| William Beckett | |
|---|---|
William Beckett in 2011 (Photo by Courtney) |
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| Background information | |
| Born | February 11, 1985 [1] |
| Origin | Barrington, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Alternative rock, Indie rock, Pop punk |
| Labels | Decaydance/Fueled by Ramen |
| Associated acts | The Academy Is...(2003–2011) Remember Maine Exit Seven |
William Beckett (born February 11, 1985) was the lead singer of the band The Academy Is... (TAI), who were signed to Atlantic Records/Fueled by Ramen/Decaydance Records. While still in high school in 2002, Beckett and guitarist Mike Carden came together from rival bands in Chicago to form The Academy Is....[2] In addition to founding the band, Beckett and Carden are credited as the primary songwriters.[3]
In 2007, the BBC described Beckett as a mix of Adam Lazzara and Prince, labeling him "utterly captivating".[4]
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Beckett started writing music for his own private pleasure because he did not like the material that was on the radio anymore. He said in an interview that his sister found him playing his songs in the basement and started joining him. She was his first audience and gave him her honest feedback on the material he wrote.[5]
Prior to forming The Academy Is, Beckett performed in an acoustic band called Remember Maine, with Nick Scimeca,[6] releasing the album The Last Place You Look when he was 17 years old.[7]
Beckett has also sung on a number of notable albums by other bands, such as the track "Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year" from Fall Out Boy's 2005 album, From Under the Cork Tree.[8] He sang backing vocals on Fall Out Boy's "What A Catch, Donnie". Other songs he has sung on include "There's A Class For This" from Cute Is What We Aim For's 2006 album The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch,[9] "7 Weeks" from Gym Class Heroes's album As Cruel as School Children, and the Cobra Starship song "Snakes On A Plane (Bring It)," which later appeared on the Snakes On A Plane soundtrack[10] and on Cobra Starship's album While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets under the title "Bring It (Snakes On A Plane)".[11]
Beckett also has a songwriting credit on Hey Monday's song "Homecoming" from their debut album Hold On Tight.[12]
William Beckett makes a cameo in Fall Out Boy's music video for the song "A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More Touch Me" as the lead vampire and in "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" video as the same vampire. He also appears in the music video for "Bring It (Snakes on a Plane)" by Cobra Starship, following his vocal appearance in the song.
According to Us Magazine, he is co-authoring a book with Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz,[13] who had originally recommended the band to label Fueled by Ramen.[14]
On April 16, 2009, Beckett posted the first chapter of the book he hopes to have published, entitled The Folding.[15]
Beckett announced via his blog on July 12, 2010 (the post has now been deleted and replaced with an update post) that he would be starring in a short film based on Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher.
In a November 2009 interview with "Alternative Press", Beckett confirmed that he has a child.[16] He currently lives in Chicago with his girlfriend and his daughter, who was born on October 12, 2007.
| Year | Song | Work done | Artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | "Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year" | Guest vocals | Fall Out Boy | From Under the Cork Tree |
| 2006 | "7 Weeks" | Gym Class Heroes | As Cruel as School Children | |
| "Bring It (Snakes on a Plane)" | Guest vocals | Cobra Starship | While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets | |
| "There's a Class for This" | Guest vocals | Cute is What We Aim For | The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch | |
| 2008 | "What a Catch, Donnie" | Guest vocals | Fall Out Boy | Folie à Deux |
| "Hold On (Remix)" | Guest vocals and remixing | Good Charlotte | Greatest Remixes | |
| "For the Love of a Daughter" | Writing | Demi Lovato | Unbroken |
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