Thinking man’s rock musician
Eric Woolfson, who died in London from cancer, aged 64, is an unusual phenomenon: a successful rock musician, who has remained almost anonymous.
Woolfson combined his skill as a composer and singer with experience in manufacturing to create the Alan Parsons Alan Parsons Project, insisting on keeping his name in the spotlight.
The project has released 10 albums that have sold a total of nearly 45 million copies in 1990 and Woolfson managed to be reborn as a composer of musicals. His latest production, a show based on the life and work of Edgar Allan Poe, with this year’s Berlin.
Born into a Jewish family in Glasgow, has learned to play the piano himself, inspired by an uncle who was a classical pianist. Took some music lessons, but found disconcerting and continued to play by ear.
An attempt to become a rec ended when one of his superiors told him to learning in the circus.”Woolfson This provided the impetus for his departure for London, and his eyes on the music industry.
He found work as a pianist in the circuit of the session and was discovered by the Rolling Stones producer Andrew Loog Oldham. Oldham offered him a book deals with Immediate Records label, which led to the songs Woolfson be recorded by such artists as Marianne Faithfull, Frank Ifield and Chris Farlowe.
Woolfson also tried to produce the discs, then expanded in management. He had an eye for talent: his first customers were of Fame Carl Douglas Kung Fu Fighting, and Parsons.
A protege of George Martin, had worked as an engineer Parsons and producer at Abbey Road Beatles, Paul McCartney and Pink Floyd and just. He was nominated for a Grammy for his work in The Dark Side of Pink Floyd, Moon. Woolfson realize that the two could combine their expertise and their commitment to take the first Woolfson idea had developed for some time, an album based on stories by Edgar Allan Poe.
In 1976 it was released as Tales of Mystery and Imagination. “It took almost two years to complete and agree a plan of Alan Parsons Project, with its lush orchestral passages and piano-based compositions.
While was”good him,’’said Parsons. ”He did well and paved the way for the future.”The album reached No. 38 in Billboard and the duo won a contract with Arista Records. I Robot (1977) inaugurated a decade of sustained success, during which the project has achieved individual success in the United States, which included Games People Play, Time and eyes to heaven.
The concept of a band without a pop singer and recognize traditional business practices. Of procul Harum singer Gary Brooker, Allan Clarke of The Hollies, Colin Blunstone of the Zombies, and Karachi, born Platel Lenny (better known as Lenny Zakatek, Gonzales singer, who scored a worldwide hit with the album I Haven ‘t stop, however, , dance) have been used, if necessary, with the contribution Woolfson – successfully validated the proposed project Woolfson and Parsons, was more classic rock artists as directors. Compared his table people behind the camera.”
In pursuit of his vision also invent their own tools, such as Projectron (such as the Mellotron), with tape loops to produce different sounds.
Arista but the lack of understanding of the high aspirations of the project has led to a series of bitter conflicts and in 1987 they separated after three years divided Woolfson and Parsons.
Woolfson made his debut with the (1990) Freud, a musical by Sigmund Freud, who was held in Vienna for a year. The tour of the exhibition of the plans has been involved in a brawl between Woolfson and producer Brian Brolly, who helped develop the project. Woolfson lost.
His next musical, Gaudí (1995), the Catalan architect, was seen by half a million people in five years. It ‘been followed by Gambler (1996), Dancing Shadows (2007) and Edgar Allan Poe (2009).
Earlier this year, has launched Woolfson, Alan Parsons Project, which has never been an album and see the unreleased songs.
During 1980, Woolfson was a supporter and financier of the Social Democratic Party, becoming a close friendship with co-founder, David Owen. When the party split in 1987 to determine whether the transaction with the Liberals, the face with Dr Woolfson (now Lord) Owen, becoming, as David (now Lord) Sainsbury, a director of SDP continues. After that was completed in 1990, did not participate in political life.
Lord Owen describes Woolfson very liberal person in the best sense.”
Woolfson wife Hazel, daughters, Sally and Lorna, and three grandchildren survive him.
Related posts: