Graeme Edge was an English songwriter and drummer known for his work with The Moody Blues.
The Moody Blues are known for their song “Nights in White Satin” (1967), which is not one of my favorite recordings from that year.
Tag Archives: English music
RIP Alan Hawkshaw (1937 – 2021)
Alan Hawkshaw (1937 – 2021) was a British composer and musician, particularly of library music, working extensively for the KPM production music company in the 1950s to the 1970s, composing such songs as “Grange Hill”.
With the studio group Love De-Luxe he scored a number 1 single on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart with “Here Comes That Sound Again” in 1979.
In the 1970s, he worked for Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg as a musical director, arranger and pianist, including on L’homme à tête de chou (1976).
One of his best-known compositions is “Blarney’s Stoned” which was used as the theme tune for Dave Allen’s television shows.
In 1977, he composed “New Earth Parts 1 & 2” for Hank Marvin’s Guitar Syndicate (1977) LP project.
This was subsequently sampled over 30 years later by Jay-Z for his song “Pray”.
Also, during the late 1970s, music by Hawkshaw appeared in several films by Radley Metzger, including Barbara Broadcast (1977) and Maraschino Cherry (1978).
RIP Julz Sale (c. 1960 – 2021)
RIP Richard H. Kirk (1956 – 2021)
Richard H. Kirk was an English musician working within electronic music. With Cabaret Voltaire, he released compositions such as “Nag Nag Nag” (1979).
RIP Nick Kamen (1962 – 2021)
Nick Kamen was an English singer-songwriter best known to me for a) being featured on the January 1984 cover of The Face wearing a ski-hat, lipstick, orange roll-neck sweater and aviator sunglasses; and b) for appearing in a 1985 Levi’s advert.
He belonged to the Madonna stable.
RIP Chris Barber (1930 – 2021)
Chris Barber was an English jazz bandleader and trombonist best-known for his cover of “Petite Fleur”, a 1952 instrumental by Sidney Bechet.
That song, especially the version of Barber, reminds me of the music of Jacques Tati in his Oncle films. I mean songs such as “Quel temps fait-il à Paris” by Alain Romans and Henri Contet.
RIP Louis Clark (1947 – 2021)
Louis Clark was an English music arranger and keyboard player, best-known for his series of kitsch masterpieces Hooked on Classics, disco-reinterpretations of classical music.
RIP Hilton Valentine (1943 – 2021)
Hilton Valentine was an English guitarist, member of the The Animals.
Valentine played the electric guitar arpeggio introduction to the Animals’ 1964 signature song “The House of the Rising Sun”.
RIP Wayne Fontana (1945 – 2020)
Wayne Fontana was an English singer best-known as the singer of “The Game of Love” (1965), covered as “Quand tu es là” by Sylvie Vartan that same year.
RIP Peter Green (1946 – 2020)
Peter Green (1946 – 2020) was an English blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist.
He was the co-founder of Fleetwood Mac.
He is perhaps best known for penning “Black Magic Woman” (1968).
However, I remember him most fondly for his instrumental “Albatross” (1968).