Dane Bowers

Dane Bowers
Birth name Dane Leon Bowers
Born 29 November 1979 (1979-11-29) (age 32)
Sutton, London, England
Origin Croydon, London, England
Genres R&B
Occupations Singer, songwriter, producer
Years active 1997–present
Labels Conehead UK
Associated acts Another Level, Truesteppers
Website myspace.com/danebowers1

Dane Bowers (born 29 November 1979) is an English R&B singer, songwriter, DJ and record producer. He was a part of R&B boyband Another Level between 1997 and 2000 when he performed on seven Top 10 singles. He then went on to perform solo projects, working with Truesteppers[1] and Victoria Beckham[2] and has made TV appearances on Celebrity Big Brother[3] and Celebrity Come Dine With Me.[4]

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Early life

Dane Leon Bowers was born on 29 November 1979 in Sutton, London, England.

Education

Bowers was educated at two independent schools for boys: at Cumnor House School in the town of Croydon in South London, followed by Trinity School of John Whitgift, at Shirley Park in the London Borough of Croydon. When he was fifteen years old, after leaving school, he enrolled at a Croydon-based performing arts college, The BRIT School.[5]

Life and career

Early music career

After leaving the BRIT School, Bowers joined British boy-band Another Level, where he performed as a part of the group for three years, between 1997 and 2000, with fellow members Mark Baron, Wayne Williams and Bobak Kianoush.

Another Level gained seven Top 10 singles in two years in the United Kingdom, including 1998's UK Number one "Freak Me"; and a platinum selling, self-titled debut album. Their follow-up album, Nexus, released in 1999 achieved a gold selling status and was followed by a Brit Award Nomination for Best British Newcomer [6] in 1999.

Another Level also performed as the supporting act on the European leg of Janet Jackson's The Velvet Rope World Tour in 1998.[7]

Solo projects

After the group split in 2000,[8] Bowers wrote and fronted two UK Top 10 hits, for the UK garage act Truesteppers in 2000; "Buggin'" and "Out Of Your Mind". "Buggin'" reached number 6 in the UK charts in April 2000.[1] The latter featured the first solo recording of Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham. "Out Of Your Mind" reached number two,[9] as it was beaten to the number one spot by Spiller featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor with "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)" in August 2000.[10]

In 2001, two solo singles released under the moniker of 'Dane', "Shut Up And Forget About It" (allegedly written about his relationship with Jordan)[11] and "Another Lover", both stalled at number nine[12] on the UK Singles Chart; and an album, 'Facing The Crowd' remained unreleased.

Bowers subsequently went on to focus on behind the scenes work, writing and producing, including a collaboration for Victoria Beckham's debut solo album,[13] in autumn that year.

In 2010, Bowers returned to making music and signed with independent record label, Conehead UK to record a pop album, with the first single, 'All She Needs', written by Jamie Scott to be released in July 2010.[14]

Television

Bowers began television presenting in 2002, co-hosting Popstars: The Rivals "Extra" show with the former Pop Idol contestant, Hayley Evetts.[15]

In 2004, Bowers wrote and starred in a TV sitcom pilot called Bow to the Bowers. It was a satirical look at the music industry, casting Bowers as an egotistical, vain version of himself. It also starred former Steps member Lee Latchford-Evans and ex-Brother Beyond star Nathan Moore, though it never made it to mainstream TV.[16]

Bowers appeared in the follow-up TV show to Totally Scott-Lee, called Totally Boyband, in which five boyband members from past groups were modelled into a new singing act called Upper Street.[17][18] The group featured him alongside Lee Latchford-Evans of Steps, Jimmy Constable of 911, New Kids on the Block's Danny Wood, and S Club's Bradley McIntosh. The series commenced on MTV in the UK in September 2006, but their first single charted at #35 and the group subsequently disbanded.[19]

In 2009, Bowers appeared in an episode of Celebrity Come Dine With Me alongside Bobby Davro, Laila Morse, and Dani Behr, [4] where he served langoustines, beef tenderloin, and bread and butter pudding. Bowers' theme for the evening was 'funky, cool and fashionable'[20]

In January 2010, Bowers was the seventh contestant to enter Channel 4's Celebrity Big Brother; he made it to the final two, but lost to Alex Reid.[3]

Bowers recently made TV appearances on Loose Women on ITV1 and Live from Studio Five.[21]

The current series of Channel 5's, Big Brother's Bit on the Side, features Bowers making intermittent appearances as a panelist.

