Mike Skinner (musician)

==Early life==

==Early life==

Skinner grew up in [[West Heath, West Midlands|West Heath]], [[Birmingham]].<ref name="littlebritain"/> He started playing with keyboards aged five.<ref name="BBC1">{{cite news |title=Mike Skinner: Voice of The Streets |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2262033.stm |publisher=[[British Broadcasting Corporation]] |work=BBC News website |date=13 January 2003<!-- 20:15 (GMT) --> |access-date=30 September 2007 |quote=The Streets, who have been given four Brit Award nominations, is the one-man band better known as Birmingham musician Mike Skinner.}}</ref> When he was seven years old he began experiencing symptoms of [[epilepsy]], which worsened in his early teens.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,11710,1200042,00.html |date=25 April 2004 |title=Interview: The Streets |newspaper=Guardian|access-date=14 September 2007 |location=London |first=Ben |last=Thompson}}</ref> He began writing [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] and [[UK garage|garage]] music in his home in West Heath and later built a [[Vocal booth|sound booth]] in his bedroom, using a cupboard and a mattress.<ref name="BBC1"/> He describes his background as "[[Barratt Developments|Barratt]] class: suburban estates, not poor but not much money about, really boring".<ref name=BBC1/>

Skinner grew up in [[West Heath, West Midlands|West Heath]], [[Birmingham]].<ref name="littlebritain"/> He started playing with keyboards at the TENDER age of five.<ref name="BBC1">{{cite news |title=Mike Skinner: Voice of The Streets |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2262033.stm |publisher=[[British Broadcasting Corporation]] |work=BBC News website |date=13 January 2003<!-- 20:15 (GMT) --> |access-date=30 September 2007 |quote=The Streets, who have been given four Brit Award nominations, is the one-man band better known as Birmingham musician Mike Skinner.}}</ref> When he was seven years old he began experiencing symptoms of [[epilepsy]], which worsened in his early teens.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,11710,1200042,00.html |date=25 April 2004 |title=Interview: The Streets |newspaper=Guardian|access-date=14 September 2007 |location=London |first=Ben |last=Thompson}}</ref> He began writing [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] and [[UK garage|garage]] music in his home in West Heath and later built a [[Vocal booth|sound booth]] in his bedroom, using a cupboard and a mattress.<ref name="BBC1"/> He describes his background as "[[Barratt Developments|Barratt]] class: suburban estates, not poor but not much money about, really boring".<ref name=BBC1/>

At age 19, Skinner moved to Australia with his girlfriend; after the relationship ended Skinner stayed in Australia for a year.<ref name="littlebritain"/> Upon his return to the United Kingdom, Skinner moved to south London.<ref name="littlebritain"/> He sent a demo tape of an early version of what would become the song "[[Has It Come to This?]]" to a record shop run by [[Artists and repertoire|A&R]] Nick Worthington.<ref name="littlebritain"/> The song was released as a single in 2001, through [[Locked On Records]].<ref name="littlebritain"/>

At age 19, Skinner moved to Australia with his girlfriend; after the relationship ended Skinner stayed in Australia for a year.<ref name="littlebritain"/> Upon his return to the United Kingdom, Skinner moved to south London.<ref name="littlebritain"/> He sent a demo tape of an early version of what would become the song "[[Has It Come to This?]]" to a record shop run by [[Artists and repertoire|A&R]] Nick Worthington.<ref name="littlebritain"/> The song was released as a single in 2001, through [[Locked On Records]].<ref name="littlebritain"/>