THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

705-Example-Kickstarts.

2010-Number 3 single.

Best Bit-At 1.03. His real name is Elliot Gleave, and when Rapping as a youngster in the playground, one of the kids gave him the nickname ‘Example,’ which are his initials. ‘E.G.’ is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase ‘exempli gratia,’ meaning ‘for example.’

‘Example’ was born Elliot John Gleave, on June 20th, 1982, in Hammersmith, London, England, he is a singer, songwriter, rapper and record producer. In 2012 he stated that he has Asperger syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. He has said, ‘I was diagnosed with Asperger’s when I was younger. I was amazing with numbers, I had a photographic memory, and I hated reading fiction, preferring books on nature and history. All symptoms of mild autism.’

The discography of Example includes eight studio Albums released between 2007-2022, and 54 singles that have been released between 2006-2023, there are also three official compilation Albums, and three Mixtapes available. In the UK, four of Example’s Albums have reached the top 40, with his third studio Album ‘Playing in the Shadows,’ (2011) reaching Number 1. He has also reached the UK top 40 singles chart on 13 occasions as the lead artist, with two of those tracks, ‘Changed the Way You Kiss Me.’ (2011) and ‘Stay Awake,’ (2011) both reaching Number 1. He has also charted within the top 40 on five occasions as a featured artist. Example has written songs for other artists, including the 2012 UK Number 2 & American Billboard Number 50 hit, ‘Chasing the Sun,’ for the British/Irish boy band the ‘Wanted.’

‘Kickstarts’ was the third of five singles released from ‘Won’t Go Quietly,’ which was the second studio Album released by Example from June 2010, the track was written by Example, with the production being by ‘Sub Focus.’ Sub Focus is the stage name of Nicolaas Douwma, who was born on April 13th, 1982, in Guildford, Surrey, England, he works in the musical genres of ‘Drum and Bass,’ ‘Drumstep,’ ‘Dubstep,’ and ‘Electro House.’ Sub Focus has stated that his first love was ‘Rock’ music as a schoolboy, but after hearing the ‘Drum and Bass’ track ‘Incredible,’ (1994) by General Levy, (see also best songs 1053) he was converted. As ‘Sub Focus’ he has released four studio Albums between 2009-2023, and 31 singles between 2003-2023, of which seven have reached the UK top 40, with ‘Endorphins,’ featuring Alex Clare, (2013) and ‘Turn Back Time,’ (2013) both peaking the highest at Number 10.

Example has explained how ‘Kickstarts,’ which is an ‘Electro/Pop’ song came about, when he was on tour and missing his girlfriend. ‘I heard the beat and I was on tour at the time. Sub Focus, the Drum’n’Bass producer, sent it to me, and I was on tour supporting Lily Allen. When you’re on tour non-stop for three weeks you kind of get a bit lonely and miss your loved ones. You miss your bed because you’re staying in hotels every night and driving everyday. It came from quite an emotional place and out of that emotion I just started thinking about life without my girlfriend, which is where the lyrics ‘Think of life without you’ comes from. The song suggests going through a bad stage with your girlfriend or boyfriend. I wasn’t so much going through a bad stage with my girlfriend it was more just a case of feeling a bit lonely on tour. I wrote the whole song in about two hours on the way back from Glasgow to London. That’s where that song stems from. Some people have read into it and thought it’s about love fizzling out, and what makes you stay with a person. Other people have interpreted it as drugs kicking in at a festival so it’s open to interpretation.’

‘You want me to come over I got an excuse. Might be holding your hand, but I’m holding it loose. Go to talk then we choke its like our necks in a noose, avoid the obvious we should be facing the truth. Start to think it could be fizzling out, kinda shocked because I never really had any doubts. Look into your eyes imagine life with out ya, and the love kick starts again.’