Geoff Britton

Last updated

Geoff Britton
Birth nameGeoffrey Britton
Born (1943-08-01) 1 August 1943 (age 80)
Lewisham, South East London, England
Genres
Instrument(s)Drums

Geoffrey Britton (born 1 August 1943) is an English rock drummer known for his work with Wings [1] from August 1974 to January 1975, where he was featured on the Venus and Mars album.

Contents

Career

Britton was born in Lewisham, South East London. He was a member of the progressive rock band East of Eden which formed in Bristol from June to December 1969 and recorded the album Snafu. Afterward he joined the Wild Angels. [2] After leaving Wings in early 1975 Britton was a member of Manfred Mann's Earth Band from 1978 to 1979, playing on the Angel Station album. [3] In 1977 he was in the supergroup Rough Diamond, [4] recording in London's Roundhouse Studios. In the early 1980s, he joined the power pop group the Keys, whose one album was produced by Joe Jackson. [5]

Kickboxing

With Meiji Suzuki, based at the AMA HQ in London, Britton ran the Mugendo kickboxing school. The school had several successful fighters. Britton's team competed at many kickboxing events in London during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motörhead</span> British metal band

Motörhead were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by bassist and lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox. Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precursor to the new wave of British heavy metal, which re-energised heavy metal in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Though several guitarists and drummers have played in Motörhead, most of their best-selling albums and singles feature drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor and guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rush (band)</span> Canadian rock band

Rush was a Canadian rock band that primarily comprised Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson (guitar) and Neil Peart. The band formed in Toronto in 1968 with Lifeson, drummer John Rutsey, and bass guitarist/vocalist Jeff Jones, whom Lee immediately replaced. After Lee joined, the band went through several line-up changes before arriving at its classic power trio lineup with the addition of Peart in July 1974, who replaced Rutsey four months after the release of their self-titled debut album; this lineup remained intact for the remainder of the band's career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Butterfly</span> American rock group

Iron Butterfly is an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1966. They are best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", providing a dramatic sound that led the way towards the development of hard rock and heavy metal music. Although their heyday was the late 1960s, the band has been reincarnated with various members with varying levels of success with no new recordings since 1975. Their second album, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (1968), remains a best-seller, and Iron Butterfly was the first group to receive an In-House platinum album award from Atlantic Records. Their music has found a significant impact on the international rock scenes, influencing numerous acts such as Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Rush, Alice Cooper, Mountain, Uriah Heep, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, Slayer, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, and Queens of the Stone Age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul McCartney and Wings</span> English–American rock band

Paul McCartney and Wings, often billed simply as Wings, were an English-American rock band formed in 1971 in London by former Beatles bassist and singer Paul McCartney, his wife Linda McCartney on keyboards, session drummer Denny Seiwell, and former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine. Wings were noted for their commercial successes, musical eclecticism and frequent personnel changes; going through three lead guitarists and four drummers. However, the core trio of the McCartneys and Laine remained intact throughout the group's existence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad Company</span> British rock band

Bad Company were an English rock supergroup that was formed in London in 1973 by singer Paul Rodgers, drummer Simon Kirke, guitarist Mick Ralphs and bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who managed the rock band Led Zeppelin, also managed Bad Company until 1982.

The Dictators are an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973. Critic John Dougan said that they were "one of the finest and most influential proto-punk bands to walk the earth."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sham 69</span> English punk rock band

Sham 69 are an English punk rock band that formed in Hersham in Surrey in 1975. They changed their musical direction after seeing the Sex Pistols play live in early 1976. They were one of the most successful punk bands in the United Kingdom, achieving five top 20 singles, including "If the Kids Are United" and "Hurry Up Harry". The group's popularity saw them perform on the BBC’s Top of the Pops, and they appeared in the rockumentary film, D.O.A.. The original unit broke up in 1979, with frontman Jimmy Pursey moving on to pursue a solo career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Hillage</span> British guitarist

Stephen Simpson Hillage is an English musician, best known as a guitarist. He is associated with the Canterbury scene and has worked in experimental domains since the late 1960s. Besides his solo recordings he has been a member of Khan, Gong and System 7.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manfred Mann's Earth Band</span> British rock group

Manfred Mann's Earth Band are an English rock band formed by South African musician Manfred Mann. Their hits include covers of Bruce Springsteen's "For You", "Blinded by the Light" and "Spirit in the Night". After forming in 1971 and with a short hiatus in the late 1980s/early 1990s, the Earth Band continues to perform and tour.

