Brian Fair

Infobox_musical artist

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Name = Brian Fair
| Img_capt = Brian Fair (SoundWave Sydney 2008)
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Background = lead_singer
Birth_name = Brian James Fair
Born = May 30, 1975 (age 33)
Died =
Origin = Boston, Massachusetts
United States
Instrument = vocals, guitar, drums
Genre = Hardcore punk, metalcore, melodic death metal
Occupation = Musician
Years_active = 1991 - Present
Label =
Associated_acts = Shadows Fall, Overcast, Transient
URL =
Notable_instruments =

Brian Fair (born May 30, 1975) is an American musician from Massachusetts, best known as lead vocalist of the metal band Shadows Fall. He graduated from Milford High School in 1993 and went on to study history at Boston University. He is a brother of the fraternity "Sigma Tau Gamma".

History

From a young age, Fair had always been known for his affinity for a wide range of music. In seventh grade he had his first visit to a recording studio after he and two friends won a radio jingle contest (sponsored by Mass Electric) with a Beastie Boys-inspired tune "The Energy Conservation Rap Song." In high school, he played bass and sang in a punk band called Frenzy that performed at local underage shows. In the summer of his sophomore year (August, 1991), Fair co-founded Overcast, an influential hardcore band in the Worcester music scene. While Fair was on vocals, Scott McCooe and Pete Cortese played guitar, Mike D'Antonio played bass, and Jay Fitzgerald played drums. Overcast's first 7", "Bleed Into One", was released in 1992 through Exchange Records. The band's first full-length, "Expectational Dilution", was released in 1994 and is considered a groundbreaking effort as many claim that Overcast are the pioneers of the metalcore scene. Their final full-length, "Fight Ambition To Kill", was released in 1997. This release was followed by nationwide touring with Shai Hulud and Disembodied. Overcast eventually split up in November 1998.

The split saw Overcast's members go their separate ways, including bassist Mike D'Antonio joining his current band Killswitch Engage. Fair went on to join Shadows Fall, who had recently parted with vocalist Philip Labonte and offered Fair the position minutes after Overcast's last show. Fair's first full length with Shadows Fall, "Of One Blood", was released on April 4, 2000 through Century Media Records.

In January 2003, a new space rock project called Transient was formed. Transient saw Fair taking a break from vocals, this time playing the guitar and the drums instead. Fair was reunited with old Overcast member Scott McCooe, who was now playing bass. Transient released a three song demo, whose tracks were recorded by Pete Rutcho of Blistered Earth, in November 2004. This appears to be Transient's only material to date.

Fair continued with Shadows Fall as his main priority, and the band released several more records. On April 29th, 2006, Overcast reunited to play at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. The band then announced that re-recorded archive material and two new tracks, produced by metal producer and Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, would be released as an album in the future under the name "Reborn to Kill Again".

Shadows Fall's most recent record, "Threads of Life", was released on April 3rd, 2007 through Atlantic Records and Roadrunner International. Fair has also recently worked with Necro, an underground hip hop musician and producer, on his upcoming album entitled "Death Rap". Fair appears on Death Rap's fifth track, "Suffocated to Death by God's Shadow", with Mark Morton (Lamb of God), Mike Smith (Suffocation), and Steve DiGiorgio (Death).

Discography

*Overcast - "Bleed Into One" (7") (1992)
*Overcast - "Expectational Dilution" (1994)
*Overcast - "Stirring the Killer" (7") (1995)
*Overcast - "Overcast/Arise Split CD" (7") (1996)
*Overcast - "Begging for Indifference" (7" EP/CD) (1996)
*Overcast - "Fight Ambition to Kill"(1997)
*Shadows Fall - "Of One Blood" (2000)
*Shadows Fall - "Deadworld" (EP) (2001)
*Shadows Fall - "Fear Will Drag You Down" (Compilation Album) (2002)
*Shadows Fall - "The Art of Balance" (2002)
*Shadows Fall - "The War Within" (2004)
*Transient - N/A (Demo) (2004)
*Shadows Fall - "Fallout from the War" (Compilation Album) (2006)
*Shadows Fall - "Threads of Life" (2007)
*"'Shadows Fall - " (2007)
*Overcast - "Reborn to Kill Again" (Not yet released) (2007/2008)

Trivia

*He is known for his knee-length dreadlocks, which he began growing after having his senior picture taken in high school.
*His favorite band is The Smiths, and he also likes N.E.R.D., AC/DC, Metallica, and Megadeth.
*He has been a vegetarian ever since he heard the album "Meat Is Murder" by The Smiths.
*He makes an appearance in the Killswitch Engage DVD "(Set This) World Ablaze".
*He makes an appearance in the Shai Hulud music video "My Heart Bleeds the Darkest Blood", in 1997.

References

* [http://www.rockdetector.com/officialbio,6629.sm OVERCAST | Unique, Detailed Biography | Rockdetector] Last updated 8 March 2006
* [http://www.rockdetector.com/artist,47961.sm TRANSIENT | Rockdetector] Last updated 16 August 2006

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/shadowsfall Shadows Fall on Myspace]