DJ

Dane Bowers regularly plays DJ sets at established nightclubs and clubbing brands in the UK including Gatecrasher,[22] Sintillate[23] and has performed many sets for the Luminar brand in various parts of the UK.[24]

Bowers has also played many DJ sets abroad in Marbella[25] and Tenerife,[26] including the famous Eden and Es Paradis nightclubs, based in Ibiza.[27] Dane also made a PA at the Radio 1 Big Weekend in Ayia Napa at 'The Abyss Club' for 'Twice as Nice' in Ayia Napa in 2001 alongside DJ Luck & MC Neat.[28]

Personal life

Before joining Another Level, Bowers was engaged to his childhood sweetheart Danielle Morgan. Bowers has a son Kai (born late 1997 / early 1998, Sutton, London) by ex-girlfriend Emma-Jane North. [29] From 1998 to 2000, Bowers was in a relationship with model Katie Price. A sex tape of them later was uploaded to the Internet.[30][31][32]

In 2007, Bowers married his agent Chrissy Johnston in Las Vegas; they separated in May 2009. [33]

Discography

Singles

Date Single Chart position
UK
April 17, 2000 "Buggin'"(with Truesteppers)[34] 6
August 14, 2000 "Out of Your Mind"(featuring Victoria Beckham)[34] 2
February 19, 2001 "Shut Up And Forget About It"[34] 9
June 25, 2001 "Another Lover"[34] 9
July 11, 2010 "All She Needs"

(as Upper Street)

Date Single Chart position
UK
October 16, 2006 "The One" 35

Albums

Other releases

References

  1. ^ a b Chart Stats
  2. ^ Chart Stats, 2000
  3. ^ a b Daily Mail, 2010
  4. ^ a b 4Food - Channel4 - 4Food
  5. ^ Need to Know, The Brit School
  6. ^ BBC News, January 1999
  7. ^ Artist Direct, Another Level
  8. ^ BBC News, 2000
  9. ^ Chart Stats, 2000
  10. ^ Chart Stats, 2000
  11. ^ NME, 2001
  12. ^ Chart Stats, 2001
  13. ^ Victoria Beckham, Wikipedia, Victoria Beckham (album)
  14. ^ Closer Magazine, Dane to DJ at Katie and Alex's Wedding
  15. ^ CBBC News, 2002
  16. ^ News Of The World, 2010
  17. ^ IMBD, 2006
  18. ^ MTV, 2006
  19. ^ Pop Buzz UK, 2006
  20. ^ Channel 4, 2009
  21. ^ IMDB, Dane Bowers
  22. ^ DJ Guide, Gatecrasher, 2001
  23. ^ Sintillate, 2002
  24. ^ Luminar PLC Financial Holdings, 2002
  25. ^ Linekers Club, Marbella
  26. ^ Sintillate
  27. ^ Radio 1, Ibiza Clubs Guide
  28. ^ BBC Radio 1, 2001
  29. ^ Lizzie Smith (2010-01-04). "Celebrity Big Brother: Alex Reid and Dane Bowers share an awkward hug as they enter the house". Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1240316/Celebrity-Big-Brother-Alex-Reid-Dane-Bowers-share-awkward-hug-enter-house.html. Retrieved 2010-01-29. 
  30. ^ CBB profile: Dane Bowers
  31. ^ Dan Wootton; Guy Basnett (November 8, 2009). "Pete's Baby Rage; Exclusive Fury As Jordan Tells All About Their Secret Abortion Heartache". The News of the World: pp. 12–13. 
  32. ^ Catherine Deveney (February 5, 2006). "Two faces of Jordan". Scotland on Sunday: p. 10. 
  33. ^ [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1189370/Katie-Price-shows-strain-split-Peter-Andre-gaunt-figure-catwalk.html Katie Price shows the strain of split with Peter Andre with her gaunt figure on the catwalk.
  34. ^ a b c d Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 139. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

External links