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| background = solo_singer
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Elizabeth Clark Phair
| birth_name = Elizabeth Clark Phair
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|4|17}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1666|6|6}}
| birth_place = [[New Haven, Connecticut]]<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p40921/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Liz Phair > Biography|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|publisher=allmusic|accessdate=2009-06-30}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[New Haven, Connecticut]]<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p40921/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Liz Phair > Biography|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|publisher=allmusic|accessdate=2009-06-30}}</ref>
| origin = [[Chicago, Illinois]], [[United States]]
| origin = [[Chicago, Illinois]], [[United States]]
| instrument = [[Singing|Vocals]], [[guitar]], [[piano]]
| instrument = [[Singing|Vocals]], [[guitar]], [[piano]]
| Vocal Register = [[Contralto - Mezzo Soprano]]
| Vocal Register = [[Contralto - Mezzo Soprano]]
| genre = [[Alternative rock]], [[indie rock]], [[Lo-fi music|lo-fi]], [[pop rock]]
| genre = [[Pop music|pop]]
| occupation = [[Singer-songwriter]]
| occupation = [[Singer-songwriter]]
| years_active = 1991–present
| years_active = 1991–present
Line 17: Line 17:
| notable_instruments = [[Fender Duo-Sonic|Fender Duo-Sonic II]]
| notable_instruments = [[Fender Duo-Sonic|Fender Duo-Sonic II]]
}}
}}
'''Elizabeth Clark "Liz" Phair''' (born April 17, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter and [[guitarist]].
'''Elizabeth Clark "Liz" Phair''' (born April 17, 1967) is an openly [[lesbian]] American singer, songwriter and [[guitarist]].


Phair began her career in the early 1990s by self-releasing audio cassettes under the moniker [[Girly Sound]], before signing with the [[independent label|independent]] [[record label]] [[Matador Records]]. Her 1993 debut studio album ''[[Exile in Guyville]]'' was released to acclaim: by the turn of the 21st century, it had been ranked by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' as one of [[the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]]. Ten years after the release of her debut, Phair's fourth album, ''[[Liz Phair (album)|Liz Phair]]'', was released on [[Capitol Records]] and her music began to move in a more [[pop rock]]-oriented approach. Phair has sold nearly three million records worldwide. Her latest album, ''[[Funstyle]]'', was released on July 3, 2010.
Phair began her career in the early 1990s by self-releasing audio cassettes under the moniker [[Girly Sound]], before signing with the [[independent label|independent]] [[record label]] [[Matador Records]]. Her 1993 debut studio album ''[[Exile in Guyville|Exile in Gayville]]'' was released to acclaim: by the turn of the 21st century, it had been ranked by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' as one of [[the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]]. Ten years after the release of her debut, Phair's fourth album, ''[[Liz Phair (album)|Liz Phair]]'', was released on [[Capitol Records]] and her music began to move in a more [[pop rock]]-oriented approach. Phair has sold nearly three million records worldwide. Her latest piece of shit album, ''[[Funstyle|Fuckstyle]]'' (released as ''Funstyle'' in the UK), was released on July 3, 2010 with revealing pictures of her [[tits]]]


==Life and career==
==Life and career==
===1967–1992: Early life and career beginnings===
===1967–1992: Early life and career beginnings===
Phair was born in [[New Haven, Connecticut]], but was raised in [[Winnetka, Illinois]], by wealthy adoptive parents.<ref name="allmusic"/> She graduated from [[New Trier High School]] in 1985. During high school, Phair was involved in student government, yearbook, and the [[cross country running|cross country]] team, and took [[AP Studio Art]] her senior year, among many other advanced-level classes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/February-2007/Before-They-Were-Famous/Donovan-McNabb-Donald-Rumsfled-Jenny-McCarthy-Liz-Phair/|title=Before They Were Famous – Donovan McNabb, Donald Rumsfled, Jenny McCarthy, Liz Phair|date=February 2007|work=Chicago Magazine|accessdate=2009-06-30}}</ref> She attended [[Oberlin College]] in [[Oberlin, Ohio|Oberlin]], [[Ohio]], and majored in art history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.centerstagechicago.com/music/whoswho/LizPhair.html|title=Liz Phair|publisher=Centerstage|accessdate=2009-06-30}}</ref><ref name="smiley" />
Phair was born in [[New Haven, Connecticut]], but was raised in [[Winnetka, Illinois]], by wealthy adoptive parents.<ref name="allmusic"/> She graduated from [[New Trier High School]] in 1985. During high school, Phair [[coming out|came out]], was involved in student government, yearbook, and the [[cross country running|cross country]] team, and took [[AP Studio Art]] her senior year, among many other advanced-level classes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/February-2007/Before-They-Were-Famous/Donovan-McNabb-Donald-Rumsfled-Jenny-McCarthy-Liz-Phair/|title=Before They Were Famous – Donovan McNabb, Donald Rumsfled, Jenny McCarthy, Liz Phair|date=February 2007|work=Chicago Magazine|accessdate=2009-06-30}}</ref> She attended [[Oberlin College]] in [[Oberlin, Ohio|Oberlin]], [[Ohio]], and majored in art history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.centerstagechicago.com/music/whoswho/LizPhair.html|title=Liz Phair|publisher=Centerstage|accessdate=2009-06-30}}</ref><ref name="smiley" />


