Stuart Braithwaite
Stuart Braithwaite | |
|---|---|
 Braithwaite in 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Stuart Leslie Braithwaite |
| Born | 10 May 1976 |
| Origin | Scotland |
| Genres | Post rock,instrumental rock,art rock |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals, bass |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Rock Action,Wall of Sound,Matador |
| Website | mogwai |
Stuart Leslie Braithwaite(born 10 May 1976) is a Scottish musician, singer and songwriter. He is the guitarist ofpost-rockbandMogwai,with whom he has recorded ten studio albums. He is also a member of the British alternative rocksupergroupsMinor Victories[1][2][3][4][5]and Silver Moth.[6]He has used the namePlasmatronin the credits of Mogwai's debut albumMogwai Young Team,[7]as a social media handle,[8][9]and as the name of his signature guitar pedal.[10]
Early life
[edit]Braithwaite's family, on his mother's side, originate fromFlesherinon theIsle of Lewis;he was born inLanarkand raised in the rural Clyde Valley.[11]His father was a telescope maker and was involved in the placing ofSighthill stone circle;in 2013 Braithwaite organised a benefit concert to raise funds for the campaign to save the stones, which were then under threat from a proposed redevelopment.[12]
Braithwaite grew up listening to records byThe Cure,Joy Division,The Stooges,The Velvet Underground,Black Sabbathand other artists. At age 10-11, he bought his first electric guitar and “totally fell in love with it”. He attendedStrathaven Academyfrom 1987 to 1993. Before playing in Mogwai, Braithwaite fronted a band called Deadcat Motorbike, who broke up in June 1995. Braithwaite also drummed for Scottish band Eska at one point.[13]
Braithwaite has an older sister named Victoria.
Career
[edit]Formation and first years of Mogwai (1995–1996)
[edit]Braithwaite metDominic Aitchisonat aNed's Atomic Dustbinshow at theQueen Margaret Unionin Glasgow on 10 April 1991, and four years later, along with school friend Martin Bulloch, they formed Mogwai.
Solo work andRock Action(2000–2002)
[edit]
In 2000, Braithwaite played with a band called Mighty Joe Young Trio. In 2000 and 2002, Braithwaite performed solo acoustic shows. In 2002, Braithwaite,Aidan Moffatand Colin "Sheepy" McPherson released an eponymously titled EP calledThe Sick Anchors.He is also a member of the Britishalternative rocksupergroupMinor Victories.
Film
[edit]In 2016, Braithwaite took part in a documentary about the Glasgow music scene andChemikal UndergroundcalledLost in France.The film was directed by Niall McCann and brought Braithwaite (along with members ofThe Delgados,Franz Ferdinandand others) toMauron,Brittany, to recreate a gig they played there just afterMogwaihad formed. The film features Mogwai live, as well as footage of Braithwaite playing Mogwai tracks solo. It also shows Braithwaite playing live withAlex Kapranosof Franz Ferdinand and musicians such asEmma Pollock,RM HubbertandHoly Mountain,and interviews with Braithwaite and his old label-mates.Lost in Francepremiered at theEdinburgh International Film Festivalto wholly positive reviews and was called "Funny, vital and sobering"[14]by Scotland's arts publicationThe Skinny.
Memoir
[edit]In 2022, Braitwaite's memoirSpaceships Over Glasgow: Mogwai, Mayhem and Misspent Youthwas published by White Rabbit, an imprint ofOrion Publishing Group.[15]Fiona Shepherd inThe Scotsmancalled it "neither a glamorous nor an indulgent account and, as such, probably closer to imparting what it is actually like being in a successful band."[16]
Musical style
[edit]Braithwaite's musical technique is characterised by the heavy usage ofeffects pedals,[17]used to create ambient instrumental guitar sounds. As with much music associated with thepost-rockstyle, his playing emphasizesmelodyand dynamic contrast over virtuosity.
In 2021, Reuss Musical Instruments of Denmark released the Plasmatron, a Stuart Braithwaite signature guitar effects pedal. The circuit is based on theDanelectroFab-Tone Distortion and theElectro-Harmonixop-ampBig Muff,with the two effects mixed in parallel.[18][19]
Personal life
[edit]Braithwaite married musician Elisabeth Elektra in April 2019.[20]He was previously married to music promoter Grainne Braithwaite-Vedamanikam.[21]Braithwaite is a supporter ofCeltic F.C.[22]
Braithwaite is a vegan.[23]
Discography
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"10 things that changed my life: Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai".The National.31 January 2021.Retrieved23 March2021.
- ^"INTERVIEW: Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai) –" It's quite important as an artist to put yourself in an uncomfortable position "| XS Noize | Online Music Magazine".xsnoize.25 January 2021.Retrieved23 March2021.
- ^"The Skinny Q&A with Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite".theskinny.co.uk.Retrieved23 March2021.
- ^"Stuart Braithwaite".Discogs.Retrieved23 March2021.
- ^"Getting To Know You: Mogwai's and Minor Victories' Stuart Braithwaite".Loud And Quiet.Retrieved23 March2021.
- ^"Silver Moth | Bella Union".bellaunion.Retrieved18 February2023.
- ^Braithwaite, Stuart (2022).Spaceships Over Glasgow: Mogwai, Mayhem and Misspent Youth.London: White Rabbit. p. 160.ISBN978-1-4746-2412-1.
- ^"Stuart Braithwaite @plasmatron".Twitter.Retrieved29 October2022.
- ^"plasmatron".Instagram.Retrieved29 October2022.
- ^"Reuss Plasmatron Stuart Braithwaite signature pedal".Reuss Musical Instruments.Retrieved29 October2022.
- ^Braithwaite, Stuart (2022).Spaceships Over Glasgow: Mogwai, Mayhem and Misspent Youth.London: White Rabbit. pp. 3–5.ISBN978-1-4746-2412-1.
- ^Braithwaite, Stuart (2022).Spaceships Over Glasgow: Mogwai, Mayhem and Misspent Youth.London: White Rabbit. pp. 317–319.ISBN978-1-4746-2412-1.
- ^"Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite:" Creating art is a political act, because you're choosing to spend your time making the world a better place "".Kerrang!.15 February 2021.Retrieved23 March2021.
- ^"Alex Kapranos on Glasgow's 90s music scene – The Skinny".Theskinny.co.uk.Retrieved4 July2020.
- ^"Spaceships Over Glasgow".White Rabbit.Hachette UK.Retrieved29 October2022.
- ^Shepherd, Fiona."Book review: Spaceships Over Glasgow: Mogwai and Misspent Youth by Stuart Braithwaite".The Scotsman.National World Publishing.Retrieved29 October2022.
- ^A more or less full list can be found at"Mogwai - Frequently Asked Questions".Archived fromthe originalon 21 April 2006.Retrieved21 April2006.
- ^"Reuss Plasmatron Stuart Braithwaite signature pedal".Reuss Musical Instruments.Retrieved29 October2022.
- ^Horsely, Jonathan (4 August 2021)."Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite and Reuss Effects join forces for dual-circuit fuzz/distortion pedal".MusicRadar.Future plc.Retrieved29 October2022.
- ^David Pollock (19 July 2019)."Elisabeth Elektra: 'Dressing up is a way of creating a world that's not this one, that you can be invited into through music'".The List.
- ^Stuart Braithwaite (19 April 2017)."Oddly shaped emptiness – 10 Years of 'Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters'".GoldFlakePaint.
- ^"Mogwai guitarist on getting back to Paradise".Celtic FC.
- ^"The Skinny On... Stuart Braithwaite".theskinny.co.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
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