Bif Naked

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Bif Naked
Bif Naked performing in Milan, 2006
Bif Naked performing in Milan, 2006
Background information
Birth name Beth Torbert
Born June 15, 1971 (1971-06-15) (age 36)
New Delhi, India
Origin Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Genre(s) Punk rock
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s) Singer
Label(s) Bodog Music
Website www.newbodogmusic.com/bifnaked

Bif Naked (born Beth Torbert on June 15, 1971) is a Juno Award-winning Canadian punk rock singer and actress.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Torbert was born in New Delhi, India and adopted by American missionaries. Part of her childhood was spent in Lexington, Kentucky, where her father was a professor at the University of Kentucky. After living in Dauphin, Manitoba, her family eventually settled in Winnipeg.[1] She graduated from John Taylor Collegiate and studied theatre at the University of Winnipeg.

A noted poet, she has also released a spoken word album. She is heavily tattooed, getting her first, an Egyptian Eye of Horus, when she was 16. Her tattoos now include a symbol of the Tao, Japanese writing, Buddhist poetry and images (such as the Bodhisattva), and Hindu imagery.

Torbert has always been frank about her bisexuality,[1] and the lyrics of her autobiographical songs detail her attractions to and relationships with both men and women. She is also a strict raw food vegan for health (as opposed to ethical or religious) reasons. She also identifies as straight edge.[2][3]

When she was diagnosed with a heart aneurysm, corrective surgery was ruled out. She wrote the song "Everyday", from her album Superbeautifulmonster, in part as a response to that experience. In January 2008, she announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and is scheduled for a lumpectomy, to be followed by chemotherapy.[4]

Bif married Vancouver Sun sports writer Ian Walker in a traditional church ceremony in Vancouver on September 29, 2007.[5]

[edit] Music career

Prior to her solo career, Torbert played with punk bands Gorilla Gorilla and Chrome Dog. She has toured Europe, the United States, and Canada as a headlining act, and has performed on bills with Snoop Dogg, Billy Idol, Dido, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Chrissie Hynde, the Foo Fighters, the Cult and many more. She was also featured on the Ready to Rumble soundtrack with a cover of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It", the Celebrity Deathmatch soundtrack with "Vampire", and Buffy the Vampire Slayer with her songs "Moment of Weakness" and "Lucky".

After a hiatus, she released a new album in 2005, Superbeautifulmonster, and made a guest appearance on Strapping Young Lad's album The New Black in 2006.

[edit] Acting career

  • 1990: the film Archangel, credited as "Bif Torbert", playing a Russian Soldier.
  • Appears in Moist's music video for the song "Believe Me"
  • 1997: The Boys Club playing "Liquor Store Manager"
  • 1998: the television series Once a Thief, playing Nastassja Momomame in one episode
  • In 1999, she played herself at a college party in an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer; she performed her songs "Anything," "Lucky," and "Moment of Weakness".
  • She makes an uncredited appearance in The Offspring's music video for their 1999 single "The Kids Aren't Alright".
  • In 2000, she appeared in the Daria movie, Is It Fall Yet?, playing a bisexual art camp attendee, who attempts to seduce Jane Lane.
  • In 2001, she appeared in the Canadian film, Lunch with Charles
  • In 2002, she became the first host of the CBC Television series ZeD.[6]
  • She had a cameo in the zombie horror film The House of the Dead (2003).
  • She played Bernie in the 2005 Canadian Independent film Crossing.
  • She had a one episode part in the The L Word in 2006, playing a character named Cynthia.
  • Since 2006 she can be found as one of the hosts of Bodog Fight.[7]
  • She voiced the character Zoe Payne in the SSX (Snowboard Supercross) videogame series.
  • She is one of the three judges on Bodog's Battle of the Bands 2007.

[edit] Band

[edit] Current lineup

[edit] Past members

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

1998 "Spaceman" I Bificus
1998 "Chotee" I Bificus
1998 "Lucky" I Bificus
1999 "Moment of Weakess" I Bificus
2000 "Twitch" Another 5 Songs and a Poem
2000 "We're Not Gonna Take It" Ready to Rumble - Soundtrack
2001 "I Love Myself Today" Purge
2002 "Tango Shoes" Purge
2003 "Leader" Purge
2003 "Choking on the Truth" Purge
2003 "Rich and Filthy" Essentially Naked
2004 "Back in the Day" Essentially Naked
2005 "Let Down" Superbeautifulmonster
2005 "Nothing Else Matters" Superbeautifulmonster
2006 "Everyday" Superbeautifulmonster

[edit] Studio albums

  • Four Songs and a Poem (EP) – 1994
  • Bif Naked – 1995
  • Okenspay Ordway 1 – 1997
  • I Bificus – 1998
  • Another 5 Songs and a Poem (EP) – 2000
  • Purge – 2001
  • Essentially Naked (greatest hits album) – 2003
  • Superbeautifulmonster – 2005

[edit] Music videos

  • "Everything" (1994)
  • "My Whole Life"
  • "Tell On You"
  • "Daddy's Getting Married" (directed by William Morrison 1996)
  • "Spaceman"
  • "Lucky"
  • "Moment of Weakness" (1999)
  • "We're Not Gonna Take It"
  • "Chotee"
  • "Twitch" (1999)
  • "I Love Myself Today"
  • "Tango Shoes"
  • "Choking On The Truth"
  • "Back In The Day"
  • "Rich and Filthy"
  • "Let Down"
  • "Nothing Else Matters"
  • "Everyday"
  • "My Greatest Masterpiece" (2007)

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Dudley Saunders. "A Blast Called Bif", 'Interview', December 1999. Retrieved on 2006-09-10. 
  2. ^ Mernagh, Matt (July 16, 2001), “"Is That a Mic Between Bif Naked's Legs?"”, Chart, <http://www.chartattack.com/gallery/20010716-bifnaked.cfm>. Retrieved on 7 November 2007 
  3. ^ Miles, Kate (Fall, 2003), “Giving Back”, Faze, <http://www.fazeteen.com/fall2003/bifnaked.htm>. Retrieved on 7 November 2007 
  4. ^ Kerry Gold. "Bif Naked diagnosed with breast cancer", The Globe and Mail, January 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-06. 
  5. ^ "Bif Naked to Tie the Knot with Vancouver Sun Sports Writer" (2007-08-17). Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
  6. ^ Sandra Sperounes, "Indie artists have a new home in ZeD", Edmonton Journal, March 22, 2002, pg. E.4.
  7. ^ Bodog bio for Bif Naked

[edit] External links