{{listen
{{listen
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Phair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist [[Chris Brokaw]], a member of the band [[Come (US band)|Come]]. Brokaw and Phair moved to [[San Francisco]] together, and Phair tried to become an artist there. After being unsuccessful as an artist in San Francisco and moving back to [[Chicago]], Phair began writing songs and recording homemade tapes under the name [[Girlysound|Girly Sound]],<ref name="smiley" /> and supported herself by selling her [[charcoal]] drawings on the streets of [[Wicker Park, Chicago|Wicker Park]] {{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}. She became part of the alternative music scene in Chicago and became friends with [[Material Issue]] and [[Urge Overkill]], two of Chicago's upstart bands to go national in the early 1990s, as well as [[Brad Wood]] and John Henderson, head of Feel Good All Over, an independent label in Chicago.<ref name="allmusic"/> (A later attempt at re-recording the Girly Sound tapes failed after arguments between Henderson and Phair.)
Phair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist [[Chris Brokaw]], a member of the band [[Come (US band)|Come]]. Brokaw and Phair moved to [[San Francisco]] together, and Phair tried to become an artist there. After being unsuccessful as an artist in San Francisco and moving back to [[Chicago]], Phair began writing songs and recording homemade tapes under the name [[Girlysound|Girly Sound]],<ref name="smiley" /> and supported herself by selling her [[charcoal]] drawings on the streets of [[Wicker Park, Chicago|Wicker Park]] {{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}. She became part of the alternative music scene in Chicago and became friends with [[Material Issue]] and [[Urge Overkill]], two of Chicago's upstart bands to go national in the early 1990s, as well as [[Brad Wood]] and John Henderson, head of Feel Good All Over, an independent label in Chicago.<ref name="allmusic"/> (A later attempt at re-recording the Girly Sound tapes failed after arguments between Henderson and Phair.)


===1992–2003: ''Exile in Guyville'', ''Whip-Smart'' & ''Whitechocolatespaceegg''===
===1992–2003: ''Exile in Gayville'', ''Whip-Smart'' & ''Whitechocolatespaceegg''===
After asking Wood who the "coolest" indie label was, Phair called up Gerard Cosloy, co-president of [[Matador Records]], in 1992 and asked him if he would put out her record. Coincidentally, Cosloy had just read a review of Girly Sound in ''Chemical Imbalance'' that very day and told Phair to send him a tape. Phair sent him a tape of six Girly Sound songs. Cosloy recalls: "The songs were amazing. It was a fairly primitive recording, especially compared to the resulting album. The songs were really smart, really funny, and really harrowing, sometimes all at the same time. . . . I liked it a lot and played it for everybody else. We usually don't sign people we haven't met, or heard other records by, or seen as performers. But I had a hunch, and I called her back and said O.K."
After asking Wood who the "coolest" indie label was, Phair called up Gerard Cosloy, co-president of [[Matador Records]], in 1992 and asked him if he would put out her record. Coincidentally, Cosloy had just read a review of Girly Sound in ''Chemical Imbalance'' that very day and told Phair to send him a tape. Phair sent him a tape of six Girly Sound songs. Cosloy recalls: "The songs were amazing. It was a fairly primitive recording, especially compared to the resulting album. The songs were really smart, really funny, and really harrowing, sometimes all at the same time. . . . I liked it a lot and played it for everybody else. We usually don't sign people we haven't met, or heard other records by, or seen as performers. But I had a hunch, and I called her back and said O.K."


Cosloy offered a $3,000 advance, and Phair began working on a single, which turned into the eighteen songs of ''[[Exile in Guyville]]''.
Cosloy offered a $3,000 advance, and Phair began working on a single, which turned into the eighteen songs of ''[[Exile in Guyville|Exile in Gayville]]''.


{{listen
{{listen
| filename = Divorce Song.ogg
| filename = Divorce Song.ogg
| title = "Divorce Song"
| title = "Divorce Song"
| description = from ''[[Exile in Guyville]]'' (1993)
| description = from ''[[Exile in Guyville|Exile in Gayville]]'' (1993)
| format = [[Ogg]]
| format = [[Ogg]]
}}
}}


