Preston Heyman

Preston Heyman (born 5 March 1953) is a British record producer, drummer and percussionist, whose career spans five decades. Best known for his collaborations with Kate Bush, he was also a member of the Tom Robinson Band and has contributed to many hit recordings and worked with a diverse range of artists including Terence Trent D'arby, Tin Tin Out, Massive Attack, Paul McCartney, Tina Turner and a Grammy Award-winning film soundtrack with Mike Oldfield.

Preston Heyman
Background information
Birth namePreston Ross Heyman
Born (1953-03-05) 5 March 1953
Paterson, New Jersey, United States
OriginLondon, England
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, record producer
InstrumentsDrums, percussion
Years active1971–present
Associated actsTom Robinson Band

Acting career

Although principally known for his musical career, Heyman's first experiences of show business came as a child actor and student of Corona Theatre School in London; while studying there he appeared in the films Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Goodbye Mr Chips with Peter O'Toole, Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River (1968) with Jerry Lewis, and Salt and Pepper starring Sammy Davis Jr. and Rat Pack star Peter Lawford, as well as in an episode of Z-Cars.

Early musical career

During this period, Heyman became increasing excited by music and asked by classmate guitarist Ronnie Caryl together aged 16 and still at school they cut their teeth in a touring band fronted by former Unit 4+2 singer Tommy Moellar playing their hit "Concrete and Clay" sometimes three times a night up and down the country (1966–1967). It was quite a "musical education age 16" he said later. In 1969, Heyman and Caryl formed the school band Sanctuary; the band's concerts often featured a friend from a rival stage school, Barbara Speake Stage School, the soon to be star Phil Collins in a two drummer set up Heyman and Collins playing the same fills which became the norm later when Phil joined Genesis, the two were to work again later when Collins asked Heyman to work with his band Brand X as percussionist. Leaving school on the brink of his GCSE exams explaining to his parents that he would not need them in a music career, Heyman secured an album deal for Sanctuary with Polydor recording an album at Rockfield Studios that remains unreleased.

Early studio career

Heyman's first chart success came as a member of British R&B funk band Gonzalez[1] Drumming on their worldwide disco hit "I Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet" (1975).[2] He had long been a fan and was asked by bandleader sax player Mick Eve to join them on the eve of dates supporting Bob Marley on his Hammersmith Odeon shows. This led to many studio sessions as the Gonzalez rhythm and brass sections were always in demand especially with visiting U.S. artists. While in Air London Studio with Gonzalez recording tacks for their second album Our Only Weapon Is Our Music (1975) he was watched from the door by Brian Ferry who asked him when he finished if he would cart his drums along the corridor to the studio next door, he agreed and played on "This Island Earth" from The Bride Stripped Bare (1978) alongside bass player Alan Spenner and guitarist Neil Hubbard of Kokomo who were contemporaries to London funksters Gonzalez. And so began a long studio session career.

Kate Bush

Soon after this a telephone call came from Kate Bush and he worked with her rehearsing for 6 months as a member of her band before embarking on her Lionheart Tour later to become known as The Tour of Life (1979) and appears drumming on Live at the Hammersmith Odeon (1981), which was later re-issued in 1994 as a boxed set audio CD as well as the video, and on Bush's On Stage (E.P.) a live recording of four songs performed on Kate Bush's Tour of Life in 1979. It was released on 31 August 1979 with "Them Heavy People" as the lead track, it peaked at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. Following the tour Bush then asked him into the studio to play drums and percussion and some backing vocals on the album Never for Ever. Released in September 1980, it was Bush's first no.1 album and was also the first ever album by a British female solo artist to top the UK album chart, as well as being the first album by any female solo artist to enter the chart at no 1.[3] Heyman played drums along with the other Tour of Life Band on the B.B.C. T.V. Special KATE (1979) on which a new song "December Will Be Magic Again" was aired, later to be released by the B.B.C. as a DVD. He then went into the studio with Bush and played both drums and percussion on the single "December Will Be Magic Again" (1979) and again working with her on the 1982 album The Dreaming. His pounding drums[4] featuring on her Single "Sat in Your Lap" (1981) recorded in the stone room at The Townhouse Studio 2 London with Paddy Bush and Preston on whip like percussion actually played on bamboo canes swooshing through the air rhythmically, both appear in the video as singing Bulls filmed in Orchestral Studio 1 Abbey Road. Critic Simon Reynolds called it "an avant-pop stampede of pounding percussion and deranged shrieks.[5]

During this period Heyman also played with the Tom Robinson Band on the album TRB Two, produced by Todd Rundgren (1979), and Atomic Rooster on their sixth album Atomic Rooster (1980). 1984 and a recommendation from bass player friend Phil Spalding saw him in the studio with Mike Oldfield recording the soundtrack for Academy Award winning film The Killing Fields (1984)[6] using unusual percussion instruments he had brought back from an extended trip to Indonesia after Kate Bush's tour.

Kim Wilde

In 1985, Kim Wilde asked him to join her band and he spent most of that year with her in France doing T.V. shows and concerts and appears in the video for her top 20 single "Rage to Love" which received a remix by Dave Edmunds. They also recorded a French T.V. special on Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean. And did a tour of Roman Amphitheatres in the south of France and Spain summer 1985.

