name	Gilby Clarke
background	solo_singer
birth date	August 17, 1962
Birth place	Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
instrument	Guitar, vocals, piano, bass guitar
genre	Hard rock, heavy metal
occupation	Musician, songwriter, producer, guitarist
years active	1985–present
label	Spitfire, Geffen, Steamhammer, MCA, Virgin
associated acts	Guns N' Roses, Rock Star Supernova, Heart, Slash's Snakepit, Kill For Thrills, Candy, Nancy Sinatra, MC5, Kathy Valentine, Dilana
website
notable instruments	Zemaitis Custom deluxeGibson Les PaulFender Telecaster }}

Gilbert "Gilby" Clarke (born August 17, 1962, in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American guitarist and record producer best known for a 3-year tenure as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in 1991 during the Use Your Illusion Tour. Following his departure from the group, Clarke went on to forge a solo career as well playing guitar with Slash's Snakepit, Heart, Nancy Sinatra, Kathy Valentine (of the Go-Go's), MC5 and forming his own group Rock Star Supernova with members of Metallica and Mötley Crüe.

Clarke's production work includes albums by L.A. Guns, Bullets and Octane, The Bronx and Vains of Jenna.

Biography

1985-1991: Early music career

Gilby Clarke started his musical career during the first half of the Eighties, replacing Candy's original guitarist, Geoff "Rexx" Siegel. He left them to form Kill For Thrills, a metal band which released the EP ''Commercial Suicide'' and the LP ''Dynamite from Nightmareland'' and before eventually disbanding. Kill For Thrills was a supergroup of sorts with Jason Nesmith (son of former Monkees Mike Nesmith) on Guitar, and Todd Muscat formerly of seminal L.A. Punk band Decry, on Bass and then later with Junkyard after Kill For Thrills. Muscat is also the brother of Brent Muscat (Faster Pussy Cat, L.A. Guns, Sin City Sinners). All members have deep roots in the Los Angeles rock scene.

1991-1994: Guns N' Roses

Following rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin's decision to abruptly quit the band, citing a combination of Axl Rose's personal behaviour (he would consistently delay the start of shows by hours at a time) and his mismanagement of the band and difficulties being around Slash, Sorum, and McKagan due to his new-found sobriety and their continuing alcohol and substance addictions, Clarke was chosen as his replacement. During many shows throughout the tour, Rose introduced Clarke and had him play "Wild Horses", a Rolling Stones cover with Slash.

He toured extensively with the band on the Use Your Illusion Tour between November 1991 and 1993. On November 23, 1993, Guns N' Roses released a collection of punk and glam rock covers entitled "The Spaghetti Incident?" where many of the tracks were recorded with original Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin during the ''Use Your Illusion I'' and ''II'' sessions and then were later re-recorded by Clarke. Clarke's only other appearances on a Guns N' Roses release would be on the live and compilation albums Live Era: '87-'93 and Greatest Hits.

Clarke is featured on Guns N' Roses video releases Use Your Illusion I, Use Your Illusion II, Making F@ckin' Videos and Welcome to the Videos.

1994-2006: Slash's Snakepit and solo career

Following the end of the Use Your Illusion Tour in 1993, Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash began recording demos of material that he had written during the tour, at his home studio with bandmate Matt Sorum. Clarke and Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez soon started to come around to jam with them. They eventually recorded twelve demo songs. Eric Dover, live guitarist for Jellyfish, successfully auditioned to become the group's singer. Slash and Dover wrote the lyrics for all the tracks, except "Monkey Chow" which was contributed by Clarke and "Jizz da Pit" which is an instrumental written by both Slash and Inez. The album was released by Geffen Records in February 1995 chartiing at #70 on the Billboard 200. For the tour in support of the album, James LoMenzo and Brian Tichy, both members of Zakk Wylde's solo band, joined the band to replace Inez and Sorum who could not tour with the group due to other commitments. With Guns N' Roses regrouping to record a new album, Snakepit disbanded with Clarke resuming his solo career, releasing his second album The Hangover in 1997.

In 1994, he released his debut solo album ''Pawnshop Guitars'' which featured contributions from several of his friends including all the then members of Guns N' Roses. It went gold in Argentina.

Since then he has released another three solo albums, ''The Hangover'', ''Rubber'' and 2002's ''Swag'' as well as the live album ''99 Live''.

He formed the band Col. Parker with ex-Stray Cat Slim Jim Phantom and former touring additional GN'R keybordist Teddy "Zig Zag" Andreadis, releasing the album ''Rock N Roll Music'' in 2001.

In addition, he made a guest appearance on the L.A. Guns album ''Shrinking Violet'', which he also produced. Clarke also produced The Bronx's self-titled album released in 2003 and Girlsplayboys debut album ''From Ritual to Romance'' in 2006, and L.A. Guns' 2001 album ''Man in the Mooon''.

In 2002 Clarke worked with Nancy Sinatra on her album ''California Girl'' and a year later joined Heart on their national tour.

In 2006, Clarke embarked on a solo tour across America and Europe before joining former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee and vocalist Lukas Rossi in the band Rock Star Supernova.

In 2007 he released a best of album featuring tracks from all of his solo albums as well as two songs from the Col. Parker project and a re-recording of the song "Black", featuring vocals by Rock Star: Supernova runner-up Dilana.

2006-2008: Rockstar Supernova

In 2006, Mötley Crüe drummer, Tommy Lee, formed Supernova with Clarke on guitars and former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted. The band used the TV show Rockstar to find a new lead singer. Lukas Rossi was chosen as their lead singer (although several fans have believed Toby Rand was his favorite.)

The name Supernova however was already taken; another band from California was touring with the name before the Clarke incarnation. On June 26, 2006, the latter band filed a federal lawsuit.

On Tuesday, September 12, 2006, U.S. District Judge John A. Houston in San Diego ruled in favor of the original Supernova, granting their request for a preliminary injunction. The injunction keeps the producers of "Rock Star: Supernova" — which concluded September 13 as a television show, but will continue as a recording, touring, and merchandise entity for some time to follow — from "performing rock and roll music, or recording, or selling rock and roll music recordings under the same name, pending a trial of this action on its merits, or until otherwise ordered by the court." As such, the band has renamed itself as Rock Star Supernova, for the moment at least.

He produced a cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" on Rockstar: Supernova runner-up Dilana Robichaux's 2007 album, also released as a single on digital download websites.

In July 2008 Gilby Clarke played at the G-TARanaki Guitar Festival in New Zealand. His solo band included bassist Muddy Stardust and drummer Muddy Stardust. He then toured North America as part of the Rock n' Roll Fantasy Camp.

Discography

Albums and EPs

With Candy

''Whatever Happened To Fun'' (1985)

''Teenage Neon Jungle'' (2003)

With Kill for Thrills

''Commercial Suicide'' (1988)

''Dynamite From Nightmareland'' (1989)

With Guns N' Roses

''"The Spaghetti Incident?"'' (1993)

''Live Era '87–'93'' (1999)

Solo

''Pawnshop Guitars'' (1994)

''Blooze E.P.'' (1995)

''The Hangover'' (1997)

''Rubber'' (1998)

''99 Live'' (1999)

''Swag'' (2002)

''Gilby Clarke'' (2007)

With Slash's Snakepit

''It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere'' (1995)

With Col. Parker

''Rock N Roll Music'' (2001)

With Nancy Sinatra

''California Girl'' (2002)

With Rock Star Supernova

''Rock Star Supernova'' (2006)

References

External links

Official MSN site

Musicmight detailed history

Category:1962 births Category:American record producers Category:American rock guitarists Category:Candy (band) members Category:Guns N' Roses members Category:Heart (band) members Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Ohio Category:People from Cleveland, Ohio Category:Rhythm guitarists Category:Slash's Snakepit members

bg:Гилби Кларк ca:Gilby Clarke cs:Gilby Clarke da:Gilby Clarke de:Gilby Clarke es:Gilby Clarke fr:Gilby Clarke it:Gilby Clarke ja:ギルビー・クラーク no:Gilby Clarke pl:Gilby Clarke pt:Gilby Clarke ru:Кларк, Гилби sk:Gilby Clarke sl:Gilby Clarke fi:Gilby Clarke sv:Gilby Clarke

