History.

Foundation to 1925.

Scottish marine engineer Alexander Wilson founded the company at 90–92 Wandsworth Road, Vauxhall, London, in 1857. Originally named Alex Wilson and Company, then Vauxhall Iron Works from 1897, the company built pumps and marine engines. In 1903 the company built its first car, a five-horsepower single-cylinder model steered using a tiller, with two forward gears and no reverse gear. About 70 were made in the first year, before the car was improved with wheel steering and a reverse gear in 1904. A single survivor could still be seen at

1925 to 1945.

On 16 November 1925, Vauxhall was acquired by General Motors Corporation for US$2.5 million. The company's image and target market were gently but firmly changed over the next five and more years, marked particularly by the introduction in late 1930 of the low-cost two-litre Vauxhall Cadet and the next year the first Bedford truck, which was Chevrolet based. Vauxhall's chief engineer since 1920, Charles Evelyn King, retired as engineering director in 1950. The company's future chief engineer, Harold Drew, left Luton for a spell, working as a draughtsman with GM's Lansing-based Oldsmobile division. As the first significant post-acquisition passenger car, the Cadet, initially retailing at £280, is generally regarded as demonstrating Vauxhall's newly acquired interest and expertise in controlling production costs, but it was also the first British car to feature a synchromesh gearbox.  General Motors continued to reposition Vauxhall towards the middle of the British car market, aiming to produce higher volumes of more conventional cars that, using GM's large engineering, design and production resources, would offer modern technology and high levels of equipment

1945 to 1970.

Vauxhall was one of the first English car makers to switch from wartime to civilian production, mostly due to the ease with which Bedford trucks in production for military use could be redirected to the civilian market. The first post-war civilian trucks were made a few days before VJ Day in August 1945, with Vauxhall car production resuming in September. These initial models were essentially unchanged from the three-model range (H-, I-, and J-type unibody designs) that had been launched just before the outbreak of war in 1939. However, they were now renamed simply as the Vauxhall Ten, Twelve and Fourteen respectively, were each available in a single body and specification (four-door saloons to what had been the Deluxe trim level) to ease production and had minor internal and external trim differences to account for shortages or extra costs of various materials. Government regulations of the time meant that 75% of production had to be sent for export, so very few of these revived models reached buyers in the United Kingdom. Further rationalisation occurred in 1946 when the Twelve ceased to be a distinct model and now shared the body of the Ten but with the larger-capacity engine.  These models were superseded by 'new' cars in 1948. GM management had dictated that Luton should only utilise a single body design in order to maximise productivity and reduce supply costs. The British government had also revoked the RAC taxable horsepower system and replaced it with a flat charge per vehicle regardless of engine size. This meant that there was no longer such an imperative to offer similar models with different engine capacities to fit in the different bands of the old tax system. Therefore, the new 1948 L-Type Vauxhalls consisted of just a pair

1970 to 1990.

In 1970, the HC Viva was launched, which went on to become Vauxhall's best-selling car of the decade, featuring among the 10 best-selling cars in Britain each year until after 1976, with production not finishing until 1979, when the Viva nameplate was finally discontinued after 16 years and three generations. In 1973, the Vauxhall Firenza "Droopsnoot" coupe was unveiled at the Earls Court Motor Show, introducing the public to Vauxhall's new aerodynamic look for all of its subsequent 1970s models.  By 1973, the Victor was losing sales in a market that was becoming increasingly dominated by the Ford Cortina. This was not enough to keep Vauxhall from being well behind market leaders like Ford in sales, and most of its range was struggling even to keep pace with Chrysler UK (formerly the Rootes Group). Vauxhall's sales began to increase from 1975, with the launch of two important new models, the Chevette, a small three-door hatchback that was the first car of its kind to be built in Britain, and the Cavalier, a stylish four-door saloon designed to compete head-to-head with the all-conquering Ford Cortina. A two-door coupe and three-door "sport hatch" had joined the Cavalier range by 1978, but there never was an estate version. The Cavalier helped Vauxhall regain lost ground in this crucial sector of the market, while the Chevette proved to be hugely popular in the growing supermini sector, as more buyers turned to smaller cars following the oil crisis of 1973. The Chevette range later evolved into a

1990 to 2000.

In 1991, Vauxhall's corporate headquarters were moved to Griffin House, formerly the company's design and testing building. In the same year, the third-generation Vauxhall Astra went on sale (with Opel versions adopting the Astra nameplate for the first time) and the saloon version badged Astra rather than Belmont. Vauxhall joined forces with Isuzu to produce the Frontera, a four-wheel drive off-roader available in short- and long-wheelbase versions.  In 1993, the Cavalier was firmly re-established as Britain's most popular large family car, with more than 130,000 sales, while the third-generation Astra (relaunched in

2000 to 2010.

In 2000, Vauxhall entered the sports car market with the Lotus-based VX220 roadster. It re-entered the coupé market with the Astra Coupé. The new Agila city car and a second-generation Corsa supermini also went on sale. On 12 December 2000, Vauxhall announced that car production at its Luton plant would cease in 2002, with the final vehicle being made in March 2002 following the end of production of the Vectra B and production of its replacement moving to Ellesmere Port alongside the Astra. Manufacture of vans (sold under the Vauxhall, Opel, Renault, and Nissan badges throughout Europe) continued at the IBC Vehicles plant in Luton. On 17 May 2006, Vauxhall announced the loss of 900

2010 to 2016.

In 2010, the new Vauxhall Movano was launched and a new Meriva (launched at Geneva Motor Show) went on sale in mid-2010.  The Ampera E-Rev, short for extended-range electric vehicle, went on sale in the UK in 2011 with a 16 kWh, lithium-ion battery pack that delivers of motoring and a 1.4-litre petrol engine that extends the car's range to. It won the "European Car of the Year". A new Vauxhall Combo went on sale in late 2011 and a facelifted Corsa went on sale in early 2011. The Zafira Tourer compact MPV was released in late 2011.  In 2012, the Vauxhall Adam city car was launched

2017-present.

Acquisition by Groupe PSA.

On 3 March 2017, sources revealed that the American group General Motors has reached a tentative agreement with Groupe PSA for the acquisition of the Vauxhall and Opel brands and the complete Vauxhall/Opel automobile business.  On 6 March 2017, GM and Groupe PSA announced their agreement that PSA will buy GM's Vauxhall and Opel subsidiaries in a deal worth €2.2 billion.  In preparation for the sale, the ownership of all GM plants and Vauxhall/Opel sales organisations in Europe (except the Turin development center, and GM Europe with the

Current model range.

Passenger cars.

The following tables list current

VXR models.

The VXR range is analogous to the OPC range made by Opel Performance Center, the HSV range made by Holden Special Vehicles in Australia and the SS range made by Latin America Chevrolet. The models include the Corsa VXR, Astra VXR, Insignia VXR, Meriva VXR, Zafira VXR, VXR8, VX220 (no longer in production), and the Australian-built Holden Monaro (also no longer in production). These vehicles are high-performance machines, and are ideally aimed for younger buyers. Vauxhall unveiled a new model based on the Australian HSV Maloo at the 2005 National Exhibition Centre motor show in Birmingham, England. It was claimed that the monstrous

Previous models.

Passenger cars.

Cars designed by independent Vauxhall:

Commercial vehicles.

Bedford branded

Relationship with other GM products.

General Motors began to merge the product lines of Vauxhall and Opel in the early 1970s, largely in favour of Opel products. The 1963 HA Viva was developed under some secrecy and exhibited remarkable similarities with the Opel Kadett released a year previously, while the 1972 FE Victor was essentially the first overt exponent of this strategy, sharing its platform and several body fittings with the Opel Rekord D, although it still retained Vauxhall-designed running gear and had no interchangeable body panels. 1975 saw the release of both the Vauxhall Chevette, (a reworked Opel Kadett featuring 'Droopsnoot' styling and an initially unique hatchback bodystyle option), and the Cavalier, a similarly restyled Ascona. By the end of the 1970s most Vauxhalls were based on Opel designs. The Chevette, Cavalier and Carlton were restyled versions of the Kadett, Ascona and Rekord respectively, all featuring the distinctive sloping 'Droopsnoot' front end first prototyped on the HPF Firenza, with Vauxhall engines preserved in the form of the Viva-sourced 1256 unit fitted to the Chevette and Cavalier, and the much larger 2279cc slant-four for the homologation-special Chevette HS. However the Viceroy and Royale were simply rebadged versions of Opel's Opel Commodore C and Senator, imported from Germany. These were also sold in left hand drive in continental European markets, including the Netherlands, Belgium, the Scandinavian countries, Italy and Portugal, in competition with their Opel counterparts.  With the 1979 demise of the last solely Vauxhall design, the Viva (although the last "true" Vauxhall product can be argued to be the Bedford CF panel van, which ceased production in 1987), GM policy was for future Vauxhall models to be, in effect, rebadged Opels, designed and developed primarily in Rüsselsheim. The original Astra, launched in 1980, set the eventual precedent for all GM Europe vehicles from that point onward – apart from the badging it had no styling or engineering difference from its Opel sister – the Kadett D. Until the early 1980s, GM dealers in the United Kingdom sold highly similar Opel and Vauxhall models alongside each other, Opel having been introduced in 1967. This policy of duplication was phased out when Opel and Vauxhall formally combined their British marketing operations in 1981. The Vauxhall and Opel dealer networks were merged and rebranded as "Vauxhall-Opel". Most of the Opel range was discontinued in the United Kingdom in favour of their Vauxhall badged equivalents. Opel was instead repositioned as a performance-luxury brand – the Opel Manta coupé remained, whilst the Vauxhall Royale was replaced in the line-up by its Opel equivalent (the Senator/Monza). However, this strategy

Operations.

