Joel Madden

Not to be confused with Joe Maddon.
Joel Madden

Madden performing in Sydney in September 2012
Background information
Birth name Joel Rueben Combs
Born March 11, 1979
Origin Waldorf, Maryland, US
Genres Pop punk, punk rock, alternative rock, pop rock
Occupation(s) Musician, vocalist, songwriter, guitarist
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1995–present
Labels EMI
Website goodcharlotte.com

Joel Rueben Madden (born Joel Rueben Combs; March 11, 1979) is the lead vocalist for the American pop punk band Good Charlotte, as well as a record producer, actor, DJ, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. He is married to television personality Nicole Richie. He is now part of a pop rock collaboration The Madden Brothers with his twin brother Benji.

Early life

Madden was born Joel Rueben Combs in Waldorf, Maryland, the son of Robin Madden and Roger Combs.[1] He has an identical twin, Benji Madden, who plays guitar and sings backing vocals in their band, Good Charlotte. He also has an older brother named Josh Madden who also works in the music industry, and a younger sister named Sarah Madden.[1] Madden attended La Plata High School.

Career

Good Charlotte

From left to right: Paul Thomas,Joel Madden, Benji Madden, Dean Butterworth, and Billy Martin.

In 1995, at the age of 16, Joel Madden, his brother Benji, and a friend started their own band. The band was short-lived and the Maddens eventually recruited fellow high schoolers Paul Thomas, Aaron Escolopio, and Billy Martin to form their current band Good Charlotte. They took the name Good Charlotte from the children's book, Good Charlotte: Girls of the Good Day Orphanage, by Carol Beach York.[2]

Other projects

In the 2001 film Not Another Teen Movie, Joel and the other Good Charlotte members made a cameo as the band at the school's prom. He later had a cameo role in the 2004 film Fat Albert and in the 2006 film Material Girls with his brother Benji. He also had a guest appearance in the hit Nickelodeon musical comedy series The Naked Brothers Band, in which he joined the band for a performance.

Madden started a clothing line called MADE Clothing along with his brothers Benji and Josh. The line is now defunct. In early 2006 MADE Clothing became DCMA Collective. The line is owned by Joel, his brothers Benji Madden, Josh Madden, and friend Tal Cooperman. The Madden brothers also front a production team called Dead Executives.

In November 2007, Nicole Richie and Madden created The Richie Madden Children's Foundation. The charity will create and promote an online registry to inspire the purchases of items for moms and their families in need.[3] He is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. In 2010, with his brother, Madden contributed to "We Are the World 25 for Haiti," a remake of the song "We Are the World" by USA for Africa, written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.

On November 23, 2011, Madden was confirmed as one of the four vocal coaches in the first season of the Australian version of the reality singing competition The Voice.[4] His brother, Benji Madden was later his mentor on the show. Joel continued on as a coach in seasons two and currently season three. Because of his commitments to The Voice Australia, he relocated to Sydney.

Joel is featured in Blood on the Dance Floor's fifth studio album on the track "Incomplete and All Alone" released on June 19, 2012. The track was available for free download with pre-orders of the album.[5]

In 2012, he joined the 11th annual Independent Music Awards judging panel to assist independent musicians' careers.[6]

Joel has featured in Alex Kunnari & Heikki L single "City of Sin" released on July 12, 2013.[7]

Joel is now in pop rock duo with his brother Benji called the The Madden Brothers. They released the record "Greetings from California" on September 16, 2014.

The Voice Australia

Since the beginning of the show in 2012 Joel has been a judge on The Voice Australia. He is the only judge who has appeared on all three seasons and is also a judge with his brother Benji for The Voice Kids. In 2013, Joel won the Logie Award for Most Popular New Male Talent for his role as coach on the program.

In 2013, he provided songwriting and production assistance to Australian band, 5 Seconds of Summer, with their first album.

Personal life

Madden with Nicole Richie in March 2010.

