Antony Hegarty

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Antony Hegarty

Background information
Born	1971
Associated acts	Antony and the Johnsons

Antony Hegarty (1971-) is an English singer/songwriter, best known for being the lead singer of the band Antony and the Johnsons.

One of many themes presented in the band's music is aspects of the transgendered experience. This is expressed in songs such as "For Today I Am A Boy", in which a young boy dreams of growing up to be a woman. Another concern in Antony's music is mortality and spirituality, as illustrated in his song "Hope There's Someone" with which he won the UK's Mercury Prize in 2005. Here he sings "Hope there's someone who'll take care of me, when I die, will i go? Oh I'm scared of the middle place between light and nowhere.... I dont want to be the one left in there..."

[edit] Biography

Born in Sussex, UK in 1971, Antony's family moved to Amsterdam in 1977, before settling in California in 1981.

As a teenager he was enthused by the British synth pop of the time – in particular emotive singers such as Marc Almond, Alison Moyet and Boy George. In 1990 he moved to Manhattan, and founded the performance collective Blacklips with creative partner Johanna Constantine.

British experimental musician David Tibet of Current 93 heard a demo and offered to release Antony's music through his Durtro label; the debut album, Antony and the Johnsons, was released in 1998. In 2001, Antony released a short follow-up EP, I Fell in Love with a Dead Boy, which, in addition to the title track, included a cover of a David Lynch/Angelo Badalamenti song and a Current 93 song.

Antony and the Johnsons' most recent album I Am a Bird Now won the UK's prestigious Mercury Prize in 2005 and was called Album of the Year by Mojo magazine.

He has notably worked with Lou Reed live as a second vocalist on Animal Serenade. Antony also appears on the song "Lowlands Low" with Bryan Ferry on Hal Willner's Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys album, the song "Old Whore's Diet" on Rufus Wainwright's album Want Two and on the song "Beautiful Boyz" on CocoRosie's album Noah's Ark.

He was featured as a performing artist in the film Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man about Leonard Cohen. Antony covers "If It Be Your Will".

Antony and the Johnsons collaborated with experimental film maker Charles Atlas and presented "TURNING" in Nov 2005 in Rome, London, Paris, Madrid, and Braga. The concert featured live video portraits of some of New York City's most enigmatic women. The Guardian called the piece "fragile, life affirming, and tuly wonderful (five stars)" Le Monde in Paris hailed TURNING as "Concert- manifeste transsexuel".

Antony has recently collaborated with icelandic musician Björk in recording sessions in Jamaica and Iceland, the songs will feature on her forthcoming album Volta.^[1]

Antony also worked with renowned guitarist Bernard Butler (formerly of Suede) on some acoustic sessions for XFM. The recordings can be found online at various places.

Antony's on stage trademark is calling himself a "nationality confused bender", which draws laughter and applause from the audience.

Antony has a troupe of close friends who he tours with and/or speaks to frequently, these include; Devendra Banhart, Boy George, Pete Price, Marc Almond, Bjork and Rufus Wainwright.