Fruitbat
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- This article is about the musician. Fruitbat is also sometimes used in reference to Megabats, which feed on fruit and nectar.
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Fruitbat (born Leslie Carter, 12 December 1958, in London) is the stage name of the English musician, most famous for his part in Carter USM. As well as his official birthday he also celebrates a second birthday "like the Queen and Paddington Bear"[1] on 12 February. Fruitbat says his second birthday was given to him in 1992 by Smash Hits.
[edit] Career
Carter played in a number of bands during the 1980s, before meeting old friend Jim Bob and his band Jamie Wednesday in a rehearsal space in 1985. Jamie Wednesday needed a bass player and Carter agreed to join playing bass guitar and providing backing vocals. Carter had known Jim Bob since 1980, when their bands The Ballpoints and Dead Clergy used to rehearse at the same studio in Streatham. When The Ballpoints' bassist quit at the end of 1980, Les joined the band, who then went on to change their name to Peter Pan's Playground.
Jamie Wednesday broke up in 1987 after some limited success. The pairing of Jim Bob and Fruitbat stuck together and Carter USM was born. In Carter USM, Fruitbat became a renowned punk guitarist, helping to co-write enough mosh pit friendly songs to secure a loyal following. Carter USM had 14 Top 40 singles, one number one album and played over 800 gigs all over the world. A lifelong enthusiast of cycling, the cycling hat Fruitbat wore onstage in the early years became a strong visual trademark for the band. He would often take his bike with him on Carter tours, much to the annoyance of Jim Bob as detailed in the book, Goodnight Jim Bob.
One of Carter USM's most talked-about moments was when Fruitbat rugby tackled presenter Phillip Schofield on live TV, in front of millions of viewers at the Smash Hits music awards. Schofield made some remarks about the band's performance and Fruitbat has said that he was "severely hammered" after drinking a crate of beer supplied by The Farm.[citation needed] The incident made the front pages of most of the UK tabloids, and represented some short-lived infamy for the band, which could only make them more popular with their fans. He is still occasionally invited to speak about the incident on various TV programmes and claims to earn up to £100 a time.[citation needed]
Carter USM split up in 1997. Fruitbat has since formed a new band Abdoujaparov, who have had some limited success[citation needed]. He is still a well-known and respected figure in the London music scene, and remains a strong supporter of his former bands by personally running the Carter USM website, fan club and selling the band's merchandise. He also presents a regular show on Brentwood radio station, Phoenix FM.
He currently lives in Brixton with his girlfriend. He remains good friends with his former band mate Jim Bob, and contributed to Bob's two most recent albums, 2004's Angelstrike! and the concept album School in 2006.