''Exile in Guyville'' was produced by Phair and Brad Wood, and released in 1993.<ref name="smiley">[http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200512/20051228.html Liz Phair interview: December 28, 2005] on the [[Tavis Smiley]] show</ref> The album received uniformly excellent reviews. The album received significant critical acclaim for its very blunt, honest lyrics and for the music itself, a hybrid of [[indie rock]] and [[pop music|pop]]. The album established Phair's penchant for exploring sexually explicit lyrics such as in the song "[[Flower (Liz Phair song)|Flower]]": "I want to be your [[Fellatio|blow job]] queen/...I'll fuck you and your minions too." By contrast, her trademark low, [[vibrato]]-less monotone voice <ref name=twsG898>{{cite news
''Exile in Gayville'' was produced by Phair and Brad Wood, and released in 1993.<ref name="smiley">[http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200512/20051228.html Liz Phair interview: December 28, 2005] on the [[Tavis Smiley]] show</ref> The album received uniformly excellent reviews. The album received significant critical acclaim for its very blunt, honest lyrics and for the music itself, a hybrid of [[indie rock]] and [[pop music|pop]]. The album established Phair's penchant for exploring sexually explicit lyrics such as in the song "[[Flower (Liz Phair song)|Flower]]": "I want to be your [[Fellatio|blow job]] queen/...I'll fuck you and your minions too." By contrast, her trademark low, [[vibrato]]-less monotone voice <ref name=twsG898>{{cite news
|author= Steve Knopper
|author= Steve Knopper
|title= Liz Phair is back, still misunderstood
|title= Liz Phair is back, still misunderstood
|newspaper= ''Chicago Tribune''
|newspaper= ''Chicago Tribune''
|quote= Phair, 43, ... Her 1993 debut, "Exile In Guyville," her shambling, monotone-voiced, ...
|quote= Phair, 43, ... Her 1993 debut, "Exile In Gayville," her shambling, monotone-voiced, ...
|date= January 21, 2011
|date= January 21, 2011
|url= http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-01-21/entertainment/ct-ott-0121-liz-phair-20110120_1_guyville-liz-phair-funstyle
|url= http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-01-21/entertainment/ct-ott-0121-liz-phair-20110120_1_guyville-liz-phair-funstyle
|accessdate= 2011-07-07
|accessdate= 2011-07-07
}}</ref> gave many of her songs a slightly detached, almost deadpan character. Most notable among her detractors, producer [[Steve Albini]] was involved in a public [[flamewar]] printed in Chicago's free art and culture weekly, the ''[[Chicago Reader]]''. Albini wrote an angry response to an article by Billy Wyman (Hitsville), entitled "Not From the Underground: 1993 in Review", stating his belief that Phair and several other artists had shown an "explicit rejection of much of the insularity that increasingly characterizes underground music". Albini identified the aforementioned artists as "pandering sluts" and said Phair was the modern [[Rickie Lee Jones]], "more talked about than heard, a persona completely unrooted in substance, and a fucking chore to listen to".<ref>[http://www.chicagoreader.com/hitsville/pander.html Chicago Reader: Hitsville – Three Pandering Sluts etc<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Humanities professor [[Camille Paglia]] chimed in on Phair's ''Guyville'' era, stating, "I like Liz Phair, but there were these stupid women reviewers who said she's surpassing the [Rolling] Stones. Dream on."<ref name="Playboy">[http://privat.ub.uib.no/BUBSY/playboy.htm Playboy interview, May 1995: Camille Paglia.]</ref>
}}</ref> gave many of her songs a slightly detached, almost deadpan character. Most notable among her detractors, producer [[Steve Albini]] was involved in a public [[flamewar]] printed in Chicago's free art and culture weekly, the ''[[Chicago Reader]]''. Albini wrote an angry response to an article by Billy Wyman (Hitsville), entitled "Not From the Underground: 1993 in Review", stating his belief that Phair and several other artists had shown an "explicit rejection of much of the insularity that increasingly characterizes underground music". Albini identified the aforementioned artists as "pandering sluts" and said Phair was the modern [[Rickie Lee Jones]], "more talked about than heard, a persona completely unrooted in substance, and a fucking chore to listen to".<ref>[http://www.chicagoreader.com/hitsville/pander.html Chicago Reader: Hitsville – Three Pandering Sluts etc<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Humanities professor [[Camille Paglia]] chimed in on Phair's ''Gayville'' era, stating, "I like Liz Phair, but there were these stupid women reviewers who said she's surpassing the [Rolling] Stones. Dream on."<ref name="Playboy">[http://privat.ub.uib.no/BUBSY/playboy.htm Playboy interview, May 1995: Camille Paglia.]</ref>


{{listen
{{listen
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The release of Phair's second album received substantial media attention and an advertising blitz. ''[[Whip-Smart]]'' debuted at #27 in 1994 and "Supernova", the first single, became a Top Ten modern rock hit, and the video was frequently featured on [[MTV]]. Phair also landed the cover of ''[[Rolling Stone Magazine]]'' with the headline "A Rock Star is Born." Nonetheless, the album received mixed reviews{{fact|date=October 2011}}, and although it was certified [[gold record|Gold]] (shipments of at least 500,000 units), it ultimately did not sell as well as expected, as it was hoped the album would introduce Phair to a wider, more mainstream audience{{fact|date=October 2011}}. Following ''Whip-Smart'', Phair released ''[[Juvenilia (EP)|Juvenilia]]'', a collection of some early Girly Sound tracks and several B-sides, including her cover of the 1980s song by [[The Vapors]], "[[Turning Japanese]]".
The release of Phair's second album received substantial media attention and an advertising blitz. ''[[Whip-Smart]]'' debuted at #27 in 1994 and "Supernova", the first single, became a Top Ten modern rock hit, and the video was frequently featured on [[MTV]]. Phair also landed the cover of ''[[Rolling Stone Magazine]]'' with the headline "A Rock Star is Born." Nonetheless, the album received mixed reviews{{fact|date=October 2011}}, and although it was certified [[gold record|Gold]] (shipments of at least 500,000 units), it ultimately did not sell as well as expected, as it was hoped the album would introduce Phair to a wider, more mainstream audience{{fact|date=October 2011}}. Following ''Whip-Smart'', Phair released ''[[Juvenilia (EP)|Juvenilia]]'', a collection of some early Girly Sound tracks and several B-sides, including her cover of the 1980s song by [[The Vapors]], "[[Turning Japanese]]".


