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'''Elliot Johnson Gleave''' (born 20 June 1982 in London), better known by his stage name '''Example''', is an English [[singer]] and [[rapper]] Signed to [[Data Records]]. His name arose due to his initials being '''e.g.''' which is a common abbreviation for the Latin phrase [[E.g.#exempli_gratia|"exempli gratia"]], which means "for example". Gleave made his breakthrough in 2010, when he released his second album, ''[[Won't Go Quietly]]''; which spawned the singles "[[Watch the Sun Come Up]]", "[[Won't Go Quietly (song)|Won't Go Quietly]]", "[[Last Ones Standing]]" and "[[Kickstarts]]" - all of which peaked within the top 40 in the [[United Kingdom]], the latter peaking at number 3; serving as the rapper's most successful single. |
'''Elliot Johnson Gleave''' (born 20 June 1982 in London), better known by his stage name '''Example''', is an English [[singer]] and [[rapper]] Signed to [[Data Records]]. His name arose due to his initials being '''e.g.''' which is a common abbreviation for the Latin phrase [[E.g.#exempli_gratia|"exempli gratia"]], which means "for example". Gleave made his breakthrough in 2010, when he released his second album, ''[[Won't Go Quietly]]''; which spawned the singles "[[Watch the Sun Come Up]]", "[[Won't Go Quietly (song)|Won't Go Quietly]]", "[[Last Ones Standing]]" and "[[Kickstarts (song)|Kickstarts]]" - all of which peaked within the top 40 in the [[United Kingdom]], the latter peaking at number 3; serving as the rapper's most successful single. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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Revision as of 20:32, 8 April 2011
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Elliot Johnson Gleave (born 20 June 1982 in London), better known by his stage name Example, is an English singer and rapper Signed to Data Records. His name arose due to his initials being e.g. which is a common abbreviation for the Latin phrase "exempli gratia", which means "for example". Gleave made his breakthrough in 2010, when he released his second album, Won't Go Quietly; which spawned the singles "Watch the Sun Come Up", "Won't Go Quietly", "Last Ones Standing" and "Kickstarts" - all of which peaked within the top 40 in the United Kingdom, the latter peaking at number 3; serving as the rapper's most successful single.
History
Elliot was born on the 20th June 1982 at West London hospital in Hammersmith, the oldest of 2 children and attended All Saints Primary School in Fulham. He later went on to attend ADT College (now Ashcroft Technology Academy) in Wandsworth. Gleave has claimed in interviews that the main reason he started rapping was due to his introduction to Hip-Hop through albums by Wu-Tang Clan and Snoop Dogg – the latter's album purchased primarily for "the cool cover art". Aged 12, he entered his first rap battle at a house party in Shepherds Bush and in his own words "completely destroyed a useless wanker and a fight broke out so [he] sprinted home".[1] In 1992, he won Royal Mail Poet of the Year, winning his school a new computer.[1] In 2000, Elliot attended Royal Holloway University, London to study film directing. While at University, he started garage MCing to make some money. It was during this period that he met Joseph Gardner AKA Rusher, the producer who he would later go on to work with. Gleave and Gardner made a concept album in the audio booth of the University film department which included the track that would go on to be Example's first white-label vinyl release, "A Pointless Song". After graduating Elliot moved to Australia for a year where he worked on film sets.
Career
Early career; What We Made (2004–2008)
After moving back to London, Example decided to pursue a career in editing. After releasing three singles through his own label "All The Chats", including the original 7" version of "I Dont Want To" in January 2006, Example received attention from Pete Tong, Zane Lowe and others at Radio 1. Example also caught the attention of people at four major record labels – perhaps most significantly Mike Skinner (of The Streets), owner of The Beats label.
After signing a deal in April 2006 with The Beats, Example put out a response to Lily Allen's No.1 hit "Smile" entitled "Vile" and received Radio 1 airplay from Zane Lowe, Jo Whiley and Chris Moyles. His first 'proper' release on The Beats was "What We Made" in November 2006, the video for which was filmed in Chernobyl, Ukraine (see below).
Example's second official Beats single entitled "You Can't Rap" was released in March 2007, followed by a re-release of "I Don't Want To" on 11 June 2007. "I Don't Want To" was followed by the single "So Many Roads" (famously sampling The Carpenters "We've Only Just Begun") which eventually turned out to be the opening track on Example's full-length studio debut. After the demise of The Beats label at the end of 2007 Example self-released his next single "Me + Mandy" on 10 March 2008 through his original imprint All The Chats. The video for "Me + Mandy" was shot over 4 days and nights in London, in over 30 locations with over 40 extras. Impressively all this was done at a cost of just £1000. It was directed by Example's friend Henry Scholfield who also made the promos for "Who Needs Sunshine?", "Vile", "You Can't Rap" and "I Don't Want To" and the video went on to win "Best Low-Budget Video" at the VMA's that year.
