Five For Fighting Biography
Five for Fighting has one main member, John Ondrasik, who considers himself mainly a singer and songwriter, though he is also competent as a guitarist and pianist. The name he picked for his band refers to a form of discipline used in the turbulent sport of hockey. Players who fight during the game are sent storming away to cool down for five minutes in a penalty box. In other words, they get five for fighting.
Ondrasik, born and raised in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, started his musical training when he was only two years old. His mother, a piano teacher, gave him lessons. When he was around 13, he appropriated -- which is a nicer way of putting it than saying stole -- his sister's guitar. He taught himself to use this instrument and soon to write music. Somewhere along the way, he also took vocal lessons in opera. He soon discovered that opera wasn't his cup of tea, and Ondrasik leaned toward music by artists like Billy Joel, Journey, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
In 1997 Ondrasik, using the stage name Five for Fighting, released his debut album, Message for Albert, for Capitol. Five for Fighting followed it three years later with America Town, released through Columbia. It continued Ondrasik's themes of love and life, but with a more political spin. The album might have been simply another strong outing from a talented singer/songwriter, were it not for the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and the nation's embrace of Ondrasik's delicate piano ballad "Superman (It's Not Easy)." Five for Fighting performed the song at the Concert for New York City that winter, and America Town went platinum. While it was a bittersweet way to find fame, "Superman"'s success gave Ondrasik the artistic license he'd always craved. When The Battle for Everything appeared in early 2004, it was Five for Fighting's most stylistically ambitious and lyrically bold recording to date. 2006's Two Lights continued Ondrasik's exploration of blue-collar America, focusing on love, mortality, war, and family. ~ Charlotte Dillon, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Civ Biography: Named for its founder and lead singer, CIV blends traditional hardcore with an upbeat philosophy and catchy rhythms that take their cue from Adam Ant. The singer, Anthony Civocelli, was formerly a...
Fastball Biography: Although it's tempting to lump the Austin, Texas trio Fastball (Miles Zuniga on guitar and vocals, Tony Scalzo on bass and vocals, and Joe Shuffield on drums) in with all the bands that sound similar...
Sleep Biography: Perhaps the ultimate stoner rock band, Northern California trio Sleep's career wafted in and out of focus from within their self-mandated cloud of marijuana smoke. In their short time together, the...
Barricada Biography: Spanish heavy metal band Barricada was formed in the early '80s by singer/bassist Enrique "El Drogas" Villareal, who was joined by ex-Némesis guitarist Javier Hernández, drummer Mikel...
Hardfloor Biography: One of the most popular and well-known German techno artists, Hardfloor is comprised of Oliver Bondzio and Ramon Zenker. Forming in 1991 as the German acid and techno scenes were just beginning to...
Centinex Biography: Although less expressive than Scandinavian scene giants like At the Gates or In Flames (maybe they too should have adopted a preposition), Centinex are among the oldest death metal bands to issue...
Keane Biography: Tom Chaplin (vocals), Richard Hughes (drums), and Tim Rice-Oxley (piano) are childhood friends from Battle, East Sussex, England, and together they make the merry pop sounds of Keane. Formed in 1997...
Audioweb Biography: Audioweb crossed the acid-fueled, psychedelic sound of Madchester house with deep dub, dancehall and reggae influences, earning a sizable following in the UK during the late '90s. Unlike many of...