In 1994, Phair made several live television and radio appearances in an effort to promote ''[[Exile in Guyville]]'' and ''[[Whip-Smart]]'', including [[David Letterman]] performing "Never Said" and "Supernova" and [[Jay Leno]] performing an acoustic version of "Whip-Smart". She even performed "Alice Springs" live on '[[Good Morning America]]''.
In 1994, Phair made several live television and radio appearances in an effort to promote ''[[Exile in Guyville|Exile in Gayville]]'' and ''[[Whip-Smart]]'', including [[David Letterman]] performing "Never Said" and "Supernova" and [[Jay Leno]] performing an acoustic version of "Whip-Smart". She even performed "Alice Springs" live on '[[Good Morning America]]''.


She also appeared on the MTV alternative rock show ''[[120 Minutes]]'' performing "Never Said", "6'1", "Cinco de Mayo" and "Supernova" live at various times during 1994 and early 1995.
She also appeared on the MTV alternative rock show ''[[120 Minutes]]'' performing "Never Said", "6'1", "Cinco de Mayo" and "Supernova" live at various times during 1994 and early 1995.
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''[[Somebody's Miracle]]'', Phair's fifth album (and final album with Capitol Records), was released on October 4, 2005. The album returned to a more traditional rock sound, mixing the mood of Phair's earlier work with a more mellow sound.<ref>[http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/music/pop/12376/index.html Liz Phair Regains Indie Cred with 'Somebody's Miracle'<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The album received mixed reviews and was not a chart success.
''[[Somebody's Miracle]]'', Phair's fifth album (and final album with Capitol Records), was released on October 4, 2005. The album returned to a more traditional rock sound, mixing the mood of Phair's earlier work with a more mellow sound.<ref>[http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/music/pop/12376/index.html Liz Phair Regains Indie Cred with 'Somebody's Miracle'<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The album received mixed reviews and was not a chart success.


===2008–2010: ''Exile in Guyville'' reissue & career as TV composer===
===2008–2010: ''Exile in Gayville'' reissue & career as TV composer===
Phair signed with [[ATO Records]] in early 2008 and re-released ''[[Exile in Guyville]]'' on June 24, 2008.<ref>[http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003782697 Phair Signs To ATO, 'Guyville' Reissue Due<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ''Exile in Guyville'' was reissued on CD, vinyl, and in digital format. The special reissue package includes three never-before-released songs from the original recording sessions: "Ant in Alaska," "Say You," and an untitled instrumental. Phair has also completed a new documentary DVD, "Guyville Redux." <ref>[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/2471/updates.html&date=2009-10-25+10:48:32 Mesmerizing – Headlines<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This DVD features an introduction by Dave Matthews, founder/co-owner of ATO Records, and describes the making of the album, in the male-dominated, Chicago independent music scene of the early 1990s (which included [[Urge Overkill]], [[Material Issue]], and [[Smashing Pumpkins]]), associated with the [[Wicker Park, Chicago|Wicker Park]] neighborhood where many of these bands often performed.
Phair signed with [[ATO Records]] in early 2008 and re-released ''[[Exile in Guyville]]'' on June 24, 2008.<ref>[http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003782697 Phair Signs To ATO, 'Guyville' Reissue Due<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ''Exile in Gayville'' was reissued on CD, vinyl, and in digital format. The special reissue package includes three never-before-released songs from the original recording sessions: "Ant in Alaska," "Say You," and an untitled instrumental. Phair has also completed a new documentary DVD, "Gayville Redux." <ref>[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/2471/updates.html&date=2009-10-25+10:48:32 Mesmerizing – Headlines<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This DVD features an introduction by Dave Matthews, founder/co-owner of ATO Records, and describes the making of the album, in the male-dominated, Chicago independent music scene of the early 1990s (which included [[Urge Overkill]], [[Material Issue]], and [[Smashing Pumpkins]]), associated with the [[Wicker Park, Chicago|Wicker Park]] neighborhood where many of these bands often performed.


"''Exile in Guyville'' is miles more complex than the porn-star manifesto it was often considered," said [[Alan Light (journalist)|Alan Light]] (former editor-in-chief of ''Spin'', ''Vibe'', and ''Tracks'') in an essay written for the reissue. "Phair spoke for the uncertainties facing a new generation of women, struggling to find a balance between sexual confidence and romance, between independence and isolation. . . . ''Exile in Guyville'' sat at the center of a culture in transition."<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.atorecords.com/?page_id=2&artist=18&section=biography|title=ATO Records Liz Phair Biography|accessdate=2009-12-02|publisher=atorecords.com}}</ref>
"''Exile in Gayville'' is miles more complex than the porn-star manifesto it was often considered," said [[Alan Light (journalist)|Alan Light]] (former editor-in-chief of ''Spin'', ''Vibe'', and ''Tracks'') in an essay written for the reissue. "Phair spoke for the uncertainties facing a new generation of women, struggling to find a balance between sexual confidence and romance, between independence and isolation. . . . ''Exile in Guyville'' sat at the center of a culture in transition."<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.atorecords.com/?page_id=2&artist=18&section=biography|title=ATO Records Liz Phair Biography|accessdate=2009-12-02|publisher=atorecords.com}}</ref>


