BJ's other work

Barrie was drummer to Joe Cocker between 1979 and 1984 after having originally played drums on the original recording, along with session player Jimmy Page on guitar, on Cocker's uncomparable version of the Beatles' "With a Little Help From My Friends". The single reached No.1 in the UK in 1969.

Joe Cocker's "The Letter"




My heart leapt a beat when I watched a rerun of Joe Cocker live a couple of years ago, I actually recognised the drumming style but thought it was perhaps a copy of BJ, when I saw the drummer I wanted to cry. But there he was in all his long armed and legged glory. They called him The Octopus (some did) for it seemed like he was not only ambidextrous but had extra long limbs. I actually remember him of being average height and not "that" tall. Certainly nowhere near the height of past Procol Harum bandmember Dave Ball who stood at 6'.4".

In 1983 Wilson was brought in to play drums on AC/DC's Flick Of The Switch album after their drummer Phil Rudd had left the band halfway through the recording for the album. Sadly although none of Wilson's contributions were used in the final album, there is a cover version of AC/DC performing the Junior Wells song "Messin' with the Kid" available on some bootlegs which may feature Wilson on drums.

B.J. Wilson was the drummer on the movie soundtrack of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, on which his former Procol Harum bandmate, guitarist Mick Grabham, also played. Wilson's last recorded work was on the 1985 Gary Brooker solo album Echoes in the Night, along with his former Procol Harum bandmates Brooker, Keith Reid and Matthew Fisher, on tracks "Ghost Train," "The Long Goodbye" "Hear What You're Saying" and "Mr. Blue Day". http://en.allexperts.com/e/b/b/b.j._wilson.htm