A fine tribute to BJ Wilson

Just found this great review of Procol Harum's remastered A Salty Dog (Salvo) CD
By Stephen Reid (probably not a relative tho' you never know). Copy and Paste of write up,

By Mr. Stephen Reid - 30 Dec 2011

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great album, made better by the bonus tracks. The production (and orchestration) by Matthew Fisher is flawless. The title track is a haunting and atmospheric song of the sea. The keyboards (both Brooker's piano & Fisher's Hammond) are sublime, Keith Reid's lyrics are simultaneously witty, scholary and raunchy. Robin Trower shows why he was regarded by many as a natural heir to Jimi, and Gary Brooker's vocals make you wonder how the hell he was overlooked while the likes of Rod Stewart were held in such critical awe for so long. The album cover (a brilliant spoof of the old Player's Navy Cut cigarette pack) is one of the most iconic of the sixties. But thats not what this review is about. No, this review is about Barrie Wilson's drumming. 

The late Barrie (BJ) Wilson was in my opinion the best of the five best drummers of the rock era - you don't want to know the other four (oh okay then, its John Bonham, John Densmore, Topper Headon and Dave Mattacks). Good drummers keep the beat almsost unobtrusively - they drive the rhythm, and that's it, but when BJ plays you find yourself listening to the drums like they were a lead instrument, with no detriment to the rest of the track. His drumming quite literally punctuates Procol's melodic and lyrical masterpieces. Listen for example to "The Milk Of Human Kindness" (and the bonus "raw" track) - I defy you not to anticipate every across the beat hit he makes. Apparently he used to sit side on to the drum-kit, leading one reviewer of a Procol gig to comment that BJ looked like an "octopus in the bath" while drumming - what a great image!
Hail to the drummer; Barrie Wilson - powerhouse behind the kit.

Joe Cocker A Whiter Shade of Pale

Joe Cocker A Whiter Shade Of Pale at the Loreley Amphitheatre (St. Goarshausen, Germany) Aug 20, 1983

BJ Wilson on drums is instantly recognisable to those that know his unique inimitable style. Concert is up on Wolfgangs Vault. http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/joe-cocker/video/a-whiter-shade-of-pale_1005646.html

Apologies for not keeping up my BJ page. It's sad to say there is scant information about this great musician.

He remains one of the very best rock drummers of all time but also quite obscure and not well known.

His time was mostly spent working for the band Procol Harum, having followed them from sixties RnB band The Paramounts.

The man himself seems to have had a slight lack of confidence, despite accolades from fans and the band, it's great that he chose to stay with Procol Harum to the bitter end.

I'd like to know more about the metal bands he worked with while in America. But the AllMusic can't seemingly be bothered to find out. I know he auditioned for Tom Petty's Heartbreakers but 'didn't fit', whether that was his or their feeling, I don't know!

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bj-wilson-p138773/biography

DRUM magazine feature on BJ Wilson and a YouTube BJ Wilson page .... 

http://www.drummagazine.com/drumpedia/post/bj-wilson/

http://www.youtube.com/topic/W35Fa4AK8oM/bj-wilson

Barrie Wilson with Procol Harum (Home)

Nothing that I didn't know



A promo from the Home album, where both Robin Trower and BJ Wilson both honed their skills, which were made more obvious due to the departure of Matthew Fisher.

Below a video from the same director, the brother of the new organist/bassist the now postgraduate Chris Copping, ex Paramounts bassist.

The Dead Man's Dream



Director - Robin Copping

Repent (Walpurgis)

Letters of support!

PLANT TALKS SHRUBBISH! (in Uncut, Spring 2005)

Regarding the interview with Robert Plant (May 2005, Take 96), I must take issue with Plant over the crass comment he made about Procol Harum’s late drummer BJ Wilson, where he stated that Wilson wasn’t in the same league as John Bonham.

I certainly agree that John Bonham was an incredible, dynamic drummer, but so was BJ Wilson.

Come off it, Percy. Do you really believe that Jimmy Page would have even considered approaching Wilson if he didn’t think he was a top-league drummer? Surely Page must have seen Wilson’s ability when he worked with him on the 1968 sessions for Joe Cocker’s With A Little Help From My Friends album.

Furthermore, even the late great Cozy Powell once commented after seeing Procol live back in 1970 that perhaps a few so-called heavy metal drummers should check out BJ Wilson and perhaps they could learn a few points on technique.

Perhaps Plant should check out the 10 Procol Harum albums that Wilson worked on, particularly Broken Barricades, Grand Hotel and Exotic Birds And Fruit, which is probably Wilson’s finest work with the band. However, to really appreciate Wilson’s talent was to witness him playing live, as he never played the obvious and was one of the most powerful, inventive and unorthodox drummers that ever lived. He didn’t just play drums, he orchestrated them.

Sadly, BJ Wilson died in tragic circumstances in 1990 and I am in no doubt if Procol Harum had made it into the ranks of the Top 10 bands of the era (in terms of sales and public attention) then Wilson’s reputation would have surpassed many of his peers. Rest in peace, Barrie BJ Wilson.
Dan Kirby, Sidcup, Kent


HEAVY AS LED

How surprising to read, between the lines, that Robert Plant harbours resentment towards his more critically acclaimed, more talented contemporaries The Who and the Stones. I guess that on planet Zeppelin, the album charts of the 1970s were a Corinthian contest of quality untainted by the whims of the market.

As a consumer of less rarefied air, I recall a plethora of pop compilations and disco soundtracks, each more fun than a Zeppelin opus. Fact is, once over the utter self-absorption of adolescence, Led Zeppelin’s music has nothing to offer bar a sense of time passing discordantly and far too bloody slowly.
Kevin Doyle, Cheetham, Manchester

Thanks to 'Beyond The Pale'
http://www.procolharum.com/bjtxt13.htm

Barrie on You Tube

There are several videos with BJ as drummer, currently to be seen amongst the Joe Cocker and Procol Harum posts. Check them out.

I love this (Dylan) tune below, not just for BJ's contribution although I recognised his phrasing and drumming immediately. For me his best work was with Procol Harum, with whom he worked for ten years. Prior to Procol he had been drummer in The Paramounts in the mid-sixties. They had had moderate success with one of their singles "Poison Ivy" and had toured with both The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, but never got the success they deserved, plus Robin Trower left, due largely to pressure from their record company who'd wanted them to pursue popular music and forgo the R&B they did well. After the band split for good, Gary Brooker started Procol Harum, largely with musicians from the original Paramounts, including: BJ Wilson, Robin Trower, Chris Copping and Gary Brooker.

Joe Cocker at his best below.

You Tube Added February 24, 2007From Krumden