Joe English is an American musician, vocalist and songwriter who, during the 1970s, played drums in Paul McCartney's band Wings and in the rock band Sea Level, among others.

<i>Venus and Mars</i> (Wings album) 1975 studio album by Wings

Venus and Mars is the fourth studio album by the British–American rock band Wings. Released in May 1975 as the follow-up to Band on the Run, Venus and Mars continued Wings' run of commercial success and provided a springboard for a year-long worldwide tour. The album was Paul McCartney's first post-Beatles album to be released worldwide by Capitol Records rather than Apple.

<i>Sad Wings of Destiny</i> 1976 studio album by Judas Priest

Sad Wings of Destiny is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 26 March 1976 by Gull Records. It is considered the album on which Judas Priest consolidated their sound and image, and songs from it such as "Victim of Changes" and "The Ripper" have since become live standards. It was the band's only album to feature drummer Alan Moore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Aldridge</span> American drummer

Tommy Aldridge is an American heavy metal and hard rock drummer. He is noted for his work with numerous bands and artists since the 1970s, such as Black Oak Arkansas, Pat Travers Band, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Whitesnake, Ted Nugent, Thin Lizzy, Vinnie Moore and Yngwie Malmsteen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Kerslake</span> English drummer (1947–2020)

Lee Gary Kerslake was an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer and backing vocalist for the rock band Uriah Heep and for his work with Ozzy Osbourne in the early 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Moore (drummer)</span> British musician

Alan "Skip" Moore is a British musician who is best known for his time as drummer of heavy metal band Judas Priest. He played on their second album, Sad Wings of Destiny (1976).

East of Eden were a British progressive rock band, who had a Top 10 hit in the UK with the single "Jig-a-Jig" in 1970. The track was stylistically unlike any of their other work. Although some might consider them a symphonic progressive band, others state that their style is mostly jazz-oriented.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Lancaster</span> British bassist and singer (1949–2021)

Alan Charles Lancaster was an English musician, best known as a founding member and bassist of the rock band Status Quo, playing with the band from 1967 to 1985, with brief reunions in 2013 and 2014. As well as contributing to songwriting, he was also one of the lead vocalists on albums and live concerts, taking the lead on tracks such as "Backwater", "Is There a Better Way", "Bye Bye Johnny", "High Flyer" and "Roadhouse Blues".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lone Star (band)</span> Welsh rock band

Lone Star was a Welsh rock and heavy metal music band formed in Cardiff in 1975. They released two albums on CBS Records before splitting up in 1978.

Pierre Moerlen was a French drummer and percussionist, best known for his work with Gong and Mike Oldfield and as Pierre Moerlen's Gong.

The Glitter Band are a glam rock band from England, who initially worked as Gary Glitter's backing band under that name from 1973, when they then began releasing records of their own. They were unofficially known as the Glittermen on the first four hit singles by Gary Glitter from 1972 to 1973.

References

  1. "Mitch Mitchell: drummer with the Jimi Hendrix experience". The Times . 14 November 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
  2. "USSR Angels". Sounds . Spotlight Publications: 2. 28 August 1971.
  3. "1979 - Angel Station: Album Notes". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
  4. Doyle, Tom (11 May 1977). "Two tracks to triumph". The Beaver County Times . p. C-4. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
  5. "The Keys :The Keys Album". New Wave Outpost. 2009. Archived from the original on 22 December 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2011.