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Skrillex

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Skrillex

Sonny John Moore, also known as Skrillex, is an electronic musician from Los Angeles, California, well known for his role as the former frontman for the post-hardcore band From First to Last. In late fall of 2007 he embarked on his very first tour as a solo artist, the Team Sleep Tour with Team Sleep, Strata, and Monster In the Machine[1]. After recruiting a new band lineup, Moore toured North America on the Alternative Press Tour, supporting bands such as All Time Low and The Rocket Summer, and appeared on the cover of Alternative Press' annual '100 Bands You Need To Know' issue[2]. In June, 2008 Moore went into recording for his debut album, titled Bells alongside producer Noah Shain. He is currently signed to Atlantic Records, and runs an imprint label called Owsla, named after an organisation in the book Watership Down[3].

Childhood and early bands

Born on January 15, 1988 in Los Angeles, California, Moore was raised by two adoptive parents.[citation needed]. He has a younger brother, Justin Duque (aka Bobby Duque) and a younger sister Jacqui Duque by his biological mother. He also has a younger brother, Michael Tucker (Mixe) by his biological father. After moving to San Francisco from Los Angeles when he was nine, Moore received his first guitar which he would write songs on throughout his childhood. At age twelve, Moore's family moved back to Los Angeles, where he started attending local concerts.[4] Moore started a street punk band called The Riots when he was 13, along with friends he met at these concerts. His second band, Hazel-rah, experimented with a more ambient rock sound. He was also in the band, At Risk before he joined From First to Last.[5]

From First To Last

Moore contacted Matt Good of From First To Last about playing guitar for the band on their latest record. After flying out to Georgia, Moore was heard singing by three studio producers, Derrick Thomas, Eric Dale, and Michael Butler, and was then made lead singer, with Good playing guitar. In June 2004, Epitaph Records released the band's first full-length record with their new bandmate, Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Body Count. After performing on several successful tours, two being the Vans Warped Tour and Dead By Dawn tour, they began recording their sophomore album, Heroine with producer Ross Robinson[6]. The album was released in March 2006 on Epitaph. With high record sales once again, the band found themselves part of many successful tours, until Moore started suffering vocal problems, causing the band to resign from several tours. After going through a successful surgical procedure, Moore informed the band he would be permanently resigning to work on a solo career.[7] FFTL's last show performed together was in their hometown of Orlando at The House Of Blues while touring with Atreyu.

The band released a self-titled record the following year.[8] They have also released a fourth album, Throne to the Wolves, in 2010.[9]

Solo career

On February 27, 2007 Moore announced he had left From First to Last to pursue a solo career. He then launched a MySpace page displaying three demos (Signal, Equinox, and Glow Worm). This led to Moore's first performance since his leaving From First to Last. On April 7, 2007, alongside harpist Carol Robbins, Moore played several original songs at a local art building. Clips of this performance could be viewed on Moore's Myspace.

After many months of releasing demos via Myspace, Moore played on the Team Sleep Tour with a full band Shelby Greyeyes on turntables, Kale Butler on bass, Eric Dale on drums. Moore made several demo CD's available on this tour, limited to about 30 per show. These CD's were tour exclusive, and were packaged in "baby blue envelopes", each with a unique drawing by Moore or bandmate.

In February 2008, Alternative Press Magazine announced the second annual AP Tour, with All Time Low, The Rocket Summer, The Matches, and Forever The Sickest Kids, as well as Sonny Moore. The tour started in Houston, Texas on March 14 and went through North America, ending in Cleveland, Ohio on May 2, with the majority of the shows being sold out. All bands playing the tour would be featured on the cover of Alternative Press Magazine's annual 100 Bands You Need To Know special, and would be interviewed on the Alternative Press Podcast[10]. During this tour Moore's lineup consisted of Sean Friday on drums, Christopher Null on guitar, and Aaron Rothe on keyboard.

On May 17, 2008, Moore performed his first headlining set with I.O. Echo, Dead Sara, and Endless Hallway. The show was held in Los Angeles, California at the Knitting Factory.[11]

Moore's debut album, Bells, was set to be released in Fall 2009 but due to issues with Atlantic regarding paperwork, the album has been pushed to Spring 2010. On April 7, 2009 he released Gypsyhook EP, a digital EP, which featured three songs and four remixes. Also included was a Japanese version of Mora entitled Kai Sui. Physical copies of the EP were available at his shows. After going on tour with InnerPartySystem and Paper Route and opening for Chiodos on their European tour, Moore performed at Bamboozle on May 2 [12]. He performed on Bamboozle Left's Saints And Sinners stage on April 4. He toured with Hollywood Undead in April 2009 performing under the band name Sonny and the Blood Monkeys. Moore currently DJs under the alias Skrillex at clubs in the Los Angeles area.

In 2009, he remixed the Bring Me the Horizon song "The Sadness Will Never End", which was included on Suicide Season: Cut Up!, a remix album of their sophomore album. Recently, he remixed the Lady Gaga songs "Bad Romance" and Alejandro." He as also remixed the song '"What Is Light? Where Is Laughter?" by Scottish Alt rock band Twin Atlantic, the song was included on the single release of "What Is Light? Where Is Laughter?.

Under the Skrillex moniker, Moore remixed HORSE the band's single "Shapeshift" for a 7" vinyl pressing of the single prior to the release of the Desperate Living full-length.

Discography

Albums

  • Bells (2010)

EPs

References

  1. Template:Myspace
  2. SonnyMoore.org SonnyMoore.org
  3. Alternative Press Magazine Team Sleep Tour
  4. The Alternative Press Tour 2008 AP Tour