# Martin Rossiter > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Martin_Rossiter > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Martin_Rossiter.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Rossiter > Source revision: 1354925660 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|British singer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Use British English|date=August 2011}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Martin Rossiter | caption = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1970|5|15}} | origin = [Croxley Green](/source/Croxley_Green), [Hertfordshire](/source/Hertfordshire), England | instrument = Vocals, keyboards, piano | genre = | occupation = Singer, educator | years_active = 1994–present | current_member_of = [Gene](/source/Gene_(band)) | past_member_of = Spin | website = {{URL|martinrossiter.bandcamp.com}} }} '''Martin Rossiter''' (born 15 May 1970) is a British singer from [Croxley Green](/source/Croxley_Green), [Hertfordshire](/source/Hertfordshire),{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02s49c8 |title=Martin Rossiter, Wales' Greatest Living Voice |publisher=BBC Radio Wales |access-date=15 November 2016}} who was lead singer of the Britpop band [Gene](/source/Gene_(band)) from 1993 through to their break up in 2004.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gene-p141622/biography |title=Gene Biography |first=Stephen Thomas |last=Erlewine |website=AllMusic |accessdate=30 January 2011}} He released a solo album in 2012.{{Cite news |url=http://www.clashmusic.com/features/their-library-martin-rossiter |title=Their Library: Martin Rossiter |date=30 November 2012 |website=Clash |access-date=15 November 2016}} == Career == Though Gene was labelled as a [Britpop](/source/Britpop) band, Rossiter was never happy being included in the genre saying, "It was played out under the dirty shadow of the union flag which I always found quite distasteful. I never had any desire to represent Great Britain. At the time I said that I regarded myself as European rather than British. I'm a [Socialist](/source/socialism) and I've always felt very uncomfortable with the idea of [nationalism](/source/nationalism) because it can be a very dangerous thing."{{Cite web |url=http://sabotagetimes.com/music/genes-martin-rossiter-interviewed-pulp-and-blur-can-fck-off-to-butlins |title=Gene's Martin Rossiter Interviewed: "Pulp And Blur Can F*ck Off To Butlins" |last=Wilde |first=Jon |date=24 November 2012 |website=Sabotage Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427090730/http://sabotagetimes.com/music/genes-martin-rossiter-interviewed-pulp-and-blur-can-fck-off-to-butlins |archive-date=27 April 2019 |url-status=usurped}} He recorded four albums with the band between 1995 and 2001, and performed live until 2004.{{Cite web |url=http://www.irresponsiblerecordings.com/roster/martin-rossiter/ |title=Martin Rossiter |publisher=Irresponsible Recordings |access-date=15 November 2016}} In addition to writing and recording as a solo artist, he is also a member of the band Call Me Jolene,{{Cite web |url=https://badbunnybitesback.wordpress.com/2012/02/19/call-me-jolene-at-the-green-door-store/ |title=Call Me Jolene at The Green Door Store |date=13 March 2012 |website=Bad Bunny Bites Back. |access-date=15 November 2016}} which released the four-track ''May'' EP in 2013.{{Cite web |url=https://callmejolene.bandcamp.com/album/may-ep |title=May EP, by Call Me Jolene |publisher=Call Me Jolene |website=Bandcamp |access-date=15 November 2016}} He works as a music teacher for [British and Irish Modern Music Institute](/source/British_and_Irish_Modern_Music_Institute),{{Cite web |last=Kendall |first=James |date=30 January 2013 |title= Martin Rossiter Interview |url=http://brightonsource.co.uk/features/martin-rossiter-interview/ |access-date=15 November 2016 |website=Brighton Source}} and artist development officer at [Access to Music](/source/Access_to_Music).{{Cite web |title=AD4 Martin Rossiter |url=https://vimeo.com/72038635 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529103027/https://vimeo.com/72038635 |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 May 2016 |access-date=15 November 2016 |via=Vimeo}} In 2011, Rossiter made his solo live debut in Brighton, where he performed new material,{{Cite web |url=https://martinrossiter.