Name	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Office	14th President of the Philippines
Vicepresident	Teofisto GuingonaNoli de Castro
Term start	January 20, 2001
Term end	June 30, 2010
Predecessor	Joseph Estrada
Successor	Benigno Aquino III
Office1	12th Vice President of the Philippines
President1	Joseph Estrada
Term start1	June 30, 1998
Term end1	January 20, 2001
Predecessor1	Joseph Estrada
Successor1	Teofisto Guingona
Office2	Member of the House of Representativesfrom Pampanga's 2nd district
Term start2	June 30, 2010
Predecessor2	Mikey Arroyo
Office3	Senator of the Philippines
Term start3	June 30, 1992
Term end3	June 30, 1998
Birth date	April 05, 1947
Birth place	San Juan, Philippines
Party	Lakas Kampi CMD (2009–present)
Otherparty	LDP (Before 1998)KAMPI (1997–2009)Lakas-CMD (1998–2009)
Spouse	Jose Miguel Arroyo
Children	Juan Miguel M. ArroyoEvangelina Lourdes Arroyo-BernasDiosdado Ignacio Jose Maria M. Arroyo
Alma mater	Georgetown UniversityAssumption CollegeAteneo de Manila UniversityUniversity of the Philippines, Diliman
Signature	Arroyo Signature.svg
Website	Official website }}

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born April 5, 1947) is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga. She was the country's second female president (after Corazón Aquino), and the daughter of former President Diosdado Macapagal.

Arroyo was a former professor of economics at Ateneo De Manila University where Noynoy Aquino was one of her students. She entered government in 1987, serving as assistant secretary and undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry upon the invitation of President Corazón Aquino. After serving as a senator from 1992 to 1998, she was elected to the vice presidency under President Joseph Estrada, despite having run on an opposing ticket. After Estrada was accused of corruption, she resigned her cabinet position as Secretary of Social Welfare and Development and joined the growing opposition to the president, who faced impeachment. Estrada was soon forced from office by the EDSA Revolution of 2001, and Arroyo was sworn into the presidency by Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. on January 20, 2001. She was elected to a full six-year presidential term in the controversial May 2004 Philippine elections, and was sworn in on June 30, 2004. Following her presidency she was elected to the House of Representatives, making her the second Philippine president—after Jose P. Laurel—to pursue a lower office after their presidency.

On November 18, 2011, Arroyo was arrested following the filing of criminal charges against her for electoral fraud. As of December 9, 2011, she is incarcerated at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City under charges of electoral sabotage.

Early life

She was born as María Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal to politician Diosdado Macapagal and his wife, Evangelina Macaraeg-Macapagal. She is the sister of Dr. Diosdado "Boboy" Macapagal, Jr. and Cielo Macapagal-Salgado. She spent the first years of her life in Lubao, Pampanga, with her two older siblings from her father's first marriage. At the age of four, she chose to live with her maternal grandmother in Iligan City. She stayed there for three years, then split her time between Mindanao and Manila until the age of 11. She is fluent in English, Tagalog, Spanish and several other Philippine languages, most importantly, Kapampangan, Ilokano, and Cebuano.

In 1961, when Arroyo was just 14 years old, her father was elected as president. She moved with her family into Malacañang Palace in Manila. A municipality was named in her honor, Gloria, Oriental Mindoro. She attended Assumption Convent for her elementary and high school education, graduating valedictorian in 1964. Arroyo then studied for two years at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service in Washington, D.C. where she was a classmate of future United States President Bill Clinton and achieved consistent Dean's list status. She then earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Assumption College, graduating magna cum laude in 1968.

In 1968, Arroyo married lawyer and businessman Jose Miguel Arroyo of Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, whom she had met while still a teenager. They had three children, Juan Miguel (born 1969), Evangelina Lourdes (born 1971) and Diosdado Ignacio Jose María (born in 1974). She pursued a Master's Degree in Economics at the Ateneo de Manila University (1978) and a Doctorate Degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines Diliman (1985). From 1977 to 1987, she held teaching positions in several schools, notably the University of the Philippines and the Ateneo de Manila University. She became chairperson of the Economics Department at Assumption College.

In 1987 she was invited by President Corazón Aquino to join the government as Assistant Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry. She was promoted to Undersecretary two years later. In her concurrent position as Executive Director of the Garments and Textile Export Board, Arroyo oversaw the rapid growth of the garment industry in the late 1980s.

Ancestry

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Patrilineal descent

Senator

Arroyo entered politics in the 1992 election, running for senator. At the first general election under the 1987 Constitution, the top twelve vote-getting senatorial candidates would win a six-year term, and the next twelve candidates would win a three-year term. Arroyo ranked 13th in the elections, earning a three-year term. She was re-elected in 1995, topping the senatorial election with nearly 16 million votes.

As a legislator, Arroyo filed over 400 bills and authored or sponsored 55 laws during her tenure as senator, including the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law, the Indigenous People's Rights Law, and the Export Development Act.

The 1995 Mining Act, which allows 100% foreign ownership of Philippine mines, has come under fire from left-wing political groups.

Vice Presidency

Arroyo considered a run for the presidency in the 1998 election, but was persuaded by President Fidel V. Ramos and leaders of the administration party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats to instead seek the vice-presidency as the running mate of its presidential candidate, House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. Though the latter lost to popular former actor Joseph Estrada, Arroyo won the vice presidency by a large margin, garnering more than twice the votes of her closest opponent, Estrada's running mate Senator Edgardo Angara.

Arroyo began her term as Vice President on June 30, 1998. Historically, she was the first and only to date female Vice President of the Philippines. She was appointed by Estrada to a concurrent position in the cabinet as Secretary of Social Welfare and Development.

Arroyo resigned from the cabinet in October 2000, distancing herself from President Estrada, who was accused of corruption by a former political supporter, Chavit Singson, Governor from Ilocos Sur. She had initially resisted pressure from allies to speak out against Estrada, but eventually joined calls for Estrada's resignation.

Presidency

First Term (2001–2004)

Succession

The last quarter of 2000 up to the first week of January 2001 was a period of political and economic uncertainty for the Philippines. On January 16, 2001, the impeachment trial has also taken a new direction. Private prosecutors walked out of the trial when pro-Estrada senators prevented the opening of an evidence (a brown envelope) containing bank records allegedly owned by President Estrada. With the walk out, the impeachment trial was not completed and the Filipinos eventually took to the street to continue the clamor for President Estrada's resignation.

From January 17 to 20, 2001, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos gathered at Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), the site of the original People Power Revolution. The clamor for a change in the presidency gained momentum as various sectors of Philippine society – professionals, students, artists, politicians, leftist and rightist groups – joined what became known as EDSA II. Officials of the administration, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) also withdrew their support for President Estrada.

Days after leaving Malacañang Palace, President Estrada's lawyers questioned the legitimacy of Arroyo's presidency before the Supreme Court. He reiterated that he did not resign as president and that at most, Arroyo was just serving in an acting capacity. The high court, however, voted unanimously in upholding the legitimacy of Arroyo's succession. As a consequence, Estrada no longer enjoys immunity from charges being filed against him.

In the last week of April 2001, the Sandiganbayan ordered the arrest of Estrada and his son, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, for plunder charges. A few days later, Estrada supporters protested his arrest, gathered at the EDSA Shrine, and staged what they called, EDSA III – comparing their actions to the People Power revolution of 1986 and January 2001.

Thousands of protesters demanded the release of Estrada. Eventually, they also called for the ouster of Arroyo and the reinstatement of the former. On May 1, 2001, they marched towards Malacañang to force Arroyo to give in to their demands. Violence erupted when the protesters attempted to storm the presidential palace and the military and police were forced to use their arms to drive them back. Arroyo declared a state of rebellion because of the violence and prominent political personalities affiliated with Estrada were charged and arrested. The so-called EDSA III was the first serious political challenge to the Arroyo presidency.

Oakwood Mutiny

The Oakwood mutiny occurred in the Philippines on July 27, 2003. A group of 321 armed soldiers who called themselves "''Bagong Katipuneros''" led by Army Capt. Gerardo Gambala and Lt. Antonio Trillanes IV of the Philippine Navy took over the Oakwood Premier Ayala Center (now Ascott Makati) serviced apartment tower in Makati City to show the Filipino people the alleged corruption of the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration. They also stated that they saw signs suggesting that the President was going to declare martial law.

2004 Presidential Election

Article VII Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution explicitly states that the president of the Philippines can only serve for one term. However, the same provision also implicitly states that a president's successor who has not served for more than four years can still seek a full term for the presidency. Although Arroyo falls under this category, she initially announced on December 30, 2002 that she will no longer seek the presidency. She emphasized that she will devote her remaining months in office to serving the people and improving the economy of the Philippines.

In October 2003, Arroyo changed her mind and announced that she will run for the May 2004 presidential elections and seek a direct mandate from the people. She explained that, "there is a higher cause to change society...in a way that nourishes our future". With her decision, the initial criticisms hurled against Arroyo centered on her lack of word of honor.

As predicted by SWS exit polls, Arroyo won the election by a margin of over one million votes against Poe. However, the congressional canvassing was quite contentious as opposition lawmakers in the National Board of Canvassers argued that there were many discrepancies in the election returns and that insinuations of cheating were raised. On June 23, 2004, Congress proclaimed Arroyo and Noli de Castro as president and vice president, respectively.

Second Term (2004–2010)

2004 Presidential Election rigging allegations

On June 30, 2004, in a break with tradition, Arroyo first delivered her inaugural speech at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. She then departed for Cebu City for her oath taking, the first time that a Philippine president took the oath of office outside of Luzon.

Allegations of cheating against Arroyo gained momentum one year after the May 2004 elections. In a press conference held on June 10, 2005, Samuel Ong, former deputy director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) claimed to have audio recordings of wiretapped conversations between Arroyo and an official of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). Virgilio Garcillano, a former COMELEC commissioner, would later be identified as the official talking to Arroyo. According to Ong, the recordings allegedly proved that Arroyo ordered the rigging of the national elections for her to win by around one million votes against Poe.

The recordings of Ong became known as the Hello Garci controversy and triggered massive protests against Arroyo. Key members of her cabinet resigned from their respective posts and urged Arroyo to do the same. On June 27, 2005, Arroyo admitted to inappropriately speaking to a COMELEC official, claiming it was a "lapse in judgement". She, however, denied influencing the outcome of the elections and declared that she won the elections fairly. Arroyo did not resign despite the pressures coming from various sectors of society.

The Hello Garci controversy became the basis of the impeachment case filed against Arroyo in 2005. Attempts to impeach Arroyo failed later that year. Another impeachment case was filed against Arroyo in 2006 but was also defeated at the House of representatives.

In October 2007, lawyer Alan Paguia filed an impeachment complaint against Arroyo in connection with the issue of bribery. Paguia's complaint was based on the revelation of Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio that various governors received half a million pesos from Malacañang. The impeachment case, as of the middle of October 2007, has already been referred to the House of Representatives Committee on Justice.

State of Emergency

On February 24, 2006, a plot to take over the government was uncovered by authorities, allegedly headed by Gen. Danilo Lim and other rightist military adventurists. General Lim and some of his men were arrested. To face the threat posed by enemies of the state, Arroyo issued Presidential Proclamation 1017 (PP 1017) and used it as basis in declaring a state of emergency throughout the Philippines. According to Arroyo, this declaration was done to quell the military rebellion, stop lawless violence, and promote peace and stability. PP 1017 also empowered the government to enforce warrantless arrests and take over strategic private utilities companies.

On February 25, 2006, the police raided the office of the ''Daily Tribune'', a newspaper known as a critic of the Arroyo administration. The government then issued a journalism guidelines to address the threat posed by critics in the media. Presidential Management Staff chief Michael Defensor said that the guidelines were necessary in order to cope with the emergency situation.

The state of emergency existed for about one week with the purpose of curbing further violence, illegal rallies, and public disturbance throughout the Philippines. The police and the military dispersed demonstrators and protesters, especially those along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA). Aside from General Lim, prominent personalities were also arrested in connection with their alleged participation in the attempt to overthrow the government. Among those arrested were:

#Col. Ariel Querubín – leader of a group of Philippine Marines who engaged the government in a political stand-off at Fort Bonifacio on February 25, 2005 #Randy David – led a protest rally without securing the necessary permit #Crispin Beltran – party-list representative of Anakpawis charged with inciting to sedition and rebellion #Batasan Five – party-list representatives charged with rebellion and were placed under the custody of the House of Representatives; Bayan Muna's Teodoro Casiño, Satur Ocampo, and Joel Virador; Gabriela's Liza Maza, and Anakpawis' Rafael Mariano

PP 1017 was lifted on March 3, 2006 but members of the opposition, private lawyers, and concerned citizens challenged its constitutionality before the Supreme Court. On May 4, the high court declared the proclamation constitutional. However, it also said that it was illegal for the government to implement warrantless arrests and seize private institutions and companies.

Charter Change

Arroyo currently spearheads a controversial plan for an overhaul of the constitution to transform the present unitary and presidential republic with a bicameral legislature into a federal parliamentary government with a unicameral legislature.

Economy

Arroyo, who earned a master's degree and doctorate in economics, made the Philippine economy the focus of her presidency. Annual economic growth in the Philippines averaged 4.5% during the Arroyo administration, expanding every quarter of her presidency. This is higher than in the administrations of her three immediate predecessors, Corazon Aquino (3.8%), Fidel Ramos (3.7%), and Joseph Estrada (3.7%). The Philippine economy grew at its fastest pace in three decades in 2007, with real GDP growth exceeding 7%. The economy was one of the few to avoid contraction during the 2008 global financial crisis, faring better than its regional peers due to minimal exposure to troubled international securities, lower dependence on exports, relatively resilient domestic consumption, large remittances from four-to five-million overseas Filipino workers, and a growing business process outsourcing industry. Arroyo's handling of the economy has earned praise from former US President Bill Clinton, who cited her "tough decisions" that put the Philippine economy back in shape. Despite this growth, the poverty rate remained stagnant due to a high population growth rate and uneven distribution of income.

A controversial expanded value added tax (e-VAT) law, considered the centerpiece of the Arroyo administration's economic reform agenda, was implemented in November 2005, aiming to complement revenue-raising efforts that could plug the country's large budget deficit. Her administration originally set a target to balance the national budget by 2010, t. The tax measure boosted confidence in the government's fiscal capacity and helped to strengthen the Philippine peso, making it East Asia's best performing currency in 2005–06. The peso strengthened by nearly 20% in 2007, making it by far Asia's best performing currency for the year, a fact attributed to a combination of increased remittances from overseas Filipino workers and a strong domestic economy.

Early in her presidency, Arroyo implemented a controversial policy of holiday economics, adjusting holidays to form longer weekends with the purpose of boosting domestic tourism and allowing Filipinos more time with their families.

Domestic policies

Foreign policies

Public perception

The Social Weather Stations public opinion group has conducted quarterly surveys tracking the net satisfaction rating ("satisfied" rating minus "dissatisfied" rating") of President Arroyo. She began her presidency in the first quarter of 2001 with a net satisfaction rating of +24. Her rating first dipped into the negative in the first quarter of 2003, making Arroyo the only president to achieve a negative net satisfaction rating in SWS opinion polling. Her rating rebounded well into the positive in 2004, in time for the presidential election where she won election to a new six-year term. However, net satisfaction sunk back into negative territory in the fourth quarter of 2004, and has remained negative since, dipping as low as −38 in the second quarter of 2008. Her net satisfaction rating in the first quarter of 2009 was −32.

Post-presidency

House of Representatives

In November 2009, Arroyo formally declared her intention to run for a seat in the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga, making her the second Philippine President – after Jose P. Laurel – to pursue a lower office after the expiration of their presidency. A petition seeking to disqualify Arroyo from the race was dismissed by the Comelec for lack of merit, a decision which was later affirmed by the Supreme Court. With little serious competition, she was elected to congress in May 2010 with a landslide victory. After receiving final military honors at the inauguration ceremony of incoming President Benigno Aquino III, she headed straight to Pampanga for her own oath-taking as congresswoman.

