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Nationwide Mercury Music Prize nominee Burial's identity revealed

Burial, as he revealed himself on his Myspace page

Burial, as he revealed himself on his Myspace page

Anonymous London producer outs himself

Burial – the London producer who is favourite to win this year's Nationwide Mercury Prize for the album 'Untrue' – has revealed his true identity online.

Until yesterday (August 5) Burial had recorded and released his or her music anonymously, refusing to provide identity-revealing photographs and conducting interviews on the proviso that reporters would not reveal his identity.

However, yesterday Burial posted a blog on his MySpace page, MySpace.com/burialuk, revealing his real name.

In the post he revealed that his name is Will Bevan and that he lives in south London. He also posted a photograph of himself (above).

"For a while there's been some talk about who I am, but it's not a big deal I wanted to be unknown because I just want it to be all about the tunes," he wrote. "Over the last year the unknown thing become an issue so I'm not into it any more.

"I'm a low key person and i just want to make some tunes, nothing else. my name's Will Bevan, I'm from south London, I'm keeping my head down and just going to finish my next album, there's going to be a 12-inch maybe in the next few weeks too with four tunes."

He added: "Sorry for any rubbish tunes I made in the past, I'll make up for it."

It is rumoured that Bevan attended the Elliot School in London, where Hot Chip's Joe Goddard was also a pupil.

The Independent had previously speculated that Bevan was the publicity shy artist, although the rumours were not confirmed by the artist himself until yesterday.

Or has Burial revealed his real name?

In a minor twist, online searches reveal that website Williambevan.co.uk belongs to a Herefordshire-based undertakers. Burial indeed or perhaps the inspiration for the producer's alter ego? Have your say by posting below.

Comments (10)

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the_royal_wee 

Aug 6, 2008

i just think he's too cool to get caught up in all of the horrible fame-seeking that happens these days. and that means you... geldof girls, kelly osbourne, anyone who drinks in bungalow 8. good on him.

ed2005 

Aug 6, 2008

Well, I guess it was going to come out sooner or later. Either way, responsible for some of the most amazing music of the decade. Still my favourite for the Mercury Music Prize.

Elliott_Decihells 

Aug 6, 2008

I find it a little pretentious of him to say,it's all about the tunes,when he chose to have a secret identity, of course people will be more curious into who he is. That said though, he is a great artist

weaguey 

Aug 6, 2008

If this guy beats Radiohead, Shadow Puppets or Elbow it'll be a travesty... The music’s not bad but pretty repetitive and dull and nothing innovative of the sort, and from this article he now seems pretty pretentious. Radiohead should get it on their release method alone, that’s innovation which has changed the music industry.

AnthonyThornton 

Aug 6, 2008

> weagueyThis record is one of the most innovative and atmospheric albums of the year. Radiohead themselves have praised it not to mention playing a track off it in their webcast

weaguey 

Aug 7, 2008

Ok I probably was a bit harsh in the last post i hold my hand up, its not that its bad album, its just not for me, i understand why people like it, but i still think it doesn't deserve to win...

jones89kwj 

Aug 8, 2008

do you think he doesnt deserve to win beacuse he has graced the cover of this fad mag?Cos Raidoheads latest is okay its nothing they havent done before, its not half as good as their earlier albums. And The Last Shadow Puppets... are you serious? As for :"Radiohead should get it on their release method alone, thats's innovation which has changed the music industry"What the fuck are you talking about so many bands have done it before it got hype only cos it was fucking radiohead. Odd thing is you say Burial is the pretentious one... yet the frontmen of these bands who have mentioned are clearly some of the most pretentious in the industry. (Chris Martin being the most)

weaguey 

Aug 11, 2008

No he doesn't deserve to win because the music simply isn't good enough... I'm not saying its a bad album, just In Rainbows is much better. And i'm sure yes some shitty band no one likes/cares about has done the pay what you like method (like local unsigned bands giving away EPs) but ‘in Rainbows’ is the first one that can easily fill arenas whenever it tours. It’s encouraging other bands to strike out on their own and cut out middlemen record companies. Not only is it a cracking album that has inspired bands musically, but they have also inspired bands to break away from traditional music selling techniques, making record labels obsolete. This my friend has NEVER been done before. The odd thing is you say Chris Martin is the pretentious one….. as I haven’t even mentioned him…….

Serkan 

Aug 12, 2008

what a don!

DBabsolute 

Sep 10, 2008

I love his music, and I know for a fact it comes from his heart! His annonymity is not a crass publicity stunt, he is far from pretentious, he just does not buy into the commercial crap that so many artists lose their integrity to. I truly believe he only wants to make music. Simple as that.

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