Shirley Manson

Shirley Ann Manson (b. August 26, 1966 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom) is a Scottish musician, the lead vocalist of the band Garbage.

Related Topics:
August 26 - 1966 - Edinburgh - United Kingdom - Scottish - Musician - Vocalist - Garbage

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Manson is the second of three daughters; her father is a geneticist and her mother is a former singer. She started learning the piano at age seven, later attending the City of Edinburgh Music School where she also joined the school's theatre group. At school, she was regularly bullied, and inflicted self harm.

Related Topics:
Geneticist - Singer - Piano - City of Edinburgh Music School - Theatre - Bullied - Self harm

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She briefly worked at a shop but her first musical job was with bands Autumn 1904 and Wild Indians. She then joined the band Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie in 1983 where she was playing keyboards and singing backing vocals. She remained for a decade until the band split up in 1992. Two band members and Shirley then formed Angelfish, with Shirley on the lead vocals. They released one album, with a single 'Suffocate Me', that was spotted by the members of Garbage, who - after two auditions - asked Shirley to front their band in 1994.

Related Topics:
Autumn 1904 - Wild Indians - Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie - 1992 - Angelfish - 1994

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Manson immediately set about re-writing the lyrics to the band's already written songs. The resulting collaborative efforts became Garbage, the band's debut album, which would go on to sell 5 million copies worldwide, including double platinum certifications in UK, US and Australia. The album produced hit singles and breakthrough hits such as "Stupid Girl", "Only Happy When It Rains" and "Vow".

Related Topics:
Garbage - Stupid Girl - Only Happy When It Rains - Vow

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On 7 September 1996 Manson married the sculptor Eddie Farrell. They separated in 2001 -it led Shirley to cut her hair short and die it blonde- and are now divorced.

Related Topics:
7 September - 1996 - Sculptor - Eddie Farrell - 2001 - Divorced

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By the time their second album, Version 2.0, was being recorded in the band's own studio, Manson had become the band's primary lyricist, but would still be regarded by many as simply the face of Garbage. As a regular musical contributor and guitarist (her orange Fender Stratocaster is named 'Rita'), she felt great disappointment at the general perception of her role in the group.

Related Topics:
Version 2.0 - Orange - Fender Stratocaster

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Shirley Manson was briefly a model for Calvin Klein's 1999 celebrity musician campaign, which also featured Melissa Auf der Maur and Kim Gordon. It was the first time she would appear in public without makeup. This experience, coupled with the confidence that the composer David Arnold had shown in her when co-producing the theme tune for the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough, led her to write more self-reflective lyrics, which ended up on the group's third album, beautifulgarbage. For the first time, Manson felt that people were beginning to accept her as a full member of the group.

Related Topics:
Model - Calvin Klein - Melissa Auf der Maur - Kim Gordon - David Arnold - James Bond - The World Is Not Enough - Beautifulgarbage

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In 2000, she revealed that she had the condition body dysmorphia, and used to suffer from self mutilation as a teenager, which may be the root of the depression which she has mentioned previously.

Related Topics:
2000 - Body dysmorphia - Self mutilation - Depression

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She actively participates in various AIDS charities: one notable occurrence was her appearance alongside Elton John and Mary J. Blige in the MAC Cosmetics' Viva Glam campaign. She is also a patron of the Edinburgh-based charity, Waverley Care, and co-hosted a fundraiser for it in January 2004.

Related Topics:
AIDS - Elton John - Mary J. Blige - January - 2004

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In 2003, Manson had potentially risky surgery to fix her vocal cords, where a cyst was successfully removed from her vocal cords. Shortly after this, the group briefly dissolved because of in-fighting. However, the band resolved their problems and got back together, recording Bleed Like Me, their fourth album, which upon its release reached the top 5 in the US, and sold well around the world.

Related Topics:
2003 - Bleed Like Me

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Manson includes Siouxsie & the Banshees and Frank Sinatra amongst her musical idols, as well as Debbie Harry - with whom she performed in September 2004 at a breast cancer benefit in Los Angeles. They performed two duets - Wayne Wonder's 'Bounce Along', and Blondie's 'Call Me'.

Related Topics:
Siouxsie & the Banshees - Frank Sinatra - Debbie Harry - September - 2004 - Breast cancer - Los Angeles - Wayne Wonder - Blondie

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She spends much of her time at the band's base in Wisconsin, although she does own a house in her native Edinburgh.

Related Topics:
Wisconsin - Edinburgh

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