Florence Welch - Florence And The Machine

Florence Welch

Florence Welch - Florence And The Machine 13792597

Florence Leontine Mary Welch (born 28 August 1986 in London) is the daughter of Evelyn Welch, Professor of Renaissance Studies and Academic Dean for Arts at Queen Mary, University of London and author and formerly a Studio 54 regular, and Nick Welch, who works in advertising. Welch says she is prone to "falling into severe holes” that leave her crying on the floor. Welch used ecstasy at age 16. Today Welch "tries" to stay away from drugs. Welch has been diagnosed with dyslexia and dysmetria. Welch would like to have a career similar to P. J. Harvey and Bjork who are "constantly creating new exciting stuff". At age 13 Welch found solace in the music of Hole, Nirvana, Green Day, Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, the Velvet Underground and Celine Dion. As a teenager she was the frontwoman for "Toxic Cockroaches" and "Ashok". Feeling she was in "the wrong band" she got out of a contract with Ashok by resigning.

According to Welch "The name Florence and the Machine started off as a private joke that got out of hand. I made music with my friend, who we called Isabella Machine to which I was Florence Robot. When I was about an hour away from my first gig, I still didn't have a name, so I thought "Okay, I'll be Florence Robot is a Machine," before realizing that name was so long it'd drive me mad". In 2006 Welch's performances in small London venues as "Florence Robot is a Machine" began to attract notice.
The Machine is Florence's backing band and consists of several musicians, which previously included Devonte Hynes of Lightspeed Champion and Test Icicles. The current line-up consists of Robert Ackroyd (guitar), Christopher Lloyd Hayden (drums), Isabella Summers ('Isabella Machine') (keyboards) and Tom Monger (harp).
Florence and the Machine are managed by Mairead Nash who is one half of the DJ outfit Queens of Noize. Nash decided to manage the group when at one of Nash's club nights an inebriated Welch dragged Nash into the toilets and sang an Etta James song to her.