Bez

Originally gaining notice as the eccentric dancer with the Madchester outfit Happy Mondays, Bez established himself as a familiar face in British entertainment through his presence in the alternative-music world and later as a reality-television personality. Born Mark Berry on April 18, 1964, he earned a spot in the Happy Mondays lineup in 1985 after being pulled onstage at the Hacienda, where his showmanship and energetic dancing caught the members’ attention. The group’s second single, “Freaky Dancing” (1986), was actually written in tribute to him; his sole function was to perform onstage clutching maracas. Although his artistic contributions remained slight, he received credit on every Happy Mondays release: Squirrel & G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) (1987), Bummed (1988), Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches (1990), and Yes, Please (1992). When the band reached its commercial height in 1990 with the Top 5 singles “Step On” and “Kinky Afro,” Bez had already become a recognizable figure within the Madchester scene and enjoyed wider recognition across the British alternative circuit. Following the Happy Mondays’ 1992 breakup, he teamed with vocalist Shaun Ryder in the newly assembled Black Grape, which issued the albums It’s Great When You’re Straight… Yeah (1995) and Stupid, Stupid, Stupid (1997) along with four Top Ten singles before Bez left the group. His memoir Freaky Dancin’ (1998), published shortly afterward, recounted his years in music, particularly his well-documented use of psychedelic substances. Years later he assembled Domino Bones, featuring Monica Ward on vocals, Paul Wagstaff on guitar, Ian Watson on bass, and Simon Moore on drums; the band issued the three-track single Rattle My Head (2004), which attracted minimal notice. Seeking to capitalize on lingering public awareness, Bez joined the 2005 edition of the British reality series Celebrity Big Brother and ultimately won. Capitalizing on the exposure, he released the one-off single One Dream (2006) with Domino Bones, promoted as an unofficial World Cup anthem, while the Bez-branded double-disc collection Bez’s Madchester Anthems: Sorted Tunes from Back in the Day! (2006) also appeared.