Vauxhall is headquartered in Luton, Bedfordshire, and has major manufacturing facilities in Luton (commercial vehicles, owned by sister company IBC Vehicles) and Ellesmere Port, the United Kingdom (passenger cars).  The Luton plant currently employs around 900 staff and has a capacity of approximately 100,000 units. The plant site has a total area of 387,000 square metres. The plant currently produces the Vivaro light commercial van.  The Ellesmere Port plant currently employs around 1,880 staff and has

Logo.

The griffin emblem, which is still in use, is derived from the coat of arms of Falkes de Breauté, a mercenary soldier who was granted the Manor of Luton for services to King John in the thirteenth century. By marriage, he also gained the rights to an area near London, south of the Thames. The house he built, Fulk's Hall, became known in time as Vauxhall. Vauxhall Iron Works adopted this emblem from the coat of arms to emphasise

Sponsorships.

Vauxhall Motors sponsored the Football Conference, the highest non-league division of English football, from 1986 until 1998. It took over from Gola, and remained in

Motorsports.

Vauxhall has competed successfully in several forms of motorsport.  During the 1970s Vauxhall had a strong presence on the British rallying scene. The Magnum coupe was heavier and less powerful than the dominant Ford Escort, but still put up some strong performances in the hands of drivers such as Will Sparrow and Brian Culcheth. From 1976, Vauxhall decided to heighten their profile in the sport by building a homologation-special version of the Vauxhall Chevette, known as the Chevette HS. This was a much more serious contender, and in the hands of drivers such as Pentti Airikkala, Tony Pond, Russell Brookes and Jimmy McRae it and its successor version, the Chevette HSR, won many events in Britain and Europe. Airikkala won the British Rally Championship in a Chevette in 1979.  The Chevette was retired in 1983, and effort was concentrated for the next few years on the Group B Opel Manta 400. However, the Vauxhall Astra and Vauxhall Nova were campaigned in the lower power classes during the mid-1980s, and became popular amateurs' cars thanks to their reliability, ease of tuning and ready supply of parts. After the banning of Group B in 1986 the Group A Astra returned to the forefront. As a two-litre, front-wheel-drive car it was unable to challenge the four-wheel-drive cars for outright victory, but did score top ten placings on several World Championship events. Louise Aitken-Walker won the ladies' World Championship in 1990 in an Astra, despite a serious accident on that year's Rally of Portugal when her car rolled down a hillside and into a lake.  During 1991–92 serious consideration was given to campaigning the four-wheel-drive version of the Vauxhall Calibra in British and possibly world rallies, and a trial version contested the 1993 Swedish Rally in the hands of Stig Blomqvist. However, the cost was judged prohibitive, and in any case the 'Formula 2' category had been introduced into British rallying. The latest version of the Astra was an ideal contender, and won the category in the 1993 and 1994 championships, driven by David Llewellin. Vauxhall campaigned successive versions of the Astra in the British championship until the late 1990s.  Vauxhall first entered the British Touring Car Championship with the Vauxhall Cavalier in 1989. The lead driver was John Cleland, who remained with the team until his retirement in 1999. The Cavalier was competitive, and often the fastest front-wheel-drive car in the series, and Cleland was second in the title race in 1992, and then fourth in the following two years. In 1995, however, he won the title (adding to his 1989 title win in an Astra). The Cavalier was replaced by the Vectra for 1996. Yvan Muller was sixth in the 1999 British Touring Car Championship and fourth in 2000.  In 2001 the BTCC regulations changed and Vauxhall brought the Astra Coupe into the BTCC. The Astra would dominate the BTCC between 2001 and 2004 with the drivers title won by Jason Plato in 2001, James Thompson in 2002 – 2004 and Yvan Muller in 2003. Vauxhall also won the Manufacturers Award and Teams Award every year also.  In 2005 the Astra Coupe was replaced by the Astra Sport Hatch however it was not as competitive as the Astra Coupe and restricted success for Vauxhall in 2005 and 2006.  In 2007 The regulations changed again and Vauxhall brought the Vectra back. The Vectra brought success back to Vauxhall after Fabrizio Giovanardi won the 2007 and 2008 BTCC championship. Fabrizio Giovanardi finished 3rd in the championship in 2009 before Vauxhall pulled sponsorship out at the end of 2009 due to and the economic crisis and lack of official manufacturers in the BTCC.  In November 2016 it was announced that Vauxhall would return to the BTCC in partnership with Power Maxed Racing. It was later announced that former BTCC and WTCC driver Tom Chilton would lead the team with Senna Proctor as his teammate. The team earned a podium at their first meeting of the year at Brands Hatch, and their best finish was a 2nd at Silverstone, with Rob Huff standing in for Tom Chilton.  2018 saw the team return as TAG Autosport with Power Maxed Racing, with Senna Proctor this time teaming up with Josh Cook. The first round of the year saw Senna Proctor take both his and the Team's first win at Brands Hatch, as he made an incredible drive from P28 to take the chequered flag. Josh Cook followed at Donington just a few weeks later with a Pole Position and a Lights to Flag victory in the first race, followed by yet another podium in Race 3. Another win followed for Cook at the following round at Thruxton. Throughout the year the team managed another 10 podiums, and dropped no lower than 3rd in the Teams Standings for the entire season. More than 50% of race finishes saw at least 1 driver in the Top 10.  For 2019, the decision was made to run as Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing, with two new drivers; Jason Plato, the most successful driver in British history (by race wins) and former Independents Champion Rob Collard. At the time of writing, the team have scored a number of podium finishes, and sit within the Top 5 in the Teams' Standings.

Vauxhall Motors Limited () is a British Automobile manufacturer, subsidiary of French car manufacturer Groupe PSA and based in Chalton, Bedfordshire, England.

Vauxhall est une marque automobile appartenant au Groupe PSA et société-soeur d'Opel. Ses modèles actuels sont pour la plupart dérivés d'Opel, modifiés pour le marché et les routes britanniques, notamment par le volant monté à droite. Jusqu'en, elle faisait partie avec Opel du groupe General Motors (GM).


Personal life and disputed identity.

Banksy's name and identity remain unconfirmed and the subject of speculation. In a 2003 interview with Simon Hattenstone of "The Guardian", Banksy is described as "white, 28, scruffy casual—jeans, T-shirt, a silver tooth, silver chain and silver earring. He looks like a cross between Jimmy Nail and Mike Skinner of the Streets". He began as an artist at the age of 14, was expelled from school, and served time in prison for petty crime. According to Hattenstone, "anonymity is vital to him because graffiti is illegal". For 10 years in the late 1990s, Banksy lived in Easton, Bristol, then moved to London around 2000.  Banksy is often

Career.

Early career (1990–2001).

Banksy started as a freehand graffiti artist in 1990–1994 as one of Bristol's DryBreadZ Crew (DBZ), with two other artists known as Kato and Tes. He was inspired by local artists and his work was part of the larger Bristol underground scene with Nick Walker, Inkie and 3D. During this time he met Bristol photographer Steve Lazarides, who began selling Banksy's work, later becoming his agent. By 2000 he had turned to the art of stencilling after realising how much less time it took to complete a work. He claims he changed to stencilling while hiding from the police under a rubbish lorry, when he noticed the stencilled

Exhibitions (2002–2003).

On 19 July 2002, Banksy's first Los Angeles exhibition debuted at 33 Gallery, a tiny Silver Lake venue owned by Frank Sosa and was on view until 18 August. The exhibition, entitled "Existencilism", ""an Exhibition of Art, Lies and Deviousness"" was curated by 33 Gallery, Malathion LA's Chris Vargas, Funk Lazy Promotions' Grace Jehan, and B+. The flyer of the exhibition indicates an opening reception was followed by a performance by Money Mark with DJ's Jun, AL Jackson, Rhettmatic, J.Rocc, Coleman. Some of the paintings exhibited included "Smiley Copper H" (2002), "Leopard and Barcode" (2002), "Bomb Hugger" (2002) and "Love is in the Air", (2002).

£10 notes to "Barely Legal" (2004–2006).

In August 2004, Banksy produced a quantity of spoof British £10 notes replacing the picture of the Queen's head with Diana, Princess of Wales's head and changing the text "Bank of England" to "Banksy of England". Someone threw a large wad of these into a crowd at Notting Hill Carnival that year, which some recipients then tried to spend in local shops. These notes were also given with invitations to a Santa's Ghetto exhibition by Pictures on Walls. The individual notes have since been selling on eBay for about £200 each. A wad of the notes were also thrown over a fence and into the crowd near the "NME" signing tent at the Reading Festival. A limited run of 50 signed posters containing ten uncut notes

Banksy effect (2006–2007).