Despite being considered the strongest contender for Speaker of the House, Arroyo declined to seek the position, hoping instead to take on a role similar to Sonia Gandhi, who was influential as merely the head of her party. On her first day as a lawmaker, Arroyo and her son Dato filed a resolution calling for Congress to call a constitutional convention to propose amendments to the existing constitution.

Hospital Arrest

Arroyo was arrested on November 18, 2011 after a Pasay court issued a warrant of arrest against her, following the filing of a complaint for electoral sabotage by the Commission on Elections. The arrest warrant was served at a St. Luke's Medical Center at Taguig where Arroyo had been confined. Days earlier, the Supreme Court had issued a Resolution enjoining attempts by the Department of Justice to prevent her departure from the Philippines to seek medical treatment overseas.

She was transferred to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City on December 9, 2011.

Scouting

Arroyo is the Chief Girl Scout of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines.

Health

On July 3, 2009, it was announced that Arroyo had undergone a biopsy to examine lumps discovered in her breast and groin. Press Secretary Cerge Remonde stated that the results of the biopsy were negative. Remonde also denied reports published in the July 3, 2009 editions of the ''Manila Bulletin'' and the ''Philippine Star'' that Arroyo had undergone surgery for the removal or repair of breast silicone implants.

In early 2011 she was diagnosed with cervical spondylosis or cervical radiculopathy. She was rushed to the St. Luke's Medical Center in Global City Taguig July 25, 2011, minutes after State of the Nation Address Benigno Aquino III. The doctor decided a 5 hour spine surgery on June 29, 2011 Two more surgeries in August 2011 which aggravates her hypoparathyroidism. The House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. issued the travel permit allowing her to have treatment in Germany despite of Department of Justice hold departure order.

Government and political titles

Honorable DTI Undersecretary Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

Honorable Senator Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (1992-1998)

Her Excellency DSWD Secretary Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (June 30, 1998-October 12, 2000)

Her Excellency Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (June 30, 1998-January 20, 2001)

Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (January 20, 2001-June 30, 2010)

Honorable Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (June 30, 2010 – present)

Honours and awards

Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (Japan)

Member, Council of Women World Leaders

Don Quixote De La Mancha award from Spain's King Juan Carlos (2010)

Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Japan's Waseda University (2002) Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Kyungsung University in Pusan, South Korea. (2005) Honorary doctorate degree from University of San Francisco in California, United States (2004). Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Fordham University (2003) Doctor of Laws, La Trobe University in Australia (2000)

Time magazine's "People Who Mattered" list for 2005

Forbes magazine's 100 Most Powerful Woman in the World (from 2004–2009) – she ranked 4th in the 2005 list Order of Merit of Duarte, Sanchez and Mella – from Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernández (2011)

References

External links

House Of Representatives – The 15th Congress – Member Profile

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo official website

Reporter's Notebook: Ang Palasyo Reporter's Notebook Special, December 4, 2007

Interactive timeline: The life of Gloria Arroyo, by abs-cbnNEWS.com

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Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:Arroyo family Category:Ateneo de Manila University alumni Category:Ateneo de Manila University faculty Category:Female heads of government Category:Female heads of state Category:Filipino economists Category:Filipino Roman Catholics Category:Filipino women in politics Category:Lakas – Christian Muslim Democrats politicians Category:Lakas Kampi – Christian Muslim Democrats politicians Category:Leaders who took power by coup Macapagal family Category:Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Category:Members of the Senate of the Philippines Category:Partner of the Free Filipino politicians Category:People from Pampanga Category:People of Kapampangan descent Category:Candidates for President of the Philippines Category:Presidents of the Philippines Category:Recipients of the Order of the Chrysanthemum Category:Recipients of the Star of Romania Order Category:Scouting in the Philippines Category:University of the Philippines alumni Category:Vice Presidents of the Philippines

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name	Funkmaster Flex
background	non_performing_personnel
birth name	Aston George Taylor, Jr.
alias	Flex, Funk Flex
birth date	August 05, 1968
Birth place	The Bronx, New York City, United States
instrument	Turntable, sampler
genre	Hip hop, R&B
occupation	DJ, producer singer, rapper, musician, host
years active	1987–present
label	Loud/RCA/BMG RecordsDef Jam/IDJMG/Universal RecordsE1/Koch Records
website	www.funkmasterflex.com, www.inflexwetrust.com, www.funkflex.tv }}

Aston George Taylor, Jr. (born August 5, 1968) better known as Funkmaster Flex is an American hip hop DJ, rapper, musician and producer on New York City's Hot 97 radio station and host of the hit MTV show ''Funk Flex Full Throttle''.

Music

Funkmaster Flex (Aston George Taylor Jr.) was born in the Bronx borough of New York City with music flowing through his veins thanks to his father Aston George Taylor Sr., a sound system DJ for local clubs throughout the city. By 16, Flex began DJing at local nightclubs a perfecting his mixing and turntable talents. At 19, he got his first job as a record boy for fellow Bronx native, Chuck Chillout for WRKS 98.7 Kiss-FM in New York. One evening, Chillout was late for his show and Funkmaster Flex got his big break and was allowed to stand in, thus beginning his career in radio.

He later left KISS for a brief stay at 107.5 WBLS-FM, meanwhile Flex kept up his club appearances at many of Vito Bruno's operated nightclubs including The Tunnel, Home Bass and Mecca. Bruno helped convince Joel Salkowitz, a regional vice president of Hot 97, to begin airing live broadcasts from clubs where Flex was performing like The Tunnel. He called the hours of Saturday evening programming the "Saturday Night House Party". When they realized the resurgence of Hip Hop was coming fast from its fallout in the eighties they increase the hours and days of these style of shows.

Salkowitz went and saw Funkmaster Flex perform and work the crowd at the Home Bass. After that night, he was convinced that Flex was his man and in the spring of 1992, Funkmaster Flex began mixing and hosting his own show, a specialized rap show on Hot 97. The first pop station in New York to showcase rap. Flex has been with Hot 97 ever since and aired nationally through syndication throughout the weeknights and weekends.

Production

By the mid 1990s, Flex was signed by a major record label, Loud Records, for a series of innovative 60 Minutes of Funk mixtapes. All four of them achieved gold status in the US. On The Tunnel with Def Jam in 1999, Flex managed to get some of the biggest names in hip hop to contribute, including Dr. Dre, Nas, Jay-Z, DMX, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J, Method Man and 50 Cent to participate.

He currently continues to be a prolific producer with a solid list of albums and artist he has supported over the years including Yvette Michele, Pras, DJ Kool, Armand Van Helden and many others.

Television

Flex first started appearing on television in the early nineties on Yo! MTV Raps hosted by Fab 5 Freddy, Ed Lover and Doctor Dré. Soon, MTV began to ask Flex to do various spots on up and coming Hip Hop artists and his true passion for cars and trickin' out their celebrity rides.

In 2003, Flex debuted his first television series, Ride with Funkmaster Flex on the Spike cable network. The show documented the explosive subculture of cars that are popular in the Hip Hop culture and with Hollywood celebrities. Noteworthy moments in series included a look into Diddy's private jet and a visit to Eminem's studio in the Motor City and look at his hot GMC Yukon.

Soon after Ride's success, Flex wanted to explore his passion for car racing and developed a unique way to get it done with a new one-off Spike TV show race event - The Funkmaster Flex Super Series Invitational. The race featured 60 hungry late model stock car drivers from across the country turning laps at The Waterford Speedbowl in Conn. Flex went behind the scene to see what it takes to become a winner in racing while bringing out celebrities like Orange County Choppers, LL Cool J and Lil' Kim to watch the event. Monica Taylor Enterprise - Rare Footage of Super Series

ESPN noticed Ride with Funkmaster Flex and decided they wanted a show to help them reach more automotive enthusiast who watched racing, NASCAR and sports. Flex came a calling with a show focusing on custom cars and interviewing leading sports celebrities from the NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball and the world of Hip Hop including Danica Patrick, Terrell Owens and Jason Giambi. The show was called All Muscle with Funkmaster Flex and began airing early 2007.

