COZY POWELL

'Colin Flooks' (December 29, 1947 - April 5, 1998), better known as 'Cozy Powell', was an English rock drummer.

Contents

Career history

Band timeline (not including session work)

Powell's death

Equipment information

Current releases

Discography and appearances

External link

Career history

Cozy Powell was born in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England, and started playing drums in the school orchestra, thereafter playing along in his spare time to popular singles of the day. The nickname 'Cozy' was borrowed from the jazz drummer Cozy Cole.
The semi-professional circuit was next, with semi-pro outfit The Sorcerers, a vocal harmony pop band. The late nights and usual on-the-road exploits began to affect his education, and Powell left to take an office job in order to finance the purchase of his first set of Premier drums. The Sorcerers performed in the German club scene of the 1960s.
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By 1968 the band had returned to England, basing themselves around Birmingham. Powell struck up friendships with fellow musicians like Robert Plant and John Bonham (both at the time unknowns in Listen), future Slade vocalist Noddy Holder, bassist Dave Pegg and a young guitarist called Tony Iommi. The Sorcerers now became Youngblood, and a series of singles were released in late 1968-69. The group then linked up with the Move bassist/singer Ace Kefford to form The Ace Kefford Stand. Powell also began session work. Powell with fellow Sorcerers Dave and Dennis Ball formed Big Bertha.
Powell also played with swamp rocker Tony Joe White at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970. Powell then landed the then highly prestigious drumming job with guitar icon Jeff Beck's group in April 1970. After the recording of two albums, ''Rough and Ready'' (October 1971) and ''The Jeff Beck Group'' (July 1972), the band fell apart.
By late 1972 Powell had joined up with the Ball brothers again and with singer Frank Aiello to form Bedlam. One eponymous album was produced for Chrysalis Records (CHR1048) and released in August 1973. Powell also busied himself with extracurricular activities. Beck’s studio producer had been impresario Mickie Most and Powell soon found himself drafted into many a session for artists signed to Most’s RAK label, including Julie Felix, Hot Chocolate, Donovan and Suzi Quatro.
Around this period Most managed to persuade Powell to record an instrumental solo single. ‘Dance With the Devil’ became a smash and reached number 3 in the UK singles chart during January of 1974. The track served to inspire a whole generation of youngsters to take up the drums.
To cash in on his chart success the drummer formed Cozy Powell’s Hammer in April 1974.
Powell had another passion in life - a fascination with fast cars and motorbikes, and raced for Hitachi on the UK saloon car circuit for a few months.
In 1976 he joined Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, the band for which he is probably best remembered.
In 1980, when Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham died, Powell was considered by the band as a possible replacement for Bonham. The band decided against it and disbanded.
Powell made headlines when he appeared on the BBC children's programme ''Record Breakers'' where he set a world record for being the world's fastest drummer live on television.
On August 16 1980, Rainbow headlined the first ever Monsters of Rock show at Castle Donington, England. Following the success of the event (which in turn followed the success of Rainbow's 1979 ''Down to Earth'' LP from which singles ''Since You Been Gone'' and ''All Night Long'' are taken), Powell left Rainbow along with vocalist Graham Bonnet to start work on Bonnet's new project called Graham Bonnet & the Hooligans, their most notable single being ''Night Games'' (1981). Powell then performed with a number of major bands - Michael Schenker Group from 1981 to 1982, Whitesnake from 1982 to 1984, then with Keith Emerson and Greg Lake in 1986 as a member of Emerson, Lake & Powell, Gary Moore in 1989, then Black Sabbath intermittently from 1989 to 1991, and again from 1993 - 1995.
Between late 1992 and early 1993, Powell put together a touring band using the old band name 'Cozy Powell's Hammer' featuring himself on drums, Neil Murray on bass, Mario Parga on guitar and Tony Martin on vocals and occasional rhythm guitar/synth module. The band performed throughout Europe and appeared on German T.V.
Powell along with Neil Murray (fellow ex-member of Cozy Powell's Hammer, Whitesnake, Gary Moore and Black Sabbath) were members of Queen guitarist Brian May's band, playing on the ''Back To The Light'' and ''Another World'' albums. Cozy played with Brian May opening for Guns N' Roses on the second American leg of their Use Your Illusion tour in 1993. due to start touring with the band in the Autumn of 1998. The duo also served a spell with returning blues legend Peter Green in the mid nineties.

