Adam Levine

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Adam Levine

Background information
Birth name Adam Noah Levine
Born March 18, 1979 (1979-03-18) (age 30)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genre(s) Pop Rock, soul, pop
Occupation(s) Vocalist, musician
Instrument(s) vocals, guitar, drums
Voice type(s) Tenor
Years active 1994 - present
Label(s) A&M Octone
Associated acts Maroon 5, Kara's Flowers, Kanye West, Natasha Bedingfield, Ying Yang Twins, Alicia Keys, K'naan & Rihanna
Website maroon5.com
Notable instrument(s)
First Act guitars
Gibson SG

Adam Noah Levine (born March 18, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is the frontman for the pop rock band Maroon 5.[1]

Contents

[edit] Early life

Born in Los Angeles, California to Jewish parents Patsy Noah and Fred Levine, he has one brother, Michael a step-sister, Julia; and half-brother Sam and half-sister Liza. When Levine was seven, he made the winning shot of his local YMCA championship basketball game (on a team his father coached) with seconds left on the clock. He has said that the incident changed his life, gave him the confidence to be successful, and turned him "into an optimist…and a bit of a cocky son of a bitch. I am not sure what this anecdote has anything to do with my musical career. Just one of those things you've got to get out of you. There will be more of this. Keep your ears open, America."[2]

Levine attended Frenchwoods Festival of the Performing Arts Camp (Hancock, NY), where he met the original members of the band Kara's Flowers: Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden and Ryan Dusick. He attended Brentwood School in Los Angeles as part of the class of 1997.

[edit] Early career

As a young person, Levine was a reluctant frontman with "terrible acne."[3] When Levine first began performing he was so shy, he would put his back to the audience.[4] The first time Levine performed was at The Troubadour when he was twelve years old; he was the guitarist for the band Blurred Vision and he sang "Rockin' Robin" as the last song of the set.[4]

Levine first became friends with John Ondrasik from Five For Fighting, who played clarinet in Regis High School Orchestra, while playing together at the French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts. It was from John Ondrasik that Levine learned the high-pitched vocal style which he would use later in his career. Levine, Madden, Ondrasik and Carmichael played their first show together as Edible Nuns at their Jr. High dance, playing cover versions of nineties favorites such as Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains.

As the trio progressed through high school, the drummer left the band. He was replaced by Amy Wood, a friend of one of the current members. She would soon leave the band and again the group was a drummer short, leaving a window of opportunity open for Levine. He would reconnect with Ryan Dusick, who completed the band on drums.

[edit] Kara's Flowers

External videos
Kara's Flowers cameo appearance on Beverly Hills, 90210

In 1997, the band released an album titled The Fourth World. That same year the band appeared on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. The album had little success, and its only single, "Soap Disco", failed commercially. Disappointed with the results of their album, the band went on hiatus and went their separate ways.[5]

Levine and bandmate Carmichael left Los Angeles to study at Five Towns College, a small liberal arts school in Dix Hills, Long Island, New York.[citation needed] This was the first time the two Los Angeles natives were exposed to a completely different music scene, a cultural awakening for the young men.[6] On MTV News in 2002, Levine said, "That's when I started waking up to the whole hip hop, R&B thing. We had friends named Chaos and Shit. It was not Brentwood High."[7]

[edit] Maroon 5 and mainstream success

Adam Levine singing "This Love" at the 2009 Neighborhood Inauguration Ball

During this time, Levine worked a two-week stint as a waiter at Johnny Rockets.[8] After dropping out of Five Towns College, Levine and Jesse reunited with Mickey and Ryan, but added former Square guitarist, James Valentine in 2001. Renaming the band Maroon 5, Levine and his friends began to compile all of their newfound musical influences into their music. While Levine was working as a writer's assistant on the television show "Judging Amy," he spent time writing the lyrics about his ex-girlfriend, Jane. Those lyrics became the album "Songs About Jane."[8]

[edit] Other work

Levine, as a solo artist, has collaborated with various musical acts. In 2005, Levine was featured on the Ying Yang Twins song "Live Again" and later appeared on Kanye West's Late Registration album, on the third single, "Heard 'Em Say".[9] He is also featured in the song "Wild Horses" on Alicia Keys' third album Alicia Keys: MTV Unplugged. Over the next year, he co-wrote the track "Say It Again" on Natasha Bedingfield's album N.B.. He also performed the background vocals on this song. Most recently, Levine offered his talents on K'naan's newest album "Troubadour" in the song "Bang Bang."

