Badly Drawn Boy

Biography

Damon Michael Gough (born 2 October 1969), known by the stage name Badly Drawn Boy, is an English indie singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
Gough chose his stage name from a character in the show The Magic Ball, which he saw on TV at a party in Trafford, Greater Manchester, in 1995. Before he thought of using this name he made some business cards, each one unique, with a printed picture of a drawing by his nephew and a small collage by Gough.
At the Generation X bar in Manchester, Gough met Andy Votel, who was DJing that night. Gough was there to attend friends Scott Abraham and Damon Hayhurst's contributions to an exhibition by the Space Monkey Clothing Company. The chance meeting led to the foundation of Twisted Nerve Records.
Gough is known for wearing beanie hats in public appearances, which started early in his career, when he was doing a lot of gigs, and also if his hair wasn't looking too good.
In 2002, Q magazine named Badly Drawn Boy in their list of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die", although this was as part of a sub-list of "5 Bands That Could Go Either Way" on account of Gough's tendency to talk and tell stories for extended periods in concert rather than play songs.

Early years

Gough, though born in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, grew up in the Breightmet area of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. He cites Bruce Springsteen as his music hero. His recording career began in September 1997 with the five track vinyl release EP1. This was distributed among friends and family members.
In April 1998, Gough released his second EP, EP2. This had one track less than its predecessor but twice as many copies were pressed. The highlight track, "I Love You All", was later transferred to a music box which was released alongside the EP. The box plays eleven seconds of the song and is considered much rarer than the record itself due to its limited production.
Gough's third EP, EP3, was released in November 1998 on both CD and vinyl formats, and was the first release in what became a long-term partnership with XL Recordings. In the same year he collaborated with Unkle for their first album Psyence Fiction. "Road Movie×Road Movie1999 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksARoad Movie3:28BMy Friend Cubilas2:48" was released as a live recording with the band Doves. The B-side to the single was another track from the EP, "My Friend Cubilas". Music videos were recorded for both tracks.

Mainstream success: 1999–2002

It Came from the Ground was the next EP, released in March 1999 on CD and vinyl. The style of this recording focused on woodland environments, an aspect displayed in both the cover art and the title track's video. Also released during this period was the single "Whirlpool". An instrumental was released on vinyl in April 1999.
Gough's last EP, Once Around the Block×Once Around the Block16 August 1999 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Once Around the Block4:052Soulattitude3:073Once Around the Block (Radio Luxembourg Live Broadcast)4:53, was released in August 1999 in two vinyl formats and one CD edition. The release is almost short enough to be considered a single.

Following the success of his early EPs, Gough's first album, The Hour of Bewilderbeast×The Hour of Bewilderbeast21 June 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1The Shining5:182Everybody’s Stalking3:403Bewilder0:484Fall in a River2:185Camping Next to Water3:516Stone on the Water3:587Another Pearl4:278Body Rap0:469Once Around the Block3:4510This Song1:3311Bewilderbeast3:3112Magic in the Air3:4313Cause a Rockslide5:5614Pissing in the Wind4:2015Blistered Heart1:5016Disillusion5:1917Say It Again4:4118Epitaph3:51, was released in June 2000, accompanied by four singles (including a re-release of Once Around the Block).
The album was critically acclaimed and Badly Drawn Boy was successful in winning the 2000 Mercury Music Prize, beating his contemporaries Doves to the £20,000 prize. The album sold well (300,000 copies) and is widely considered to be his defining work.
The Badly Drawn Boy band throughout this successful period consisted of Matt Wardle (keyboards/vocals), Robin File (guitar), Sean McCann (bass guitar) latterly replaced by the ex-Smiths bass guitarist Andy Rourke, Dave Verner (drums).
After a short break, Gough returned to score the film adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel About a Boy. The movie was directed by Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz. Impressed by his past work, the Weitz brothers asked Gough to score the film, a task which he undertook alone, with the assistance of producer Steve McLaughlin. Three singles from the album were released during 2002.
His third album, Have You Fed the Fish?×Have You Fed the Fish?4 November 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Coming In to Land1:392Have You Fed the Fish?4:183Born Again4:41440 Days, 40 Fights3:555All Possibilities3:546I Was Wrong1:117You Were Right4:528Centrepeace1:539How?5:1510The Further I Slide3:4811Imaginary Lines0:4612Using Our Feet4:1113Tickets to What You Need2:4814What Is It Now?2:4215Bedside Story4:53, introduced more guitars and an increasingly mainstream pop sound which was not welcomed by all critics. The album is a play on Gough's minor celebrity status. Another three singles and a long American tour accompanied the album. The single "You Were Right×You Were Right14 October 2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1You Were Right4:492Last Fruit4:203You Were Right (Glastonbury 2002)5:33" received heavy airplay on BBC Radio 2, became his first UK top ten single and includes lyrical references to music icons such as Madonna and John Lennon.