After Christina Aguilera bought an original of Queen Victoria as a lesbian and two prints for £25,000, on 19 October 2006, a set of Kate Moss paintings sold in Sotheby's London for £50,400, setting an auction record for Banksy's work. The six silk-screen prints, featuring the model painted in the style of Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe pictures, sold for five times their estimated price. Their stencil of a green "Mona Lisa" with real paint dripping from her eyes sold for £57,600 at the same auction. In December, journalist Max Foster coined the phrase, "the Banksy effect", to illustrate how interest in other street artists was growing on the back of Banksy's success.  On 21 February 2007, Sotheby's auction house in London auctioned three works, reaching the highest ever price for a Banksy work at auction: over £102,000 for "Bombing Middle England".

2008.

In March, a stencilled graffiti work appeared on Thames Water tower in the middle of the Holland Park roundabout, and it was widely attributed to Banksy. It was of a child painting the tag "Take this—Society!" in bright orange. London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham spokesman, Councillor Greg Smith branded the art as vandalism, and ordered its immediate removal, which was carried out by H&F council workmen within three days.  In late August 2008, marking the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the associated levee failure disaster, Banksy produced a series of works in New Orleans, Louisiana, mostly on buildings derelict since the disaster.  A stencil painting attributed to Banksy appeared at a vacant petrol station in the Ensley neighbourhood of Birmingham, Alabama on 29 August as Hurricane Gustav approached the New Orleans area. The painting, depicting a hooded member of the Ku Klux Klan hanging

The Cans Festival (2008).

In London, over the weekend 3–5 May 2008, Banksy hosted an exhibition called "The Cans Festival". It was situated on Leake Street, a road tunnel formerly used by Eurostar underneath London Waterloo station. Graffiti artists with stencils were invited to join in and paint their own artwork, as long as it did not cover anyone else's. Banksy invited artists from around the world to exhibit their works.

2009.

In May 2009, Banksy parted company with agent Steve Lazarides and announced that Pest Control, the handling service who act on his behalf, would be the only point of sale for new works. On 13 June 2009, the Banksy vs Bristol Museum show opened at Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, featuring more than 100 works of art, including animatronics and installations; it is his largest exhibition yet, featuring 78 new works. Reaction to the show was positive, with over 8,500 visitors to the show on the first weekend. Over the course of the twelve weeks, the exhibition was

"Exit Through the Gift Shop" and United States (2010).

The world premiere of the film "Exit Through the Gift Shop" occurred at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, on 24 January. He created 10 street artworks around Park City and Salt Lake City to tie in with the screening. In February, The Whitehouse public house in Liverpool, England, was sold for £114,000 at auction. The side of the building has an image of a giant rat by Banksy.  In March 2010, a modified version of the work "Forgive Us Our Trespassing"–a kneeling boy with a spray-painted halo–was displayed at London Bridge Station on a poster. This version of the

2011.

In May 2011 Banksy released a lithographic print which showed a smoking petrol bomb contained in a 'Tesco Value' bottle. This followed a long-running campaign by locals against the opening of a Tesco Express supermarket in Banksy's home city of Bristol. Violent clashes had taken place between police and demonstrators in the Stokes Croft area.

2012.

In May his "Parachuting Rat", painted in Melbourne in the late 1990s, was accidentally destroyed by plumbers installing new

2013.

On 18 February, BBC News reported that a recent Banksy mural, known as the "Slave Labour" mural portraying a young child sewing Union Flag bunting (created around the time of the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II) had been removed from the side of a Poundland store in Wood Green, north London, and soon appeared for sale in Fine Art Auctions Miami's catalogue (a US auction site based in Florida). News of this has reportedly caused "lots of anger" in the local community and is considered by some to be

"Better Out Than In" (2013).

On 1 October 2013, Banksy began a one-month "show on the streets of New York [City]", for which he opened a separate website and granted an interview to "The Village Voice" via his publicist.  A pop-up boutique of about 25 spray-art canvases appeared on Fifth Avenue near Central Park on 12 October. Tourists were able to buy Banksy art for just $60 each. In a note posted to his website, the artist wrote: "Please note this was a one-off. The stall will not be there again." The BBC estimated that the street-stall art pieces could be worth as much as $31,000. The booth was manned by an unknown elderly man who went about four hours before making a sale, yawning and eating lunch as people strolled by without a second glance at the work. Banksy chronicled the surprise sale in a video posted to his website

2015.

"Banksy in Gaza" clip.

In February 2015 Banksy published a 2-minute video titled "Make this the year YOU discover a new destination" about his trip to Gaza Strip. During the visit he painted a few artworks including a kitten on

Dismaland.

Banksy opened Dismaland, a large scale group show modelled on Disneyland on 21 August 2015. It lampooned the many disappointing temporary themed attractions in

"The Son of a Migrant from Syria".

In December 2015, Banksy created several murals in the vicinity of Calais, France, including the so-called "Jungle" where migrants live as they attempt to enter the United Kingdom. One of the pieces, "The Son of a Migrant from Syria," depicts Steve Jobs as a migrant.

2017.

Walled Off Hotel.

In 2017, marking the 100th anniversary of the British control of Palestine, Banksy financed the creation of the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem. This hotel is open to the public, and contains rooms designed by Banksy, Sami Musa and Dominique Petrin, and each of the bedrooms face the wall. It also houses a contemporary art gallery.

2018.

Return to New York.

2018 saw Banksy return to New York five years after his "Better Out Than In" residency. A trademark rat running around the circumference of a clock-face, dubbed "Rat race", was torn

"Balloon Girl" Shredding.

In October 2018, one of Banksy's works, "Balloon Girl", was sold in an auction at Sotheby's in London for £1.04m. However, shortly after the gavel dropped and it was sold, an alarm sounded inside of the picture frame and the canvas passed through a shredder hidden within the frame, partially shredding the picture. Banksy then posted an image of the shredding on Instagram captioned "Going, going, gone...". After the sale, the auction house acknowledged that the self-destruction of the work was a prank by the artist. The prank received wide news coverage around the world, with one newspaper stating that it was "quite possibly the biggest prank in art history." Joey Syer, co-founder of an online platform facilitating art dealer sales, told the "Evening Standard": "The auction result will only propel this further and given the media attention this stunt has received, the lucky buyer would see a great return on the £1.02M they paid last night, this is now

"Season's Greetings".

A two-sided graffiti piece, one side depicting a child tasting the falling snow, the other revealing that the snow is in fact smoke and embers from a fire, appeared on two walls of a steelworker's garage in Port Talbot in December. Banksy then revealed that the painting was in fact his via an Instagram video soundtracked by the festive children's song 'Little Snowflake'. Many fans of the artist went to see the painting and Plaid Cymru councillor for Aberavon, Nigel Thomas Hunt, stated that the town was "buzzing" with speculation that the work was Banksy's. The owner of the garage, Ian Lewis, said that he had lost sleep over fears that the image would be vandalised. A plastic screen, partially funded by Michael Sheen, was installed to protect the mural, but was attacked by a "drunk halfwit". Extra security guards were subsequently drafted to protect the graffiti piece. In May 2019, the mural was moved to a gallery in the town's Ty'r Orsaf building.

2019.

Trademark dispute.

In early October 2019, Banksy opened a "pop-up shop" named "Gross Domestic Product" in South London in order to strengthen his position in a trademark dispute with a greetings cards company who had challenged his trademark on the grounds that he was not using it. In a statement, Banksy said "A greetings cards company is contesting the trademark I hold to my art, and attempting to take custody of my name so they can sell their fake Banksy merchandise legally." Mark Stephens,

Record sale for "Devolved Parliament".

In October 2019, "Devolved Parliament", a 2009 painting by Banksy showing Members of Parliament depicted as chimpanzees in the House of Commons, sold at Sotheby's in London for just under £9.9 million. On Instagram, the artist said it was a "record price for a Banksy painting" and "shame I didn't still own it". At 13 feet (four metres) wide it is Banksy's biggest known work on canvas. The auction house stated: "Regardless of where you sit in the Brexit debate, there's no doubt that this work is more pertinent now than it has ever been."

2020.

Valentine's Day.

On 13 February 2020, the Valentine’s Banksy mural appeared on the side of a building in Bristol's Barton Hill neighbourhood, depicting a young girl firing a slingshot of real red flowers and leaves. In the early hours of Valentine's Day (14 February), Banksy confirmed this was his work on his Instagram account and website. The painting was defaced just days after appearing. He dedicated a painting to healthcare workers and donated it to the University Hospital of Southampton during the global coronavirus pandemic in May 2020.

Cultural icon.

There exists a cult-like following for the artist. The ambiguity of his identity has drawn this group of followers. A concept, the "Banksy effect" has developed as a result of Banksy's artistic innovation. This term is in reference to the artist's ability to turn outsider art into the cultural mainstream. It was coined to reference the way in which Banksy's work has led to an increased interest in street art.

Other notable artworks.

Banksy has claimed responsibility for a number of high-profile artworks, including the following:

Damaged artwork.

Many artworks by Banksy have been vandalised, painted over or destroyed.  In 2008, in Melbourne, paint was poured over a stencil of an old-fashioned diver wearing a trench coat. In April 2010, the Melbourne City Council reported that they had inadvertently ordered private contractors to paint over a rat descending in

Technique.

