Bez

Bez and maracas, freaky dancin' at T in the Park.

Mark Berry, commonly known as Bez (born April 18 1964, the son of a police Detective Inspector), was the dancer, percussionist, and mascot of Manchester band Happy Mondays. He is chiefly remembered for his bizarre style of dancing, and use of the maracas - the Mondays' second single was called "Freaky Dancin'" in tribute. He is considered to be an icon by many. He is reputed to have a high tolerance for hallucinogenic drugs.

After the Mondays broke up, Bez became a member of Black Grape, a group founded by Mondays band-mate Shaun Ryder, but he left in 1996 over artistic differences. When both faced large tax bills, the two reconciled and reformed the Happy Mondays in 1998, but the reformed band was short-lived.

A book about his experiences in both bands, Freaky Dancin' (ISBN 0330481975), was published by Pan MacMillan in 1998. He appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in the UK in 2005, in order to pay off his outstanding tax bills, and was voted as the winner of the series. He used some of his winnings to improve the engine of his London Black Cab, and later had the exterior modified courtesy of Pimp My Ride UK.

Bez now co-fronts his new band, Domino Bones, with Monica Ward. On guitar is Wags of Black Grape fame with Rob from the Boo Radleys on drums and the Bodines Winker on bass. Their single "Rattle My Head" was produced and guested on by Shaun Ryder. They were the first unsigned band to be shown on and supported by VH2 and MTV2.

The British popular music newspaper the New Musical Express (NME) carried a series of articles about famous members of bands whose musical contribution to their bandmates' success was negligible. The newspaper used the name "Bez" as a generic label for the likes of Chas Smash of Madness, Andrew Ridgely of Wham!, Linda McCartney in Wings, and Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Paul Rutherford.

Bez currently lives next to Shaun Ryder in Padfield, Derbyshire.

Quotes

"I once called (Happy Mondays) scum... they protested at that, saying 'Tony, we're not scum.' But I said 'Listen, the only way you lot managed to find the studio last week was by following the piles of Bez's sick on the pavement. Now if that isn't scum, I'd like to see what is." - Tony Wilson, Factory Records

"Let's face it, Bez is a god." - Chris Moyles

"It's my job." - Bez on being asked why he took so many drugs.

Bez is promoting an album called Bez's Madchester Anthems.

External links

Celebrity Big Brother (UK)>Celebrity Big Brother (UK) Winners

1: Jack Dee - 2: Mark Owen - 3: Bez - 4: Chantelle Houghton

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