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Bilinda Butcher
Bilinda Butcher performing with My Bloody Valentine in 1989.
Background information
Born	16 September 1961 (1961-09-16) (age 48) London, England
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Vocals/Guitar
Years active	1987 - Present
Associated acts	My Bloody Valentine,Collapsed Lung, Dinosaur Jr.

Bilinda Jayne Butcher (born 16 September 1961 in London) is a vocalist/guitarist for the rock band My Bloody Valentine.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 My Bloody Valentine 1.2 Work outside My Bloody Valentine 1.3 Personal life 2 References

[edit] Biography

Butcher was raised in London and then Derbyshire ^[1]. She went on to study dance at Laban College in London ^[2], but she dropped out after a year due to developing a case of cystitis. She explained to the Melody Maker that, "I had to keep going to the loo, and I couldn't get my leotard on and off quick enough. I missed all of the classes." ^[3] After leaving Laban, she worked briefly as a nanny for a French family in London ^[1].

[edit] My Bloody Valentine

Butcher joined My Bloody Valentine in 1987, replacing original vocalist Dave Conway. Butcher, whose previous musical experience was playing classical guitar as a child and singing and playing tambourine "with some girlfriends for fun", learned that the group needed a backing vocalist ^[1]. She was finally chosen, beating out "this girl, Julie, who was going out with Douglas Hart from The Jesus and Mary Chain^[1]." Butcher became co-vocalist, as well as co-guitarist and co-lyricist along with Kevin Shields. She first appeared on the band's Strawberry Wine EP.

While Kevin Shields is MBV's principal guitarist, producer, and songwriter, Butcher's vocals became a trademark of the band's ethereal, yet dissonant sound. The band went on to release the influential albums Isn't Anything in 1988 and Loveless in 1991 to international critical acclaim.

Following Loveless, MBV became mostly inactive except for the occasional remix, or song contribution for compilations. The band reunited for selected tour dates in 2008, and they plan to release recordings. Shields mentioned in an interview on Soft Focus UK (www.VBS.tv) with Ian Svenonius in November 2007 that he and Butcher had recorded songs in the mid-90's, and they plan to use those recordings for a full-length album, as well as record an additional album of new material.

[edit] Work outside My Bloody Valentine

During MBV's hiatus, Butcher contributed lead vocals to two tracks on Collapsed Lung's album Cooler in 1996, and she provided backing vocals to a track on the 1997 Dinosaur Jr. album Hand It Over.

[edit] Personal life

In the late 80s/early 90s, Butcher and Kevin Shields had a relationship. Butcher has three children, a son named Toby (c.1985) from an earlier marriage, and two younger sons, Davy and Billy ^[1]. In a 2005 interview with Buddyhead.com, Shields said of Butcher, "She has a couple of kids. Her boyfriend is a musician, they make some music together."^[4]

In recent years, Butcher has taken up Flamenco dancing and guitar playing, and she had studied Taekwondo, working up to a green belt ^[1].

[edit] References

v • d • e My Bloody Valentine Bilinda Butcher • Debbie Googe • Colm Ó Cíosóig • Kevin Shields Dave Conway • Tina Durkin • Joe Byfield Studio albums Isn't Anything • Loveless Compilations Ecstasy and Wine EPs This Is Your Bloody Valentine • Geek! • The New Record by My Bloody Valentine • Sunny Sundae Smile • Strawberry Wine • Ecstasy • You Made Me Realise • Feed Me with Your Kiss • Glider • Tremolo Singles "No Place to Go" • "Sunny Sundae Smile" • "Feed Me with Your Kiss" • "Soon" • "To Here Knows When" • "Only Shallow" Related articles Discography • Angus Cameron

Persondata
NAME	Butcher, Bilinda Jayne
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	British musician
DATE OF BIRTH	September 16, 1961
PLACE OF BIRTH	London, England
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH