Ross MacDonald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ross MacDonald
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MacDonald performing in Argentina in 2019
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Ross Stewart MacDonald
6 June 1989 England, United Kingdom
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| Occupation | Musician |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Cheshire, England |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Bass |
Ross Stewart MacDonald (born 6 June 1989) is an English musician who came to prominence as a founding member and bassist of the pop rock band the 1975.
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Early life
MacDonald spent his formative years in Macclesfield, Cheshire, and attended Wilmslow High School. He learned to play bass at 12 years old using his brother's bandmate's bass.
Career
At Wilmslow High School in 2002, MacDonald, who plays bass, was recruited and befriended by Adam Hann to form a band. Matty Healy and George Daniel subsequently joined the line-up. They began as a band playing covers of punk and emo songs at the music department school and at Healy's house before eventually writing their own music. Their first performance was in front of 200 people as part of the council-run Macclesfield Youth Bands.
MacDonald, together with Hann and Daniel, studied at universities in Manchester to keep the band together. While working as delivery drivers at a Chinese restaurant, the band played gigs around Greater Manchester using several names including Me and You Versus Them, Those 1975s, Forever Drawing Six, Talkhouse, the Slowdown, and Bigsleep.
The band has been called Drive Like I Do before settling on the band name the 1975 which was inspired by scribblings found on the back page of Healy's copy of On the Road by Jack Kerouac that were dated "1 June, The 1975".
The 1975 were rejected by every major record label, with executives confused by the band's genre-hopping approach. After years as the band's manager, Jamie Oborne set up his own independent label, Dirty Hit, and signed the band for 20 pounds. The band released four extended plays in quick succession, in 2012 and 2013. They followed it with their eponymous debut album (2013), I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It (2016), A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (2018), Notes on a Conditional Form (2020) and Being Funny in a Foreign Language (2022). Each of their studio albums reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and garnered critical acclaim.
MacDonald's work with the band made him the recipient of four Brit Awards, and two Ivor Novello Awards. He has also been nominated twice for the Mercury Prize, and once for the Grammy Awards.
In May 2023, MacDonald co-wrote the single "Colours" with VC Pines and Ed Thomas.
Artistry
Influences
MacDonald cited Pino Palladino as one of his favorite bass players who had a big influence on his playing style. He also expressed admiration to Nathan Watts and consider him as his hero. MacDonald is also influenced by soul and R&B.
In 2021, he had bass sessions with Chris Chaney in Los Angeles and described it as a "great experience".
Personal life
MacDonald was a vocal supporter of his hometown football team, Macclesfield Town F.C..
Discography
The 1975
Extended plays (selected)
- Facedown (2012)
- Music for Cars (2013)
- IV (2013)
Studio albums
- The 1975 (2013)
- I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It (2016)
- A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships (2018)
- Notes on a Conditional Form (2020)
- Being Funny in a Foreign Language (2022)
Solo work
- 2023 – VC Pines – "Colours" (co-composer)
Concert tours
- The 1975 Tour (2013)
- I Like It When You Sleep Tour (2016–2017)
- Music for Cars Tour (2018–2020)
- At Their Very Best (2022–2023)
- Still... At Their Very Best (2023)
