Jason Andrew Pierce (born 19 November 1965 in

Rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

) is an English musician. Currently the frontman and sole permanent member of the band Spiritualized, he previously co-fronted the alternative rock band Spacemen 3 with Peter Kember from 1982 until 1991. He has worked under the name J. Spaceman.

Music

In between his work with Spiritualized and Spacemen 3, Pierce has been active with a network of free jazz players and improvisers, collaborating with acclaimed artists, including Black Rebel Motorcycle Club,

Dr. John Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music encompassed New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B. Active as a session musician from t ...

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, Daniel Johnston and Yoko Ono. In 2006, Pierce released his first solo album, ''

Guitar Loops ''Guitar Loops'' is the first solo album by Spiritualized frontman Jason Pierce. It was recorded in one continuous take at Amazing Grace Studio in London, a few days before he was taken ill with pneumonia. Spaceman plays a Fender Jaguar through a ...

'', a limited release on Coxon and Wales's Treader record label. Also in 2006, he composed the original score for an art installation called "Silent Sound" by British artists Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard. The live performance at St. George's Hall in Liverpool was recorded and released as a limited edition signed and numbered CD. A second performance of Silent Sound took place in 2010 as part of the AV Festival, at Middlesbrough Town Hall. A second limited edition signed and numbered CD was released. Between 6 and 8 February 2007, Pierce performed in a series of benefit concerts for the HOPING Foundation for Palestinian children. He provided some of the soundtrack for some of Harmony Korine's 2007 film, ''

Mister Lonely ''Mister Lonely'' is a 2007 comedy film directed by Harmony Korine and co-written with his brother Avi Korine. It features an ensemble cast of international actors, including Diego Luna, Samantha Morton, Denis Lavant, Werner Herzog, James Fox, A ...

''. In July 2008, Pierce sat down for an interview with NPR before a concert at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. Both the interview and the concert can be heard on the NPR website. He released a collaboration with Matthew Shipp entitled ''Spaceshipp'' on the Treader label in 2008. Pierce has worked on various solo projects, including the remixing of singles by LFO, Global Communication, and the 22-20's. His song "Lay It Down Slow" was used for the finale of the hit US drama series ''

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''. In 2015, he played guitar on the Ariel Pink song, "Dayzed Inn Daydreams".

Personal life

Jason lives with his partner and two children in the

East End The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...

of London. In the 1990s, Pierce was in a relationship with Kate Radley, who was also a member of Spiritualized. In 1995, Radley married Richard Ashcroft, lead singer of the Verve. Pierce was seriously ill with pneumonia in 2005. Both his lungs had filled with liquid, the 5'11 (180 cm) musician's weight plunged to seven stone (44.5 kg, 98 lbs), and his heart stopped beating twice. In an early 2012 interview, Pierce mentioned he had been under chemotherapy during the recordings of the 2012 Spiritualized album, ''

Sweet Heart Sweet Light ''Sweet Heart Sweet Light'' is the seventh studio album by Spiritualized. It was released on 16 April 2012, on Double Six Records. Recording and release The band spent two years recording the album, in three different cities, and frontman Jaso ...

''. He does not specify the diagnosis for this treatment, but he jokes about it, saying that these are drugs he does not recommend to anybody.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pierce, Jason 1965 births Living people English songwriters English male singers English rock guitarists English male guitarists People from Rugby, Warwickshire People educated at Lawrence Sheriff School Spiritualized members Space rock musicians Spacemen 3 members British male songwriters