Later in 2007, Flex shifted his focus to influencing automotive design. Based on what he was witnessing at the competitions at his various Custom Car & Bike Show tour events, he decided he wanted to push the envelope with these amateur designers with a new show - Car Wars with Funkmaster Flex on ESPN. With initial sponsorship from Castrol and later Ford Motor Company, Car Wars asked different car customizers from across the country to modify existing vehicles for cash prizes. The show developed lots of noteworthy designed Ford Expeditions, Ford Fusions and other vehicles. If featured famed automotive designers like Patrick Schiavone, former Ford North American Truck & SUV Design Director now Vice President of Design at Whirlpool and Ford Explorer Exterior Design Manager, Melvin Betancourt and Louis D'erasmo of Valanca Auto Concepts.

For Fast Machines with Funkmaster Flex, Flex returned to Spike TV and his customization roots once again focusing on making some exciting muscle and modern car customization for celebrities like a 1955 Chevy Bel Air for Dale Earnhardt Jr., a 1966 Pontiac GTO for Pontiac Enthusiast Magazine, 1970 Chevy Chevelle for the U.S. Marines. It also featured a fantastic interview with Royal Purple race driver Kathryn Minter.

In 2010, Flex returned to his MTV roots with a new show - Funk Flex Full Throttle. Flex was back doing what he does best: interview the most buzzed-about hip-hop artists - with his signature raucous, familiar style - and complete car customizations that have made him a legend in the automotive world. Whether Flex was on location at Spring Break, the New York Auto Show or hanging in his tricked-out garage the show was exciting. Full Throttle also integrated reality elements as Flex directed his team of car customizers at various builds and allowed viewers inside the lifestyle of Hip Hop stars - be it clubbing with Diddy, or helping Swizz Beatz select a top-of-the-line dream ride.

Stay tuned for the second season of Full Throttle and a potential new Hip Hop lifestyle series from Flex in the future.

Funk Flex - On the Road

Flex developed and promotes an annual eight-city Funkmaster Flex Custom Car & Bike Show Tour, bringing the most exclusive and expensive candy colored rides to fans in cities from Miami to Atlantic City.

The tour moves across the country and has featured artists such as Drake, Nicki Minaj and Fabolous. Each stop showcases the hottest customized rides in competition for cash prizes, model and recording talent search. In 2010, Flex added the Funkmaster Flex Lifestyle Expo. The Expo featured sneaker and DJ battles, video game competitions, skateboard demos along with discounted prices on the hottest shoes, fitted hats and underground gear.

The Tour also showcases the premiere show for sneaker enthusiasts and Street Wear Culture, "The International Sneaker Battle." The Battle brings together sneaker enthusiasts and everyone involved in the culture of Hip Hop, graffiti, DJing, sneakers, clothing, art, and overall fashion.

Flex also loves to show off his personal collection of muscle cars at each stop. He has amassed over 40 cars in his collections. Here are his favorites.

Controversy

Things got ugly in 2002 after Flex was accused of attacking Power 105.1’s Steph Lova. According to reports, the attack stemmed from allegations made during a Nas interview with Steph Lova in which the rapper claimed Flex had been taking payola. In the end, Flex pleaded guilty to harassment, and was also ordered to stay away from the Power 105.1 DJ. 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass - A car his father once owned and started his passion for American muscle cars.

1969 Dodge Charger R/T - The first muscle car he ever purchase, even though he admits he isn't really a Mopar fan.

1970 Chevy Chevelle SS 502 - Flex's favorite and the one car he will never part with.

1967 Ford Galaxie G-Machine - One Flex's favorite Ford products.

Auto design - Flex style

In 2005, Ford Motor Company opened its Dearborn design studio doors to Funkmaster Flex to look at how to customize its product line-up and add exposure to the brand. To date, Flex has worked on a lot of innovative projects for Ford.

2006 Ford Fusion - Flex is named the first customizer to transform the Fusion for the street.

2008 Ford Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition - Flex follows his idol Carroll Shelby and is given the opportunity to have a limited edition Expedition with unique design cues with his name on it. The car is revealed for the first time at the New York Auto Show.

2009 Ford Flex - Flex reveals his version of the new crossover at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) along side Hip Hop artist Nelly.

2010 Ford Taurus SHO - Flex tricks out the iconic Taurus for 2009 SEMA show.

2010 Ford Explorer - Flex tricks out the all-new redesigned Explorer for the 2010 SEMA show.

2011 Ford Fiesta - A contest to win an all-new 2011 Ford Fiesta receives over a quarter of a million entries on FordUrban.com

Video games

Flex is a featured DJ on The Beat 102.7 in the 2008 Grand Theft Auto IV - The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony.

He is a celebrity adversary and a unlockable free agent fullback in season mode of ESPN NFL 2K5. He also has an unlockable team, the Baurtwell Funkmasters.

Flex was an unlockable character in Def Jam: Vendetta. In that game, he was the in-game narrator of almost all fights. Except in After Hours matches, which don't have narrating.

Flex's music is featured in his own game - Funkmaster Flex's Digital Hitz Factory.

Discography

''The Mix Tape, Vol. 1'' (1995)

''The Mix Tape, Vol. II'' (1997)

''The Mix Tape, Vol. III'' (1998)

''The Tunnel'' (1999)

''The Mix Tape, Vol. IV'' (2000)

''Car Show Tour'' (2005)

References

External links

Funkmaster Flex at Discogs

Category:American DJs Category:Hip hop DJs Category:Mixtape DJs Category:New York City nightlife Category:People from the Bronx Category:Def Jam Recordings artists Category:E1 Music artists Category:1968 births Category:Living people

de:Funkmaster Flex fr:Funkmaster Flex it:Funkmaster Flex pl:Funkmaster Flex fi:Funkmaster Flex sv:Aston George Taylor Jr.

Name	French Montana
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Karim Kharbouch
Birth place	November 09, 1984Rabat, Morocco
Alias	Frenchie, Mac With Da Cheese
Origin	South Bronx, The Bronx, New York, USA
Genre	East Coast hip hop, mafioso rap, gangsta rap
Occupation	Rapper
Years active	2002 - present
Label	Bad Boy Records/Maybach Music Group/Interscope Records/Cocaine City Records/Ciroc
Associated acts	Coke Boys, Max B, Diddy, Rick Ross, Wiz Khalifa, The LOX , G-Unit, G4SHI, 1017 Brick Squad, Three 6 Mafia, Drake, Fat Joe, Uncle Murda, Gain Greene, DJ Drama, Evil Empire, Big Mike, Travis Porter, T.I., Prodigy }}

French Montana (born November 9, 1984) is an American rapper and singer of Moroccan and Somali descent. He is the founder and CEO of Cocaine City Records, and in 2012, signed a joint recording deal with Diddy's Bad Boy Records and Rick Rosss' Maybach Music Group. He is known for his frequent collaborations with Max B, and more recently with Chinx Drugz and the rest of his group, the Coke Boys.

Biography

French Montana was born Karim Kharbouch in 1984 in Rabat, Morocco, where he lived for the first 13 years of his life. Growing up in Rabat, he was consumed by playing soccer and rapping, describing them as his two favorite childhood hobbies. In 1996, French emigrated with his parents and two younger brothers to the Bronx in New York City. His father left the family when French was 17, and so he began to provide for his mother and younger brothers.

His stage name is a conflation of French (from the French protectorate of Morocco) and Montana (from the fictitious Tony Montana in the 1983 movie Scarface).

Between 2003 and 2004, French was shot in the head as he was exiting a recording studio in New York. He was rushed to the hospital after the incident and survived. Describing the shooting as a possible assassination attempt, the artist was subsequently involved in a murder trial in which he was eventually found not guilty. Rumors began to swirl that he had received settlement money from the case, which he then used to start his rap career. However, French later dismissed these claims as false in an interview.