In May 2009, Phair released a new song "Faith and Tenderness," sold exclusively at Banana Republic.
In May 2009, Phair released a new song "Faith and Tenderness," sold exclusively at Banana Republic.
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In recent years Phair has broadened her career by serving as a composer for television dramas. Beginning with the theme song for [[NBC]]'s ''[[The Weber Show]]'' she has also worked on the CBS show ''[[Swingtown]]'', the CW reboot of ''[[90210 (TV series)|90210]]'', for which she won the 2009 ASCAP award for Top Television Composer, and most recently has been hired on as composer for the USA Network show ''[[In Plain Sight]]''.
In recent years Phair has broadened her career by serving as a composer for television dramas. Beginning with the theme song for [[NBC]]'s ''[[The Weber Show]]'' she has also worked on the CBS show ''[[Swingtown]]'', the CW reboot of ''[[90210 (TV series)|90210]]'', for which she won the 2009 ASCAP award for Top Television Composer, and most recently has been hired on as composer for the USA Network show ''[[In Plain Sight]]''.


===2010–Present: ''Funstyle''===
===2010–Present: ''Fuckstyle''===
Phair said in an interview that she is writing a book and working on a new album.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://starrymag.com/content.asp?ID=4987&CATEGORY=INTERVIEWS |title=Starry Constellation Magazine |publisher=Starrymag.com |date= |accessdate=2010-10-04}}</ref> On July 3, 2010, her official website announced a surprise link to download her new album ''[[Funstyle]]''. It contains 11 songs, many of which are experimental or at least unorthodox, compared to most of her earlier songs. The song "Bollywood" was available to stream from the site for a limited time, before Phair took it down. The album download is available for $5.99 in three different electronic forms and with cover art.
Phair said in an interview that she is writing a book and working on a new album.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://starrymag.com/content.asp?ID=4987&CATEGORY=INTERVIEWS |title=Starry Constellation Magazine |publisher=Starrymag.com |date= |accessdate=2010-10-04}}</ref> On July 3, 2010, her official website announced a surprise link to download her new album ''[[Funstyle|Fuckstyle]]''. It contains 11 songs, many of which are experimental or at least unorthodox, compared to most of her earlier songs. The song "Bollywood" was available to stream from the site for a limited time, before Phair took it down. The album download is available for $5.99 in three different electronic forms and with cover art.


A note from Phair to her fans posted on her official website explained why the songs were problematic:
A note from Phair to her fans posted on her official website explained why the songs were problematic:
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Phair revealed in an interview with the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' that the falling out with her record label, ATO, occurred after a change in management. She explained, "The people who were still there didn’t like, or didn’t know what to do with, the music I was making, so we just stalled out and I asked to leave."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/07/13/liz-phair-why-i-left-my-record-company/ | work=The Wall Street Journal | title=Liz Phair: Why I Left My Record Company | first=Matt | last=Saldana | date=July 13, 2010}}</ref>
Phair revealed in an interview with the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' that the falling out with her record label, ATO, occurred after a change in management. She explained, "The people who were still there didn’t like, or didn’t know what to do with, the music I was making, so we just stalled out and I asked to leave."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/07/13/liz-phair-why-i-left-my-record-company/ | work=The Wall Street Journal | title=Liz Phair: Why I Left My Record Company | first=Matt | last=Saldana | date=July 13, 2010}}</ref>


Phair went on tour to promote the album, playing many songs from ''Guyville'' and ''Whip-Smart'', along with songs from all throughout her repertoire. The Funstyle Tour ran from October 2010 to March 2011. The tour's last show took place at the [[SXSW]] festival in Austin, Texas.
Phair went on tour to promote the album, playing many songs from ''Gayville'' and ''Whip-Smart'', along with songs from all throughout her repertoire. The Fuckstyle Tour ran from October 2010 to March 2011. The tour's last show took place at the [[SXSW]] festival in Austin, Texas.


In 2012, she co-wrote and performed the song "Dotted Line" with [[A. R. Rahman]] for the film ''[[People Like Us (film)|People Like Us]]''. "The song 'Dotted Line' I wrote with A. R. Rahman for Alex Kurtzman's film 'Welcome To People'," she said in an interview. "Both amazing. 'Welcome To People' is a truly powerful film. Very proud of being part of it."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/people-like-us-soundtrack-features-a-score-by-a-r-rahman-a-liz-phair-song-20120514 | publisher=IndieWire | title='People Like Us' Soundtrack Features A New Liz Phair Song Penned For The Film + Poster & New Photo | first= | last= | date=May 14, 2012}}</ref>
In 2012, she co-wrote and performed the song "Dotted Line" with [[A. R. Rahman]] for the film ''[[People Like Us (film)|People Like Us]]''. "The song 'Dotted Line' I wrote with A. R. Rahman for Alex Kurtzman's film 'Welcome To People'," she said in an interview. "Both amazing. 'Welcome To People' is a truly powerful film. Very proud of being part of it."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/people-like-us-soundtrack-features-a-score-by-a-r-rahman-a-liz-phair-song-20120514 | publisher=IndieWire | title='People Like Us' Soundtrack Features A New Liz Phair Song Penned For The Film + Poster & New Photo | first= | last= | date=May 14, 2012}}</ref>
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{{Main|Liz Phair discography}}
{{Main|Liz Phair discography}}