Because of the secretive nature of Banksy's work and identity, it is uncertain what techniques he uses to generate the images in the stencils, though it is assumed he uses computers for some images due to the photographic quality of much of his work. He mentions in his book "Wall and Piece" that as he was starting to do graffiti, he was always either caught or could never finish the art in one sitting. He claims he changed to stencilling while hiding from the police under a rubbish lorry, when he noticed the stencilled serial number. He then devised a series of intricate stencils to minimise time and overlapping of the colour.  There exists a debate about the influence behind his work. Some critics claim Banksy was influenced by

Political and social themes.

Banksy once characterised graffiti as a form of underclass "revenge", or guerrilla warfare that allows an individual to snatch away power, territory and glory from a bigger and better equipped enemy. Banksy sees a social class component to this struggle, remarking "If you don't own a train company then you go and paint on one instead." Banksy's work has also shown a desire to mock centralised power, hoping that their work will show the public that although power does exist and works against you, that power is not terribly efficient and it can and should be deceived.  Banksy's works have dealt with various political and social themes, including anti-war, anti-consumerism, anti-fascism, anti-imperialism, anti-authoritarianism, anarchism, nihilism, and existentialism. Additionally, the components of the human condition that his works commonly critique are greed, poverty, hypocrisy, boredom, despair, absurdity, and alienation. Although Banksy's works usually rely on visual imagery and iconography to put forth their message,

Criticism.

Peter Gibson, a spokesman for Keep Britain Tidy, asserts that Banksy's work is simple vandalism, and Diane Shakespeare, an official for the same organisation, was quoted as saying: "We are concerned that Banksy's street art glorifies what is essentially vandalism." In his column for "The Guardian", satirist Charlie Brooker wrote of Banksy, "...his work looks dazzlingly clever to idiots."  Banksy has also been long criticised for copying the work of Blek le Rat, who created the life-sized stencil technique in early 1980s Paris and used

Books.

Banksy has published several books that contain photographs of his work accompanied by his own writings:  "Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall", "Existencilism", and "Cut It Out" were a three-part self-published series of small booklets.  "Pictures of Walls" is a compilation book of pictures of the work of other graffiti artists, curated and self-published by Banksy. None of them are still in print, or were ever printed in

External links.

Official websites:  Slideshows and galleries:  News items

Banksy is an anonymous England-based street artist, vandal, political activist, and film director, active since the 1990s. His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark humor with graffiti executed in a distinctive stenciling technique. His works of political and social commentary have been featured on streets, walls and bridges throughout the world. Banksy's work grew out of the Bristol underground scene, which involved collaborations between artists and musicians. Banksy says that he was inspired by 3D, a graffiti artist and founding member of the musical group Massive Attack.

Banksy est le pseudonyme d'un artiste britannique anonyme, actif depuis les années 1990. Il est connu pour son art urbain satirique (ou "street art") et comme réalisateur de films.


Early life, education.

Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn was born on September 17, 1974, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the youngest of three children. Her mother is a painter and massage therapist and together with her father ran a small natural foods bakery throughout Mirah's childhood and adolescence. Her father worked delivering "Rolling Stone" magazine for several years in the late 1970s. Her parents raised the family on macrobiotic foods. Her father was an avid music lover with a large record collection and Mirah developed an early interest in music. As a child, she listened heavily to Motown, 1960s R&B, soul music, and folk music.  Mirah's family moved a number of times between 1974 and 1979, including a stint on a hippie commune near Spencer, West Virginia and several years in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse adjacent to the farm owned by her extended family. The family moved to Bala Cynwyd, a suburb of Philadelphia, in 1979. Her mother's family identifies as Protestant and her father is Jewish. Mirah was raised observing Shabbat and identifies as Jewish.  Mirah took part in a number of anti-nuclear walks during her middle school and high school years, including a 6-week stretch of the 9-month cross country Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament in 1986 when she was 12. In middle school she developed a love of 1980s pop music and female artists such as Sinéad O'Connor and Cyndi Lauper. By the time she got to college, her music collection had expanded to include a diverse range of artists (Huggy Bear, Cat Stevens, The Pretenders, Nina Simone, etc.).

Music career.

Start in Olympia (1990s).

After graduating high school early at 16, Mirah spent a year traveling before moving to Olympia, Washington in 1992 to attend the Evergreen State College. She taught herself guitar and wrote her first song as an assignment for class. While in college she worked at a collectively run vegetarian campus café with Kimya Dawson, who later became her label-mate at K Records.  She was a member of the short-lived all-female Olympia band The Drivers with Molly Burgdorf and Sarah Reed. For a short stint she sang with a swing band and occasionally contributed vocals to an early incarnation of Old Time Relijun. She was briefly the drummer for The Chosen, a Jewish heavy metal duo. In 1996 she began developing her own musical style, composing lo-fi indie pop with vocals and acoustic guitar. Her early style drew comparisons to Liz Phair, and she soon began performing around Olympia under the one-name moniker Mirah.  Mirah was involved with a number of "secret cafes" in Olympia, including The Red Horse Cafe which she and her roommate Ariana Jacob ran out of their one bedroom apartment. The Red Horse Cafe served a different menu every Sunday for a year and a half in 1998/1999. The Red Horse Cafe appears in the documentary short "9 Weeks". She was also involved with several large scale theatrical productions including "The Transfused", a 2000 rock opera written by Nomy Lamm and The Need.  Though surrounded by the local riot grrrl movement of the 1990s, Mirah didn't explicitly associate herself with the genre.  After graduating from the Evergreen State College in 1996, she began experimenting on her 4-track recorder with sounds that would be used on her debut album. Her first EP "Storageland" was released on Yoyo Recordings in 1997 and received a positive review in Allmusic. The 6 song one sided 12" featured an etching on the B side by artist Nikki McClure. According to Laura Leebove in "Venus Zine", listeners were "drawn to the unpolished sound...with its sometimes muffled vocals, raw guitars, and background-noise cracklings." In 1999 she self-released a second EP titled "Parts of Human Desire." The bulk of her first records were recorded at the Dub Narcotic studio space in Olympia Washington.  Olympia musician Phil Elvrum soon invited her to contribute guitar and vocals to his psychedelic pop group The Microphones, and she performs on many Microphones recordings including "Don't Wake Me Up" (1999) and "Window" (2000). She later toured extensively with The Microphones across the US and Canada. According to " The Rumpus", Mirah "was part of the K Records renaissance [of the late '90s] along with bands like The Microphones, The Blow and Old Time Relijun – all highly distinct, idiosyncratic groups with Calvin Johnson's influence perhaps manifesting in the form of a primitivist or intentionally naïve approach."  Mirah joined the Olympia-based label K Records in 1999. Her full-length debut and first album on the label, "You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This", was released on June 6, 2000. Produced by Mirah and Phil Elvrum, it scored 4/5 stars from AllMusic, who called it "a masterpiece of lo-fi beauty" and praised "Mirah's wistful voice and intimately personal lyrics."

Early albums (2000–2005).

"Small Sale EP" is a 2001 album by Mirah released on Modern Radio Records. Songs were recorded from 1999 to 2001 at Mirah's house and the recording studio Dub Narcotic, all while Mirah was still touring for her previous album. It was positively received by Allmusic, who compared Mirah's vocals to Lucinda Williams and called her voice "intoxicatingly endearing, as are the electronic beats and textures she uses as deftly as she does a ukulele or acoustic guitar."  Mirah's second full-length album was recorded over a one-year period, starting on September 17, 2000 and ending on July 4, 2001, and was produced by both Mirah and Phil Elvrum. "Advisory Committee" was released on K Records on March 19, 2002, and was well-received, earning an Allmusic score of 4.5/5 and a Pitchfork Media score of 8.3/10, who praised the maturity of her voice and lyrics.  Mirah's "Cold Cold Water EP" was released on March 19, 2002 on K Records. It received a positive review in Pitchfork, who praised the title track, stating "the song is deadly serious, dark, and full of the kind of not-so vague sexual innuendos we've come to expect from Mirah. Then, Phil Elvrum's panoramic, Morricone-esque production technique explodes onto the soundstage." Pitchfork called the other three tracks "admirable bedroom folk."  "Songs from the Black Mountain Music Project" is a collaboration between Mirah and Ginger Brooks Takahashi. It was written by Mirah and Takahashi in a secluded house in the Blue Ridge Mountains in 2002, and recorded using a Tascam four-track and a mini-disc recorder. According to Allmusic, "the chirping birds, lonesome train whistles, and buzzing insects that pop up throughout [the album] make it feel like a collection of audio postcards from Takahashi and Mirah's vacation." K Records released the album on August 19, 2003.  After living in Washington state for about ten years, Mirah moved to Portland, Oregon around early 2004.  Performed by Mirah and the Black Cat Orchestra, "To All We Stretch the Open Arm" is a collection of political songs by a variety of songwriters. Songs include covers of artists such as Fausto Amodei, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Kurt Weill, Bertholt Brecht, Horacio Guarany, and Stephen Foster, and several original songs by Mirah as well. Recorded in Seattle in early 2003, it was released on Yoyo Records in 2004 to a positive review in Allmusic and a mixed review from Pitchfork. According to Allmusic, "While the album certainly addresses war and oppression with an appropriately somber tone, "To All We Stretch the Open Arm" doesn't lose sight of how important passion and wit are to any good protest."  "C'mon Miracle" is Mirah's third full-length solo album. Several of the songs on "C'mon Miracle" reflect her experience visiting South America, specifically Buenos Aires, Argentina. The two songs recorded in Buenos Aires were co-produced with Mirah's long-time collaborator Bryce Kasson, also known as Bryce Panic. The rest of the tracks were co-produced with Phil Elvrum. The album was released on K Records on May 4, 2004 to a positive reception, earning "Best New Music" and a 8.5/10 rating from Pitchfork.  She released a music video for the "C'mon Miracle" single "Don't Die in Me," which was created by Tara Jane O'Neil and Kristina Davies and features animated drawings and paintings by O'Neil.  "" is a double CD containing remixes of Mirah's material by K Records artists, such as Guy Sigsworth, Anna Oxygen, Tender Forever, Yacht, Mount Eerie, Khaela Maricich, Lucky Dragons and Electrosexual. Released by K Records on November 21, 2006, the album was positively received, scoring 3.5/5 from Allmusic and 3/5 from "Tiny Mix Tapes".

