Cozy Powell
Cozy Powell ( born December 29, 1947 in Cirencester, England; † April 5, 1998 in Bristol, England, civil Colin Flooks ) was a British drummer, who played mainly in hard rock and heavy metal bands.
Life
Powell began his musical career in 1965 with the brothers Dennis and Dave ball The group met under different names, for the first time as " The Sorcerers " in the context of some appearances in Frankfurt am Main. Soon after, the name was changed to " Young Blood" and signed a contract with the label Pye. In addition, the group worked with the ex- bassist Ace Kefford Move- together for a single ( Ace Kefford 's Stand ). The Ball brothers had Kefford know in the context of their other musical activities in the Yardbirds and Danny King's Mairfrair set.
During this time, Frank Aiello joined the group is now "Big Bertha " (1969-1970), "Beast " and later " Bedlam " (1972-1973) called. Officially, the group split up shortly after the Bedlam album, but Powell felt in the years to always return to its former allies, be it for the following three solo singles or subsequent project "hammer".
In 1971 he joined for two albums of the Jeff Beck Group.
It was followed by a tour in Germany with "Big Bertha ". Sections of the tour have been published in the meantime on CD. His later released solo single Dance With the Devil reached in 1973 in the UK charts and number 3 in Germany Place 4 More chart-topping singles were Na Na Na ( Germany: 16th place) and The Man in Black ( # 24 ), the latter a instrumental piece as Dance with the Devil.
The above titles were not released on LPs. They are now considered rare collectibles that are occasionally available on CD samplers. In remastered versions of all three singles (A- sides ) are on the sampler Dynamite - included The Best of Glam Rock.
Due to the lack of other commercial successes for two is deferred by him band projects, Bedlam and Cozy Powell 's Hammer, he returned to the music business mid-1970s for a short time back and driving in races, including Formula Ford
In 1976, he joined Ritchie Blackmore's band Rainbow, which he left in 1980 after four albums. Cozy Powell played with a number of well-known bands - with the Michael Schenker Group 1981-1982, Whitesnake from 1982 to 1984, then in 1986, with Keith Emerson and Greg Lake as Emerson, Lake & Powell, then 1988/1989 with Gary Moore with interruptions in Black Sabbath 1989 until 1995., he supported Peter Green at his successful comeback and Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton on his solo album. He played with Ray Gillen also some demos with Blue Murder, left the band along with this but without taking up an album.
Powell was a member of the Brian May band, he played on May's second solo album, Back to the Light and the subsequent tour. It is therefore also be heard on the Brian May live album Live at Brixton Academy and was also in Mays solo album Another World (1998) with the band. For fall 1998, a tour was planned at the Powell but no more should attend. His last recording was - according to Colin Blunstone - Losing You on the album The Light Inside by Colin Blunstone.
Powell was killed on April 5, 1998, a self-inflicted car accident on the M4, a part of the European Route 30, near Bristol. He just called with the phone to his girlfriend Shari Reeve and lost in bad weather, the control of his Saab 9000th
Importance
His style, playful and visually ( double bass and two hanging toms, arranged symmetrically, two floor toms, snare, hi-hat, six pools), with simple, yet explosive solos, some heavy metal drummer has influenced. The author Matthias Penzel has Powell for magazines such as drums & percussion, Metal Hammer and F1 Racing interviewed several times and dedicated to him a short story.