Boz Burrell
Encyclopedia
Raymond "Boz" Burrell was an English
musician
. Originally a vocalist, Burrell is best known for his bass
playing and work with the rock
bands King Crimson
and Bad Company
.
in The Who
, for a short period.
In the late 1960s Burrell released solo singles as a vocalist credited as Boz. He was joined by Ritchie Blackmore
, Ian Paice
and Jon Lord
, who would later form Deep Purple
. During this period Burrell returned to Norwich
, as the front man for "Feel for Soul", who played soul cover songs.
In the early 1970s, he joined King Crimson
as a vocalist and bass guitar player and was taught to how to play the instrument by guitarist Robert Fripp
. He recorded Islands
(1971) with the band and featured on a post-breakup compilation live album Earthbound
. Burrell's vocals also appeared on Centipede
's Septober Energy
(1971).
In 1973 Burrell formed "Snape" with members of King Crimson and Alexis Korner
and then became a founder member and bass
player for the rock
band Bad Company
, in the same year he co-wrote songs performed by Bad Company such as, "Rhythm Machine" with Simon Kirke
and "Gone Gone Gone" from Desolation Angels
(1979), "Nuthin' on the TV" and "Ballad of the Band" from Rough Diamonds
(1982). Burrell remained with the band until 1999.
After his departure from Bad Company, Burrell worked with Tam White
and in the new millennium appeared with Zoot Money's Big Roll Band
. He died of a heart attack
in Spain
on 21 September 2006 aged 60.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. Originally a vocalist, Burrell is best known for his bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
playing and work with the rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
bands King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
and Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
.
Career
In the mid 1960s Burrell featured as a singer in "The Boz People", which had originally been called "The Tea Time Four". During this period he also replaced Roger DaltreyRoger Daltrey
Roger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...
in The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, for a short period.
In the late 1960s Burrell released solo singles as a vocalist credited as Boz. He was joined by Ritchie Blackmore
Ritchie Blackmore
Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was known as one of the first guitarists to fuse Classical music elements with rock. He fronted his own band Rainbow after leaving Deep Purple where he was unhappy because his favourite musical style wasn't adequately...
, Ian Paice
Ian Paice
Ian Anderson Paice is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the English rock band Deep Purple. As of Jon Lord's departure in 2002, he is the only founding member of the band who never stopped performing with the group, and the only member to appear on every album the band has...
and Jon Lord
Jon Lord
Jonathan Douglas "Jon" Lord is an English composer, pianist and Hammond organ player.Jon Lord, also known as 'Hammond Lord', is a classically trained piano player. He is recognised for his Hammond organ blues-rock sound and for his pioneering work in fusing rock and classical or baroque forms...
, who would later form Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
. During this period Burrell returned to Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, as the front man for "Feel for Soul", who played soul cover songs.
In the early 1970s, he joined King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
as a vocalist and bass guitar player and was taught to how to play the instrument by guitarist Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
. He recorded Islands
Islands (King Crimson album)
Islands is the fourth album by the British band King Crimson, released in 1971.The last King Crimson studio album before the group's trilogy of Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black and Red, it is also the last to feature the lyrics of Peter Sinfield and the last to feature the band's...
(1971) with the band and featured on a post-breakup compilation live album Earthbound
Earthbound (King Crimson album)
Earthbound is a live album by the band King Crimson, released in 1972 as a budget record shortly after the line-up that recorded it had broken up...
. Burrell's vocals also appeared on Centipede
Centipede (band)
Centipede were an English jazz/progressive rock/Canterbury sound big band with more than 50 members, organized and led by the British free jazz pianist Keith Tippett...
's Septober Energy
Septober Energy
Septober Energy is the only album of the jazz/progressive rock big band Centipede. Produced by Robert Fripp, it was originally released 1971 in the UK as a double LP, and 1974 in the USA with a different cover...
(1971).
In 1973 Burrell formed "Snape" with members of King Crimson and Alexis Korner
Alexis Korner
Alexis Korner was a blues musician and radio broadcaster, who has sometimes been referred to as "a Founding Father of British Blues"...
and then became a founder member and bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player for the rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
, in the same year he co-wrote songs performed by Bad Company such as, "Rhythm Machine" with Simon Kirke
Simon Kirke
Simon Kirke is an English rock drummer best known as a member of Free and Bad Company.-Biography:...
and "Gone Gone Gone" from Desolation Angels
Desolation Angels
Desolation Angels is a 1979 album by the hard rock band Bad Company. It was their 5th studio release. Paul Rodgers revealed on In the Studio with Redbeard that the album's title came from the novel of the same name by Jack Kerouac.Desolation Angels was recorded at Ridge Farm Studios in Surrey,...
(1979), "Nuthin' on the TV" and "Ballad of the Band" from Rough Diamonds
Rough Diamonds
Rough Diamonds is the sixth album by rock band Bad Company released in August 1982.Rough Diamonds, like its predecessor, Desolation Angels, was recorded at Ridge Farm Studio in Surrey, England in March and April of 1981 and engineered by Max Norman .It was the last album by Bad Company's original...
(1982). Burrell remained with the band until 1999.
After his departure from Bad Company, Burrell worked with Tam White
Tam White
Tam White was a Scottish musician, stonemason and actor.-Biography:Born Thomas Bennett Sim White in Edinburgh, Scotland, White was primarily known as a blues vocalist with a trademark gravel-voiced voice. In the 1960s he recorded with beat groups The Boston Dexters and then The Buzz, who recorded...
and in the new millennium appeared with Zoot Money's Big Roll Band
Zoot Money's Big Roll Band
Zoot Money's Big Roll Band was a British rhythm and blues, soul and jazz group formed in England in early autumn 1961.-History:An early line-up had Zoot Money as vocalist and Al Kirtley on piano but in the band's best-known form Money himself played Hammond organ. Bassist/vocalist Paul Williams...
. He died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
on 21 September 2006 aged 60.