Education
First he studied economics, then creative writing at the University of Salford.
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Liam Fray
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He has an older sister, Laura. Other Manchester bands such as The Smiths and Oasis inspired Fray to write and form the band. "Noel"s the reason why I picked up the guitar when I was 11-years-old – trying to learn "Wonderwall"," admitted Fray.
He ended up leaving in his second year, when the band started to take official
In 2015 he received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts at a graduation ceremony for the University. He wrote future Courteeners songs "Not Nineteen Forever" and "Cavorting" during his time at university while working in Manchester"s Fred Perry clothes shop and frequently performed at open mic nights as an acoustic singer-songwriter.
"I"ve been gigging since 2005 – I did a year on my own – and in the summer of "06 we got together and started gigging properly around Christmas."
All the music and lyrics for the Courteeners songs are written by Liam. He claims they"re wholly autobiographical.
Ex-The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr once called Fray "an underrated lyricist".
With Courteeners he released four studio albums. All of them went Top 10 in United Kingdom Albums Chart. Saint Jude and Falcon reached Gold status.
On 5 June 2015 the band played their biggest headline gig to date at Manchester"s Heaton Park.
Aside from the band, Fray also performs acoustic solo shows, playing band"s songs. Alone in 2013 he completed two sold-out United Kingdom tours.
Liam also painted the cover"s artwork for Courteeners" debut album Saint Jude, which features Audrey Hepburn. He has appeared twice on the cover of NME magazine, one as individual and other with The Courteeners.
His favourite artists are The Beatles, The Smiths, Oasis, Stephen Fretwell, Elbow, The National, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Fray uses cherry Epiphone Riviera electric guitar with frequensator tailpiece (his main live guitar in the Street Jude era), G6136DC Gretsch White Falcon Double Cutaway electric guitar (appeared in Falcon era, main in ANNA, Concrete Love eras), and Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitar, among others
Achievements
Membership
Born in Middleton, Greater Manchester into a family of teachers, Fray went to school with the three other members of The Courteeners whom he has known since he was 10.