Music career

Cocaine City

In 2002, along with his friend Camz he created a series of street-flavoured DVD documentaries called 'Cocaine City' after drawing inspiration from the 'Smack' DVD series. Under the name Young French he used the DVDs as a means of showcasing his talent as an underground artist. To gain a broader fan base, French incorporated interviews with major artists, as well as some up and comers. The first edition in the series included Pee Wee Kirkland and Remy Ma alongside French himself among others. What started out as simply a medium for developing an audience quickly grew into one of the top-selling "street DVDs". The series ran for 8 years between 2002 and 2010, with a total of 14 editions being released.

2009-2010

In 2009, French signed a deal with Akon's Konvict Muzik record label, but later left the label in 2011 due to album delays. Montana was subsequently reportedly close to signing a deal with Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group (MMG). There were also reports that he would join Kanye West's GOOD Music label.

Bad Boy Records & Maybach Music Group

In December 2011, Montana signed a joint record deal with Rick Rosss' Maybach Music Group and P. Diddy's Bad Boy Records and Interscope Records. According to French, of the many major labels that were courting him, the Maybach |Music Group would have been his second choice had he not signed with Bad Boy. Montana still maintains strong ties with MMG, and Rick Ross is slated to executive produce his debut album. It was announced that the debut album will be released July 17, 2012 by Rick Ross.

French was featured on XXL's Freshman Class of 2012 alongside Future, Kid Ink, Danny Brown, Macklemore, Don Trip, Hopsin, Iggy Azalea, Roscoe Dash and labelmate Machine Gun Kelly (rapper). However, he later revealed to Sway Calloway on RapFix Live that he almost turned down the cover opportunity, feeling he "deserved it two years ago" and that he had surpassed the current crop of rap rookies.

Influences

According to French, the rappers Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, The Notorious B.I.G. and Wu-Tang Clan were among the hip hop artists that he listened to while growing up. He also considers himself a general music lover.

Discography

Studio albums

''Excuse My French'' (2012)

Mixtapes

''French Revolution Vol. 1'' (Hosted by Cutmaster C) (2007) ''Live From Africa'' (Hosted by Cocaine City) (2008) ''Coke Wave'' (with Max B; Hosted by DJ Whoo Kid) (2008) ''Coke Wave 2'' (with Max B; Hosted by Evil Empire) (2009) ''The Laundry Man'' (Hosted by Evil Empire & Big Mike) (2009) ''Mac Wit Da Cheese'' (Hosted by Big Mike) (2009) ''The Laundry Man 2'' (Hosted by Evil Empire) (2009) ''Cocaine Konvicts: Gangsta Grillz'' (Hosted by DJ Drama) (2009) ''Mac & Cheese 2'' (Hosted by Evil Empire, Self & Big Mike) (2010) ''Coke Boys'' (with Coke Boys; Hosted by DJ Lust, DJ Drama & DJ Diggz) (2010) ''Mister 16 (Casino Life)'' (Hosted by DJ Holiday) (2011) ''Coke Boys 2'' (with Coke Boys) (Hosted by Evil Empire) (2011) ''Coke Boys Run NY'' (with Chinx Drugz; Hosted by ItsBizkit, Trapemasters Inc & Evil Empire) (2011) ''Lock Out'' (with Waka Flocka Flame; Presented by DJ Drama & DJ Green Lantern) (2011) ''Cocaine Mafia'' (with Juicy J and Project Pat; Hosted by Evil Empire) (2011) ''N.W.C. (Niggas With Coke): Coke Boys 3'' (2012)

''Mac & Cheese 3'' (Hosted by Evil Empire, Self & Big Mike) (TBA)

Other Mixtapes

Cocaine & Caviar (2010)

Cocaine & Caviar 2 (2011)

Guest appearances

TTG (Trained to Go) (Waka Flocka Flame feat. French Montana, YG Hootie, Joe Moses, Suge Gotti & Baby Bomb) off: ''Flockaveli'' (2010)

Big Bank (Pill, Meek Mill, Wale & Rick Ross feat. French Montana) off: ''Self Made Vol. 1'' (2011)

Body Work (Pusha T feat. Juicy J, Meek Mill & French Montana) off: ''Fear of God II: Let Us Pray'' (2011)

Everything That Glitters (DJ Drama feat. Pusha T & French Montana) off: ''Third Power'' (2011)

Off the Boat (Rick Ross feat. French Montana) off: ''Rich Forever'' (2012)

Stay Schemin' (Rick Ross feat. Drake & French Montana) off: ''Rich Forever'' (2012)

Ghetto Boy (Young Buck feat. French Montana & Uncle Murda) off: ''Bond Money'' (2012)

She Did It (Fabolous) (2012)

Hurt Somebody (Akon feat. French Montana) off: ''The Koncrete Mixtape'' (2012)

Top Chef (Akon feat. Gucci Mane & French Montana) off: ''The Koncrete Mixtape'' (2012)

Self Made (Akon feat. French Montana, Juicy J & Project Pat) off: ''The Koncrete Mixtape'' (2012)

Got Damn (remix) (DJ Kay Slay feat. Torch, Gunplay, Busta Rhymes, French Montana & 2 Chainz) (2012)

Mean Muggin (Game feat. 2 Chainz & French Montana) off: ''California Republic (2012)

Paper Tags (Jadakiss feat. Wale, French Montana & Styles P) off: ''Consignment'' (2012)

Back To The Money (Jadakiss feat. Waka Flocka Flame, Slim Dunkin & French Montana) off: ''Cosignment'' (2012)

Singles

+ List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name	scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"	Title	Year	Peak chart positions			Album
!style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"	!style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"	!style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"
"Choppa Choppa Down"(featuring Waka Flocka Flame)	2011	—	—	—	rowspan="2"	''Excuse My French''
"Shot Caller"(featuring Charlie Rock)	2012	124	39
!scope="row"	2012	-	-

As featured performer

+ List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name	scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"	Title	Year	Peak chart positions			Album
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"	! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"	! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"
! scope="row"		58	43	23	''God Forgives, I Don't''
scope="row">"Hurt Somebody"(Akon featuring French Montana)	—	—	—	''The Konkrete Mixtape''

Videography

2008

"Why So Serious"

"Do It Right"

"Smoking"

"We Run new York"

"Why So Serious"

2009

"Im So Special"

"New York Minute"

"Playing In The Wind"

"Henny & My 44"

"Lay Down"

"Stick up Boys"

2010

"Them Girls"

"Go Hard"

"Whatcha Know About It"

"Im On It"

"Heartache & Pain"

2011

"Tryna Breathe"

"Choppa Choppa Down"

"Choppa Choppa Down (Remix)"

"Shot Caller"

"We Mobb"

"Stay Schemin'"

2012

"Weed & Drinks"

"Shot Caller (Remix)"

References

External links

French Montana - Breakthrough Artist 2009/2010

French Montana - Last.fm

XXL magazine - French Montana

CHAMP Magazine

Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:Underground rappers Category:People from the Bronx Category:Rappers from New York Category:Rappers from New York City Category:American people of Moroccan descent Category:American people of Somali descent Category:African American rappers Category:Moroccan expatriates in the United States

name	Alexandre Dumas
birth name	Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie
birth date	July 24, 1802
birth place	Villers-Cotterêts, Aisne, France
death date	December 05, 1870
death place	Puys (near Dieppe), Seine-Maritime, France
occupation	playwright and novelist
nationality	French
period	1829–1869
movement	Romanticism and Historical fiction
notableworks	''The Count of Monte Cristo'', ''The Three Musketeers''
influences	Hector Berlioz
influenced	Stephen King, Steven Brust, Robert E. Howard, Narcís Oller, Juan Gómez-Jurado, Alexandru Hrisoverghi, Emilio Salgari, Jin Yong, Jules Verne, Henryk Sienkiewicz
signature	Alexandre Dumas Signature.svg }}

Alexandre Dumas, , born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie () (24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870) was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world. Many of his novels, including ''The Count of Monte Cristo'', ''The Three Musketeers'', ''Twenty Years After'', and ''The Vicomte de Bragelonne'' were originally serialized. He also wrote plays and magazine articles and was a prolific correspondent. Born in poverty, Dumas was the grandson of a French nobleman and a Haitian slave.

