Ian Watkins (Lostprophets) - Early Life and Career

Early Life and Career

Ian Watkins was born in Merthyr Tydfil and later moved to Pontypridd, where he attended Hawthorn High School with future band mate Mike Lewis. He continued his education after high school, completing a degree in graphic design from the University of Wales, Newport and graduating with First-class honours. Lewis' and Watkins' mutual enjoyment of rock and metal music strengthened their friendship, leading teenage Watkins and Lewis, in 1991, to form a group called Aftermath; a thrash metal band that played in a shed in Watkins' garden.

Whilst spending time in the local Ynysangharad Park, where 17 years later Lostprophets would headline the Full Ponty Festival, Watkins was introduced to future band mate, Lee Gaze, through a mutual friend. Having abandoned Aftermath, which made two live appearances in the band's lifespan of two years, Watkins and Gaze decided to form a new band called Fleshbind, based on their American hardcore punk influences. The band played several shows, including one supporting Feeder in London, but the group was short-lived.

Watkins reunited with current Lostprophets guitarist, Mike Lewis, as a drummer in a seminal hardcore band called Public Disturbance (formed in 1995). By this time, Watkins and Gaze had left Fleshbind to create their own band, Lost Prophets, who made their live debut in May 1997, alongside Public Disturbance, with Watkins as the lead vocalist. In 1998, Watkins left Public Disturbance to concentrate on the newly named, lostprophets (spelled with all lower-case letters).

On New Year's Eve of 2008, Watkins participated in a concert for Kidney Wales Foundation and stated that his reasons for being involved were as a result of his mother needing a kidney transplant: "Having that direct experience is why I wanted to get more involved with Kidney Wales and organise a fundraising concert on New Year’s Eve." The concert featured Welsh bands The Blackout, Kids in Glass Houses and Attack! Attack!.

In 2009, Watkins started a remixing side-project called L'Amour La Morgue. So far he has released 17 remixes by artists such as The Killers, Beyoncé, Young Guns, Magic Wands, Tears for Fears, and Bring Me The Horizon. He has also released a free mixtape, which you can find on the website along with a free download of a song that was premiered at a fashion show in 2008.

As of 2012, Lostprophets have recorded five albums, Thefakesoundofprogress, Start Something, Liberation Transmission, The Betrayed and Weapons and toured extensively in Europe and America playing shows such as the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2010.