Dan Michaelson, born in Northampton, England, is a British musician who initially gained recognition as the singer of Absentee. He began writing songs in his mid-20s and formed Absentee in 2003, releasing three albums with the group between 2003 and 2008. In 2009, Michaelson started a side project under the name Dan Michaelson & The Coastguards, releasing their debut album Saltwater and the single "Bust" through Memphis Industries. The band featured Henry Spenner on drums, Laurie Earle on piano/guitar, Sanjay Mitra on bass guitar, and Horse on pedal steel/guitar. Their second album, Shakes, followed in 2010. In 2011, Michaelson released the solo album Sudden Fiction. The band's subsequent albums include Blindspot (2013) and Distance (2014).