Band timeline (not including session work)

Text in 'bold' indicates solo work

★ The Sorcerers (1967-1968)

★ Youngblood (1968-1969)

★ The Ace Kefford Stand (1969-1970)

★ Big Bertha (1970)

★ The Jeff Beck Group (1970-1972)

★ Bedlam (1972-1973)

★ 'Cozy Powell' (1974)

★ 'Cozy Powell’s Hammer' (1974-1975)

★ Rainbow (1976-1980)

★ 'Cozy Powell' (1979)

★ Graham Bonnet & the Hooligans (1980-1981)

★ 'Cozy Powell' (1981)

★ Michael Schenker Group (1981-1982)

★ 'Cozy Powell'

★ Whitesnake (1983-1984)

★ Emerson, Lake & Powell (1985-1986)

★ Pete York/Cozy Powell (1987)

★ Black Sabbath (1988-1991)

★ The Brian May Band (1991-1992)

★ 'Cozy Powell' (1992)

★ 'Cozy Powell's Hammer '(1992-1993)

★ The Brian May Band (1993-1994)

★ Black Sabbath (1994-1995)

★ Peter Green Splinter Group (1997)

★ The Brian May Band (1998)

★ Peter Green Splinter Group (1998)

Powell's death

Cozy Powell died on April 5, 1998 following a car crash, driving his Saab 9000 in bad weather on the M4 motorway near Bristol, while talking to his girlfriend on his mobile phone. He was living at Lambourn in Berkshire at the time and had returned to the studio shortly before his death to record with Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green. By that time, he had been the drummer on at least 66 albums with minor contributions on many other recordings. It was generally felt that Powell's death was a great loss to the world of popular music. Countless rock-based drummers have cited Cozy Powell as an influence.

Equipment information

Drum set ups through his career included;
1977-78 (with Rainbow):
Ludwig red sparkle: Two 26" bass drums with Premier 250 pedals, two 14" rack toms, two 16" floor toms. 14"x6" metal symphonic snare. Cymbals (All Paiste): 24" ride (formula 602), 18" china, 18" crash-ride, 20" ride, 18" crash, two 16" crashes, 6" splash and 15" hi-hats. Ludwig 3S sticks.
Circa 1983 (with Whitesnake):
Yamaha custom in natural wood finish: Two 26" bass drums, two 15" rack toms, and 18" and 20" floor toms. 14"x6" metal snare. Cymbals (Paiste 2000 series): 24" ride, 18" china, 20" crash-ride, 20" crash,18" crash, 6" splash and 15" hi-hats.
1989 (when in Black Sabbath):
Yamaha 9000 series custom in black and silver: Two 26" bass drums,6"x16", 8"x18", 13"x9", and 14"x10" rack toms, 18" and 20" floor toms. 14"x6" metal snare. Cymbals (Paiste 3000 series): 24" ride, 18" china, 20" crash-ride, 20" crash, 18" crash, 6" splash, 15" hi-hats and a 36" gong.

Current releases

In October 2005 Powell made a "new" appearance on an album. Former Black Sabbath vocalist Tony Martin released a studio album (Scream), and on it is a track named "Raising Hell". This was a track that Powell had recorded the drum track for back when he and Tony were in Hammer in 1992, and gave to Tony for "future use". There are apparently as many as 19 additional drum tracks also recorded that could turn up in the future. Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton has also released material recorded before Powell's death on the 2006 solo collection 'Edge of the World'..

Discography and appearances

★ ''Rough & Ready'' - ''Jeff Beck Group'' (1971)

★ ''Clowns'' - ''Ed Welch'' (1971)

★ ''Jeff Beck Group'' - ''Jeff Beck Group'' (1972)

★ ''A Writer of Songs'' - ''Harvey Andrews'' (1972)

★ ''Clotho's Web'' - ''Julie Felix'' (1972)

★ ''Cosmic Wheels'' - ''Donovan'' (1973)

★ ''Bedlam'' - ''Bedlam'' (1973)

★ ''You And Me'' - ''Chick Churchill'' (1973)

★ ''Nigel Lived'' - ''Murray Head'' (1973)

★ ''First of the Big Bands'' - ''Tony Ashton / Jon Lord'' (1974)

★ ''Peter & The Wolf'' - ''Various'' (1975)

