Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Tools of the job.

Ian Wallace drummer, songwriter, producer and engineer: born Bury, Lancashire 29 September 1946; twice married (two daughters); died Los Angeles 22 February 2007.

In a career stretching over 40 years, Ian Wallace played with the progressive rock group King Crimson and its 21st Century Schizoid Band spin-off as well as touring and recording with Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Tim Buckley, Don Henley, Alexis Korner, Alvin Lee, Steve Marriott, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt and Warren Zevon.

One of the drummers most in demand in the rock era, Wallace could play any style of music, from rockabilly to jazz, and demonstrated his versatility when appearing on over 100 albums by the likes of Badfinger, Billy Burnette, Larry Coryell, Rodney Crowell, Johnny Hallyday, David Lindley, Stevie Nicks, Roy Orbison, the Quireboys, the Traveling Wilburys and Ron Wood.

His obituary in my newspaper shows me a working man who used his tools to do a job. He would play any style of music in the same way that any bus, coach or lorry driver would drive any vehicle to any destination. He loved his job and it did not matter to him what music he played in his 40 year drumming career. He had a long list of employers which is a credit to his workmanship. Many musicians in the music industry work damn hard, year in and year out, without the recognition the front men get. I feel Ian was one of those musicians who could be relied upon to build a sound that became the backbone to successful records and live gigs. A true worker who did his daily job religiously and without whom the product would have failed in it's delivery.

On his website the diary page ends...

Thursday, February 22 2007

It breaks my heart to tell you all that Ian left us this morning. He slept through the night and was, to my mind, very comfortable. He was still fighting I asked him to let go and fly away...and he did.
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