Gavin Friday facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gavin Friday
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Friday in 2007
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Fionán Martin Hanvey |
| Born | 8 October 1959 Dublin, Ireland |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Occupation(s) | Vocalist, musician, singer-songwriter, producer, actor |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Labels | Island, Rubyworks |
| Associated acts | Virgin Prunes |
Gavin Friday (born Fionán Martin Hanvey, 8 October 1959) is an Irish singer, songwriter, and actor. He is well-known as a founding member of the post-punk music group The Virgin Prunes. He has also released several solo albums and created music for films.
Contents
Early Life and Friendships
Fionán Hanvey was born in Dublin, Ireland. He grew up in the Northside area of Dublin. When he was 14, he met Bono and Guggi, who would later become famous musicians. They became good friends.
Music Career Highlights
Gavin Friday was a founding member of the post-punk band The Virgin Prunes. After the band ended in 1986, he spent some time focusing on painting. He even shared a studio with his friends Bono, Guggi, and Charlie Whisker.
Working with Maurice Seezer
From 1987 to 2005, Gavin Friday worked closely with multi-instrumentalist Maurice Seezer. They signed with Island Records in 1988 and released three albums together. They also composed music for films like The Boxer and In America. The music for In America was nominated for an Ivor Novello Award in 2004.
Collaborations with Bono
Gavin Friday and U2's Bono have been close friends since childhood. They have worked together on several film soundtracks. For the film In the Name of the Father, they wrote the title track, "Billy Boola," and "You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart." The last song was sung by Sinéad O'Connor and was nominated for a Golden Globe award. In 2003, they wrote "Time Enough for Tears" for the film In America, sung by Andrea Corr. This song also received a Golden Globe Award nomination.
Other Film Music and Projects
In 1995, Gavin Friday performed a song called "Look What You've Done (To My Skin)" for the film The Passion of Darkly Noon. In 2005, he and Maurice Seezer worked with Quincy Jones on music for the film Get Rich or ... Tryin'. They also scored the film Disco Pigs in 2001.
In 2006, Friday contributed to a collection of sea shanties called Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys. He sang on two tracks, including "Bully in the Alley" with his former Virgin Prunes bandmates Guggi and Dave-id. This was the first time they had recorded together since 1985.
In 2007, Friday performed at the Meltdown Festival in London. He sang Disney songs like "The Siamese Cat Song" and "Castle in Spain." He also worked with English composer Gavin Bryars and the Royal Shakespeare Company on a new interpretation of Shakespeare's Sonnets.
Recent Albums
Gavin Friday released his album Catholic in 2011. His most recent album, Ecce Homo, was released in 2024.
Acting Roles
Gavin Friday has also acted in films. His first acting role was a small part in the film Disco Pigs (2001). In 2005, he played Billy Hatchett in the film Breakfast on Pluto. He also sang two songs on the soundtrack for that movie.
Discography
Albums
- Each Man Kills the Thing He Loves (1989)
- Adam 'n' Eve (1992)
- Shag Tobacco (1995)
- Peter and the Wolf (2002)
- Catholic (2011)
- Ecce Homo (2024)
Singles
- "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (1987)
- "Each Man Kills The Things He Loves" (1988)
- "You Take Away the Sun" (1989)
- "Man of Misfortune" (1989)
- "I Want to Live" (1992)
- "King of Trash" (1992)
- "Falling off the Edge of the World" (1993)
- "In the Name of the Father" with Bono (1994)
- "Angel" (1995)
- "You, Me and World War III" (1996)
Soundtracks
- Bad Influence (1990)
- Short Cuts (1993)
- In the Name of the Father (1993)
- William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (1996)
- Mission: Impossible (1996)
- Basquiat (1996)
- The Boxer (1997)
- Moulin Rouge! (2001)
- Breakfast on Pluto (2005)
Scores
- Angel Baby (1996)
- The Boxer (1997)
- In America (2003)
- Get Rich or ... Tryin' (2005)
Collaborations
Gavin Friday has collaborated with many artists. In 1983, he worked with Dave Ball. In 1984, he collaborated with the post-punk group The Fall on three songs. He also provided vocals for a track by Coil. Later, he worked with the Heads (former members of Talking Heads) on a song called "Blue Blue Moon."
In 2010, he worked with David Ball again on a cover song. In 2011, he contributed a cover version of "The Fly" to a tribute album for U2's Achtung Baby. In 2013, he collaborated with Shannon McNally on a traditional song for another Sea shanty compilation.
Personal Life
For many years, Gavin Friday lived in Killiney, a suburb of Dublin. His neighbor there was Bono and his wife Ali Hewson. Gavin Friday is the godfather to their daughter, actress Eve Hewson. Around 2021, he moved to a different part of Dublin called Rathmines.