Collaborations (2006–2008).

Mirah's music is featured in the 2006 documentary, "Young, Jewish, and Left". Around 2006 she began working with Portland-based musician Tara Jane O'Neil, with O'Neil joining Mirah's live band and co-headlining a tour to Europe. Mirah played at the Sasquatch Festival in the summer of 2007. Released on K Records on August 7, 2007, "" is a collaborative album between Mirah and Spectratone International (Lori Goldston and Kyle Hanson, formerly of the Black Cat Orchestra). The subject matter revolves around the lives of insects, and the album was inspired by the writing of 19th century entomologist and poet J. Henri Fabre, as well as "The Insect Play" by Karel Čapek. Stop motion films by Britta Johnson were also a part of the project. According to Allmusic, "[the songs] are intricate and beautifully made, giving a larger scale to the big events in these tiny lives – birth, death, mating, eating, sacrifice, survival – while keeping the details that make them fascinating." As of September 2008 she was touring and performing with Spectratone International, playing a string of gigs on the west coast.  In 2008, she had an essay published in the book "Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls."  "The Old Days Feeling" is a collection of out-of-print, reissued, and unreleased songs by Mirah, featuring collaborative work by Phil Elvrum and Calvin Johnson of K Records. In the genre of indie rock and recorded in a lo-fi style, it was released on Modern Radio Records on July 15, 2008, to a positive reception. Pitchfork Media gave it a score of 7.5/10, while Tiny Mix Tapes gave it 3.5/5.  In July 2008 her song "The Garden" was featured in the TV show "So You Think You Can Dance". The song, which had been previously released on her 2002 album "Advisory Committee," also charted at #45 on the US Top Heatseekers song chart, reaching #31 on the same chart in Canada.

Live performances, touring.

Between 1998 and 2009 she toured extensively, mostly in the US and Canada with smaller stints in Europe and Japan, all within a network of underground and DIY spaces and promoters. These shows would happen at house parties, all-ages spaces and small clubs. She performed at Ladyfest in Seattle, Philadelphia, London, and Amsterdam, as well as at several Yoyo A Go Go festivals. In 2009 she started working with the Billions booking agency.  "(a)spera", the title of Mirah's fourth full-length studio album, released on March 10, 2009, is a play on the Latin words for hope and difficulty. It was her first solo album after a four-year hiatus spent working on collaborations and. As with many of her previous releases it was co-produced by Phil Elverum and released on K Records. She also worked with Grammy-nominated producer Tucker Martine on 4 of the tracks.

Recent releases (2009–present).

The album peaked on the "Billboard" Top Heatseekers chart at #46, and received largely positive reviews. PopMatters praised Elverum's production, stating, "The musical marriage of Mirah and Elverum is one of those rare perfect meeting of the minds—Jay-Z and Kanye, Butch Vig and Kurt Cobain...through the intelligent production of Elvrum...she is able to set her thoughts upon soaring mountains of musical genius."  As of May 2009 she had toured both the US and Europe in support of the album, and she moved to San Francisco in November of that year. Her 2010 music video for "The Forest" (from "(a)spera") was directed by Lauryn Siegel and has choreography by Faye Driscoll and photographed by Ava Berkofsky.  In early 2010, after performing with singer-songwriter Thao Nguyen at the Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco, the two announced a 2010 North American tour, billed under the name Thao and Mirah with the Most of All. They performed a collaborative set and shared vocal duties on each artist's respective songs. They subsequently recorded a full-length album of original material called "Thao + Mirah". Produced by musician Merrill Garbus of the band Tune-Yards, the album was released by Kill Rock Stars on. It was well received by music critics; according to Pitchfork, "everything on "Thao & Mirah" feels of a cohesive collaborative piece, separate from either artist's solo work, a combination that synthesizes their individual strengths to outstanding effect."  The two toured in support of the album while working with Air Traffic Control, an organization that provides artists a platform for social activism.  She released a solo EP "Don't/The Tears That Fall EP" in 2010 as a vinyl single on K Records. Also in 2010 her track "Engine Heart" off "You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This" was used in the soundtrack for the romantic comedy "Love & Other Drugs". In October 2011 her song "Special Death" was featured in the TV show "American Horror Story".  Her 2011 release of the digital single "Low Self Control" was produced by Christopher Doulgeris and the accompanying video was by Doulgeris and Aubree Bernier-Clarke.  She began living part-time in Brooklyn in October 2012, moving there full-time in the fall of 2013.  Mirah co-wrote a song called "The Nest" which appeared on Jherek Bischoff's 2012 album "Composed", and she has performed that song and others with various ensembles in Seattle and New York City, including. Mirah and Bischoff first performed "The Nest" (and several of Mirah's songs which Bischoff arranged for orchestra) live at the 2012 Ecstatic Music Festival in NYC with notable vocalists including David Byrne, and again at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn in 2014.  As part of the "Portland's Indies" series, she had a 2013 performance with the Oregon Symphony. She also wrote a piece collaboratively with percussionist and composer Susie Ibarra, which they debuted at the 2014 Ecstatic Music Festival (NYC). The opera piece is titled "We Float," and according to the Kaufman Music Center, is about "exploring the substance and ethereality of spacewalks, sound and the human experience."  "Changing Light", was released on May 13, 2014. "Changing Light" features guest appearances by Mary Timony, Deerhoof's Greg Saunier, Jherek Bischoff, Emily Wells and Heather McEntire. Bischoff wrote the string arrangements for many of the tracks. "Changing Light" was released on Mirah's imprint, Absolute Magnitude Records, in collaboration with K Records.  "Glide Magazine" gave it 9/10 stars, stating the album "covers a lot of earthly ground, from animals to nature and seasons..."Light" deals with being in transition on deep levels, confronting mortality in fascinating ways." The review described her vocals as "gauzy, but never thin, and this time around she sounds a bit world-wearier. But it works for her, adding a smoky sultriness, and subtle imperfections that make each song rawer because of it."  Sundial EP (2017)  Mirah's project, "Sundial EP," was released on October 6, 2017 on her imprint label Absolute Magnitude Recordings. In another beautiful collaboration with Jherek Bischoff, the "Sundial EP" reworks six songs from Mirah's back catalogue with the addition of the EP's title track "Sundial. "Both airy and thoughtful, "Sundial" stretches heavenward with rising strings and Mirah's voice at its most ethereal as it describes a cluster of ancient beings watching from everywhere in the universe at once—stars, urging the people on their orbiting planets to make their own happiness""  Understanding (2018)  On September 7, 2018 Mirah released her 2nd full length album on her imprint label Absolute Magnitude Recordings, "Understanding". The 10-track record stems from demos recorded during Mirah's time in residency at the Headlands Center for the Arts in Northern California. Mirah returned to New York and fleshed out the rest of the album with frequent collaborators Greg Saunier (of Deerhoof) and Eli Crews (Tune Yards, Julie Ruin). Mirah released four singles to accompany the album - "Hot Hot", "Information", "Lighthouse", and "Ordinary Day". She also released a music video for "Lake/Ocean", which follows Mirah on her journey through the Alaskan Inside Passage, confronting her fear of water and darkness. The album's first track, "Counting," is featured on the TV show "Veronica Mars".  You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This: 20 Year Anniversary Reissue (2020)  On July 31, 2020 Mirah will release a deluxe reissue version of her seminal LP, "You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This", via Double Double Whammy. The original record was remastered by Josh Bonati and the double LP includes a full tribute album featuring over twenty contributing artists. Many of the artists have been longtime collaborators of Mirah's, such as Mount Eerie and The Blow, and many newer artists inspired by Mirah's catalog, including Half Waif, Shamir, Palehound, Mal Blum and more.

Style, equipment.