Early life

Alexandre Dumas was born in Villers-Cotterêts in the department of Aisne, in Picardy, France.

Dumas' paternal grandparents were Marquis Alexandre-Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie, a French nobleman and ''Général commissaire'' in the Artillery in the colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) and Marie-Cesette Dumas, an Afro-Caribbean Creole of mixed French and African ancestry. Their son, Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, married Marie-Louise Élisabeth Labouret, the daughter of an innkeeper. Thomas-Alexandre, then a general in Napoleon's army, fell out of favor and the family was impoverished when Dumas was born.

Thomas-Alexandre died in 1806. His widow was unable to provide her son with much of an education, but Dumas read everything he could obtain. His mother's stories of his father's bravery during the years of Napoleon I of France inspired Dumas' vivid imagination for adventure. Although poor, the family had their father's distinguished reputation and aristocratic position. In 1822, after the restoration of the monarchy, 20-year old Alexandre Dumas moved to Paris, where he worked at the Palais Royal in the office of Louis Philippe, Duke of Orléans.

Career

While in Paris, Dumas began writing for magazines and plays for the theater. His first play, ''Henry III and His Courts'', was produced in 1829, and was met with acclaim. The next year his second play, ''Christine'', was equally popular, and he was financially able to write full-time. In 1830 he participated in the Revolution which ousted Charles X, and which replaced him on the throne with Dumas' former employer, the Duke of Orléans, who would rule as Louis-Philippe, the ''Citizen King''.

Until the mid-1830s life in France remained unsettled, with sporadic riots by disgruntled Republicans and impoverished urban workers seeking change. As life slowly returned to normal, the nation began to industrialize, and with an improving economy—combined with the end of press censorship—the times were very rewarding for the skills of Alexandre Dumas.

After writing more successful plays, he turned his efforts to novels. Although attracted to an extravagant lifestyle, and always spending more than he earned, Dumas proved to be an astute marketer. Since newspapers wanted many serial novels, in 1838 Dumas rewrote one of his plays to create his first serial novel, titled ''Le Capitaine Paul'', which led to his forming a production studio that turned out hundreds of stories, all subject to his personal input and direction.

From 1839 to 1841 Dumas, with the assistance of several friends, compiled ''Celebrated Crimes'', an eight-volume collection of essays on famous criminals and crimes from European history, including Beatrice Cenci, Martin Guerre, Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia as well as more recent incidents, including the cases of executed alleged murderers Karl Ludwig Sand and Antoine François Desrues.

Dumas also collaborated with his fencing master Augustin Grisier in his 1840 novel, ''The Fencing Master''. The story is written to be Grisier's narrated account of how he came to witness the events of the Decembrist revolt in Russia. This novel was eventually banned in Russia by Czar Nicholas I, causing Dumas to be banned from visiting Russia until after the Czar's death. Grisier is also mentioned with great respect in ''The Count of Monte Cristo'', ''The Corsican Brothers'' and in Dumas' memoirs.

Dumas made extensive use of the aid of numerous assistants and collaborators, of whom Auguste Maquet was the best known. It was Maquet who outlined the plot of ''The Count of Monte Cristo'', and made substantial contributions to ''The Three Musketeers'' and its sequels, as well as to several of Dumas' other novels. When they were working together, Maquet proposed plots and wrote drafts, while Dumas added the details, dialogues, and the final chapters. See ''Andrew Lang'' essay, ''Alexandre Dumas''—in his ''Essays In Little'' (1891)—for an accurate description of these collaborations.

Dumas' writing earned him a great deal of money, but Dumas was frequently insolvent as a result of spending lavishly on women and sumptuous living. The large Château de Monte-Cristo that he built was often filled with strangers and acquaintances taking advantage of his generosity.

When King Louis-Philippe was ousted in a revolt, Dumas was not looked upon favorably by the newly elected President, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte. In 1851 Dumas fled to Brussels, Belgium, to escape his creditors, and from there he traveled to Russia, where French was the second language, and where his writings were enormously popular. Dumas spent two years in Russia, before moving on to seek adventure and fodder for more stories. In March 1861 the kingdom of Italy was proclaimed, with Victor Emmanuel II as its king. For the next three years Alexandre Dumas would be involved in the fight for a united Italy, founding and leading a newspaper, named ''Indipendente'', and returning to Paris in 1864.

Despite Alexandre Dumas' success and aristocratic background, his being of mixed race affected him all his life. In 1843 he wrote a short novel, ''Georges'', that addressed some of the issues of race and the effects of colonialism. He once remarked to a man who insulted him about his mixed-race background:

"My father was a mulatto, my grandfather was a Negro, and my great-grandfather a monkey. You see, Sir, my family starts where yours ends."

Personal life

On 1 February 1840 he married actress Ida Ferrier (born Marguerite-Joséphine Ferrand) (1811—1859) but continued with his numerous liaisons with other women, fathering at least four illegitimate children. One of those children, a son named after him, whose mother was Marie-Laure-Catherine Labay (1794—1868), a dressmaker, would follow in his footsteps, also becoming a successful novelist and playwright. Because of their same name and occupation, the father is often referred to as Alexandre Dumas, ''père'', and the son as Alexandre Dumas, ''fils''. His other children were Marie-Alexandrine Dumas (5 March 1831—1878) who later married Pierre Petel and was daughter of Belle Krelsamer (1803—1875), Micaëlla-Clélie-Josepha-Élisabeth Cordier, born in 1860 and daughter of Emélie Cordier, and Henry Bauer, born of an unknown mother.

Death and legacy

In June 2005 Dumas' recently discovered last novel, ''The Knight of Sainte-Hermine'', went on sale in France. Within the story Dumas describes the Battle of Trafalgar, in which the death of Lord Nelson is explained. The novel was being published serially, and was nearly complete at the time of his death. A final two-and-a-half chapters were written by modern-day Dumas scholar Claude Schopp, who based his efforts on Dumas' pre-writing notes.

Although he was originally buried where he had been born, in 2002 French President, Jacques Chirac, had his body exhumed. During a televised ceremony his new coffin, draped in a blue velvet cloth and flanked by four Republican Guards (costumed as the Musketeers—Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan), was transported in a solemn procession to the Panthéon of Paris, the great mausoleum where French luminaries are interred. In his speech President Chirac said:

"With you, we were D'Artagnan, Monte Cristo, or Balsamo, riding along the roads of France, touring battlefields, visiting palaces and castles—with you, we dream."

Also during that speech, Chirac acknowledged the racism that had existed, saying that a wrong had now been righted, with Alexandre Dumas enshrined alongside fellow authors Victor Hugo and Emile Zola. The honor recognized that although France has produced many great writers, none has been so widely read as Alexandre Dumas. His stories have been translated into almost a hundred languages, and have inspired more than 200 motion pictures.

Alexandre Dumas' home outside of Paris, the Château de Monte-Cristo, has been restored and is open to the public. The Alexandre Dumas Paris Métro station was named in his honour in 1970.

Dumas appears as a character in the Kevin J. Anderson novel ''Captain Nemo: The Fantastic History of a Dark Genius''. He encourages Jules Verne to find his own voice and write about his friend Captain Nemo's exploits rather than emulate Dumas' historical fiction.

Works

Fiction

Alexandre Dumas wrote stories and historical chronicles of high adventure that captured the imagination of the French public, who eagerly waited to purchase the continuing sagas. A few of these works:

''Charles VII at the Homes of His Great Vassals'' (''Charles VII chez ses grands vassaux'', 1831) – drama, adapted for the opera ''The Saracen'' by Russian composer César Cui

''Othon l’archer''

''Captain Pamphile'' (''Le Capitaine Pamphile'', 1839)

''The Fencing Master'' (''Le Maître d'armes'', 1840)

''Castle Eppstein; The Specter Mother'' (''Chateau d'Eppstein; Albine'', 1843)

''Georges'' (1843): The protagonist of this novel is a man of mixed race, a rare allusion to Dumas' own African ancestry.

