Florence and the Machine biography
Florence and the Machine (sometimes written as Florence + the Machine) is the recording name of Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide backing music for her voice. Florence and the Machine's sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including soul and indie rock.
The band's debut album, Lungs was released on 6 July 2009, and held the No. 2 position for its first five weeks in the UK Album Chart. On 17 January 2010, the album reached No. 1 on the UK album chart, having remained in the chart for 28 consecutive weeks up until that point. At the 2010 BRIT Awards, Lungs won the "Mastercard British Album" award.
Band members
Florence Welch
Florence Leontine Mary Welch (born 28 August 1986 in London) is the daughter of Evelyn Welch, a Professor of Renaissance Studies, Academic Dean, author and formerly a Studio 54 regular, and Nick Welch, who works in advertising. Welch's parents separated when she was thirteen and her mother married the family's neighbour, combining two separate families into one house that Welch has likened to the Brady Bunch. Unhappy with her awkward home life, Welch found solace in the music of Madonna, Hole, Nirvana, Green Day, Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, The Velvet Underground and Celine Dion.
Despite doing well academically, Upon leaving school, Florence studied at Camberwell College of Arts before dropping out to focus on her music.
Welch has stated that she would like to have a career similar to PJ Harvey and Björk who are "constantly creating new exciting stuff". As a teenager, she was the frontwoman and guitarist for Toxic Cockroaches, a band that lasted a week, and Ashok. Feeling she was in "the wrong band", Welch got out of a contract with Ashok by resigning.
The Machine
The Machine, the collective name for Welch's backing band and collaborators, comprises of many different members who are often dependent on Welch's requirements when performing. Past members of the Machine have included Devonte Hynes, better known as Lightspeed Champion, while the current line up includes Robert Ackroyd on guitar, Chris Hayden on drums, Isabella Summers (a.k.a. Machine) on keyboard and Tom Monger on harp. In the past Welch has praised the Machine for understanding her creative process, claiming "I've worked with most of them for a long time and they know my style, know the way I write, they know what I want."
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