Pretty Handsome Awkward

The Used is a band that turns personal problems into art, and for that they need a creative (yet tortured) singer.  Bert McCracken is just that, the lead vocalist and songwriter for an atypical rock band.  He also has a darkened past, is truly passionate about music, and is a self-described gourmet chef.  All these things make him one of the ultimate frontmen.

Bert was born into a Mormon family under which he rebelled by going to other churches, causing him to be kicked out of the house at sixteen.  Afterwards, he dropped out of school.  He was homeless and addicted to crystal meth due to drug experimentation.  Ironically, he used to edit for a magazine called "Drugs Suck" before sixteen.  When he was young, Bert played in a trumpet band before The Used.  When Bert was given music without lyrics in order to audition for the already formed band, he wrote his first The Used song called "Maybe Memories."  The Used then gained popularity with tours and albums.  When Bert moved to Los Angeles for work, he was fascinated and disgusted with the city and all the "liars," inspiring him to write more vicious songs like "Pretty Handsome Awkward."  After the release of their fourth album, Bert fell off the stage at a show and broke his elbow and hand.  Through the next four months, he fell into a diet of painkillers.  He said he then felt "useless, like a waste of space," but this caused him to feel the creative fire.  Inspired to shed his drug habit, he wrote twelve songs in twelve days to produce Vunerable.   Bert has a softer side as well.  Backstage at Vans Warped Tour, he's well known for his cooking.  He says his usual dishes are tapas, bacon-wrapped shrimp, and Mediterranean.  "If you can get backstage come find us, I'll be throwing down." he says.  Bert also eats a lot of peanut butter before shows due to the immense amount of singing and screaming.

Bert no longer does serious drugs.  His love for music is apparent.  The Used recently went off of their record label because the label was pushing them towards the Top 40 vibe, and they felt that was compromising the integrity of the band.  He has often said "Rock and roll is imperfection.  It always has been.  That's what makes it special."  The band and Bert are currently working on touring and re-releases.




Sources:
Information:
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_McCracken
05/09/13 wikipedia.com
-http://kroq.cbslocal.com/2012/03/26/ exclusive-the-useds-bert-mccraken-on-painkillers-bbq-record-labels-and-vulnerable-stream-full-album/
05/09/13 KROQ.com  interview

Pictures:
-http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/bert-mccracken/images/25011700/title/bert-mccracken-photo 05/09/13 fanpop.com
-http://www.angelfire.com/music6/proudposer/ now_you_have_all_of_/index.album/bert-mccracken?i=14 05/09/13 angelfire.com
-http://www.myspace.com/bert_fansite 05/09/13 myspace.com