As a vocalist, songwriter, and experimental pop recording artist, Mirah typically works independently while songwriting, though frequently collaborates as a recording artist. In 2007, she began writing collaboratively for the first time with Spectratone International.  According to "The Rumpus" in 2011, "Mirah's early records...are DIY mini-masterpieces that express a punk sensibility through broken drum machines, reverb-drenched guitars and ukulele, singing with frank sexuality in an occasionally child-like voice. Her more recent albums...are mature, complex and immaculately-produced."  She primarily plays guitar and also has guest musicians accompany her live and on records. According to Mirah in 2008, "I play the same guitar as I did when I first started out. I only own two guitars, my Gibson and a little acoustic...So for me, the simpler the better onstage. Just me and my guitar, and sometimes just me and my voice, my favorite instrument."  Mirah's ever-evolving live band has included friends and artists such as Bryce Kasson, Tara Jane O'Neil, Rachel Blumberg, Melanie Valera, Alex Guy, Andrew Maguire, Lisa Schonberg, Lori Goldston, Emily Kingan, Christopher Doulgeris, Maia MacDonald and many others.

Personal life.

As of 2014 Mirah is based in Brooklyn, New York. Her older sister is Emily Ana Zeitlyn of The Weeds and Divers. Her partner is film-maker Todd Chandler. On September 5, 2018, she announced that she and her partner were pregnant with their first child.

Mirah (born Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn) is an American musician and songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York. After getting her start in the music scene of Olympia, Washington in the late 1990s, she released a number of well-received solo albums on K Records, including "You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This" (2000) and "Advisory Committee" (2002). Her 2009 album "(a)spera" peaked on the "Billboard" Top Heatseekers chart at #46, while her 2011 collaborative album "Thao + Mirah" peaked at #7.

Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn (née le à Philadelphie), est une musicienne américaine. Elle a sorti de nombreux albums sous le label K Records. Elle a collaboré avec Phil Elvrum de The Microphones. Elle a également travaillé avec The Black Cat Orchestra.


History.

Formation and early years (1998–1999).

The band was formed in 1998, originally called The Elements. After discovering that another band had the same name, the members changed the name to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, after Marlon Brando's motorcycle gang in the 1953 film "The Wild One".  Bassist Robert Levon Been and guitarist Peter Hayes met at high school in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Lafayette and formed a band, Hayes having recently left The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Been has said in interviews that Hayes had a turbulent home life and would park and sleep in his car outside the Been household. After about a year of doing this, Been and his father Michael persuaded Hayes to live with them. Later, the pair started looking for a drummer. They met Nick Jago, from Devon, England, who had moved to California to be with his parents after spending some time at Winchester School of Art, where he was studying fine art. The vocals are shared between Been and Peter Hayes.

"B.R.M.C." and "Take Them On, On Your Own" (2000–2003).

The band's first two records "B.R.M.C." (2001) and "Take Them On, On Your Own" (2003) were indebted to classic hard rock influenced by Led Zeppelin and also encompassed slower paced psychedelic rock, space rock, and noise pop influences from bands such as The Verve, Loop, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Their second album (recorded with producer Rik Simpson) has several songs such as "Generation" and "US Government" that are critical of the United States government.  Been used the pseudonym 'Robert Turner' on the first two records, in an attempt not to be linked to his father (Michael Been of The Call). He later dropped this identity when promoting "Howl". The senior Been later toured with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club as part of their sound crew.  In 2003, a concert in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, had to be cancelled halfway through the set, after Leeds City Council officials suspected the 150-year-old floor of Leeds Town Hall might collapse. This led to the band sometimes being referred to as 'the band who broke the floor'. Problems with drummer Nick Jago began surfacing publicly at the 2003 NME Awards, when Jago remained on stage for nine minutes, completely silent, while accepting an award.

"Howl" (2004–2006).

After conflict with their record label, the band was dropped by Virgin Records in 2004. Jago's conflicts came to a head in Scotland, when Jago and Hayes came to blows after a tense gig. Before long, Jago quit. As such, Jago did not take part in the sessions for the band's third album, "Howl". Instead, he went through various rehab attempts, eventually rejoining the band in time to record one track, the ballad "Promise".  In 2005, the band signed to Echo in the UK, and RCA in the U.S. "Howl" was released to mostly favorable reviews. "Howl" had a stripped-down folk style, a departure from the earlier B.R.M.C. sound. Several of the songs on "Howl" are said to have been written long before the idea of B.R.M.C. was conceived. On tour for this album the band also employed a temporary fourth member, guitarist Spike Keating.

"Baby 81" and "The Effects of 333" (2007–2009).

By 2007, Nick Jago had rejoined BRMC. The band's fourth album, "Baby 81", was released on April 30, 2007 in the UK and Europe and May 1, 2007 in the U.S.  On June 6, 2007, BRMC performed in a concert that was streamed live on the internet via MSN Music.  In June 2008, Jago once again left BRMC's touring line-up, being replaced by The Raveonettes' touring drummer Leah Shapiro. Jago stated he "took it as I am fired again and to be honest with you I respect their decision". However, Hayes and Been issued a statement reading: "Nick won't be joining us for the upcoming European tour, but it's not true that he is fired. We just feel Nick needs time to sort out exactly what he wants right now. His heart and all his energy and attention is on his own solo project and he needs to see that through." However, in October 2015 Hayes admitted that "We were ready to be an international band that never toured the States again. Thank God, we got his (Jago) visa back and we were able to play together again until we fired him, but that’s a whole other story when things got even darker".  On October 27, 2008, the band announced via a MySpace bulletin that they would release their newest album independently. The album would be their first release through their own "Abstract Dragon" label. The album, titled, "The Effects of 333" is instrumental and was made available as a digital download through their music store on 3:33 A.M Pacific Time on November 1, 2008.  On November 10, 2009, BRMC released a live DVD through Vagrant Records. It was recorded in Glasgow, Berlin, and Dublin during the Baby 81 world tour.

"Beat the Devil's Tattoo" (2010–2011).

A song by BRMC, "Done All Wrong", appeared on to the 2009 film "".  BRMC's sixth studio album, "Beat the Devil's Tattoo" was released March 8, 2010 in the UK and Europe and March 9, 2010 in North America. The band went on a world tour that lasted from February to December.  On August 19, 2010, after the band's performance at the Pukkelpop Festival in Belgium, Robert's father Michael Been died backstage of a heart attack.  On November 1, 2010, the band released their second live DVD, called "Live in London", on their own website and at HMV stores in the UK. The DVD would also be for sale at the band's headlining shows throughout the tour. It was filmed in front of a sold-out London Forum on April 23, the same year. This is the last project Michael Been has worked on with the band, mixing it.  As of 2011, the band has started working on their 7th album, which was released in 2013. In between the recording sessions the band performed a South American tour and played their first shows in South Africa, as part of the Synergy Festival in Cape Town and China, in Beijing and Shanghai.  The band went on a brief successful three-show tour of small clubs in California to promote the album. These shows were at Slim's in San Francisco, The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, and The Troubador of Los Angeles on the December 19, 20 and 21, respectively. All three shows sold out and BRMC played to packed houses each night where the setlist ranged from classics to quite a bit of new material.

"Specter at the Feast" (2013–2016).

After the success of these first shows, the band announced several more shows across Europe with stops in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy among other countries. The last announced show was at the Austin Psych Fest on April 26, 2013.  On January 9, 2013, the band announced via Facebook the name of their seventh album called "Specter at the Feast" which was released on March 18 in the UK and Europe and on March 19 in U.S., Canada and worldwide.  It received mostly positive reviews; many critics noting that despite the band having been together for some time the album showed a mellower and moodier side with songs such as opener "Firewalker".  The band made the first single from the record available, a cover of The Call's 1989 hit "Let the Day Begin", as a free download on their website. The decision to record the song was a tribute to Robert's father Michael, who used his experience from The Call to help BRMC in the last couple of years before his death. The single became "Q" Magazine's track of the day. The same song also reached a worldwide audience when BBC's "Top Gear" used it for its 21st season trailer both on the live TV show and online. The band have also released the "Let the Day Begin" EP free, the EP consists of the single and the album track "Returning", made available for streaming on the official website.  The band continued to show a willingness to tour despite obstacles. During the 2013 tour, the organisers of the Harvest festival in Australia decided to abandon the multi-city event, of which BRMC were one of the lead acts, only a few months ahead of the performances. BRMC was the first band to announce it would still visit the country and play its own shows. Several sold out.  On October 2, 2014, the band announced they were in the studio mixing the audio for a forthcoming live album and DVD recorded in Paris during the Specter at the Feast tour.

"Wrong Creatures" (2017–present).

In May 2017, the band confirmed they were working on a new studio album to be released in the fall of 2017. On September 12, 2017, they announced the album, "Wrong Creatures", would be released on January 12, 2018. The announcement was accompanied by the release of the first track, "Little Thing Gone Wild".

Band members.

Current members  Former members

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (sometimes abbreviated to BRMC) is an American rock band from San Francisco, California. The group originally consisted of Peter Hayes (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Robert Levon Been (vocals, bass, guitar), and Nick Jago (drums). Jago departed the band in 2008 and was subsequently replaced by Leah Shapiro.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club est un groupe de rock américain, originaire de San Francisco. Il est basé à Los Angeles, et constitué de Peter Hayes (chant, guitare, basse), Robert Turner (de son vrai nom Robert Levon Been ; basse, guitare, chant), et Leah Shapiro (batterie). Robert Turner a choisi un pseudonyme afin de s'affranchir de l'influence de son père, Michael Been, chanteur de.


Medieval and Renaissance literature.