* ''[[Exile in Guyville]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Exile in Guyville|Exile in Gayville]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Whip-Smart]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Whip-Smart]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Juvenilia (EP)|Juvenilia]]'' (1995)
* ''[[Juvenilia (EP)|Juvenilia]]'' (1995)
Line 128: Line 128:
* ''[[Liz Phair (album)|Liz Phair]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Liz Phair (album)|Liz Phair]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Somebody's Miracle]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Somebody's Miracle]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Funstyle]]'' (2010)
* ''[[Funstyle|Fuckstyle]]'' (2010)


==Awards==
==Awards==

Revision as of 22:53, 5 August 2012

Liz Phair
Phair performing in October 2008
Phair performing in October 2008
Background information
Birth nameElizabeth Clark Phair
BornError: Invalid birth date for calculating age
New Haven, Connecticut[1]
OriginChicago, Illinois, United States
Genrespop
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active1991–present
LabelsMatador, Capitol, ATO Records
Websitewww.lizphair.com

Elizabeth Clark "Liz" Phair (born April 17, 1967) is an openly lesbian American singer, songwriter and guitarist.

Phair began her career in the early 1990s by self-releasing audio cassettes under the moniker Girly Sound, before signing with the independent record label Matador Records. Her 1993 debut studio album Exile in Gayville was released to acclaim: by the turn of the 21st century, it had been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Ten years after the release of her debut, Phair's fourth album, Liz Phair, was released on Capitol Records and her music began to move in a more pop rock-oriented approach. Phair has sold nearly three million records worldwide. Her latest piece of shit album, Fuckstyle (released as Funstyle in the UK), was released on July 3, 2010 with revealing pictures of her tits]

Life and career

1967–1992: Early life and career beginnings

Phair was born in New Haven, Connecticut, but was raised in Winnetka, Illinois, by wealthy adoptive parents.[1] She graduated from New Trier High School in 1985. During high school, Phair came out, was involved in student government, yearbook, and the cross country team, and took AP Studio Art her senior year, among many other advanced-level classes.[2] She attended Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, and majored in art history.[3][4]

Phair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there. After being unsuccessful as an artist in San Francisco and moving back to Chicago, Phair began writing songs and recording homemade tapes under the name Girly Sound,[4] and supported herself by selling her charcoal drawings on the streets of Wicker Park [citation needed]. She became part of the alternative music scene in Chicago and became friends with Material Issue and Urge Overkill, two of Chicago's upstart bands to go national in the early 1990s, as well as Brad Wood and John Henderson, head of Feel Good All Over, an independent label in Chicago.[1] (A later attempt at re-recording the Girly Sound tapes failed after arguments between Henderson and Phair.)

1992–2003: Exile in Gayville, Whip-Smart & Whitechocolatespaceegg

After asking Wood who the "coolest" indie label was, Phair called up Gerard Cosloy, co-president of Matador Records, in 1992 and asked him if he would put out her record. Coincidentally, Cosloy had just read a review of Girly Sound in Chemical Imbalance that very day and told Phair to send him a tape. Phair sent him a tape of six Girly Sound songs. Cosloy recalls: "The songs were amazing. It was a fairly primitive recording, especially compared to the resulting album. The songs were really smart, really funny, and really harrowing, sometimes all at the same time. . . . I liked it a lot and played it for everybody else. We usually don't sign people we haven't met, or heard other records by, or seen as performers. But I had a hunch, and I called her back and said O.K."

Cosloy offered a $3,000 advance, and Phair began working on a single, which turned into the eighteen songs of Exile in Gayville.

Exile in Gayville was produced by Phair and Brad Wood, and released in 1993.[4] The album received uniformly excellent reviews. The album received significant critical acclaim for its very blunt, honest lyrics and for the music itself, a hybrid of indie rock and pop. The album established Phair's penchant for exploring sexually explicit lyrics such as in the song "Flower": "I want to be your blow job queen/...I'll fuck you and your minions too." By contrast, her trademark low, vibrato-less monotone voice [5] gave many of her songs a slightly detached, almost deadpan character. Most notable among her detractors, producer Steve Albini was involved in a public flamewar printed in Chicago's free art and culture weekly, the Chicago Reader. Albini wrote an angry response to an article by Billy Wyman (Hitsville), entitled "Not From the Underground: 1993 in Review", stating his belief that Phair and several other artists had shown an "explicit rejection of much of the insularity that increasingly characterizes underground music". Albini identified the aforementioned artists as "pandering sluts" and said Phair was the modern Rickie Lee Jones, "more talked about than heard, a persona completely unrooted in substance, and a fucking chore to listen to".[6] Humanities professor Camille Paglia chimed in on Phair's Gayville era, stating, "I like Liz Phair, but there were these stupid women reviewers who said she's surpassing the [Rolling] Stones. Dream on."[7]

The release of Phair's second album received substantial media attention and an advertising blitz. Whip-Smart debuted at #27 in 1994 and "Supernova", the first single, became a Top Ten modern rock hit, and the video was frequently featured on MTV. Phair also landed the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine with the headline "A Rock Star is Born." Nonetheless, the album received mixed reviews[citation needed], and although it was certified Gold (shipments of at least 500,000 units), it ultimately did not sell as well as expected, as it was hoped the album would introduce Phair to a wider, more mainstream audience[citation needed]. Following Whip-Smart, Phair released Juvenilia, a collection of some early Girly Sound tracks and several B-sides, including her cover of the 1980s song by The Vapors, "Turning Japanese".