In February 2008 Example also tried his hand at stand-up comedy as part of BBC2's The Culture Show. Mentored by English comic Richard Herring, Example spent six weeks writing and practicing his own stand-up routine which culminated in his first ever stand-up show in front of 60 paying customers in a Covent Garden pub. A week later he appeared on the bill under Richard Herring, Phill Jupitus and Harry Hill at the Lyric Hammersmith – interestingly Example had performed in the same venue ten years earlier whilst a student at ADT College. The full 13 minute routine can be found on youtube under the title "Example Does Standup"
Breakthrough; Won't Go Quietly (2009–2011)
Example made his breakthrough in September 2009, when he released "Watch The Sun Come Up" as the lead single from his second album Won't Go Quietly through Data Records. The single debuted at number 20 on the UK Singles Chart, rising to number 19 the following week; marking Example's debut within the top 40. The single was followed by a release of the album's title track "Won't Go Quietly", released on 18 January 2010. The single, which featured guest vocals from Sam James and Pearse MacIntyre (of the Rogues), debuted at number 6 in the United Kingdom; marking Example's first appearance within the top 10. The announcement was then made in April 2010 that the second album, Won't Go Quietly, would first see released on 21 June 2010 and would be preceded by the single "Kickstarts". Receiving its radio debut on 13 April by BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe, the Sub Focus-produced "Kickstarts" was released on 20 June; where it debuted at number 3, marking Example's highest peaking single to date. Released the following week, the album Won't Go Quietly debuted at number 4 on the UK Albums Chart; being certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry a month after release. On 12 September, Example released "Last Ones Standing" as the fourth cut from the album, where it reached a peak of number 27 in the United Kingdom. Example also featured on the Professor Green single "Monster", which proved successful, peaking at number 29 in the UK. On 14 November 2010, Example released what he confirmed as the last single from the album, "Two Lives" in the United Kingdom. The single failed to reach the top 40; peaking at number 84.
Playing In The Shadows (2011 – present)
It was revealed in January 2011 via Example's Twitter that work on the third album had begun. Example confirmed that much like the previous album, there would be no collaborations, besides that of producers (including frequent collaborator Skream). During an interview, Example revealed the forthcoming album would remain dance orientated, although he would make a gradual move into electronic and dubstep genres.[2] The lead single from the album is named "Changed the Way You Kiss Me" and will be released in May 2011.[3] On 24 March 2011 "Changed the Way You Kiss" Me debuted on BBC Radio 1 as Zane Lowe's Hottest Record In the World. In an interview with Lowe he revealed that his third album would be released in September 2011 entitled Playing In The Shadows. Example described the album as a darker record than previous album Won't Go Quietly.
Example's second United Kingdom tour began in February 2011, with support acts including Wretch 32 and Neon Hitch.
A collaboration between Example and DJ Skream, entitled "Shot Yourself In the Foot Again" received its first radio play from Zane Lowe on 4 January 2011; having been made available as a free download soon after. A music video, directed by Gleaves himself and duo The Chamber Brothers was released on 7 January 2011, with the single itself being playlisted by BBC Radio 1 amongst other radio stations. It was then on 8 February that Lowe announced another Example collaboration, with Tottenham-born grime artist Wretch 32. Entitled "Unorthodox", the single is due for release on 17 April 2011. On the 1 April Example featured on another track, "Look Over you Shoulder" with Peckham grime artist Giggs.
Discography
- What We Made (2007)
- Won't Go Quietly (2010)
- Playing In The Shadows (2011)
Film making
While filming a promo video for his track "What We Made" in the abandoned city of Chernobyl in northern Ukraine, Example also filmed an 18-minute documentary in the ghost towns he visited and their deserted schools, hotels and funfairs, many of which still remain exactly as they were when they were abandoned after the infamous disaster 20 years ago. "I don't think anyone who's been here can be for nuclear power," he said, looking around at empty cots and babies' gas masks in a disintegrating schoolroom near Chernobyl. "I've read stuff recently about how we're only ever going to survive if we make nuclear power available, but you just think: why would you want it to happen after seeing this?"[4]
References
External links
External links