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Ian David Karslake Watkins (born 30 July 1977 in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales) is a founding member and the lead vocalist and lyricist of the Welsh alternative rock band Lostprophets.
Biography
Ian Watkins was born in Merthyr Tydfil and later moved to Pontypridd, where he attended Hawthorn High School with future band mate Mike Lewis.[1] He continued his education after high school, and completed a course in graphic design. Lewis's and Watkins's mutual enjoyment of rock and metal music strengthened their friendship, leading teenage Watkins and Lewis, in 1991, to form a group called Aftermath; a thrash metal band that played in a shed in Watkins' garden.[1]
Whilst spending time in the local Ynysangharad Park, where 17 years later Lostprophets would headline the Full Ponty Festival, Watkins was introduced to future band mate, Lee Gaze, through a mutual friend. Having abandoned Aftermath, which made two live appearances in the band's lifespan of two years, Watkins and Gaze decided to form a new band called Fleshbind, based on their American hardcore punk influences. The band played several shows, including one supporting Feeder in London, but the group was short-lived. [1]
Watkins reunited with current Lostprophets guitarist, Mike Lewis, to be the drummer in a seminal hardcore band called Public Disturbance (formed in 1995). By this time, Watkins and Gaze had left Fleshbind to create their own band, Lost Prophets, who made their live debut in May 1997, alongside Public Disturbance, with Watkins as a vocalist for the first time. In 1998, Watkins left Public Disturbance to concentrate on the newly named, lostprophets (spelled with all lower-case letters).
On New Year's Eve of 2008, Watkins participated in a concert for Kidney Wales Foundation and stated that his reasons for being involved were as a result of his mother needing a kidney transplant: "Having that direct experience is why I wanted to get more involved with Kidney Wales and organise a fundraising concert on New Year’s Eve."[2] The concert featured Watkins along with other Welsh bands The Blackout, Kids in Glass Houses and Attack! Attack!.[citation needed]
In 2009, Ian started a remixing side-project. The side-project is called L'Amour La Morgue. So far he has released 9 remixes by artists such as The Killers, Beyonce, Young Guns, Magic Wands, Tears for Fears, and Bring Me The Horizon. He has also released a free mixtape, which you can find on the website along with a free download of a song that was premiered at a fashion show in 2008. [3]
As of 2009, Lostprophets have recorded four albums, Thefakesoundofprogress, Start Something, Liberation Transmission and The Betrayed and toured extensively in Europe and America[4] playing shows such as the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2004, 2007 and 2009.[5][6]
Personal life
Ian Watkins had been straight edge[7] for a long time, though during an interview with "Kerrang" he admitted to drug use recently. Ian also has 3 sisters and one brother. Watkins has had relationships with Fearne Cotton in 2004-2005, [8]Popworld host Alexa Chung .[9][10][11][12][13][14]
Discography
- Lostprophets
- Public Disturbance
References
External links
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