B. J. Wilson
B.J. Wilson | |
|---|---|
| File:B J Wilson.jpg | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Barrie James Wilson |
| Born | March 18, 1947 |
| Died | October 8, 1990 (aged 43) |
| Genres | Rock |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Drums |
| Years active | 1960s–1990 |
Barrie James "B.J." Wilson (18 March 1947 — 8 October 1990) was an English rock drummer.
Career
Born in Edmonton, London, England, Wilson was the drummer for Procol Harum. He did not play on their first hit "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (jazz session drummer Bill Eyden[1] did), but joined the group soon afterwards. As a result he played on the follow-up single "Homburg" and their first album (Procol Harum). He also played on the later hit single, the live version of "Conquistador". Wilson was the only stable member of the band besides Gary Brooker during their commercial and artistic peak from 1967 to 1977. He had a powerful, distinctive style - he sat very low behind his kit (often side-on at the side of the stage) and was once referred to as like an 'Octopus in a Bathtub'.{Steve Peacock in SOUNDS magazine, reviewing a 1971 concert: Peacock actually wrote, unfairly, that B.J. thrashed around like "an octopus in a hot tub."}
A 1974 Danish TV recording of the band was released as a 6-track "extra" on the 2009 DVD "Procol Harum in concert with the Danish National Concert Orchestra and Choir".
Although he lacked the name recognition as other great drummers of his generation, Wilson is considered to be one of the greatest drummers in rock music, and was voted Best Drummer in the popular Playboy Music Polls of the early 1970s. He declined an offer by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant to be the original drummer for Led Zeppelin.
After Procol Harum disbanded in 1977, Wilson played on Frankie Miller's Double Trouble album in 1978, and was a member of Joe Cocker's touring band between 1979 and 1984.[2] Their concert in Calgary is featured on the DVD Joe Cocker Live (1981) and he is also featured in two Berlin concerts on the 2008 Joe Cocker DVD Cry Me A River (The Rockpalast Collection). He was also the drummer on Cocker's hit single, "With a Little Help from My Friends", recorded in 1968.
In 1984 Wilson played briefly with Patrick Landreville, a former member of the 1960s cult band RHS, which included bandmates Bob Siebenberg (Supertramp), Scott Gorham (Thin Lizzy) and John Boutell (Beauregard Ajax).
In 1983 Wilson was brought in to play drums on AC/DC's Flick Of The Switch album, after their drummer Phil Rudd left the band close to the end of the recording for the album. No tracks recorded by Wilson were used on the finished album according to engineer and soon after replaced by drummer Simon Wright.
Wilson was the drummer on the film soundtrack of The Rocky Horror Picture Show,[3] on which his former Procol Harum bandmate, guitarist Mick Grabham, also played. According to IMDb, Wilson's friend, prominent film composer, Richard Hartley, was the one who invited him to drum on that soundtrack, and Wilson brought Grabham in to play guitar.
Wilson's last recorded work was on the 1985 Gary Brooker solo album, Echoes in the Night, along with his former Procol Harum bandmates Keith Reid and Matthew Fisher, on tracks "Ghost Train," "The Long Goodbye" "Hear What You're Saying" and "Mr. Blue Day".
He died in Eugene, Oregon, following a long illness, at the age of 43. He was married and had two daughters.
References
- ^ "Bill Eyden, the AWSoP drummer". Procolharum.com. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "JCBJCG". Community-2.webtv.net. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "Rocky Horror Picture Show (Ost): Soundtrack: Music CD". CDconnection.com. 2000-04-24. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
He also played on Leon Russell's 1970 self titled record. One of the 4 drummers including Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts and Jim Gordon.
External links
- B.J. Wilson's extensive fan page at procolharum.com
- Master Drummer B.J. Wilson: one fan's tribute