Damon Gough is a native of Manchester, England, who sings under the name Badly Drawn Boy. His music is an intellectual and entertaining lo-fi slacker pop, which presents itself as baroque folk pop. Unlike a lot of British artists, his Manchester accent makes a very strong, and pleasant, presence in his music. If you are planning on listening to his music, be prepared to be drawn in by his style, which is laid-back, upbeat and ironic. He began to record after crossing paths with like-minded artist Andy Votel at a nightclub in his hometown. They joined forces to form the label, Twisted Nerve.Intense excitement surrounded the release of his debut album, much to his surprise he was also awarded the prestigious British music award, the Mercury Music Prize. This prize is based solely on musical artistry and talent and not on popularity. He is definitely deserving of the prize, as an incisive and uniquely gifted songwriter who has an amazing instinct for what makes a great pop song.Badly Drawn Boy was born on October 2, 1970 in the town of Dunstable but grew up in Bolton. His family was close-nit and solid. He taught himself to play guitar and keyboards while he was in high school, and attended Leeds College of Music for a short time during his teens. During his teen years he also listened to the Police and Bruce Springsteen who was the one to inspire him to create music.Gough had his big break in a rather entertaining way, when Fall's Mark E. Smith mistook his car for a cab. This meeting led to Fall recording one of Gough's songs "Tumbleweed." Badly Drawn Boy released his first album, The Hour of Bewilderbeast in 2000. He also wrote the title track for About a Boy. He is one of the most talented artists of this decade, who keeps on improving over time.