The Dream Academy

Nick Laird-Clowes (born 5 February 1957, in London, England) is a musician, most famous for his membership as the lead singer and one of the principal songwriters for the band called The Dream Academy.

He was also a presenter for the first series of the cult TV music show, The Tube.

His solo album Mona Lisa Overdrive was released under the name Trashmonk in 1999.

A friend of David Gilmour, he co-wrote several lyrics on Pink Floyd's album The Division Bell. As Trashmonk, he opened for some of Gilmour's performances in the early 2000s.

In recent years, he has been heavily involved in movie soundtracks, producing the score for The Invisible Circus, is listed as the musical consultant for The Dreamers, and his next soundtrack is scheduled to be Fierce People, a film starring Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland, expected in April 2006. He is also working on his second Trashmonk album, to be released on the PopTones record label, in early 2007.