Adrian Thaws (born January 27, 1968), better known as Tricky, is an English rapper and musician important in the trip hop and British music scene (despite loathing the "trip hop" tag). He is noted for a whispering lyrical style that is half-rapped, half-sung. As a producer and a musician, he is noted for a dark, rich and layered sound. Culturally, Tricky bridges white and black Britain, particularly in his fusion of rock and hip hop, high art and pop culture.
Biography
Born in Knowle West, Bristol, England, as of 2006 Tricky is based in West Hollywood, California.
Early career
Tricky was a member of the influential 1980s Bristol sound system The Wild Bunch and contributed to the first two Massive Attack albums. As a member of the Wild Bunch he used the moniker "Tricky Kid," but this was shortened to simply "Tricky" as a member of Massive Attack.
Breakthrough
He left Massive Attack to release his debut album, Maxinquaye (named after his late mother "Maxine Quaye", allegedly reggae/soul singer Finley Quaye's half-sister). The album was a massive success and Tricky was catapulted to international fame, something he was notably uncomfortable with.
Tricky failed to complete a number of lyrics for the Massive Attack album Protection and gave the band some of the lyrics he had written for Maxinquaye instead. Different versions of the same songs appear on both albums - called "Overcome" and "Hell is 'Round the Corner" on Maxinquaye and "Karmacoma" and "Eurochild" on Protection.
Tricky found it difficult to cope with the huge success of Maxinquaye and he subsequently eschewed the laidback soul sound of the first album to create an increasingly edgy and aggressive punk tinged music.
Idiosyncrasies and media controversies
By the time Pre-Millennium Tension was released Tricky was increasingly irritated with the press, particularly articles written in The Face magazine. The Face had been an early champion of Maxinquaye, but saw Tricky as more a duo than a solo project. The Face published an article claiming that vocalist Martina Topley-Bird had to single-handedly bring up the child that Tricky had fathered.
He has also been concerned with racial stereotyping of the media. In the documentary Naked & Famous, he explains how photographers want him to frown angrily in photos, because that's how black artists are marketed. He points to a recent cover of The Big Issue, where he has a more ambiguous, confused look on his face, as being more how he feels. In the song "Tricky Kid" from Pre-Millennium Tension, he writes "As long as you're humble/Let you be the king of jungle", indicating that all black music is still judged as music from "the African jungle" and that its black fans are "savages". That same lyric was also said to be a subtle dig at rival jungle king Goldie.
The documentary Naked & Famous (itself a lyric from "Tricky Kid" - "Everybody wants to be me/Everybody wants to be naked and famous") shows the history of music and instability in his family, as well as many moments such as when Tricky goes to visit his old school, but leaves a music lesson he is observing because he feels that the teacher is treating the kids like members of a backing band, rather than letting them learn by writing their own music.
In 1995 during the making of Icelandic singer Björk's album Post, the two were romantically involved. The two kept this a secret from the press, feeling the tabloids would never leave them in peace. After their relationship ended, Björk began a short lived relationship with drum and bass artist Goldie with whom Tricky famously had a fist fight with at a Florida night club. He contributed writing on the Post tracks "Enjoy" and "Headphones".
Side projects and film career
Tricky has guest starred on a number of albums, including a notable appearance on Live's fifth studio album, V. This appearance came as Tricky and Live's lead singer Ed Kowalczyk had developed a close friendship, with Kowalczyk contributing vocals to 'Evolution Revolution Love', a track on Tricky's album Blowback.
Tricky has also acted in various films. He appeared in a significant supporting role in the 1997 Luc Besson film The Fifth Element, playing the right-hand man Michael to evil businessman Mr. Zorg. He reportedly put off actor Gary Oldman (who played Zorg) because, while he had his back to the camera, he was eating a Twix bar, to Oldman's anger ("He's facking eatin' a Twix!") [1]. He also appears briefly in the 2004 Olivier Assayas film Clean, playing himself, and had a large role in the video for "Parabol/Parabola" by Tool.
In 2001 Tricky was tapped to hype the online webisodal show We Deliver, [2] about a marijuana delivery service in NYC. Though he doesn't actually appear in any episodes, the commercial spins it as if he's an actual customer of the service... in reality he brought his own bud.
Currently
Tricky's website last reports him busy at work with the musical acts signed to his Brown Punk record label. He is also recently produced several new solo works that have been featured in television programs such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The L Word and Girlfriends. As well as this Tricky contributed a track to a compilation entitled "Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited", the track is called "Au Revoir Emmanuelle". Coincidently the same compilation featured a new track from fellow 'Bristol-ians' Portishead, entitled "Requiem For Anna".
Discography
Albums
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Maxinquaye (1995) #3 UK -
Nearly God (1996) #10 UK -
Pre-Millennium Tension (1996) #30 UK, #140 US -
Angels With Dirty Faces (1998) #23 UK, #84 US -
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Compilations
Singles and EPs
| Year | Song | UK singles | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | "Ponderosa" | - | Maxinquaye |
| 1995 | "Aftermath" | - | Maxinquaye |
| 1995 | "Overcome" | 34 | Maxinquaye |
| 1995 | "Black Steel" | 28 | Maxinquaye |
| 1995 | "The Hell EP" (Tricky vs. Tha Gravediggaz) | 12 | also appears on The Crow soundtrack |
| 1995 | "Pumpkin" | 26 | Maxinquaye |
| 1996 | "Poems" | 28 | Nearly God |
| 1996 | "Grassroots EP" | - | - |
| 1996 | "Christiansands" | 36 | Pre-Millennium Tension |
| 1997 | "Tricky Kid" | 28 | Pre-Millennium Tension |
| 1997 | "Makes Me Wanna Die" | 29 | Pre-Millennium Tension |
| 1998 | "Money Greedy" / "Broken Homes" | 25 | Angels with Dirty Faces |
| 1999 | "For Real" | - | Juxtapose |
| 2000 | "Mission Accomplished EP" | - | - |
| 2001 | "Evolution Revolution Love" | - | Blowback |
| 2003 | "Antimatter EP" | - | Vulnerable |
Collaborating artists
- Martina Topley-Bird
- Damon Albarn (unreleased song intended for Nearly God)
- Terry Hall
- Ambersunshower
- Björk
- Cath Coffey
- Neneh Cherry
- DJ Muggs
- Garbage
- Alison Goldfrapp
- Gravediggaz
- PJ Harvey
- Chesney Hawkes
- Ed Kowalczyk of Live
- Cyndi Lauper
- Hawkman
- Massive Attack
- Alanis Morissette
- Alison Moyet
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Constanza Francavilla
- Terranova
- Tool
Trivia
- Tricky's family includes a great diversity of ethnic backgrounds, including Jamaican, Spanish, British, and many others. He cites that his family is incredibly varied in appearance, one cousin white, one seemingly Asian, one very dark-skinned and looking mostly of African heritage.