Here at Singing Lessons Nottingham we love to inspire our singing students with stories of how musicians in Nottingham have gone on to be international superstars. We hope to inspire you too, enjoy!
Bruce Dickinson born in Nottingham in 1958, joined multiple local pub bands in his late teens before singing in the band Samson under the stage name 'Bruce Bruce'. In 1981 he auditioned to become the singer of a rising band named Iron Maiden - the rest they say is history! During the 80s Iron Maiden relased mutiple platnium selling albums in the UK and America, including 6 top 10 UK albums & two number ones. Having sold over 100 millions records worldwide Bruce Dickinson has often been described as one of the greatest metal singers of all time. Evidence can be found in the decine of Iron Maiden during the 1993 - 1999 when Dickinson decided to leave the band to purse solo projects, his return in 1999 marked a dramatic revival in the bands fortunes. Iron Maiden's strenght & popularity has not deminished, in 2010 they relased The Final Frontier which went straight to number one in 28 countries including the UK.
Andy Fletcher keyboard player in what Q magazine have described as the 'most popular electronic band the world has ever known' - Depeche Mode, helping them to sell over 100 million albums world wide. Hailing from Nottingham, Fletcher has an impressive 46 UK single chart enteries as well as 12 top ten UK albums. Depeche Mode rose to international fame during the 80s and 90s and remain one of the few electronic bands that have stood the passage of time, with the bands last album released in 2009 reaching number 2 in the UK and number 3 in America.
Dog is Dead are Nottingham's up and coming band, packing out local music venues on their way (hopefully!) to national and international fame! Having met at West Bridgford School, a little south of Nottingham Rob, Paul, Joss, Lawence and Dan started performing small gigs at friends parties and school events before starting to gig in Nottingham in late 2008. They quickly gained a strong local following helping them to secure gigs at Glastonbury 2010 before signing to Atlantic Records in 2011. Their first album All Our Favourite Stories reached number 45 in the UK album charts after being released on the 8 October 2012 but we are expecting big things from Dog is Dead over the next few years. Watch this space.
Edwin Starr has a more unusual connection to Nottingham. The well known American soul singer, with the number one single War selling over a million copies and going Gold, died suddenly of a huge heart attack in Nottingham in 2003. Amazingly his most famous song, a blatent anti-Vietnam song, was banned by Clear Channel radio stations after September 11th 2001 along with The Beatles' Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Red Hot Chili Pepper's Under The Bridge and Rage Against The Machine's entire discography - due to 'questionable lyrics'. Over 165 songs were banned including some really strange choices - Green Day's Brain Stew and Phil Collins's In The Air Tonight.
an Paice remains the only constant member of the infamous fathers of rock Deep Purple! Born in Nottingham in 1948 Paice drummed for several local bands before meeting Rod Evans and forming Deep Purple. The "supergroup" with ever replacing members as it was first conceived gainned commerical success in the late 60s before reaching two number ones in the UK albums charts in the early 70s. Having recorded some 18 albums over the last 50 years, selling millions of records worldwide and changing the sound of rock permanently Paice more than desevers his place in the Rock n' Roll hall of fame!
