Bruce Rowland (drummer)
{{for|the Australian composer|Bruce Rowland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Bruce Rowland
| image =
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| birth_name =
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| origin =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1941|05|22}}
| birth_place = Park Royal, Middlesex England
| death_date = {{death date and age|2015|06|29|1941|05|22|df=y}}
| death_place = Torquay, Devon, England
| genre = {{hlist|Rock|folk rock}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Drummer|songwriter}}
| years_active =
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| past_member_of = The Grease Band
Fairport Convention
| website =
}}
Bruce Rowland (22 May 1941 – 29 June 2015) was an English rock drummer best known for his memberships of The Grease Band and folk rock band Fairport Convention. He was also a prolific session musician.
Early career
Rowland was born at Park Royal, Middlesex, on 22 May 1941.{{cite web |url=http://www.skidmore.edu/~gthompso/britrock/60brchro/60brch41.html |title=Birth of a Nation: 1941 |publisher=www.skidmore.edu |accessdate=2010-01-10 }} In 1968, he played drums on the Wynder K. Frog album "Out of the Frying Pan",{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p120686/credits|pure_url=yes}} |title=allmusic ((( Bruce Rowland > Credits ))) |website=AllMusic|accessdate=2010-01-09 }} and in 1969 joined The Grease Band, who were then Joe Cocker's backing band. He played for Cocker's performance at the Woodstock Festival, on Cocker's second album, Joe Cocker!, and on the UK top ten hit single "Delta Lady".{{cite book |title= The Great Rock Discography|last= Strong|first= M.C.|year= 1994|publisher=Canongate Books Ltd |location= Edinburgh|isbn= 978-0-86241-604-1|page=153}}
In 1970, Cocker and the Grease Band parted company, and Rowland stayed with the latter for their albums The Grease Band (1971) and Amazing Grease.{{cite book |title= New Rock Record|last= Hounsome|first= Terry|year= 1987|publisher=Blandford Press |location= Poole|isbn= 0-7137-1605-3|page=241}} During this period, Rowland also played session for Shawn Phillips, Andy Mackay, Jackie Lomax, Gallagher and Lyle, and others, also contributing drums to the original recording of Jesus Christ Superstar. He spent some time with Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance, including his solo debut album, Anymore for Anymore, and the Lane/Ronnie Wood soundtrack album Mahoney's Last Stand before becoming a full-time sessionist.
Fairport Convention years
Rowland's involvement with Fairport Convention began in 1972, a particularly turbulent year for them, during which they had three drummers.{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r37063|pure_url=yes}} |title=allmusic ((( The Manor Album [Not Released
The arrangement became more formal during the recording of Rising for the Moon (1975), when Dave Mattacks left the band during the recording sessions, due to differences between himself and producer Glyn Johns.{{cite book |last=Humphries |first=Patrick |title=Meet on the Ledge: A History of Fairport Convention |year=1982 |publisher=Eel Pie Publishing |location=London |isbn=0-906008-46-8 |page=87 }} Following a tour, during which roadie Paul Warren played the drums, Johns suggested Bruce Rowland as a permanent replacement for Mattacks. By the following album, Gottle O'Geer, Rowland had become a full member of the band and his contributions extended beyond drums to keyboards and backing vocals, and this continued with the two succeeding studio albums The Bonny Bunch of Roses and Tipplers Tales, and the 1979 live album Farewell Farewell. Rowland also worked as a session musician, appearing on Bryn Haworth's 1975 album Sunny Side of the Street.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sunny-side-of-the-street-mw0000372462/credits|title=Sunny Side of the Street - Bryn Haworth | Credits|website=AllMusic}} Fairport took a break apart from playing concerts between 1979 and 1985 and during this period Rowland (sometimes at the same time as Mattacks) provided drums for these performances;{{cite web |url=http://www.musikfolk.co.uk/expletive-delighted/rollcall.htm |title=Fairport Convention Fansite " Expletive-Delighted!" – Various Lineups |website=Musikfolk.co.uk |accessdate=2010-01-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719172808/http://www.musikfolk.co.uk/expletive-delighted/rollcall.htm |archivedate=19 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }} he appears on the live album of the 1981 reunion, Moat on the Ledge. Rowland later quit the music business and moved to Denmark.{{cite book |last1=Redwood |first1=Fred |last2=Woodward |first2=Martin |title=The Woodworm Era: The story of today's Fairport Convention |year=1995 |publisher=Jeneva Publishing |location=Thatcham |isbn=0-9525860-0-2 |page=18 }} He spent his later years in Brixham, Devon. He had a paint business and later sold it to retire and concentrate on creating a retirement home for himself and Barbara.
He died on 29 June 2015 of cancer, aged 74, not long after marrying his long term companion Barbara.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11713882/Bruce-Rowland-drummer-obituary.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |title=Bruce Rowland, drummer - obituary |date=2 July 2015 |accessdate=2 July 2015 }}{{cite news |url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/bruce-rowland-dies/ |work=Ultimate Classic Rock |title=Former Fairport Convention and Joe Cocker Drummer Bruce Rowland Dies at 74 |first=Jeff |last=Giles |date=1 July 2015 |accessdate=2 July 2015 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.noise11.com/news/r-i-p-bruce-rowland-joe-cocker-fairport-convention-drummer-1941-2015-20150701 |title=R.I.P. Bruce Rowland (Joe Cocker, Fairport Convention drummer) 1941-2015 |last1=Cashmere |first1=Paul |date=1 July 2015 |website=Noise11.com |accessdate=1 July 2015}}
Following his death, some of his musical instruments have been auctioned in aid of Rowcroft Hospice.{{cite web |url=http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/Drummer-s-instruments-auctioned-aid-Rowcroft/story-28121584-detail/story.html#0mmR1ExSlGQx1Dbi.01 |title=Latest Devon News | DevonLive.com |website=Torquayheraldexpress.co.uk |date=2017-02-23 |accessdate=2017-03-04 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Fairport Convention}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rowland, Bruce}}
Category:English rock drummers
Category:People from Park Royal
Category:Fairport Convention members
Category:British folk rock musicians
Category:English session musicians
Category:English expatriates in Denmark