Biography

Described as a “bassist with a guitarist’s attitude”, musician/song-writer Jeordie White has developed a style and stage presence all his own. One of the more colorful and versatile players on the scene today, he first picked up a guitar at the age of 13, influenced by 80’s icons Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, Van Halen, and Iron Maiden. Growing up in South Florida, he quickly immersed himself in the local music scene and by age 15, had joined his first band, The Ethiopians.

By the time he was a high school senior, The Ethiopians had gone their separate ways. Soon after, he landed a gig with local thrash/hard alternative favorites, Amboog-a-Lard, first playing guitar and later switching to bass. The band’s huge popularity on the South Florida club circuit allowed them opportunities to share the stage with the likes of Anthrax, Exodus, The Ramones, Savatage, and Saigon Kick. In June of 1992, Amboog-A-Lard captured awards in five categories at the 1st Annual South Florida Slammie Awards, with White himself taking home the award for Best Rhythm Guitarist. It was with the band’s 1993 release, A New Hope, that Jeordie’s talents as a songwriter first became evident, as he single-handedly wrote the music for the album’s title track, as well as “Medicine Man”, “A Matter Of Honor”, and “Do Or Do Not.”

It was during this time that he met Brian Warner, frontman of local rivals Marilyn Manson & The Spooky Kids. Finding common ground in their mutual love of 80’s metal and 70’s hitmakers Dr. Hook and the Bee Gees, the two became fast friends, collaborating together in several side projects until Manson bassist Gidget Gein’s worsening drug problems, and subsequent removal from the band in December 1993, allowed Jeordie to officially join forces with the Manson clan. Jeordie White became Twiggy Ramirez, the moniker paying homage to 1960’s model Twiggy and the infamous “Night Stalker” serial killer Richard Ramirez.

Although contributing to the 1995 EP Smells Like Children (most notably the track “Scabs, Guns and Peanut Butter”, which he wrote and performed), it was on the band’s 1996 multi-platinum Antichrist Superstar where Jeordie truly emerged as an integral part of the creative process, establishing himself as the driving musical force behind Manson’s lyrics. If Brian Warner was the heart of Marilyn Manson, Jeordie had become the soul. Writing the majority of the album’s music, he was also called upon to pick up the slack when guitarist Daisy Berkowitz left the band during the recording of Antichrist Superstar. Many of the tracks feature Jeordie not only on bass, but on lead and rhythm guitar as well. With producer Trent Reznor at the helm, the band holed up for months amidst the squalor of New Orleans’ seamier side to write and record. The ensuing debauchery and chaos are clearly reflected in the finished product’s relentlessly dark and pounding music and lyrics. Jeordie has described this initiation into the world of Marilyn Manson as “one of the most painful things ever to do.”

1998’s glam-influenced and critically-acclaimed Mechanical Animals mirrored a new phase in the Manson saga, specifically the band’s relocation to Los Angeles and induction into the world of rock stardom. Taking a hands-on approach in the studio and again switch-hitting between bass, lead, rhythm and acoustic guitar, Jeordie reached further back to listen to the music that had inspired his idols – the music of David Bowie, The Stooges, and Queen – to achieve the sound that he and Manson were looking for. Cultivating elements from both Antichrist Superstar and Mechanical Animals, the band’s fourth studio release, Holy Wood (In The Shadows Of The Valley Of Death) found Jeordie playing a little more lead guitar and trying his hand at keyboards and drum loops on the track “Lamb of God”, for which he also wrote the music.

In May of 2002, armed with a vision of his own, Jeordie parted ways with Marilyn Manson to explore new creative paths, including a collaboration with Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme and an eclectic assortment of fellow musicians on Homme’s “Desert Sessions” series. Meanwhile, a chance encounter with A Perfect Circle drummer Josh Freese at a New Year’s Eve party led to White’s taking over as A Perfect Circle’s permanent bassist in early 2003, replacing departing bassist Paz Lenchantin.

Referred to by some as “art rock with gothic elements”, A Perfect Circle was founded by Lenchantin and guitarist Billy Howerdel in 1997, featuring Tool’s Maynard James Keenan on vocals. Their first album, Mer De Noms, was released in May of 2000, entering the Billboard charts at #4 and setting a record for the highest-ever debut for a new band. Though most of the music had been written for their second installment, Thirteenth Step, before Jeordie came on board, he did some fine-tuning on a handful of the album’s tracks as well as playing bass on the majority of them. An extensive world tour followed the album’s release, allowing him to prove himself a competent and versatile player as he won over fans and critics alike. Brian Davis of internet radio station KNAC proclaimed Jeordie to be a “key element in the evolution and growth of the band’s sound” with the bass serving as a “cornerstone and driving element in the music.”

Not one to stand still for too long, Jeordie has also contributed to multiple other projects, including production work and original soundtracks. Most recently, he has collaborated with respected producer and Masters Of Reality main man Chris Goss under the moniker Goon Moon. A staple of the growing “desert rock” scene with its roots traceable to Southern California’s Mojave Desert, Goss’ credits include work with Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Ian Astbury, and Scott Weiland.

An entertainer and showman as well as a musician, Jeordie has come a long way since the early days of his career to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with and as a seasoned professional, challenging himself and honing his skills with each new project he undertakes. He can currently be seen on tour with Nine Inch Nails.