Mick Cooke

Mick Cooke (born December 15, 1973) is the trumpet player of the Scottish indie band Belle & Sebastian. Besides trumpet, Cooke plays other brass instruments, including the French horn, and occasionally plays electric guitar and bass live. Since the departure of Stuart David, the role of bass player in Belle & Sebastian is shared between Cooke and David's direct replacement Bobby Kildea who also plays lead guitar.

Whilst he is known to sing at some concerts (including a rendition of This Guy's In Love With You), the only official release with Cooke on lead vocals is The Monkeys Are Breaking Out of The Zoo on the charity compilation Colours Are Brighter spearheaded by Cooke himself. He is a founding member of the band, although he did not officially join until their third album (he was prevented from doing so because his other band, Hardbody, was under contract with Sony). Cooke also plays in the ska band The Amphetameanies and recently appeared on the 2007 Idlewild album, 'Make Another World'

Cooke is said to have had an influence on other Scottish based bands, including Franz Ferdinand (who incidentely were given a bass guitar by Mick, leading to the formation of the band), whose members appeared in Belle & Sebastian's infamously enigmatic early promotional photographs. According to Belle & Sebastian's website, he has a degree in pharmacology.

Cooke also composes music for films and animations.

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