★ ''Every Word You Say'' - ''Peter Sarstedt'' (1975)

★ ''The First Starring Role'' - ''Bob Sargeant'' (1975)

★ ''Rising'' - ''Rainbow'' (1976)

★ ''Fourteen Greatest Hits'' - ''Hot Chocolate'' (1976)

★ ''On Stage'' - ''Rainbow'' (1977)

★ ''Long Live Rock 'n' Roll'' - ''Rainbow'' (1978)

★ ''Down to Earth'' - ''Rainbow'' (1979)

★ ''Over the Top'' - ''Cozy Powell'' (1979)

★ ''And About Time Too'' - ''Bernie Marsden'' (1979)

★ ''Monsters of Rock'' - ''Rainbow'' (1980)

★ ''Look At Me Now'' - ''Bernie Marsden'' (1981)

★ ''Tilt'' - ''Cozy Powell'' (1981)

★ ''M.S.G.'' - ''McAuley/Schenker Group'' (1981)

★ ''Line Up'' - ''Graham Bonnet'' (1981)

★ ''One Night at Budokan'' - ''McAuley/Schenker Group'' (1982)

★ ''Before I Forget'' - ''Jon Lord'' (1982)

★ ''Pictures At Eleven'' - ''Robert Plant'' (1982)

★ ''Octopuss'' - ''Cozy Powell'' (1983)

★ ''Slide It In'' - ''Whitesnake'' (1984)

★ ''Phenomena'' - ''Phenomena'' (1985)

★ ''Under a Raging Moon'' - ''Roger Daltrey'' (1985)

★ ''Finyl Vinyl'' - ''Rainbow'' (1986)

★ ''Emerson, Lake & Powell'' - ''Emerson, Lake & Powell'' (1986)

★ ''Who the Am Dam'' - ''Boys Don't Cry'' (1987)

★ ''Sanne Salomonsen'' - ''Sanne Salomonsen'' (1987)

★ ''Triumph & Agony'' - ''Warlock'' (1987)

★ ''Forcefield I'' - ''Forcefield'' (1987)

★ ''Super Drumming'' - ''Pete York / Cozy Powell'' (1987)

★ ''Long Cold Winter'' - ''Cinderella'' (1988)

★ ''Southern Region Breakdown'' - ''James Darby'' (1988)

★ ''K.2.'' - ''Don Airey'' (1988)

★ ''Forcefield II'' - ''Forcefield'' (1988)

★ ''After the War'' - ''Gary Moore'' (1989)

★ ''Headless Cross'' - ''Black Sabbath'' (1989)

★ ''Timewatch'' - ''Minute By Minute'' (1989)

★ ''To Oz And Back (Forcefield III)'' - ''Forcefield'' (1989)

★ ''Live in Germany 1976'' - ''Rainbow'' (1990)

★ ''Tyr'' - ''Black Sabbath'' (1990)

★ ''Let the Wild Run Free (Forcefield IV)'' - ''Forcefield'' (1991)

★ ''The Connoisseur Collection Vol II'' - ''Ritchie Blackmore'' (1991)

★ ''The Drums are Back'' - ''Cozy Powell'' (1992)

★ ''Instrumentals'' - ''Forcefield'' (1992)

★ ''Back To The Light'' - ''Brian May'' (1993)

★ ''Live at Brixton Academy'' - ''Brian May'' (1994)

★ ''Forbidden'' - ''Black Sabbath'' (1995)

★ ''The Music of Jimi Hendrix'' - ''Various'' (1995)

★ ''The Sabbath Stones'' - ''Black Sabbath'' (1996)

★ ''Baptizm of Fire'' - ''Glenn Tipton'' (1997)

★ ''The Best of Cozy Powell'' - ''Cozy Powell'' (1997)

★ ''Peter Green Splinter Group'' - ''Peter Green Splinter Group'' (1997)

★ ''SAS Band'' - ''S.A.S. Band'' (1997)

★ ''Facing the Animal'' - ''Yngwie Malmsteen'' (1997)

★ ''Another World'' - ''Brian May'' (1998)

★ ''Twin Oaks/Especially For You'' - ''Cozy Powell'' (1999)

★ ''Scream'' - ''Tony Martin'' (2005)

★ ''Edge of the World'' - ''Tipton, Entwistle & Powell'' (2006)

External link

★ Official Cozy Powell website