After Dinner Speakers: Placebo, Tony Buzan, Richard Gere

Placebo have not only managed to impress legions of followers in their native U.K. (where their 1996 debut went gold), they've also earned the admiration of pop power hitters like Michael Stipe, Bono, David Bowie and Marilyn Manson, who they count among their friends. Gender-bending frontman Brian Molko (the son of Scottish and American parents) first crossed paths with Swedish-born bassist Stefan Olsdal while attending school in Luxembourg. The two didn't hit it off, however, (Olsdal was a jock, Molko was a self-described loser) until they met up again by chance years later in London. Molko and Olsdal formed the band Ashtray Heart with drummer Robert Schultzberg; they later morphed into Placebo, replacing Schultzberg with ex-Breed drummer Steve Hewitt. Their 1996 eponymous debut, which Molko describes as a "very sexual" album, was produced by Brad Wood (Liz Phair, Sunny Day Real Estate, Jesus Lizard) and spawned the No. 4 hit "Nancy Boy." The flamboyant trio spent much of 1996 and '97 on the road, which included playing select dates on U2's Popmart tour and making an appearance at David Bowie's 50th birthday bash at Madison Square Garden. Their second CD, and major label debut for Virgin Records, Without You I'm Nothing, was released in November 1998 in the United States. The same year, Molko and his bandmates played glam-rockers in the film Velvet Goldmine, produced by Michael Stipe. Placebo's latest album, Black Market Music, was released by Virgin in 2001.