In July 2004, a 25-year-old Madden began dating teen idol Hilary Duff when she was 16.[8] After a long period of tabloid speculation, Duff's mother Susan announced their relationship in a June 2005 interview for Seventeen magazine.[9] In November 2006, Madden and Duff broke up.[10]

Madden started dating Nicole Richie in December 2006.[11] They have two children: daughter Harlow Winter Kate Madden (born January 11, 2008)[12] and son Sparrow James Midnight Madden (born September 9, 2009).[13] The couple confirmed their engagement in February 2010,[14] and married on December 11, 2010.[15] Madden has residences in both Los Angeles and Sydney. He currently resides in Sydney because of commitments to The Voice Australia.

Madden and his brother both have many tattoos and they have said the reason for so many was to help them in their music careers.[16]

Madden has a trademark habit of chewing toothpicks[17] to help reduce the number of cigarettes he smokes a day.[18]

Discography

With Good Charlotte

With The Madden Brothers

Guest appearances

Year Song Artist(s) Album
2015 "Bail Me Out" (featuring Joel Madden) All Time Low Future Hearts
2013 "City of Sin" (featuring Joel Madden) Alex Kunnari & Heikki L
2012 "Incomplete And All Alone" (featuring Joel Madden) Blood on the Dance Floor (R)evolution
2011 "Lost" (featuring Joel Madden) Chae Hawk
2010 "Auto-Tune the News #11 – Pure Poppycock." (featuring Joel Madden) The Gregory Brothers
2009 "Sulla Mia Pelle" Lost Sospeso
2008 "Workin'" Young Dre The Truth
"Elevator" Junior Sanchez
"My Own Way"/"My Own Way" (Remix) Three 6 Mafia Last 2 Walk
"I'm the One" Bizzy Bone A Song for You
"LA Girls" Mams Taylor
2007 "No More Cryin'" J-Kwon
"Blockstar"
2005 "Tired" Tommy Lee Tommyland: The Ride
"Let's Go" X-Ecutioners
2004 "Are You Ready?" Hazen Street Hazen Street
"All That"
"Jump" N*E*R*D Fly or Die
2002 "You Don't Mean Anything" Simple Plan No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Joel Madden". People. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  2. "Good Charlotte Biography". Allmusic. 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  3. "Nicole Richie and Joel Madden Start Charity for Kids". US Magazine. November 17, 2007. Archived from the original on November 16, 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-17.
  4. "Judges announced for Aussie Voice". RTE.ie. November 23, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  5. "BOTDF official website".
  6. "11th Annual IMA Judges". Independent Music Awards. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
  7. "DJ-kaksikko Alex Kunnari & Heikki L yhteistyössä Good Charlotten laulajan kanssa" [DJ duo Alex Kunnari & Heikki L in cooperation with Good Charlotte singer]. Sonymusic.fi (in Finnish). July 5, 2013. Retrieved April 2015.
  8. "Hilary Duff Main | All About Hilary Duff". Moviefone. September 28, 1987. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  9. "How Hilary Found 'The Perfect Man'". ExtraTV. June 16, 2005. Archived from the original on August 13, 2006.
  10. "For The Record: Quick News On Raekwon, Jay-Z, Redman, Britney, Pharrell, Jeezy, Nick Lachey & More – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. November 29, 2006. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  11. "Couples Watch". People. December 18, 2006.
  12. "Interview with Lionel & Nicole Richie". Larry King Live (CNN). May 28, 2009.
  13. "Nicole Richie & Joel Madden Welcome a Baby Boy". People. September 9, 2009.
  14. "Excited to Announce...". Nicolerichie.celebuzz.com. 2009-09-09. Archived from the original on September 12, 2009.
  15. "Nicole Richie and Joel Madden Wedding Draws Family, Friends – and an Elephant!". People. December 11, 2010.
  16. http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=5786991
  17. Moran, Jonathon (May 11, 2013). "Joel Madden respects dentist Peter Alldritt's opinion on his toothpick habit". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  18. Casamento, Jo (May 13, 2012). "Morsels". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  19. http://www.themaddenbrothers.com/