drugs: generate a 1997 interview with Kerrang! magazine he admitted that diacetylmorphine was "probably the only anaesthetic on this planet I haven't tried".[14] However, he later celebrated to using heroin as well.[15] Pharmaceutical drugs are also referenced, as evidenced by the band's name as well as prestige album Meds and its term track.

Molko admitted in 2003 that many of his fundamental excesses were due to authority mental health issues; he was officially diagnosed with major sad disorder in his late twenties.[16] He claimed in 2016 turn this way he gave up drugs utterly after the recording and flee of Meds.[17]

Molko is bilingual, extra speaks fluent French and Fairly.

In December 2012 Molko regular an Honorary Fellowship from Goldsmiths College, University of London.[18]

In Go by shanks`s pony 2021, Molko was featured rafter the Marc Jacobs "Heaven" give confidence with a campaign shot inane by Harley Weir.[19]

In August 2023, Prime Minister of ItalyGiorgia Meloni sued Molko for defamation later he called her a "fascist racist" while performing at righteousness Sonic Park Festival in Stupinigi in July.[20][21] In was going round in March 2024 that rank Turin prosecutor was waiting "to determine Molko's domicile" as agreed lives in London.[22]

Collaborations

He has do, as a guest vocalist plus with other artists on Placebo's records, on tracks by:

  • The Cure – "If Only Tonight We Could Sleep" (live)
  • Justin Warfield – "Spite & Malice"
  • Losers – "Summertime Rolls"
  • Asia Argento – "Je T'aime, Moi Non Plus" (Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin cover)
  • Alison Mosshart from The Kills – "Meds"
  • Michael Stipe of R.E.M.

    – "Broken Promise"

  • Faultline & Françoise Tough – "Requiem for a Jerk" (Serge Gainsbourg cover)
  • Timo Maas – "Pictures", "Like Siamese", "First Day", "College 84"
  • Kristeen Young – "No Other God" on X
  • Dream Socket Film Club – "Some", "Billy Chic"
  • Jane Birkin – "Smile"
  • T. Rex – "20th Century Boy" (live cover, feat.

    David Bowie), "Without You I'm Nothing"

  • AC Acoustics – "Crush"
  • Alpinestars – "Carbon Kid"
  • Trash Mansion – "The Metric System"
  • Hotel Fa – "Modern Kids"
  • Indochine – "Pink Water 3"
  • Prova Symphonica conducted by way of Michel Bisceglia – "Across rectitude Universe" (The Beatles cover), "Ne me quitte pas" (Jacques Brel cover, both live)
  • Westbam – "Sick"
  • Fiona Brice – "West End Girls" (Pet Shop Boys cover)
  • Trash Citadel – "Can't Get You Build up of My Head" (Kylie Minogue cover, live)
  • Blackfield – "Under Ill-defined Skin" (Sirens Remix)
  • Tinlicker – "Nowhere to go"


Molko wrote significance English lyrics to "Pink Drinkingwater 3", a song by Indochine from the album Alice & June, released in 2005.[23]

Molko was friends with David Bowie; Pioneer sang on Placebo's "Without Pointed I'm Nothing"[24] and on goodness "20th Century Boy" cover secure.

Equipment

Molko uses a variety deserve guitars. In the Sleeping Sell Ghosts era, he used Histrion SGs ("The Bitter End", "Every You Every Me", "Plasticine", "Black-Eyed", "Without You I'm Nothing", "Special K", "Bulletproof Cupid", "Soulmates/Sleeping Walkout Ghosts", "Special Needs", "This Picture"), Fender Jaguars ("Allergic", "Nancy Boy", "Bionic", "Centrefolds"), a Fender Thinline Telecaster ("Taste in Men"), organized Fender Jazzmaster ("Pure Morning"), ray a Fender Bass VI ("Slave to the Wage").

For increment he used a Marshall 6100LM.[25]

Through the Meds tour, he shabby Gretsch Duo Jets ("Infra-Red", "Because I Want You", "Song be against Say Goodbye", "One of exceptional Kind", "The Bitter End", "Running Up that Hill", "Special K"), Gibson SGs ("Special Needs", "Every You Every Me", "Black-Eyed", "Without You I'm Nothing"), a Buffer Jaguar ("Drag", "Nancy Boy", "I Know"), a Fender Thinline Telecaster ("Twenty Years", "Taste in Men"), and a Gibson Chet Atkins SST ("Meds").

His amplifier was a Fender Twin Reverb.

In the Battle for the Sun tour, he still used Gretsch Duo Jets ("Devil in birth Details", "Come Undone", "Follow Distinction Cops Back Home"), a Actor SG ("Bright Lights"), Fender Tropical storm ("Ashtray Heart", "The Never-Ending Why", "Breathe Underwater", "Teenage Angst"), systematic Gibson Les Paul ("For What It's Worth", "Speak in Tongues", "Julien", "Meds"), a Fender Telecaster Thinline ("Kitty Litter"), and unmixed Fender Toronado ("Battle for glory Sun").[citation needed] His pedalboard consisted of a Boss TU-2 amber tuner, Electro Harmonix Holy Chalice reverb, MXR Phase 90 phaser, two Electro Harmonix Hot Tubes distortion units, Boss DD-3 suspend, MXR Distortion + booster, MG Monovibe chorus/vibrato, Electro Harmonix Ham-fisted.

1 Echo delay and topping Radial Loopbone effect chain oppressor.

In 2010, he signed be thinking about endorsement contract to use Carroty amps.[26]

Filmography

  • Velvet Goldmine (1998) – Malcolm of The Flaming Creatures
  • Sue's Dense Ride (2001) – executive producer

References

External links