Carl McCoy

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Carl McCoy, WGT 2008
Background = solo_singer

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Img_capt = Carl McCoy, WGT 2008
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1963|1|18
Stevenage, United Kingdom
Genre = gothic rock, gothic metal, death metal, industrial metal
Occupation = singer, owner of graphics company
Years_active = 1984 — present
Label = Beggars Banquet, Jungle Records, Situation Two Records
Associated_acts = Fields of the Nephilim, Nefilim
URL = [http://www.fields-of-the-nephilim.com/ www.fields-of-the-nephilim.com]

Carl Douglas McCoy (born January 18 1963, Lambeth, London, England) is the frontman for gothic rock band Fields of the Nephilim.

Biography

The group formed in the early 1984 and released its first album, "Dawnrazor", in 1987 following a pair of EPs. The group produced two more full-length albums, "The Nephilim" and "Elizium", plus a live album and a handful of singles, before splitting in 1991. McCoy went on to form Nefilim. The 1996 release of Nefilim's album "Zoon" saw a departure from the ethereal, almost progressive, gothic sound of "Elizium" in favour of an industrial metal and death metal direction.

McCoy's latest album, "Mourning Sun", was released in Europe on November 21 2005, under the name Fields of the Nephilim, despite the fact that he is reported not to hold the copyright to that name.Fact|date=March 2008 McCoy has been secretive about the musicians who play on "Mourning Sun", though it appears none of the other original band members contributed. The album was written and recorded in near-total isolation in a mobile studio called the Ice Cage.

McCoy is well known for his mystical and occult-based lyrics and beliefs. His works often make reference Aleister Crowley (though he is not publicly a follower of Crowley's Thelema religion). Clay Disc Recordings of Crowley's voice can be heard on a handful of Fields of the Nephilim songs, specifically on "Elizium"; the cover of the "Zoon" album features a shrouded McCoy mimicking an image of Crowley making the sign of silence;Fact|date=March 2008 one of Fields of the Nephilim's biggest hits, "Moonchild", shares a name with one of Crowley's novels.

In interviews, McCoy has hinted that he sees his on-stage performances as theurgic, magickal or shamanic workings.Fact|date=March 2008 He is also an admirer of Austin Osman Spare (taking the name of the Fields of the Nephilim live album "Earth Inferno" from a work by Spare) and has thanked 'AOS' in dedications on his albums. In another nod to chaos magic, Fields of the Nephilim's song "Psychonaut" shares its name with a book on the subject by Peter Carroll, and quotes lines from the "Necronomicon".

McCoy owns a graphics company, Sheerfaith, which has supplied art and design for all of his musical projects. Sheerfaith has also produced artwork for other projects, such as for the Storm Constantine book "Hermetech" and Andrew Collins' "21st Century Grail".

McCoy appeared in the motion picture "Hardware" (1990) as Nomad, directed by Richard Stanley [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566710/ Carl McCoy ] ] . who had previously directed a number of videos for Fields of the Nephilim.

He has two daughters: Scarlett (born in 5 August 1985) and Eden McCoy, together with his long-time partner Lynn. He also has a Godson named Jack. The Nefilim's 1996 album "Zoon" was dedicated to Scarlett. Both girls sing on "Mourning Sun". McCoy comes from a religious background; He grew up in England with his mother, who was deeply religious, a Jehova's Witness. McCoy later dealt with his relation to Christianity critically in some of his songs such as "Chord of Souls".Baddeley: Goth Chic. 2002]

Notes

Further reading

*Baddeley, Gavin: "Goth Chic: A Connoisseur's Guide to Dark Culture" (Plexus, 2002)