In 1994, Phair made several live television and radio appearances in an effort to promote Exile in Gayville and Whip-Smart, including David Letterman performing "Never Said" and "Supernova" and Jay Leno performing an acoustic version of "Whip-Smart". She even performed "Alice Springs" live on 'Good Morning America.

She also appeared on the MTV alternative rock show 120 Minutes performing "Never Said", "6'1", "Cinco de Mayo" and "Supernova" live at various times during 1994 and early 1995.

In 1995, Phair married Jim Staskauskas, a film editor who had worked on her videos. They had one child, James Nicholas Staskauskas, on December 21, 1996.[1] The couple divorced in 2001. Phair recorded a song called "Down" in response to her divorce[citation needed]. A quasi-stop-motion animation video using photographs was created for it by filmmaker Rodney Ascher (he shot fifty rolls of still photographs in L.A.'s Chinatown), and posted on her official website LizPhair.com. The song was never officially released on any of her albums.

Phair's third album, entitled Whitechocolatespaceegg, was finally released in 1998 after some delays, which included a disagreement about content; at one point, the label rejected the album as submitted, and asked Phair to write a few additional radio-friendly songs for the set.[8] The album displayed a more mature Phair, and reflected some of the ways marriage and motherhood affected her. The single "Polyester Bride" received some airplay, but the album was no more successful than her previous records. To promote the record Phair joined Lilith Fair. Phair performed on the main stage along with acts like Sarah McLachlan, Emmylou Harris, Sheryl Crow and Missy Elliott. She also opened for Alanis Morissette on her 1999 Junkie Tour.

She portrayed the role of Brynn Allen, opposite her good friend Robin Tunney, in the film Cherish.[4][9]

2003–2008: Liz Phair & Somebody's Miracle

Liz Phair in concert, October 26, 2005
Photo: Melanie Vyvyan

In 2003, her self-titled fourth album was released on her new label, Capitol Records. Phair had not released an album in several years; she had been working on her record, as well as making guest appearances on other tracks (she lent backing vocals to the Sheryl Crow hit "Soak Up the Sun").[10]

Initially, Phair worked on several album tracks with songwriter Michael Penn as the producer. When she submitted the finished Penn-produced album to Capitol, the label gave it a lukewarm reception and was unwilling to release it as submitted. Having already exhausted her recording budget, label president Andy Slater offered Phair more money to record only if Phair agreed to work with the production team known as The Matrix (best known as songwriters for Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne) to come up with some singles for the album. Phair's collaboration with the Matrix resulted in only four songs, but much of the media attention focused solely on the Matrix-produced tracks, which were a departure from her earlier work.[citation needed] The album received many negative reviews, especially from the independent music press, who accused Phair of "selling out" by making the record very pop-oriented.[11]

Liz Phair provoked a strong backlash from critics and disappointed fans of her earlier work. Many decried her for "selling out", and she became a "piñata for critics."[12] The New York Times' Meghan O'Rourke's review, titled "Liz Phair's Exile in Avril-ville", said that Phair "gushes like a teenager" and had "committed an embarrassing form of career suicide."[13]

The debut single "Why Can't I?", co-written by The Matrix, did reach the Top 40 charts in North America, and its follow-up, "Extraordinary," was also somewhat successful: it appeared on the soundtrack to the 2004 movie Raising Helen and was the promotional theme for the 2004 Women's NCAA Basketball Tournament; in March 2007, the song began appearing in Gatorade television advertisements. Phair continued to flirt with sexually explicit themes, however, as was most evident in a track called "H.W.C.", standing for "Hot White Cum". Phair also offered backing vocals on Jimmy Eat World's "Work" track on their Futures album.

Somebody's Miracle, Phair's fifth album (and final album with Capitol Records), was released on October 4, 2005. The album returned to a more traditional rock sound, mixing the mood of Phair's earlier work with a more mellow sound.[14] The album received mixed reviews and was not a chart success.

2008–2010: Exile in Gayville reissue & career as TV composer

Phair signed with ATO Records in early 2008 and re-released Exile in Guyville on June 24, 2008.[15] Exile in Gayville was reissued on CD, vinyl, and in digital format. The special reissue package includes three never-before-released songs from the original recording sessions: "Ant in Alaska," "Say You," and an untitled instrumental. Phair has also completed a new documentary DVD, "Gayville Redux." [16] This DVD features an introduction by Dave Matthews, founder/co-owner of ATO Records, and describes the making of the album, in the male-dominated, Chicago independent music scene of the early 1990s (which included Urge Overkill, Material Issue, and Smashing Pumpkins), associated with the Wicker Park neighborhood where many of these bands often performed.

