Jean Beauvoir

American musician

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Jean Beauvoir
Background information
BornChicago, Illinois, U.S.
GenresRock, hard rock, pop rock, punk rock
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, synthesizer, piano, drums
Years active1978–present
LabelsColumbia, Interscope, Virgin, Now & Then, Voodoo Island, Frontiers, Avex
Websitejeanbeauvoir.com
Musical artist

Jean Beauvoir is an American singer, bassist, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer and entertainment executive. He came to prominence in the early 1980s with the punk group the Plasmatics and went on to work with Little Steven, Kiss, the Ramones and as a solo artist.

Biography

Beauvoir was born in Chicago to parents of Haitian background. He played drums as a child and switched to bass as a teenager. He was Gary U.S. Bonds' musical director at age 14; following this, he sang in the doo wop group the Flamingos. He gained his first professional experience with these groups touring the US performing at Dick Clark revival concerts.[1] He was kicked out of his home by his father at age 15, due to his desire to pursue music as a profession. He lived with band members, then on his own.[2] He moved to New York City during the punk rock explosion and answered a newspaper ad for a bassist, which led to his joining the Plasmatics for three albums.[3] While with the Plasmatics and subsequently, Beauvoir sported a conspicuous blond mohawk.[4]

He left the group after their release Beyond the Valley of 1984 to join Steve Van Zandt's Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul for two albums.

In 1985, Beauvoir co-wrote and recorded several songs with Paul Stanley of the band Kiss for their thirteenth studio album, Asylum.[5] Beauvoir even played bass and provided backing vocals in Gene Simmons' absence on the songs "Who Wants to Be Lonely" and "Uh! All Night." Following this, he launched a solo career with the album Drums Along the Mohawk, released in the U.K. on Virgin Records in 1986. That same year, the track "Feel the Heat" was chosen by Sylvester Stallone for his film, Cobra.[1] The song was a hit, charting Top 10 across Europe and Australia and reaching No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 100.[6] On the strength of the single, Drums Along the Mohawk was released in the U.S. and peaked at No. 93 on the Billboard 200.[7]

Beauvoir produced and co-wrote the Ramones song "My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down," originally titled "Bonzo Goes To Bitburg." In addition to his film music work with Sylvester Stallone, his credit list includes the title tracks or theme songs for the movies Pet Sematary, where he produced and arranged the Ramones' biggest radio hit, which reached No. 4 on Billboards Modern Rock Chart, Shocker, Flawless, School of Rock, Christmas with the Kranks, where he produced and arranged the song Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight), and performed, produced and wrote the end title song Merry Christmas To All of the World, The Guilty, Rock 'n' Roll High School Forever, Berlin Nights, RV, Unthinkable, and Why Him?

Beauvoir founded and serves as CEO/President of Voodoo Island Entertainment Group whose divisions included Voodoo Island Records and Voodoo Island Productions.[3] Beauvoir is also the founder and CEO/President of Hot Boy Music and Tigre Noire Music.[8]

For 61⁄2 years, c. 2004–2010, Beauvoir took a break from performing and served as CEO/managing director of Steven Van Zandt's media and entertainment company, Renegade Nation.[3][9]

Beauvoir continues to produce, write and lead his group Crown of Thorns. Crown of Thorns re-released their 2008 CD "Faith" on June 9, 2009, in the US through Lost Cathedral Sony Red. He also writes and produces for other artists.[citation needed]

In 2014, Beauvoir was one of the executive producers of the "Hit" television show for SBS Discovery Television featuring the comedian "Kristian Valen", he also released an album "American Trash" worldwide through the label Frontiers Records with Micki Free under the project name Beauvoir/Free in June 2015.

May 2015, Beauvoir was recruited as U.S. CEO of the Norwegian children's animated property, City of Friends. Beauvoir has since resigned from this position.[10]

Beauvoir appeared at the three-day Rockingham 2016 festival on Saturday October 22, second to the headliner Steelheart.[11] Beauvoir also appeared at Bang Your Head Festival, Germany 2016, Graspop Festival, Belgium 2016, Azkena Rock Festival, Spain 2016 and performed at Ramblin Man Fair, UK 2016.

Personal life

Beauvoir lives in Bonita Springs, Florida.[12]

Discography

The Plasmatics

Solo

Crown of Thorns

Voodoo X

Beauvoir-Free

Production, songwriting and performance (other artists)

Film, television and video

References

  1. ^ a b Jean Beauvoir at Allmusic
  2. ^ "JEAN BEAUVOIR". rockpages.gr. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "FEATURE: BLACK PUNK HISTORY—JEAN BEAUVOIR, THE ULTIMATE RENAISSANCE MAN". afropunk.com. February 15, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  4. ^ Martin Booe (August 14, 1986). "JEAN BEAUVOIR TAKES MELLOW ROUTE". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  5. ^ "Asylum (Kiss album)", Wikipedia, January 19, 2020, retrieved April 8, 2020
  6. ^ Billboard Singles, AllMusic
  7. ^ Billboard, AllMusic
  8. ^ "Jean Beauvoir – About". mysite-4. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  9. ^ "Jean Beauvoir interviewed by The Bailey Bros (2010 RockUnited.Com)". rockunited.com. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  10. ^ "EPK". mysite-4. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  11. ^ "rockinghamlive.com/#lineup". rockinghamlive.com. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  12. ^ "A punk icon in Bonita Springs". News-press.com. December 28, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2020.

External links

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