Skrillex
Skrillex |
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Sonny Moore (born January 15, 1988), professionally known as Skrillex, is an electro house/dubstep producer from Los Angeles, California and former frontman for the American band From First to Last.[2][3] In late fall of 2007 he embarked on his first tour as a solo artist, the Team Sleep Tour with Team Sleep, Strata, and Monster in the Machine. 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.[4] In June 2008, Moore went into recording for his debut album, titled Bells, alongside producer Noah Shain. He released the Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites EP as a co-release between mau5trap and Big Beat record labels, and runs an imprint label called Owsla, named after an organization in the book Watership Down.
Biography
Childhood and early bands (1988–2004)
Born on January 15, 1988, in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in Northeast Los Angeles.[5]
From First to Last (2004–2007)
Moore contacted Matt Good of From First to Last about playing guitar for the band on their debut album. After flying out to Georgia, Moore was heard singing by three studio producers, Derrick Thomas, Eric Dale, and McHale 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 second album, Heroine with producer Ross Robinson. 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. FFTL's last show performed with Moore was in their hometown of Orlando at The House of Blues while touring with Atreyu.
Solo career (2007–present)
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.
After months of releasing demos via Myspace, Moore played on the Team Sleep Tour with a full band. The tour also featured supporting acts Monster in the Machine and Strata. Moore made several demo CDs available on this tour, limited to about 30 per show. These CDs 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. During this tour Moore's line-up consisted of Sean Friday on drums, Christopher Null on guitar, and Aaron Rothe on keyboards.
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 "海水". 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. 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, with Chris Null (electric guitar), Sean Friday (drums, percussion & beats) and Aaron Rothe (keyboards, synthesizers, programming & turntables)
Although no official statement has been given regarding the album, Moore has been reported in interviews and at events saying Bells will no longer be released.
Production career (2008–present)
In 2008, Moore began producing and performing under the alias Skrillex at clubs in the Los Angeles area. [citation needed]. On June 7, 2010, Moore released his official Skrillex debut EP, My Name is Skrillex as a free download.[1]
In the summer of 2010, Moore provided programming and vocals for UK metalcore band Bring Me the Horizon on their third studio album There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret' [citation needed]. Later in the year, Sonny began a nationwide tour with Deadmau5 after being signed to mau5trap recordings and released his second EP, Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites.
Moore kicked off the "Project Blue Book Tour" in 2011 with support from Porter Robinson, Tommy Lee & DJ Aero as well as appearances from Sofia Toufa for a new song titled "Bring out the Devil." Skrillex unveiled several new songs on this tour including "First Of The Year" (formerly known as "Equinox"), "Reptile", and "Cinema" (remix of a Benny Benassi track). "Reptile" was featured in the TV commercial for Mortal Kombat 9, and "First of the Year (Equinox)" is to be featured on his follow up EP and remix companion to Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, titled More Monsters and Sprites.
Currently, a CGI music video is in the works for the title track, and Moore has begun to talk about an upcoming full length. Skrillex also was the party DJ for the 2011 Woodie Awards.
In April 2011, Spin Magazine premiered an exclusive new track from Korn that Skrillex produced. Korn made this track, titled "Get Up," available for free download via their Facebook page.[6] On April 15, 2011 KoRn joined Skrillex on stage for his set at Coachella 2011.
On April 18, 2011, SCEA video game development studio Naughty Dog released a trailer[7] for the multiplayer component of their upcoming Playstation 3 game, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception featuring the Bare Noize remix of "Kill EVERYBODY" from Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites.
On April 28, 2011, Skrillex posted to his Facebook page about the new album and laptops being stolen, writing:
Just gonna set it strait. I had 2 laptops and both of my hard drives stolen out of my hotel in Milan Italy last month. On those laptops and drives were all the project files of Skrillex. All gone now. Also I had a new album that is now gone too. I spent a week pulling my hair out but now im just focussing on the future and re making my album.[8]
Moore recently completed his first tour of Australia in May, 2011.
