Ant-Bee

Last updated
Billy James
Birth nameBilly James
Also known asAnt-Bee
Born (1960-11-11) November 11, 1960 (age 64)
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
DiedMarch 15 2025
Genres Rock, jazz, experimental
Occupation(s)Musician, writer, publicist
Instrument(s) drums, percussion, vocals
Years active1977–2025

Ant-Bee (stage-name for Billy James) was an American experimental musician and writer. In his musical work, he was a psychedelic era revivalist, working with members of The Mothers of Invention; the original members of the Alice Cooper group, and Captain Beefheart's Magic Band.

Contents

Founder of Glass Onyon PR, he represented music artists including King Crimson, Jon Anderson, Michael Bruce, Greg Lake, Mitch Mitchell, John Wetton, and others. As a recording artist with the name ANT-BEE, he was a multi-instrumentalist who has recorded and performed with musicians including members of the original Alice Cooper group Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith; the original Mothers of Invention; Bruce Cameron, and others; and produced his four solo albums, including Lunar Musik and Electronic Church Muzik. As a writer, he has co-authored and authored biographies of musicians including Michael Bruce, Todd Rundgren, and others. [1] [2] [3]

In the 1990s James performed and recorded with musicians including Michael Bruce, whose autobiography James co-authored, "No More Mr Nice Guy: The Inside Story of the Alice Cooper Group", first published in 1996.

Producer

Billy James helped to gather together an array of guest artists on the album Midnight Daydream from Bruce Cameron. [4]

Author

James' rock biographies, such as the book Lunar Notes - Zoot Horn Rollo's Captain Beefheart Experience [5] written with Bill Harkleroad (Zoot Horn Rollo) have been reprinted after being out of print for years by GONZO MultiMedia UK. [6]

Other

Interviews with Billy are featured in the DVD documentaries From Straight To Bizarre - Zappa, Beefheart, Alice Cooper and LA's Lunatic Fringe and Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention - In The 1960s. [7]

Discography

References

  1. ↑ Billy James professional biography (2011). No author byline. http://www.getreadytorockradio.com/glassonyon.htm . Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  2. ↑ Billy James interview. Hill, Gary (2011). Music Street Journal. http://www.musicstreetjournal.com/artists_interview_display.cfm?id=100496 . Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  3. ↑ Billy James discography as ANT-BEE (2020). Discogs. https://www.discogs.com/artist/1312260-Ant-Bee . Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  4. ↑ "2 June 2013 interview with Billy James". Outsight Radio Hours. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "GONZO press release". GONZO. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  6. ↑ "27 October 2013 Interview on Outsight Radio Hours". Outsight Radio Hours. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  7. ↑ "4 March 2012 interview with Billy James". Outsight Radio Hours. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
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