Bert McCracken | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Robert Edward McCracken |
Born |
Provo, Utah, U.S. |
February 25, 1982
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician |
Instruments |
|
Labels | Reprise |
Associated acts | The Used |
Robert Edward "Bert" McCracken (born February 25, 1982) is the lead singer and songwriter of the American rock band The Used.
McCracken was born in Provo. He grew up in Orem, Utah, and was raised in a Mormon family. He has three sisters (Katie, Melanie, Rachel) and one younger brother (Joseph Taylor). At age 12, he started playing the trumpet in a local band called "I'm With Stupid". He attended Timpanogos High School for a brief time, before dropping out at 16.
Eldest son of the household, Bert enjoyed a happy home life as a child, but as he grew into a teenager his and his parents' views conflicted. He rebelled against his parents and against their Mormon religion. He dropped out of high school; soon after, he left his home at the age of 16. For some time he was homeless until he found enough money for an apartment, moving in with girlfriend Kate. In January 2001, when the band called Dumb Luck (which later became The Used, then consisting of Quinn, Jeph and Branden) were looking for a singer, Quinn remembered Bert and he was invited to try out. After being given music that the band had written without words, Bert wrote the lyrics to what would become "Maybe Memories" and returned the next day with a newly recorded version of the song. The band welcomed him immediately, and renamed themselves "Used". They were eventually discovered by John Feldmann and signed to Reprise Records; they became "The Used" when it was discovered that a Boston band had already trademarked the name "Used". On June 25, 2002 they released their self-titled debut album.
McCracken appeared on the MTV show The Osbournes while he was dating Kelly Osbourne, to her mother's dismay and disapproval.
In 2004 McCracken's ex-girlfriend died of a drug overdose while pregnant with his child.
Bert McCracken is a supporter of the Palestinian cause as he stated in a Loudwire interview.
In July 2008 McCracken married his Australian fiancée, Alison Schneider, at a private ceremony in Los Angeles. In 2013 he announced that he and his wife had relocated from Los Angeles, to Sydney, Australia, where their one daughter, Cleopatra Rose McCracken, was born in 2013.