Alison Goldfrapp

Alison Goldfrapp Vital Stats
Birth Name: Alison Goldfrapp
Birth Date: May 13, 1966
Birth Place: Enfield, Middlesex, England
Height: 5’2”
Romantic Link: None

Alison Goldfrapp Interesting Facts

When Alison Goldfrapp was a child, she attended convent school, from which she was expelled.

Alison Goldfrapp is a great knitter and once knitted Coldplay’s Chris Martin a sweater when they were touring together.

Alison Goldfrapp Biography

Born on May 13, 1966, in Enfield, Middlesex, England, Alison Goldfrapp knew that she wanted to be a singer from a very young age. Raised by her father, who worked for the Arts Council and Spastics Society, and her mother, who was a nurse, Alison was the youngest of six siblings.

Growing up, Alison Goldfrapp was raised in Hampshire and admits to being a troublesome child who skipped school and got bored very easily, which usually led to trouble. She attended a convent school, which she enjoyed because she “thought [she] was in a film,” she says.

Alison Goldfrapp goes to Middlesex

But because the school deemed her unfit to study at the school, Alison was devastated when she was forced to leave the school and attend a “normal” school, where everyone dubbed her the “snotty girl from the convent.”

Growing restless at this school, Alison took the “alternative” route and began sniffing glue and stealing cars, among other things. So at 16, she decided to leave town for the London squats, much to her parents’ dismay.

After spending a few years in telesales and spiraling out of control, Alison decided to strap herself down and study art at the Middlesex College.

Goldfrapp works with Orbital

Soon after she finished college, Goldfrapp accepted a job singing in Antwerp, Belgium, but she began feeling claustrophobic and confined to a specific genre of music.

In 1989, Goldfrapp dumped her long-time boyfriend and her singing gig, and lost her father to a fatal heart attack, which marred her immensely because “he only got to see the rebellion bit,” as she puts it.

One day in 1994, when she was performing at a party, Orbital, a well-known music group, spotted her talent and got her to contribute on their Snivilisation album released that same year.

Goldfrapp gives Felt Mountain

Then, in 1995, Goldfrapp hooked up with Tricky. She sang on his album Maxinquaye, and then spent the next two years touring with him, which, she admits, was daunting.

After spending some time working with Bryan Ferry, and his constant indecisiveness, she met film score composer Will Gregory, and the two formed Goldfrapp, the group, in 1998.

After constantly getting turned down by record labels, a label called Mute finally signed the duo in August 1999. Alison and Gregory spent the next few months recording music and, by 2000, their first album, Felt Mountain, was released.

Goldfrapp’s Black Cherry

The album impressed music critics and created comparisons to trip-hop group Portishead. Goldfrapp had garnered a cult following and their success was not confined to the UK; the group had gained notoriety in other parts of Europe, as well as in North America.

Goldfrapp spent the rest of 2000 and all of 2001 touring in and about Europe, the U.S., and Canada, gaining more and more popularity at every venue.

Alison and Gregory spent most of 2002 putting together their next album and, in April 2003, fans saw the release of Black Cherry, although it only managed to peak at No. 19 on the UK charts.

But that didn’t stop the band from spending all of 2004 touring with Duran Duran, this time making their live shows more sexually explicit in order to represent their musical direction.

Goldfrapp releases Supernature

In August 2005, Goldfrapp released its third album entitled Supernature, and although music critics gave it mixed reviews, it faired quite well in the UK, reaching No. 2 on album charts, and platinum status.

Even when the album was released in the United States in March 2006, the album sold twice the amount of albums their sophomore effort had.

Alison and her bandmate spent the rest of 2006 touring throughout Europe, first with Coldplay and then with Depeche Mode.

On September 4, 2006, Goldfrapp released a limited edition picture disc entitled Satin Boys, Flaming Chic, which features cover songs and remixes.

Goldfrapp releases Seventh Tree

In 2008, Goldfrapp released its fourth album, Seventh Tree, which threw fans for a loop considering it wasn’t the typical Godlfrapp fans were accustomed to hearing. The music was much quieter and subdued, and is best described by critics as “psychedelic folk music.”

Always one to keep the public on its toes, you can bet that Goldfrapp will be a mainstay in the music industry for years to come.

Resource:
IMDb - Alison Goldfrapp

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