Later years

After his long spell in America, Gough suffered from homesickness and decided to record his next album closer to home. Recorded at Moolah Rouge studios in Stockport, Greater Manchester, One Plus One Is One was a portrait of his personal life. Documenting a death of a close friend and the loss of a grandfather in the Battle of Normandy, the album was released in 2004. It was not a great commercial success, and Gough decided to leave his contract with XL Recordings after only one single was released. He then signed to EMI.
Two years went by before Born in the U.K., which aimed to explain Gough's experience of growing up in the United Kingdom. The album was promoted with a small UK tour, profits from which were donated to Oxfam, a charity which "offers the chance for thousands of people to use music to achieve something together, which is an idea that gets me excited", said Gough. Gough also toured the US behind the album.
The album Is There Nothing We Could Do?×Is There Nothing We Could Do?14 December 2009 · Album · SoundtrackSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Opening Theme1:552Is There Nothing We Could Do?3:383A Gentle Touch0:274All the Trimmings2:115Welcome Me to Your World3:416Guitar Medley3:317Is There Nothing We Could Do? (reprise)3:478Big Brian Arrives2:299Amy in the Garden1:0310Been There, Verified1:2711Just Look at Us Now?3:3312Wider Than a Smile5:0713Piano Theme2:2614The Letter3:0615I'll Carry On3:58, with music taken from and inspired by the film, The Fattest Man in Britain, was released on his own BDB Records label in 2009.
His seventh album, It's What I'm Thinking Pt.1 – Photographing Snowflakes, the first of a planned trilogy of albums all to be released under the title It's What I'm Thinking, was released in October 2010. For some of the tracks on this album he used his current live band, which consisted of Manchester musical friends Mike TV of Beats for beginners on guitar, Stephen Fretwell on bass and Jay Sikora on drums
In 2011, a portrait of Gough painted by British artist Joe Simpson was exhibited around the UK including a solo exhibition at The Royal Albert Hall.
In March 2012, he released another soundtrack, for Being Flynn×Being Flynn26 March 2012 · Album · SoundtrackSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1I’ll Keep the Things You Throw Away3:502Asleep at the Wheel1:243Harbor Street Check‐In1:574If It’s Too Late3:475Last Day3:136The Smile Behind Your Face4:347Priest Rant1:088Coming to Your Senses3:469Sell My Blood1:3510The Space Between My Ears3:4611Jonathan Goes to Work1:0612Letter, Mirror1:3713Another Day, Another Night3:5714Letter to the President1:2815Let It Rain3:28, directed by Paul Weitz who had worked with Gough previously on the soundtrack album About a Boy×About a Boy8 April 2002 · Album · SoundtrackSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Exit Stage Right0:222A Peak You Reach4:343Something to Talk About3:414Dead Duck0:465Above You, Below Me2:416I Love N.Y.E.3:207Silent Sigh4:458Wet, Wet, Wet0:429River–Sea–Ocean2:2510S.P.A.T.3:2411Rachel’s Flat0:3512Walking Out of Stride1:4813File Me Away3:2414A Minor Incident3:4415Delta (Little Boy Blues)4:0016Donna & Blitzen4:20.
In July 2015, to mark the fifteenth anniversary of the release of The Hour of the Bewilderbeast, Gough undertook a short UK tour.
In 2020 he released his first studio album for 10 years, Banana Skin Shoes×Banana Skin Shoes22 May 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Banana Skin Shoes2:492Is This a Dream?4:083I Just Wanna Wish You Happiness3:344I'm Not Sure What It Is3:325Tony Wilson Said4:186You and Me Against the World3:357I Need Someone to Trust3:578Note to Self3:369Colours4:0010Funny Time of Year3:0411Fly on the Wall3:3212Never Change3:1913Appletree Boulevard3:0714I'll Do My Best4:09.

Documentary and media appearances

There have been three documentaries made about Badly Drawn Boy: Open Map in 2007, Ipso Facto in 2010, and About A Badly Drawn Boy. The first two tour documentaries remain unreleased, while the last, about Gough and his debut album The Hour of Bewilderbeast×The Hour of Bewilderbeast21 June 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1The Shining5:182Everybody’s Stalking3:403Bewilder0:484Fall in a River2:185Camping Next to Water3:516Stone on the Water3:587Another Pearl4:278Body Rap0:469Once Around the Block3:4510This Song1:3311Bewilderbeast3:3112Magic in the Air3:4313Cause a Rockslide5:5614Pissing in the Wind4:2015Blistered Heart1:5016Disillusion5:1917Say It Again4:4118Epitaph3:51, was released in 2018.
In December 2015, Badly Drawn Boy appeared on a celebrity edition of Mastermind. His specialist subject was the singer Bruce Springsteen.
In October 2017, he had a cameo role in the final episode of Cold Feet (Series 7) where he played a busker.