When alternative placebo glammers hit the world in the late 90s, the attention of most British music fans seemed to be riveted to the band’s leader, androgynous vocalist and guitarist Brian Molk. The end of the millennium was for him a real peak of his career. However, he is known not only thanks to the band Placebo - for example, the joint track of Timo Maas and Brian Molko First day is still considered a hit.
Origin and childhood
Although Placebo is often positioned as a British group, Molko, according to some versions, was born on December 10, 1972 (unknown in the United States or Europe) into an American-Scottish family. Due to the profession of his father, who was an international banker, Brian Molko moved a lot around the world - Luxembourg was one of his permanent places of residence, where he attended an American private school.
As a teenager, the future musician dreamed of an acting career, so he moved (at the request of his parents) to London to attend drama courses.
However, according to other sources, Brian Molko was born in Brussels (Belgium), his father was an American of Italian descent, and his mother was British with Scottish roots. In general, the biography of the musician still contains many mysteries and contradictions. He has an older brother named Stuart. The Molko family, judging by some sources, alternately lived in Liberia, Lebanon and Belgium, where they eventually settled, buying a house in the village of Longje. However, all versions of the biography of Brian Molko agree that at some point the family of the future rock star settled in Sandviler (Luxembourg), where Molko attended the International School of Luxembourg.
early years
Although Molko was brought up in a strict family that did not approve of excessive self-expression (his father wanted his son to become a banker), he rebelled, creating his famous androgynous image, using nail polish, lipstick and eyeliner, and also listened to punk music. At first, the young man studied at the International School of Luxembourg, but left her due to bullying by classmates. After leaving school, he, as mentioned earlier, went to the UK - his mother’s historical homeland, to seriously engage in acting.
The first experiences in music
But rock music became Brian Molko's main interest, as he became interested in the alternative, guitar-heavy sounds of Sonic Youth, Nirvana and Swans. He managed to stumble upon an old classmate from his school in Luxembourg, Stefan Olsdal, who shared the same musical tastes and played bass.
Together with drummer Steve Hewitt, the trio became known as Placebo, and recorded their first demo in the early 90s. Although the demo ultimately led the trio to a lucrative contract with Hut Records, Hewitt had to give up the band and in 1996 he was replaced by Robert Schulzberg. The group's debut album was a real success for young people. But after the tour in support of their debut, it became clear that Schulzberg did not fit into the team, and Hewitt agreed to become a permanent member of the group.
The path to fame
Dreaming of "blowing up" the US music market, Placebo released their second album in 1998, which became much more popular than their debut album. Despite some problems with the tours, the trio was able to make a fuss, even then writing its name in the history of alternative rock music.
The guys, led by Brian Molko, made friends with one of his greatest musical idols, David Bowie, who recorded the title track from their second album in a duet with Molko. The band was also personally invited by Bowie to play at his 50th birthday at Madison Square Garden in 1997, after which the illustrious glam rock founder played several episodic live shows with Placebo.
In addition, Molko and company were occasionally featured in the movie Velvet Goldmine, performing the classic song T-Rex's 20th Century Boy. For most of 1999 and the first few months of 2000, musicians recorded and mixed their third album - Black Market Music. Although it was released in the UK in October of that year, it was released in the United States only in May 2001.
With all his love for frank statements in the press (he never confirmed or denied widespread rumors about drug use) and a passion for everyone's attention, Brian Molko revived his interest in 70s glam rock in the new millennium.
Personal life Molko
Molko is an open bisexual. Brian Molko's lullabies are very popular and touching - this is due to the fact that he has a son who was born in 2005, and they were originally written for him. No one at that time could have thought what kind of hits they would become over time. Brian Molko and his son are pretty close.
Drug abuse
Molko did not hide his long-standing dependence on recreational drugs: in an interview with Kerrang! In 1997, he admitted that heroin was probably the only drug on this planet that he had not tried. However, he later admitted to using heroin. Pharmaceuticals are also mentioned among his small weaknesses, as evidenced by the name of the group, as well as the Meds album and its title track.
Molko admitted in 2003 that many of his initial excesses were related to his mental problems. Subsequently, he was officially diagnosed with the so-called major depressive disorder. The singer said in 2016 that, fortunately, he had completely given up drugs after recording and releasing the Meds album.
Molko and Olsdal: lost details
The founders of Placebo, Molko and Stefan Olsdal, both studied at the International School of Luxembourg, completely not communicating with each other, since they were part of various social circles. Then they accidentally met in 1994 in London (England).
At that time, Olsdal was taking guitar lessons and was returning home when he met Molko at South Kensington Underground Station. Molko, noticing that Olsdal had a guitar tied to his back, invited him to a local concert where he performed. Due to the apparent success, the guys decided that they should create a common group.