''The Conspirators'' (''Le chevalier d'Harmental'', 1843) later adapted by Paul Ferrier into an opera

''Ascanio (1843?); Written in collaboration with Paul Meurice (1820–1905): France – History – Francis I, 1515–1547 – Fiction.

''Louis XIV and His Century'' (''Louis XIV et son siècle'', 1844)

''The Nutcracker'' (''Histoire d'un casse-noisette'', 1844): a revision of Hoffmann's story ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'', later adapted by Tchaikovsky as a ballet

the D'Artagnan Romances:

* ''The Three Musketeers'' (''Les Trois Mousquetaires'', 1844)

* ''Twenty Years After'' (''Vingt ans après'', 1845)

* ''The Vicomte de Bragelonne'', sometimes called "Ten Years Later", (''Le Vicomte de Bragelonne, ou Dix ans plus tard'', 1847): When published in English, it was usually split into three parts: ''The Vicomte de Bragelonne'', ''Louise de la Valliere'', and ''The Man in the Iron Mask'', of which the last part is the best known. (A third sequel, ''The Son of Porthos'', 1883 (a.k.a. ''The Death of Aramis'') was published under the name of Alexandre Dumas; however, the real author was Paul Mahalin.)

''The Corsican Brothers'' (''Les Frères Corses'', 1844)

''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (''Le Comte de Monte-Cristo'', 1845–1846)

''The Regent's Daughter'' (''Une Fille du régent'', 1845)

''The Two Dianas'' (''Les Deux Diane'', 1846)

the Valois romances

* ''The horoscope : a romance of the reign of François II'' (1897?)

* ''La Reine Margot'' (1845)

* ''La Dame de Monsoreau'' (1846) (a.k.a. ''Chicot the Jester'')

* ''The Forty-Five Guardsmen'' (1847) (''Les Quarante-cinq'')

the Marie Antoinette romances:

* ''Joseph Balsamo'' (''Mémoires d'un médecin: Joseph Balsamo'', 1846–1848) (a.k.a. ''Memoirs of a Physician'', ''Cagliostro'', ''Madame Dubarry'', ''The Countess Dubarry'', or ''The Elixir of Life'')''(Joseph Balsamo has a length of about 1000 pages, and is usually separated into 2 volumes in English translations: Vol 1. Joseph Balsamo and Vol 2. Memoirs of a Physician.)''

* ''The Queen's Necklace'' (''Le Collier de la Reine'', 1849–1850)

* ''Ange Pitou'' (1853) (a.k.a. ''Storming the Bastille'' or ''Six Years Later'')

* ''The Countess de Charny'' (''La Comtesse de Charny'', 1853–1855) (a.k.a. ''Andrée de Taverney'', or ''The Mesmerist's Victim'')

* ''Le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge'' (1845) (a.k.a. ''The Knight of the Red House'', or ''The Knight of Maison-Rouge'')

''The Black Tulip'' (''La Tulipe noire'', 1850)

''Olympe de Cleves'' (''Olympe de Cleves'', 1851-2)

''The Page of the Duke of Savoy'' (''Catherine Blum'', 1853-4)

''The Mohicans of Paris'' (''Les Mohicans de Paris'', 1854)

''The Wolf-Leader'' (''Le Meneur de loups'', 1857)

''The Gold Thieves'' (after 1857): a lost play that was rediscovered by the Canadian Reginald Hamel, researcher in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in 2004

''The Companions of Jehu'' (''Les Compagnons de Jehu'', 1857)

''Pietro Monaco sua moglie Maria Oliverio e i loro complici'', 1864)

''Robin Hood'' (''Robin Hood le proscrit'', 1863)

''The Count of Moret; The Red Sphinx; or, Richelieu and his rivals'' (''Le Comte de Moret; Le Sphinx Rouge'', 1865–1866)

''The Whites and the Blues'' (''Les Blancs et les Bleus'', 1867)

''The Knight of Sainte-Hermine'' (''Le Chevalier de Sainte-Hermine'', 1869): This nearly completed novel was his last major work and was lost until its rediscovery by Claude Schopp in 1988 and subsequent release in 2005.

The Women's War (''La Guerre des Femmes''): follows Baron des Canolles, a naive Gascon soldier who falls in love with two women.

Drama

Although best known now as a novelist, Dumas first earned fame as a dramatist. His ''Henri III et sa cour'' (1829) was the first of the great Romantic historical dramas produced on the Paris stage, preceding Victor Hugo's more famous ''Hernani'' (1830). Produced at the Comédie-Française, and starring the famous Mademoiselle Mars, Dumas' play was an enormous success, launching him on his career. It had fifty performances over the next year, extraordinary at the time.

Other hits followed. For example, ''Antony'' (1831)—a drama with a contemporary Byronic hero—is considered the first non-historical Romantic drama. It starred Mars' great rival Marie Dorval. There were also ''La Tour de Nesle'' – 1832, another historical melodrama, and ''Kean'' – 1836, based on the life of the great, and recently deceased, English actor Edmund Kean, played in turn by the great French actor Frédérick Lemaître. Dumas wrote many more plays and dramatized several of his own novels.

It is worthwhile to note that Dumas founded Théâtre Historique at the Boulevard du Temple in Paris, which later became Opéra National (established by Adolphe Adam in 1847). That in turn became Théâtre Lyrique in 1851.

Non-fiction

Dumas was also a prolific writer of non-fiction. He wrote journal articles on politics and culture, and books on French history.

His massive ''Grand Dictionnaire de cuisine'' (''Great Dictionary of Cuisine'') was published posthumously in 1873. It is a combination of encyclopedia and cookbook. Dumas was both a gourmet and an expert cook. An abridged version (the ''Petit Dictionnaire de cuisine'', or ''Small Dictionary of Cuisine'') was published in 1882.

He was also a well-known travel writer, writing such books as:

''Impressions de voyage: En Suisse'' (''Travel Impressions: In Switzerland'', 1834)

''Une Année à Florence'' (''A Year in Florence'', 1841)

''De Paris à Cadix'' (''From Paris to Cadiz'', 1847)

''Le Journal de Madame Giovanni'' (''The Journal of Madame Giovanni'', 1856)

''Travel Impressions in the Kingdom of Napoli/Naples Trilogy'' (''Impressions de voyage''):

''Impressions of Travel in Sicily'' (''Le Speronare (Sicily – 1835)'', 1842

''Captain Arena'' (''Le Capitaine Arena (Italy – Aeolian Islands and Calabria – 1835)'', 1842

''Impressions of Travel in Naples'' (''Le Corricolo (Rome – Naples – 1835)'', 1843

''Travel Impressions in Russia:''

''Adventures in Czarist Russia, or From Paris to Astrakhan'' (''Impressions de voyage: En Russie; De Paris à Astrakan: Nouvelles impressions de voyage (1858)'', 1859–1862

''Voyage to the Caucasus'' (''Le Caucase : Impressions de voyage; suite de En Russie (1859)'', 1858–1859

Notes

References

External links

Works by Alexandre Dumas at Internet Archive

Herald Sun: Lost Dumas play discovered

Lost Dumas novel hits bookshelves

Dumas' Works: text, concordances and frequency lists

The Alexandre Dumas père website, with a complete bibliography and notes about many of the works

Rafferty, Terrence. "All for One", ''The New York Times'', August 20, 2006 (a review of the new translation of ''The Three Musketeers'', ISBN 0-670-03779-6)

1866 Caricature of Alexandre Dumas by André Gill

Alexandre Dumas et compagnie : Freely downloadable works of Alexandre Dumas in PDF format (text mode)

Alexandre Dumas Collection at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin

Alejandro Dumas Vida y Obras First Spanish Website about Alexandre Dumas and his works.

Category:1802 births Category:1870 deaths Category:19th-century French writers Category:19th-century theatre Category:Burials at the Panthéon, Paris Category:French dramatists and playwrights Category:French historical novelists Category:French fantasy writers Category:French food writers Category:French memoirists Category:French novelists Category:French people of Haitian descent Category:People from Aisne Category:Western writers about Imperial Russia Category:19th-century novelists

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