Adrian Lee
Encyclopedia
Adrian Lee is an English musician, known especially for his brass
instrumentation
work with several well-known acts of the 1980s.
in the late 1970s as guitarist with the band, Red Hot. They released one single, "Lazy Days", which was produced by Mutt Lange.
Lee's first big engagement led him to play guitar and keyboards on Cliff Richard
's late 1970s tours, and his 1979 album, Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile
. In 1981, Lee became a member of the British goth rock band, Toyah
, co-writing songs including the hit single
, "Thunder In The Mountains", and he stayed with them until 1982. The same year he released his only solo album, called The Magician. He continued to write for Toyah Wilcox, and appeared on her 1985 album, Minx, for which he and Wilcox wrote "Soldier of Fortune, Terrorist of Love". Minx was produced by Christopher Neil
. Neil asked Lee to play on the first Mike + The Mechanics album. Lee was a member of Mike + The Mechanics until 1995.
Lee continued to write, produce and perform with other artists throughout his period with The Mechanics. In 1985, Lee was involved with the production, writing, and keyboards for Space Monkey
, and he appeared on albums with artists such as Silent Running
, Stephen Bishop
, Joan Armatrading
, Chris De Burgh
and 10cc
. Lee is credited as co-producer on 10cc's 1995 album, Mirror Mirror.
Lee composed the music for CITV
's 1995 series The Ink Thief
, a comedy, science fiction, thriller starring Richard O'Brien
and Toyah Wilcox.
More recently, Lee has also worked on film score
s, such as The Reckoning, The Medallion
and Training Day
.
He currently lives in California.
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
instrumentation
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
work with several well-known acts of the 1980s.
Career
Lee was first signed to Phonogram RecordsPhonogram Records
Phonogram Records was started in 1962 as a joint venture between Philips Records and Deutsche Grammophon. In 1972, Phonogram was merged with Polydor Records into PolyGram....
in the late 1970s as guitarist with the band, Red Hot. They released one single, "Lazy Days", which was produced by Mutt Lange.
Lee's first big engagement led him to play guitar and keyboards on Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
's late 1970s tours, and his 1979 album, Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile
Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile
Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile is a 1979 album by Cliff Richard. It featured his biggest-ever single, "We Don't Talk Anymore".-Background:Recording sessions for the album began on 18 July 1978, before his previous album had been released...
. In 1981, Lee became a member of the British goth rock band, Toyah
Toyah (band)
Toyah is the name of the band fronted by Toyah Willcox between 1977 and 1983. The only other consistent band member throughout this period was Joel Bogen, Willcox's principal co-writer and guitarist.-Background :...
, co-writing songs including the hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
, "Thunder In The Mountains", and he stayed with them until 1982. The same year he released his only solo album, called The Magician. He continued to write for Toyah Wilcox, and appeared on her 1985 album, Minx, for which he and Wilcox wrote "Soldier of Fortune, Terrorist of Love". Minx was produced by Christopher Neil
Christopher Neil
Christopher Neil is a British record producer, songwriter, singer and actor.He has worked with Celine Dion, a-ha, Dollar, Paul Nicholas, Kim Criswell, Morten Harket, Mike + The Mechanics, Johnny Logan, Marillion, The Moody Blues, The Other Ones, Paul Carrack, Rod Stewart, Gerry Rafferty, Cher,...
. Neil asked Lee to play on the first Mike + The Mechanics album. Lee was a member of Mike + The Mechanics until 1995.
Lee continued to write, produce and perform with other artists throughout his period with The Mechanics. In 1985, Lee was involved with the production, writing, and keyboards for Space Monkey
Space Monkey (band)
Space Monkey was a British pop group from the mid 1980s, led by singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Paul Goodchild. The group's sole album was 1985's On the Beam, issued in the UK by Innervision Records, and in the US by MCA. A previous charting single release, "Can't Stop Running", was issued in...
, and he appeared on albums with artists such as Silent Running
Silent Running (Belfast band)
Silent Running are an Northern Irish rock band, who emerged from the Belfast punk scene and were originally called The Setz before changing musical direction in 1982....
, Stephen Bishop
Stephen Bishop (musician)
Stephen Bishop is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and guitarist.-History:Bishop was born in San Diego, California, and attended Will C. Crawford High School...
, Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, MBE is a British singer, songwriter and guitarist. Armatrading is a three-time Grammy Award-nominee and has been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist...
, Chris De Burgh
Chris de Burgh
Chris de Burgh is a British/Irish singer-songwriter. He is most famous for his 1986 love song "The Lady in Red".-Early life:...
and 10cc
10cc
10cc are an English art rock band who achieved their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The band initially consisted of four musicians -- Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme -- who had written and recorded together for some three years, before assuming the "10cc" name...
. Lee is credited as co-producer on 10cc's 1995 album, Mirror Mirror.
Lee composed the music for CITV
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
's 1995 series The Ink Thief
The Ink Thief
The Ink Thief is a 1994 British children's TV show, shown on the ITV channel during their CITV segment. It starred Richard O'Brien and Toyah Wilcox. The series was produced by Animus Entertainment for Tyne Tees Television.-Plot summary:...
, a comedy, science fiction, thriller starring Richard O'Brien
Richard O'Brien
Richard Timothy Smith , better known under his stage name Richard O'Brien, is an English writer, actor, television presenter and theatre performer. He is perhaps best known for writing the cult musical The Rocky Horror Show and for his role in presenting the popular TV show The Crystal Maze...
and Toyah Wilcox.
More recently, Lee has also worked on film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
s, such as The Reckoning, The Medallion
The Medallion
The Medallion is a 2003 action-comedy film co-written and directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Gordon Chan, and starring Jackie Chan, Lee Evans, and Claire Forlani...
and Training Day
Training Day
Training Day is a 2001 crime drama film directed by Antoine Fuqua, written by David Ayer, starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. The film follows two LAPD narcotics detectives over a 24-hour period in the gang neighborhoods of South and East Los Angeles.The film was a box office success and...
.
He currently lives in California.