On June 2, 2011, he announced the release of a mini EP and remix companion to "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites", titled "More Monsters and Sprites", which was released on June 7 on Beatport and was released on June 21 on iTunes. It contains 3 new tracks, as well as 4 remixes of "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites".
Discography
Sonny
Extended plays
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Gypsyhook EP |
Skrillex
Extended plays
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Dance |
US Heat |
AUS [9] | ||
| 2010 | My Name Is Skrillex
|
||||
Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites
|
180 | 7[10] | 3[10] | 39 | |
| 2011 | More Monsters and Sprites
|
||||
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Dance | |||
| 2010 | "WEEKENDS!!!" (featuring Sirah) | — | — | My Name Is Skrillex |
| "Kill EVERYBODY" | — | — | Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites | |
| "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" | — | — | ||
| 2011 | "Reptile's Theme" | — | — | Mortal Kombat – Songs Inspired by the Warriors |
As featured artist
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Alt |
US Rock | |||
| 2011 | "Get Up!" (Korn featuring Skrillex) | 108 | 33[11] | 29[11] | |
| "Still Gettin' It" (Foreign Beggars featuring Skrillex) | — | — | — | The Harder They Fall EP | |
Remixes
| Year | Song | Original artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "The Sadness Will Never End" | Bring Me the Horizon | Suicide Season: Cut Up! |
| "Seventeen" | Casxio | Seventeen EP | |
| "Shapeshift" | Horse the Band | Shapeshift 7" | |
| "Golden Mummy Golden Bird" | Horse the Band | Desperate Living (iTunes Deluxe edition) | |
| "Bad Romance" | Lady Gaga | Bad Romance (The Remixes) – EP | |
| "No Mercy, Only Violence" | The Library | The Library EP | |
| "Sensual Seduction" | Snoop Dogg | ||
| "What Is Light? Where Is Laughter?" | Twin Atlantic | What Is Light? Where Is Laughter? – EP | |
| 2010 | "The Wind Blows" | The All-American Rejects | Download to Donate for Haiti |
| "Rock That Body" | The Black Eyed Peas | Invasion of Imma Be Rocking That Body (Megamix) – EP | |
| "Just the Way You Are" | Bruno Mars | Just the Way You Are – Remixes | |
| "Zeig mir wie du tanzt" | Frida Gold | Zeig mir wie du tanzt – EP | |
| "Hey Sexy Lady" | iSQUARE | Hey Sexy Lady Remixes | |
| "In for the Kill" | La Roux | In for the Kill Remixes – EP | |
| "Alejandro" | Lady Gaga | Alejandro (The Remixes) | |
| "Scream and Shout" | Live Last | ||
| 2011 | "Cinema (feat. Gary Go)" | Benny Benassi | Cinema (feat. Gary Go), Pt. 2 – EP |
| "Sick Bubblegum" | Rob Zombie | Unreleased | |
| "Died This Way" | Lady Gaga | Unreleased | |
| "Promises" | Nero | Unreleased |
References
- ^ a b "Introducing: Skrillex". Beatportal. Beatport, LLC. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ "Korn Preview New Track 'Get Up'". RTTNews. RTTNews. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
- ^ Siegal, Daniel. "Coachella 2011: Our body-grooving guide to the dance tents". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
- ^ "100 Bands You Need to Know". Alternative Press. Alternative Press. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
- ^ Glazer, Joshua. "Skrillex: Strictly Laptop". Hot Topic. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
- ^ "Korn & Skrillex Team Up And Give Away Free MP3". Glasswerk National. Glasswerk.co.uk Ltd. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ [1]
- ^ "Skrillex's Facebook post about the theft".
- ^ "Discography Skrillex". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 10, 2011.
- ^ a b "Skrillex > Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
- ^ a b "Korn Album & Song Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
External links
- Template:Myspace.com
- Skrillex on Facebook
- Skrillex on Twitter
- Skrillex.com Official Site
- ARTISTdirect Interview Aug 2, 2010
- neontapedeck Video Interview Nov 27, 2010