Few people know, but the original name of the Placebo band is Ashtray Heart (Cave Heart), given in honor of the song of captain Beefheart with the same name. However, in 2009, Molko denied that Ashtray Heart was the band’s first name, rejecting it as a rumor and saying that the group had much more names.
Influences
On June 17, 1996, Placebo's self-titled debut album, which was already mentioned above, was released. The album was released by Brad Wood and, according to Molko, was created under the great influence of Sonic Youth and Depeche Mode. The release reached No. 5 in the UK album ranking in the midst of the Britpop era, which seemed incredible. The New York Times compared them to "first wave of post-punk rock" bands such as New Order, the Cure, Siouxsie and Banshees, as well as the early U2 and Talking Heads.
The chords of Brian Molko's lullabies are just as popular today as the chords of the songs of these illustrious bands - old idols of Placebo musicians.
Molko's relationship with Schulzberg
Tensions between Brian and Schulzberg began to increase in 1995. The group fired him in September 1995, but later he was still hired again to record the first seven-inch single, Bruise Pristine. After a dispute in August 1996, Molko decided that it would be better for the group if Schulzberg left. The group agreed that Schulzberg would leave as soon as they finished the Placebo promotion.
In the end, Schulzberg really left the group in September 1996 during a tour of the United States. Before heading onstage for his first show in New York State, Olsdal told Schulzberg that he would not go with the group on a German tour that would follow the American tour. At the request of the manager, Schulzberg made two more concerts with the group in Paris after an American tour, the last of which was a performance on the French show Nulle part ailleurs.
According to Schulzberg, Molko said he was tired of his constant anger. While Schulzberg was with the band, several early works were recorded, including their first 7-inch Bruise Pristine, EP Come Home, the only version of Nancy Boy, Slackerbitch, Miss “Moneypenny” and Bigmouth Strikes Again, as well as their self-titled debut album.
Scandalous song from early work
The most successful song on the debut album was Nancy Boy, which in 1997 peaked in the fourth issue of the British album. The song was written by Brian Molko in 1994, partly inspired by the infamous quote from Suede Brett Anderson: "I am a bisexual who has never had a homosexual experience."
His lyrics were full of sexual allusions, and Molko admitted in due time: “This is not absurd, it is obscene. This song is crude and should not be the fourth most popular on the charts. ” Molko reiterated his attitude to the song in an interview in 2016, describing it as “very controversial,” adding that although he appreciates the fact that the song played an important role in their development as a group, he considers it immature.
Relations with the main producer
In 1998, Placebo switched to Virgin Records' main label and released his next album Without You I'm Nothing on October 12th. Molko had a tense relationship with producer Steve Osborne during the recording of the album, and by the time the recordings were over he was not talking to him at all.
Success at home
Pure morning was as successful as Nancy boy in the UK, reaching 4th place on the UK chart. The song’s video was nominated for the Best British Video Award at the 1999 Brit Awards, but lost to Robbie Williams’s Millennium music video. Molko subsequently considered the lyrics of this song unsatisfactory and refused to perform it live for nine whole years.
The group continued to enjoy success in the UK, as the second single, You Do not Care About Us, reached number 5 on the UK chart. The third single of the group called Every You Every Me very quickly took 11th place in the British charts. The song appeared on the Soundtrack soundtrack, which was inspired by the novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Chauderlosma de Laclos.
The last single on the album Without You I'm Nothing has been re-recorded and released as a duet with David Bowie at the request of Bowie himself. Molko described this moment in 2016 as a great honor, adding that he realized the importance of this duet for his career much later.
Present
The band began their 20-year tour in Aarhus, Denmark. The concert was abruptly interrupted after the musicians had already managed to perform two songs, since Molko began to sing incoherently and had to be removed from the stage due to his terrible state of health. The group’s official statement explains that Molko had an adverse reaction to new drugs. The tour continued the following evenings without incident, the group received positive reviews for their performances.
In October-November 2016, the group traveled to Europe and Russia. Placebo concerts in December 2016 in the UK and Ireland as the opening act played the title track of their upcoming new album. The concerts also featured the lullabies of Brian Molko. They were especially warmly received by the jubilant public. Among Brian Molko's lullabies, "Balls" seems to be the most popular song.
In March-April 2017, Molko and his group toured Mexico. In April-August 2017, the guys played a number of concerts throughout Europe, including performances at the Rockwave festival in Greece and in the UK at the Locator Festival. In September 2017, Placebo performed seven concerts in Australia. In October 2017, they embarked on a UK tour, completing two shows at Brixton Academy on October 23 and 24, 2017.
The Molko band participated in the 2018 Meltdown festival, which took place at the Southbank Center in June 2018. The festival was curated by long-time songwriter Brian Molko Robert Smith. In June and July 2018, the group also played concerts in Italy, Ukraine and Switzerland. Modern photos of Brian Molko show us a completely different type, almost devoid of any androgyny - completely different from what the fans of the group are used to since 1996.