Biography for
Brian Molko More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

10 December 1972, Brussels, Belgium

Nickname

Molks, Smiler

Height

5' 6" (1.68 m)

Mini Biography

Placebo were formed in London 1995. Brian Molko (b.10th December 1972) Stefan Olsdal (b. March 31st 1974) Steve Hewitt (b. March 22nd 1971). Brian and Stef went to the same school during their youth in Luxembourg but never really socialized with each other. Years later, they happened to bump into each other outside a South Kensington subway station, two years after Brian had arrived in London. Brian, who played guitar and sang, invited him to see he & his band play live and to Brian's surprise, Stef went. He and Stefan (who played bass) ended up forming a band called Ashtray Heart together. Stefan later introduced Brian to drummer & fellow Swede, Robert Schultzberg and Placebo was born. After playing only 5 gigs together record companies began showing an interest.

In January 1996 they were signed to Hut records, releasing their self-titled debut later that year. It was produced by Brad Wood and spawned "Nancy Boy", which hit #4 on the UK charts. They spent most of '96 and '97 touring, playing select dates with U2 on their Popmart tour and being invited to play at David Bowie's 50th birthday party in New York City. Due to internal conflicts, Robert left the band and was replaced in 1996 by Brian's friend, Steven Hewitt, who had played on Placebo's original demos but couldn't join the band because of other projects.

In June/July of 2002 work with the producer, Jim Abbiss, was begun on full-length #4, entitled Sleeping With Ghosts. Recording finished in winter and "The Bitter End" single was put out on March 10th. After played a handful of warm-up gigs, the completed album was released on March 24th in the UK, and April 1st in the USA. Placebo began their UK tour in April of 2003. They spent the summer on tour across the world, releasing their next single, "This Picture" on June 16th.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Nigel Adey (invisableforces)

Trivia

Lead singer/guitarist of rock band, Placebo

Graduated with a degree in drama from Goldsmiths College.

Plays acoustic and electric guitars, Keytar, bass and voice

Played at David Bowie's 50th Birthday Party

Born 10th of December 1972 to Scottish and American parents

The early years of Brian's life were spent with him being taken anywhere from Liberia to Lebanon to Luxembourg by his father, an international banker.

At the age of 17, Brian upped sticks and moved to England to study drama at Goldsmiths in London.

Speaks French

He dyes his hair black.

He is lactosintolerant.

In 2002, he sang the song "The Metric System" by Trash Palace for their CD "Positions". Another song on the same CD, he performed as a duet with Asia Argento, "Je t'aime moi non plus". The song was originally made famous in the 1970s by French singer Serge Gainsbourg & actress Jane Birkin.

His first child, a boy named Cody, was born in 2005 from Brian's long-term partner, photographer Helena Berg.

In the same year he was voted as 39th of the 50 sexiest rock stars by Kerrang! magazine readers.

He has also occasionally worked as a disc jockey at clubs.

Taught himself to play guitar; at the age of 16 he got a Telecaster replica as a present from his parents.

He bought a real telecaster. He plays other instruments such as bass, harmonica, keyboard, saxophone, drums and turntables.

Fluent in French due to his upbringing in Luxembourg, he has written and sung a few of Placebo's songs in French as well as English.

Personal Quotes

...Opinions are like assholes, everybody's got one.

My dad wanted me to grow up and be a business man like him, my mum wanted me to grow up and go to heaven like her!

If Placebo was a drug, they would no doubt be pure heroin - dangerous, mysterious and totally addictive.

Where Are They Now

(June 2003) On Tour around the world Promoting new Album Sleeping With Ghosts

(March 2004) Sleeping with ghosts promotional tour around the world.

(September 2004) Recently played at the Leeds and Reading Festival and currently gearing up for new album released on th 25th October 2004 "Once More With Feeling" Singles collection 1996-2004

(June 2010) Currently touring Europe