Bert McCracken

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Bert McCracken

McCracken at Warped Tour 2004.
Background information
Birth name Robert Edward McCracken
Born (1982-02-25) February 25, 1982
Provo, Utah
Genres Alternative rock, post-hardcore, hard rock, punk rock
Occupations Singer, songwriter, musician
Instruments Vocals, piano, trumpet, guitar, keyboard, synthesizer, programming
Labels Reprise Records
Associated acts The Used, I'm With Stupid, My Chemical Romance, Street Drum Corps, Goldfinger, Black Veil Brides

Robert Edward "Bert" McCracken (born February 25, 1982) is the lead singer and songwriter of the American alternative rock, post-hardcore band The Used.

Biography

McCracken was born in Provo but grew up in Orem, Utah, USA, and was raised in a Mormon family. He has three sisters (Katie, Melanie, Rachel) and one younger brother (Joseph Taylor). He attended Timpanogos High School for a brief time, before dropping out at 16. Before joining The Used, he played the trumpet in a local band called I'm With Stupid, starting at age 12.

Eldest son of the household, Bert enjoyed a happy home life as a child, but as he grew into a teenager his and his parents' views conflicted. He rebelled against his parents and against their Mormon religion by going to other churches. As a teenager Bert was against drugs and he edited a straight-edge magazine, "Drugs Suck," until engaging in a physical bout with fellow straight edgers, thus driving the drifting 15-year-old in a different direction, culminating in drug experimentation.[1] He became addicted to crystal meth. He dropped out of high school; soon after, he was kicked out of the house at the age of 16. For some time he was homeless until he found enough money for an apartment, moving in with girlfriend Kate.[1] Bert credits his childhood best friend John Schueler with keeping him sane during this tough time.[1] In January 2001, when the band called Dumb Luck (which later became The Used, then consisting of Quinn, Jeph and Branden) were looking for a singer, Quinn remembered Bert and he was invited to try out. After being given music that the band had written without words, Bert wrote the lyrics to what would become "Maybe Memories" and returned the next day with a newly recorded version of the song. The band welcomed him immediately, and renamed themselves "Used". They were eventually discovered by John Feldmann and signed to Reprise Records; they became "The Used" when it was discovered that a Boston band had already trademarked the name "Used". On June 25, 2002 they released their self-titled debut album.

2006–2007 Lies for the Liars

McCracken at the band's show in 2012.

In the first half of 2006 the band took a break from touring and settled down to write their new record. The previous year, he had moved from Orem, Utah to Los Angeles, California, soon moving in with his Australian fianceé Alison. The city, he found, fascinated and disgusted him at the same time. "I met the most fake people I had ever come across on the whole planet," McCracken recalled. "They’re all just liars, and they're so used to doing it, half the time I don’t think they even know they’re lying. Being in that environment had a direct effect on the tone of this new record, which is a little more vicious, but in a strange way, also more loving and caring." [2] Such an environment invoked many songwriting ideas for the lyricist, inspiring songs such as "Liar Liar (Burn In Hell)." Songs such as "Pretty Handsome Awkward" were thought to be an insult to Gerard Way, the lead singer of My Chemical Romance, though they cooperated on Under Pressure for In Love And Death.

At the beginning of August 2006, The Used's drummer Branden Steineckert got an offer from one of his childhood favorite bands, Rancid, and left The Used to become a full-time member of Rancid.[3] Branden therefore did not take part in recording the drum tracks for Lies for the Liars; Good Charlotte's drummer Dean Butterworth served as the band's temporary drummer for the recording, after which Dan Whitesides was hired as Steineckert's permanent replacement. In July 2008, Bert married longtime girlfriend Alison Schneider in a private ceremony in Los Angeles.

2008–2009

On August 31, 2009 The Used came out with their 4th studio album named "Artwork."

2011–2013

The Used finished their 5th album, titled 'Vulnerable', and released it on March 26, 2012. On January 22, 2013, the band also re-released the album as a deluxe, two-disc edition titled 'Vulnerable (II),' the first disc including all songs from 'Vulnerable' and the second disc including multiple B-sides, remixes, and acoustic versions of 'Vulnerable' songs[4] In 2013, Bert announced that he and his wife have relocated from Los Angeles, to Sydney, Australia.

2014

The Used have completed their 6th studio album entitled "Imaginary Enemy" Which is to be released on April 1, 2014. The first single off that album "Cry" is now available.

[5]

Discography

The Used

Main article: The Used discography

Outside of Music

Bert appeared on the MTV show The Osbournes while he was dating Kelly Osbourne, to her mother's dismay and disapproval.

Collaborations

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 I'm Out Of My Head! blog copy
  2. ↑ trig.com – The USED
  3. ↑ "Backstage With Bert" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jMO8j15zfI
  4. ↑ "Vulnerable (II)". Amazon. Retrieved 3 April 2013. 
  5. ↑ http://musicfeeds.com.au/news/the-used-frontman-moves-to-australia-plans-not-for-profit-record-label/

External links

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