Patrick Wolf

Patrick Wolf
Background information
Birth name	Patrick Denis Apps
Born	30 June 1983 (1983-06-30) (age 26) South London
Genres	Indietronica Folktronica Alternative rock Baroque pop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Low Altitude Records Faith & Industry Tomlab Loog Bloody Chamber Music
Website	PatrickWolf.com

Patrick Wolf (born Patrick Denis Apps on 30 June 1983) is an English singer-songwriter from South London. Patrick utilises a wide variety of instruments in his music, most commonly the ukulele, piano and viola. Known for combining electronic sampling with classical instruments, Wolf's styles range from romantic folk to techno-pop.

Biography

Patrick Wolf was born in St Thomas' Hospital ^[1], South London,^[2][3] into a creative family. He started his musical education with violin lessons and church choirs and made his first theremin at age eleven, and first began recording songs with his violin, voice, and car boot sale organs on a four-track tape recorder at age twelve. At fourteen, he joined and performed with pop art collective Minty. Two years later, he dropped his A-Levels and left home. During this period, Wolf earned money from busking in a string quartet and formed a group called 'Maison Crimineaux', a noisy trio built on destructive ethics around white noise and pop music. He also continued to write and record his own material. A Maison Crimineaux gig in Paris was attended by electronic maestro Kristian Robinson (aka Capitol K), who would then go on to release Wolf's debut album Lycanthropy.

Lycanthropy and Wind in the Wires

Wolf's ongoing writing and recordings brought him to the attention of Fat Cat Records, who provided him with an Atari computer and a mixing console. During the recording of Lycanthropy, Wolf studied composition at Trinity College of Music for one year. Lycanthropy was released in the summer of 2003. He also made some guest appearances as a viola player with Chicks on Speed, Arcade Fire, Owen Pallett and The Hidden Cameras. The Germany-based Tomlab later released the album for United States of America and Europe. His second album of 2005, Wind in the Wires, which was inspired by Patrick's Cornish and Irish roots, was released on the same label and likewise met with critical acclaim. The single 'Tristan', based on the Cornish legend, Tristram of Lyonesse, received significant attention from critics and remains a fan favourite.

The Magic Position

Following the success of Wind in the Wires, Wolf signed a record deal with Loog in 2005 and began recording his third album, The Magic Position, which featured collaborations with Marianne Faithfull and Edward Larrikin of Larrikin Love.^[4] Its official release on 26 February met with critical acclaim, and gained a degree of commercial success due to the relative accessibility compared to his previous works.^{[citation needed]} The Magic Position was released in the United States on Low Altitude Records on 1 May 2007. A concept album on the theme of love, the majority of the album was written after the end of a long term intimate relationship. In January 2007, the first of six vodcasts was made available on iTunes. The series included live performances of old and new material and interviews. Wolf promoted the album with a concert tour in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia, culminating in two sold out nights at London's Shepherds Bush Empire. Both of these shows, which were shot and directed by photographer Brantley Gutierrez, are in development to be shown on a Virgin channel and then released on DVD.

The Bachelor and The Conqueror

Wolf began work on his next album, initially titled Battle, immediately after The Magic Position tour ended. The album was originally conceived as a political album. The focus then shifted to the depression experienced by Wolf during the tour. However, before entering the studio, he fell in love, changing the direction of the album again, and eventually providing enough material for two releases. Wolf parted ways with Universal Records, and on 10 December 2008 announced to NME his plan to sell £10 shares of the album on bandstocks.com: "Basically, you can invest in the finishing of the album and the production of it, and you get a share in the album. So you almost become part of the record company, like a co-owner of the album."^[5] On 12 February 2009, Wolf announced that the two discs would be titled The Bachelor and The Conqueror.

The Bachelor's first single, "Vulture", was released on 2 April 2009, on vinyl and digital download. The b-sides include new song, "The Tinderbox", and remixes of the title track.

The Bachelor was released on 1 June 2009, while the second single from the album, "Hard Times", was released on 6 July 2009. The third and final single, "Damaris", is due for release 14 December 2009, a few months before The Conqueror is due to be released, in 2010.^[6]

Personal life

On 27 February 2007, in an interview with thelondonpaper, Wolf raised questions about his sexuality: "In the same way I don’t know if my sixth album is going to be a death-metal record or children's pop, I don’t know whether I’m destined to live my life with a horse, a woman or a man. It makes life easier."^[7] In a 5 July 2007 interview with the Sydney Star Observer, he confirmed his sexuality: "My sexuality is kind of liberal. I fall in love with men and women. I guess you would call me bisexual. I like to have sex and fall in love—I don't like giving terminology for my sexuality." As of August 2007^[update], he is involved in a long-term same-sex relationship with a man he has named only as William.^[8][9]

In September 2008, Wolf claimed that he was beaten up by security guards for kissing his boyfriend at a Madonna concert. Wolf told Electroqueer: "They took us away and handcuffed us, then beat us up outside. They're looking at CCTV film."^[10]

Modeling

Wolf, along with The Paddingtons, Edward Larrikin, and The View, was featured in a series of photographs by Mario Testino as a part of a campaign for Burberry in August 2007.^[11]

Wolf has also worked with a variety of designers at London Fashion Week 2009.

Discography

Albums

• 2003: Lycanthropy (Faith and Industry / Tomlab)
• 2005: Wind in the Wires (Tomlab)
• 2007: The Magic Position (Loog Records)
• 2009: The Bachelor (Bloody Chamber Music)
• 2010: The Conqueror (Bloody Chamber Music)

Singles/EPs

Compilations and collaborations

• Army of Me [army Of klaus remix] at Army of Me: Remixes and Covers, album of remixes and covers of the song "Army of Me" by Björk
• Collaborated with Bishi for her album Nights at the Circus
• The track "Careless Talk" from the soundtrack to the film The Edge of Love
• Guest vocals in "On Sussex downs" by Larrikin Love
• 'This Joke Sport Severed (Patrick Wolf's Love Letter to Richey Remix)' on Journal for Plague Lovers Remix album by Manic Street Preachers

Music videos

Patrick Wolf appeared as a panellist in an episode of the pop quiz-show Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Episode 5 of Series 21.

The song "Accident & Emergency" is currently being used as the theme/opening tune to BBC Three's programme 'Bizarre ER'.

References

External links

• Official site