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-the-unitarian-church |title=Live at The Unitarian Church |publisher=Martin Rossiter|website=Bandcamp |access-date=15 November 2016}} which was later released as ''Live at the Unitarian Church''.{{Cite news |url=http://louderthanwar.com/martin-rossiter-live-at-the-unitarian-church-brighton-album-review/ |title=Martin Rossiter 'Live at the Unitarian Church, Brighton' – album review |date=7 May 2013 |newspaper=Louder Than War |access-date=15 November 2016}} His first solo album, ''[The Defenestration of St Martin](/source/The_Defenestration_of_St_Martin)'', was released on 3 December 2012 on the Drop Anchor Music label.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/9wzb/ |title=Martin Rossiter The Defenestration of St. Martin Review |work=BBC Music |first=David |last=Quantick |date=23 November 2012 |access-date=2 December 2012}} He wrote most of the songs on piano over a five-year period and financed the record through crowd-funding.{{Cite news |url=http://louderthanwar.com/martin-rossiter-interview-by-fergal-kinney/ |title=Martin Rossiter Interview |last=Kinney |first=Fergal |date=20 February 2013 |newspaper=Louder Than War |access-date=15 November 2016}} Rossiter embarked on a UK tour in support of the album.{{Cite news |url=http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4145747-record-labels-are-run-by-deviants-moral-vacuums-in-mid-priced-suits-dis-meets-martin-rossiter |title="Record Labels are run by deviants. Moral vacuums in mid-priced suits" – DiS meets Martin Rossite r|last=Burrows |first=Marc |date=19 November 2012|newspaper=Drowned in Sound |access-date=15 November 2016 |archive-date=16 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116015726/http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4145747-record-labels-are-run-by-deviants-moral-vacuums-in-mid-priced-suits-dis-meets-martin-rossiter |url-status=dead}} It was followed in 2014 by a live album accompanied by a DVD entitled ''Live at Bush Hall''.{{Cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/Martin-Rossiter-Live-At-Bush-Hall/release/5685419 |title=Martin Rossiter – Live at Bush Hall |website=Discogs |access-date=15 November 2016}} On 26 August 2019, Rossiter announced a farewell show with full band, performing a one-off career-closing set spanning all areas of Gene and his solo work. The show was originally scheduled to take place on 13 June 2020 at the [Shepherd's Bush Empire](/source/Shepherd's_Bush_Empire), but it was repeatedly rescheduled as a result of the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic) and eventually took place at the [O2 Forum Kentish Town](/source/O2_Forum_Kentish_Town) on 20 November 2021, after a one-off warm-up show at Concorde 2 in Brighton on 11 November 2021. Rossiter came out of retirement to participate in a charity fundraising show for Ukrainian refugees. ''A Night For Ukraine'' had a bill of music acts and comedians and took place on 22 March 2022 at the [Shepherd's Bush Empire](/source/Shepherd's_Bush_Empire). In 2025 Rossiter was confirmed as taking part in his band's [https://www.nme.com/news/music/gene-to-reunite-for-first-live-show-in-over-20-years-3847624 Gene reunion gigs]. == Personal life == Rossiter is [bisexual](/source/bisexuality). He lives in [Brighton](/source/Brighton) and has three children.{{cite web |date=4 October 2013 |title=Martin Rossiter: new single |url=https://themouthmagazine.com/2013/10/04/new-martin-rossiter/ |website=The Mouth Magazine |accessdate=23 October 2013}} ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Rossiter, Martin}} Category:1970 births Category:Britpop musicians Category:Living people Category:People educated at Watford Grammar School for Boys Category:21st-century British male singers Category:British LGBTQ singers Category:British LGBTQ songwriters Category:British male songwriters Category:British bisexual men Category:Bisexual male musicians Category:Bisexual male singers Category:Bisexual songwriters Category:British socialists Category:British male singer-songwriters --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Martin Rossiter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Rossiter) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Rossiter?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.