The earliest appearances of Sagramore, as Sagremor, can be found in the stories by Chrétien de Troyes, where he is one of King Arthur's great warriors and champions. In the later Prose "Tristan", Sagramore is portrayed as a great friend to the Cornish knight Tristan, and even the one who alerts the rest of the Round Table to his death. In Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur", Sagramore's prowess varies from situation to situation; he usually serves to lose jousts to better knights, but at times he is a valiant fighter.  Sagramore is also the subject of a fragmentary German romance, "Segremors", the surviving portions of which describe his journey to an island ruled by a fay and his undesired combat with his friend Gawain. In Jorge Ferreira de Vasconcelos' 16th-century Portuguese "Triunfos de Sagramor" ("Triumphs of Sagramore") or "Memorial das Proezas da Segunda Távola Redonda" ("Memorial of the Deeds of the Second Round Table"), Sagramore and legendary British king Constantine III are fused into a single person, Sagramor Constantino, portrayed as the heir to Arthur who forms a new Round Table to fight the Saxons and keep the glory of Arthurian Britain.

Vulgate Cycle.

According to the Lancelot-Grail (Vulgate) Cycle, Sagramore was born as the son of the King of Hungary and the daughter of the Eastern Roman Emperor; he was even an heir to the throne of Constantinople. His father died while he was still young, and his mother accepted the proposal of King Brandegoris of Estangore in Britain. When he is fifteen, Sagramore travels to Britain to join them and to become one of King Arthur's knights. Upon arrival in Britain, Sagramore engages Arthur's enemies with aid from Arthur's nephew Gawain and his brothers: they are all subsequently knighted by Arthur.  The Lancelot-Grail describes him as a good knight, but quick to anger. When fighting, he would go into a frenzy not unlike the Irish hero Cúchulainn's warp spasm; when he came down, he would feel ill and hungry. As he was wont to do, Kay gave him a nickname, ""Morte Jeune"" (Dead Youth), because he would sometimes go into epilepsy-like fits. The Lancelot-Grail recounts a number of his adventures, often centered around rescuing damsels, and mentions that he had a daughter by one of his paramours who was raised at Arthur's court by Guinevere. His half-sister, Brandegoris' beautiful daughter Claire, falls in love with Bors and sleeps with him; their child is Elyan the White. He dies by Mordred's hand as one of Arthur's last remaining warriors in their final battle.

Modern fiction.

Sagramore appears with some regularity in modern Arthurian literature and other fiction.

Sir Sagramore (also known as Sagremor and many other variations) is a Knight of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He appears in standalone and cyclical chivalric romances and other works, including some where he is the titular protagonist. Sagramore's characterisation varies from story to story, but generally he is characterised as a virtuous but hot-tempered knight who fights fiercely and ragefully. He gains a number of nicknames, including "the Hothead" ("li Desreez") and "the Desirous" ("le Désiré").

Sagramor ou Sagremor est un personnage de la légende arthurienne, chevalier de la Table Ronde dans les romans de Chrétien de Troyes. Il apparait dans "Érec et Énide", "Cligès ou la Fausse Morte", "Yvain ou le Chevalier au Lion" et "Perceval ou le Conte du Graal". On le trouve également dans d'autre contes arthuriens, comme "Le Livre de Caradoc", "Perlesvaus", le "Lancelot-Graal" ou "La Mort Artu".


Grail castle and Corbenic.

In Chrétien de Troyes' "Perceval, the Story of the Grail" (c. 1190), one of the first works to mention the Grail, the Grail castle is described somewhat differently than in later literature, and is given no name. In Wolfram von Eschenbach's "Parzival" (ca. 1210s), based on Chrétien, the Grail castle's name is Munsalväsche (rendering "Monsalvat", in medieval tradition associated with the name of the mountain Montserrat in Catalonia).  As befits the castle of the Grail, Corbenic is a place of marvels, including, at various times, a maiden trapped in a magically boiling cauldron, a dragon, and a room where arrows assail any who try to spend the night there. Witnessing some of these wonders cause Sir Bors to name it the Castle Adventurous, "for here be many strange adventures" ("Le Morte d'Arthur", book XI). Yet it can also appear quite ordinary: on an earlier occasion, according to the "Lancelot-Grail", the same Bors visited without noticing anything unusual. Perhaps conscious of this apparent contradiction, T.H. White in "The Once and Future King" treats Corbenic as two separate places: Corbin is the relatively mundane dwelling-place of King Pelles, while Carbonek is the mystical castle where the climax of the Grail Quest takes place.  Corbenic has a town, and a bridge which Sir Bromell la Pleche swears to defend against all comers for a year, for love of Pelles' daughter Elaine ("Morte", books XI–XII). It is on the coast, or at least is mystically moved there for the purposes of the Grail Quest: Sir Lancelot arrives at Corbenic by sea at the climax of his personal quest. Corbenic's seaward gate is guarded by two lions, aided by either a dwarf ("Morte", book XVII) or a flaming hand (Lancelot-Grail).  It is unclear whether Corbenic is to be identified with the castle inadvertently levelled by Sir Balin when he delivers the Dolorous Stroke upon King Pellam ("Morte", book II); if so, then Corbenic is in Listeneise (and is presumably rebuilt at some point). The Lancelot-Grail gives the name of its kingdom only as the 'Foreign Country'.

Cor-beneic : 'Blessed Horn' and 'Blessed Body'.

Helaine Newstead and Roger Sherman Loomis have presented a convincing case for the origins of the name Corbenic in a myth concerning a type of Welsh cornucopia - to wit, the horn (of plenty) of Brân the Blessed, a magical, food-providing talisman. The argument hinges on confusion resulting from two possible meanings for the Old French "li cors" (a nominative case form) which can mean both 'the body' (Modern French "le corps") and 'the horn' (Modern French "la corne"), leading to the mistranslation, by Christian authors, of "li cors beneit" as "the blessed body" - the latter readily construed as a reference either to the body of Christ or to the body of a saint preserved as a holy relic. The common scribal error of misreading the letter 't' as a 'c' yielded the second element "-ben(e)ic". The original name of Castle Corbenic can thus be reconstructed as "Chastiaus del Cor Beneit" - the "Castle of the Blessed Horn" (of Brân) - subsequently misunderstood to mean the "Castle of the Blessed Body" (of Christ). The origins of the maimed Fisher King, master of the Grail Castle of Corbenic may be found in the maimed King Brân the Blessed, whose story is told in Branwen ferch Llŷr, second of the Four Branches of the "Mabinogi".

Corbenic (Carbone[c]k, Corbin) is the name of the Grail castle, the edifice housing the Holy Grail in the Arthurian literary tradition. It first appears by that name in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle and figures in Thomas Malory's 15th-century "Le Morte d'Arthur". It is the domain of the Fisher King and the birthplace of Galahad.

Corbénic, ou Carbonek, est un lieu de la légende arthurienne, le château qui renferme le « Palais aventureux », où se trouve le Graal. C'est la résidence de Pellés, le roi Mehaignié (aussi appelé le Roi pêcheur). Il en était une sorte de gardien.


Taxonomy.

"Felis spelaea" was the scientific name used by the German paleontologist Georg August Goldfuss in 1810 for a fossil lion skull that was excavated in a cave in southern Germany. It possibly dates to the Würm glaciation.  Several authors regarded "Panthera spelaea" as a subspecies of the modern lion and therefore "Panthera leo spelaea". However, results from morphological studies indicate that it is distinct in cranial and dental anatomy to justify specific status of "Panthera spelaea". Results of phylogenetic studies also support this assessment.  In 2001, the subspecies "P. spelaea vereshchagini" was proposed for seven specimens found in Siberia and Yukon, which have smaller skulls and teeth than average member of "P. spelaea". Genetic analysis using ancient DNA provided no evidence for their distinct subspecific status; DNA signatures from "P. spelaea" from Europe and Alaska were indistinguishable, suggesting one large panmictic population.  One author considered the cave lion to be more closely related to the tiger based on a comparison of skull shapes, and proposed the scientific name "Panthera tigris spelaea".

Evolution.

Lion-like pantherine felids first appeared in the Tanzanian Olduvai Gorge about. These cats dispersed to Europe from East Africa in the first half of the Middle Pleistocene, gving rise to "P. fossilis" in Central Europe by 610,000 years ago. "Panthera spelaea" evolved from "P. fossilis" about 460,000 years ago in central Europe during the late Saalian glaciation or early Eemian and would have been common throughout Eurasia from 450,000-14,000 years ago. Recent nuclear genomic evidence suggest that interbreeding between modern lions and all Eurasian fossil lions took place up until 500,000 years ago, but by 470,000 years ago, no subsequent interbreeding between the two lineages occurred.  "P. spelaea" bone fragments excavated in Poland were radiocarbon dated to between the early and late Weichselian glaciation, and are between 109,000 and 57,000 years old. In Eurasia, it became extinct between 14,900 and 14,100 years ago, and survived in Beringia until 13,800 to 13,300 years ago as the Weichselian glaciation receded. Mitochondrial DNA sequence data from fossil lion remains show that the American lion represents a sister group of "P. spelaea", and likely arose when an early "P. spelaea" population became isolated south of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet about 340,000 years ago. The following cladogram shows the genetic relationship between "P. spelaea" and other pantherine cats.

Characteristics.