Levine has made several notable comic appearances on television. During 2007, he appeared on the 33rd season premiere of Saturday Night Live in an SNL Digital Short called Iran So Far with Andy Samberg, Fred Armisen and Jake Gyllenhaal. Levine played himself while singing a humorous bridge to a "love song" for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In 2008, he appeared on Comedy Central's "Night Of Too Many Stars". Levine also had cameo on Jimmy Kimmel Live for the night of stars and endorsed Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential Election.

Released in October 2008, Levine collaborated with First Act to create the First Act 222 Guitar, fashioned to Levine's specifications. The guitar was made available for purchase at Target retail stores.[10]

Levine and the rest of Maroon 5 are currently filming Get Him to the Greek, directed by Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow.[11]

Levine has stated in various interviews that he does not plan on continuing in Maroon 5 forever, and may stop after the tour for Maroon 5's probable third album.[12][13]

Adam Levine made a guest appearance as himself on the season three finale of 30 Rock.

[edit] Personal life

External videos
Levine with his sister at a 2008 concert

Levine's ex-girlfriend Jane is the muse behind the name of the band's debut album, Songs About Jane. In a 2004 interview, he claimed that she had not contacted him despite the success of the album.[14] They have since made up, and by 2007, Levine referred to themselves as "close friends".[12]

Levine's stepmother and father own two fashion stores in California. In 2005, he and Ryan Seacrest of American Idol attended the inauguration of M. Fredric, his parents' second store, in Studio City.[7]. His uncle is Slate writer and editor Timothy Noah.

Levine has a "car fetish," his favorite car being his 1971 Mercedes 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet.[15] He rarely drives his cars, however, because of his concerns about the environment.[15]

In 2006, Levine broke his sternum while lifting weights, what he called "one of the most painful things I’ve ever experienced."[8] He began using spotters while lifting weights before giving up weightlifting altogether when he began yoga in 2007. [16]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Soylent Communications (2007). "Adam Levine" nndb.com {accessed February 27, 2007)
  2. ^ Levin-Epstein, Amy (date unknown), "Big Shot". MSN, courtesy of Best Life. (accessed 2009-01-16)
  3. ^ Hoard, Christian 2004-06-10, "A Whiter Shade of Funk". Rolling Stone (950):
  4. ^ a b "23 May 2007". Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show. 2007-05-23. No. 577, season 4
  5. ^ Rosen, Craig (2005-06-04), "MAROON 5". Billboard. 117 (23):
  6. ^ Kimpel, 2006, p88
  7. ^ a b Newt Briggs (2004). "Off the Charts: Maroon 5" lasvegasmercury.com {accessed February 27, 2007)
  8. ^ a b c Smith, RJ (June 2007), "Dear Superstar: Adam Levine". Blender. (accessed 2009-01-16)
  9. ^ Moss, Corey (December 19, 2005), "Move Over, Justin: Adam Levine Is Hip-Hop's New Favorite White Boy". MTV.com (accessed 2009-01-18)
  10. ^ (October 9, 2008), "Adam Lvine Interview: First Act 222 Guitar". YouTube.com (accessed 2009-01-18)
  11. ^ McArthur, Rachel (December 6, 2008)"More to Maroon 5 Than Just Music". Business 24-7 (accessed 2009-01-16)
  12. ^ a b Paton, Maureen (August 2, 2008), "In a taxi with...Adam Levine". Mail Online. (accessed 2009-01-16)
  13. ^ Greene, Andy (2007-06-28), "Maroon 5: Back on Top". Rolling Stone. (1029):16
  14. ^ Rubin, Courtney (2004-04-19), "MAROON 5 SOUNDS OFF". People. 61(15):45
  15. ^ a b Scaggs, Austin (May 31, 2007), "Adam Levine". Rolling Stone. (1027):36
  16. ^ Zepeda, Dana Meltzer (July 15, 2008), "Adam Levine of Maroon 5: His Yoga Addiction Makes Him Buff And Sane". Women's Health Magazine. (2009-01-16)

[edit] References

  • Kimpel, Dan (2006), How They Made It: True Stories of How Music's Biggest Stars Went from Start to Stardom!. Location unknown:Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 0-634-07642-6

[edit] External links

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Maroon 5
Adam Levine · James Valentine · Jesse Carmichael · Michael Madden · Matt Flynn
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