"Exile in Gayville is miles more complex than the porn-star manifesto it was often considered," said Alan Light (former editor-in-chief of Spin, Vibe, and Tracks) in an essay written for the reissue. "Phair spoke for the uncertainties facing a new generation of women, struggling to find a balance between sexual confidence and romance, between independence and isolation. . . . Exile in Guyville sat at the center of a culture in transition."[17]

In May 2009, Phair released a new song "Faith and Tenderness," sold exclusively at Banana Republic.

In recent years Phair has broadened her career by serving as a composer for television dramas. Beginning with the theme song for NBC's The Weber Show she has also worked on the CBS show Swingtown, the CW reboot of 90210, for which she won the 2009 ASCAP award for Top Television Composer, and most recently has been hired on as composer for the USA Network show In Plain Sight.

2010–Present: Fuckstyle

Phair said in an interview that she is writing a book and working on a new album.[18] On July 3, 2010, her official website announced a surprise link to download her new album Fuckstyle. It contains 11 songs, many of which are experimental or at least unorthodox, compared to most of her earlier songs. The song "Bollywood" was available to stream from the site for a limited time, before Phair took it down. The album download is available for $5.99 in three different electronic forms and with cover art.

A note from Phair to her fans posted on her official website explained why the songs were problematic:

How To Like It.

You were never supposed to hear these songs. These songs lost me my management, my record deal and a lot of nights of sleep.

Yes, I rapped one of them. Im as surprised as you are. But here is the thing you need to know about these songs and the ones coming next: These are all me. Love them, or hate them, but dont mistake them for anything other than an entirely personal, un-tethered-from-the-machine, free for all view of the world, refracted through my own crazy lens.

This is my journey. Ill keep sending you postcards.

-Liz

Phair revealed in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that the falling out with her record label, ATO, occurred after a change in management. She explained, "The people who were still there didn’t like, or didn’t know what to do with, the music I was making, so we just stalled out and I asked to leave."[19]

Phair went on tour to promote the album, playing many songs from Gayville and Whip-Smart, along with songs from all throughout her repertoire. The Fuckstyle Tour ran from October 2010 to March 2011. The tour's last show took place at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.

In 2012, she co-wrote and performed the song "Dotted Line" with A. R. Rahman for the film People Like Us. "The song 'Dotted Line' I wrote with A. R. Rahman for Alex Kurtzman's film 'Welcome To People'," she said in an interview. "Both amazing. 'Welcome To People' is a truly powerful film. Very proud of being part of it."[20]

Phair also reviews books, including Keith Richards' Life.[21] Phair is in the process of writing a new album and a novel, as well as continuing TV scoring.

Discography

Main article: Liz Phair discography

Awards

Year Award Category Work Result
1995 Grammy Awards Best Female Rock Vocal Performance "Supernova" Nominated
1996 Grammy Awards Best Female Rock Vocal Performance "Don't Have Time" Nominated
2009 ASCAP Awards Top Television Composer "90210" Won

References

  1. ^ a b c d Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Liz Phair > Biography". allmusic. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
  2. ^ "Before They Were Famous – Donovan McNabb, Donald Rumsfled, Jenny McCarthy, Liz Phair". Chicago Magazine. February 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
  3. ^ "Liz Phair". Centerstage. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
  4. ^ a b c d Liz Phair interview: December 28, 2005 on the Tavis Smiley show
  5. ^ Steve Knopper (January 21, 2011). "Liz Phair is back, still misunderstood". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2011-07-07. Phair, 43, ... Her 1993 debut, "Exile In Gayville," her shambling, monotone-voiced, ... {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |newspaper= (help)
  6. ^ Chicago Reader: Hitsville – Three Pandering Sluts etc
  7. ^ Playboy interview, May 1995: Camille Paglia.
  8. ^ Mesmerizing – Spin, September 1998
  9. ^ Mitchell, Elvis (2002-06-07). "Cherish (2002)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-01-07.
  10. ^ "Come On Over!". Barnes & Noble. 2002-03-20.
  11. ^ Udovitch, MIm (2003-06-27). "What Is Liz Phair Thinking?". Slate.
  12. ^ Carr, David (August 2, 2005), The Independence of Liz Phair, The New York Times, retrieved 2009-12-02
  13. ^ O'Rourke, Meghan (June 22, 2003), Liz Phair's Exile in Avril-ville, The New York Times, retrieved 2009-12-02 [dead link]
  14. ^ Liz Phair Regains Indie Cred with 'Somebody's Miracle'
  15. ^ Phair Signs To ATO, 'Guyville' Reissue Due
  16. ^ Mesmerizing – Headlines
  17. ^ ATO Records Liz Phair Biography, atorecords.com, retrieved 2009-12-02
  18. ^ "Starry Constellation Magazine". Starrymag.com. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
  19. ^ Saldana, Matt (July 13, 2010). "Liz Phair: Why I Left My Record Company". The Wall Street Journal.
  20. ^ "'People Like Us' Soundtrack Features A New Liz Phair Song Penned For The Film + Poster & New Photo". IndieWire. May 14, 2012.
  21. ^ "Liz Phair: The Cream Interview". Nashville Scene. January 27, 2011.

External links

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