"P. spelaea" is known from Paleolithic cave paintings, ivory carvings, and clay figurines. These archaeological artifacts indicate that it may have been featured in Paleolithic religious rituals. A drawing in France's Chauvet cave, estimated to be 30,000 years old, depicts two cave lions walking together. The one in the foreground is slightly smaller than the one in the background, which has been drawn with a scrotum and without a mane. Such cave paintings suggest that male cave lions completely lacked manes, or at most had very small manes.  "P. spelaea" was thought to have been one of the largest lion species. The skeleton of an adult male found in 1985 near Siegsdorf in Germany had a shoulder height of around and a head-body length of without the tail, similar in size to large modern lions. The size of this male was exceeded by other specimens, with another male reaching long without the tail. Similarly, footprints attributed to a male cave lion measured across. This shows that "P. spelaea" would have been up to or over 12% larger than modern lions, but still smaller than the earlier "Panthera fossilis" or the American lion ("P. atrox"). Cave paintings almost exclusively show hunting animals without a mane, suggesting that males were indeed maneless. "P. spelaea" had a relatively longer and narrower muzzle compared to that of the extant lion. Despite this, the two species do not exhibit major differences in morphology. Like modern lions, females were smaller than males.  In 2016, hair found near the Maly Anyuy River was identified as cave lion hair through DNA analysis. Comparison with hair of a modern lion revealed that cave lion hair was probably similar in colour as that of the modern lion, though slightly lighter. In addition, the cave lion is thought to have had a very thick and dense undercoat comprising closed and compressed yellowish-to-white wavy downy hair with a smaller mass of darker-coloured guard hairs, possibly an adaptation to the Ice Age climate.

Distribution and habitat.

"P. spelaea" formed a contiguous population from Europe to Alaska over the Bering land bridge, across the range of the mammoth steppe. It was widely distributed from the Iberian peninsula, Southeast Europe, Great Britain, Central Europe, the East European Plain, and across most of northern Eurasia into Canada and Alaska. The oldest known fossils were excavated in northeastern Yakutia and were radiocarbon dated at 62,400 years old. The youngest known fossils are dated 11,925 years old and originated near Fairbanks, Alaska. Phalanx bones excavated in Spain's La Garma cave complex were radiocarbon dated to 14,300–14,000 years old. In Slovakia, skull, femur and pelvis remains were excavated in ten Karst caves in hilly and montane areas at elevations from. In Yakutia's Khayrgas Cave, bones of "P. spelaea" were found together with remains of humans, wolf, reindeer, Pleistocene horse and fish in a layer dated 13,200–21,500 years old. In 2008, a well-preserved mature cave lion specimen was unearthed near the Maly Anyuy River in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in Russia, which still retained some clumps of hair. The cave lion was probably predominantly found in open habitits such as steppe and grasslands although it would have also have occurred in open woodlands as well.

Discoveries.

In 2015, two frozen cave lion cubs, estimated to be between 25,000 and 55,000 years old, were discovered close to the Uyandina River in Yakutia, Siberia in permafrost. Research results indicate that the cubs were likely barely a week old at the time of their deaths, as their milk teeth had not fully erupted. Further evidence suggests the cubs were hidden at a den site until they were strong enough to follow their mother back to the pride, as with modern lions. Researchers believe that the cubs were trapped and killed by a landslide, and that the absence of oxygen underground hindered their decomposition and allowed the cubs to be preserved in such good condition. A second expedition to the site where the cubs were found was planned for 2016, in hopes of finding either the remains of a third cub or possibly the cubs' mother.  In 2017, another frozen specimen, thought to be a lion cub, was found in Yakutia on the banks of the Tirekhtyakh River (), a tributary of the Indigirka River. Named 'Boris', this cat was believed to be slightly older than the 2015 cubs at the time of its death; it is estimated to have been around one and a half to two months. In 2018, another preserved carcass of a cub was found in a location away. Named 'Spartak', it was considered to be around a month old when it died approximately 50,000 years ago, and presumed to be a sibling to Boris.

Palaeobiology.

"P. spelaea" inhabited open environment such as mammoth steppe and boreal forest. It was one of the keystone species of the mammoth steppe, being one of the main apex predators alongside the grey wolf and the brown bear. Large amounts of bones belonging to "P. spelaea" were excavated in caves, where bones of cave hyena, cave bear and Paleolithic artefacts were also found. It is unclear whether this animal was social like the modern lion, with some evidence suggesting that it may have been solitary.  Isotopic analyses of bone collagen samples extracted from fossils indicate that cave bear cubs, reindeer and other cervids were prominent in the diet of cave lions. Later cave lions seem to have preyed foremost on reindeer, up to the brink of local extinction or extirpation of both species.Other possible prey species were giant deer, red deer, wild horse, musk ox, bison, young woolly rhino and young woolly mammoth. It likely competed for prey with the European Ice Age leopard ("P. pardus spelaea") as well as cave hyenas, cave bears and wolves. An Isotope analysis study suggested most sampled "P. spelea" specimens were primarily consuming reindeer.

Panthera spelaea, also known as the "Eurasian cave lion", "European cave lion", or "steppe lion", is an extinct "Panthera" species that evolved in Europe probably after the third Cromerian interglacial stage, less than 600,000 years ago. Phylogenetic analysis of fossil bone samples revealed that it was highly distinct and genetically isolated from the modern lion ("Panthera leo") occurring in Africa and Asia. Analysis of morphological differences and mitochondrial data support the taxonomic recognition of "Panthera spelaea" as a distinct species that diverged from the lion about 1.9 million years ago. Nuclear genomic evidence suggests a more recent split approximately 500,000 years ago, with no subsequent interbreeding with the ancestors of the modern lion. The oldest known bone fragments were excavated in Yakutia and radiocarbon dated at least 62,400 years old. It became extinct about 13,000 years ago.

Le lion des cavernes eurasiatique (Panthera spelaea) est une espèce éteinte de grands félins, apparentée au lion, qui peuplait l’Eurasie durant la seconde moitié du Pléistocène.


Geography.

The geology is similar to that of the Côte d'Or, but the gentle relief means that vines are mixed with other forms of farming in most of the area. In the south the land rises up to form Mont de Pouilly and other limestone hills, covered in the alkaline clay that best suits Chardonnay. The villages of Vergisson, Solutré-Pouilly, Fuissé and Chaintré shelter at their feet, and are home to the best wines of the region.

History.

Mâcon was a major crossroads in Roman times, and grapes would have been brought by the Romans if they were not already cultivated by the Celts. Viticulture was further encouraged by local religious foundations; the province was dominated by the bishopric of Mâcon during the Dark Ages.  The region formed the border between the Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire from 843-1600 and grew rich on customs duties in that time. A secular Count of Mâcon is not recorded until after 850; from 926 the countship became hereditary. The last Count of Mâcon and of Vienne died in 1224 and the lands passed to his daughter, Alix de Bourgogne (Alice of Burgundy); when her husband died in 1239, she sold the Mâconnais to Louis IX of France. The 1435 Treaty of Arras saw Charles VII of France cede it to Philip, Duke of Burgundy, but in 1477 it reverted to France, upon the death of duke Charles the Bold. Emperor Charles V definitively recognized the Mâconnais as French at the Treaty of Cambrai in 1529.  After the fall of the Bastille in 1789, the mountain peasants of Mâconnais revolted. Many were executed by the urban militias of Mâcon, Cluny and Tournus after much brigandage.

Appellations.

Mâconnais consists of the following appellations. The regional Burgundy appellations - Bourgogne, Bourgogne Aligoté, Coteaux Bourguignons, Bourgogne Passe-tout-grains, Crémant de Bourgogne, Bourgogne mousseux - may also be used for wine from this area.

Appellation regulations.

The following rules apply to the different wines from the Mâcon appellation:

Production.

In 2010, the total Mâconnais vineyards covered. Of this, of vineyard surface was in production for the specific appellations of the Mâconnais, and some for regional Burgundy appellations. In the Mâconnais appellations, 342 648 hectoliters of wine were produced, of which 316 725 hl of white wine and 25 933 of rosé and red wine. This corresponds to 45.7 million bottles of wine, of which 42.2 million bottles of white and 3.5 million bottles of red. The production was distributed as follows:

The Mâconnais district is located in the south of the Burgundy wine region in France, west of the Saône river. It takes its name from the town of Mâcon. It is best known as a source of good value white wines made from the Chardonnay grape; the wines from Pouilly-Fuissé are particularly sought-after. Almost all the wine made in the Mâconnais is white wine. Chardonnay is the main grape grown in the district—in fact, there is a village of that name in the far north of the region. Some plantations of Gamay and Pinot noir are made into red and rosé Mâcon, making up no more than 30% of the total wine production. Gamay is grown in the Beaujolais cru of Moulin-à-Vent, which extends into the Mâconnais, but has little in common with the wines north of the border.

Le Mâconnais est une région naturelle française située en Saône-et-Loire. Elle est assise sur une partie de la bordure orientale du Massif central et ses limites géographiques recoupent à peu près celles de l'arrondissement de Mâcon. Ses principales villes sont Mâcon, Cluny (petite capitale du Clunisois) et Tournus (petite capitale du Tournugeois). Ces trois villes enserrent le Haut-Mâconnais, micro-région regroupant les villages viticoles situés autour de Lugny.