Terence Trent D'arby

After studio sessions (again with Phil Spalding on Bass) for the 1987 album Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby produced by Heaven 17's Martyn Ware he found himself drumming on the U.S.A. Billboard Hot 100 No 1 "Wishing Well"[7] (1988) and features in the song's video. He joined Terence's band and spent the next 2 years touring the globe, every country they landed in both the album and single seemed to be No 1 and sometimes doing 5 T.V. appearances a day, describing it as "The worlds wildest craziest party that never ever stopped " eventually on the verge of another U.S. tour leaving saying he had to "save my sanity before it was too late to do so." Worldwide, the album sold a million copies within the first three days of going on sale.[8]

Equipment

Preston endorses Evans Drumheads, Zildjian Cymbals, Tama Drums and LP Percussion

Discography

With Empire
  • Empire 1 (1974)
  • The Complete Recordings Ft.Peter Banks and Sydney Foxx (2018) The Right Honourable Recording Company Ltd

With Gonzalez
  • Our Only Weapon Is Our Music (1975) Capital

Singles:

  • "Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet" (1977) Capitol
  • "Bless You" (1978) Capitol

With Jakob Frímann Magnússon
  • Horft Í Roðann (1976) Steiner Iceland

With Brand X
  • Missing Period (1976) Gonzo [released 1997, recorded 1975–1976, collection of lost session tapes]

With Wilding/Bonus
  • Pleasure Signals (1977)

With Bryan Ferry

With Rocky Sharpe and the Replays
  • Rama Lama (1979)

With Kate Bush

Singles:

With Tom Robinson Band

With Atomic Rooster

With Ken Lockie
  • The Impossible (1981)

With World of Music, Arts and Dance

WOMAD Music And Rhythm by WEA Germany (1982) The Best of Music & Rhythm Pengosekan – Vic Coppersmith-Heaven

With Randy California
  • Euro-American (album) (1982)
  • Restless (1985) Vertigo

Singles:

  • "Hand Gun (Toy Guns)" (1982) Beggars Banquet
  • "All along the Watchtower" / "Killer Weed" (1982) Beggars Banquet
  • "Run to Your Lover" (1985) Beggars Banquet
  • "Jack Rabbit" (1985) Vertigo

With Monsoon

With Toyah
  • "Be Loud, Be Proud, Be Heard" (1982)

With Bill Nelson
  • Chimera (1983)
  • Vistamix (1984)
  • On A Blue Wing (1986)

With Impulse
  • Act on Impulse (1983)

With Wall Street Crash (Group)
  • European Affair

With Mike Oldfield

With Sheila Chandra
  • Quiet (1984)
  • The Struggle (1985)

With The Colourfield

With Roy Harper / Jimmy Page

With Heaven 17

With Heaven 17 Feat. Jimmy Ruffin

With When in Rome

With Indochine

With Terence Trent D'Arby

Single:

  • "Wishing Well" (1987) U.S.A. Billboard No 1
  • "Greasy Chicken" (1988)

With Tina Turner

Singles:

With British Electric Foundation (Feat. Tina Turner)

With Del Amitri

Singles:

  • "Always The Last To Know" (1992)

With Heidi Berry

With Tasmin Archer

Singles:

With Love City Groove

With Ian McNabb

With Massive Attack

With Asia

With Jason Rowe (Jai)

With Tin Tin Out
Single
  • "Here's Where The Story Ends" (1998)

With Tin Tin Out featuring Emma Bunton

With DJ EZ
  • Underground Explosion: The Best R'n'B & Garage Mix (1999)

With Whitney Houston

With Sting
  • "After The Rain Has Fallen" (2000)

With The Waterboys

With The Pretenders

With Anastacia

Single:

  • "I Was Made For Loving You" (2001)

With Faith Hill

With Hedkandi

Fac 15 Stay With Me Till Dawn (2001) Twisted by the Pool (2001) Haven't You Heard (2002)

FAC 15 Ft. Cathi Ogden

  • "Rainy Days And Monday's" (2001)
  • [Shine Inside, Stay With Me Till Dawn Disco Kandi] (2003)

With Simply Red

With King Brillo
  • King Brillo (2006)

With The Wolfmen

Singles

  • Cecilia (2007)
  • Two Eyes (2007) Feat. Daler Mendhi
  • Wak This Bass (2009)
  • "Better Days" (2009)
  • Jackie Is It My Birthday? (2011) Feat. Sinead O'Connor

With Aigul Babayeva

With Namgyal Lhamo

With Sinead O'Connor
  • How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? (2011)

With Ravid
  • Ravid Hang (2010) Producer, Percussion instruments.
  • Calm Upon You (2013) Producer, Percussion instruments.

With Parsley Sound
  • Picnic on Mars (2013)

With No Mad Karma
  • "27" (2015)

With The Mutants
  • You Desert My Mind (2016)

Movie soundtracks

Music videos

Kate Bush Live at Hammersmith Odeon (1979),Kate Bush – The tour of Life HD LPR Remastering (Live at Hammersmith Odeon 79) on YouTube

Them Heavy People (1979), Kate Bush – Them Heavy People – Official Music Video on YouTube

Breathing (1980),Kate Bush – Breathing – Official Music Video on YouTube

Army Dreamers (1980),Kate Bush – Army Dreamers – Official Music Video on YouTube

Sat in Your Lap (1982),Kate Bush – Sat in Your Lap on YouTube

Kim Wilde

Rage To Love (1985)Kim Wilde – Rage To Love (1985) HD 0815007 on YouTube

Heaven 17 Ft Jimmy Ruffin

The Foolish Thing To Do (1986)Heaven 17 ft. Jimmy Ruffin – The Foolish Thing To Do [1986 on YouTube

Paul McCartney

Only Love Remains (1986) Paul McCartney – "Only Love Remains" – ORIGINAL VIDEO on YouTube

Terence Trent D'Arby

Wishing Well (1987) USA No.1 Terence Trent D'Arby – Wishing Well (Video) on YouTube

Dance Little Sister (1987) Music video on YouTube

Sign Your Name (1988) Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name on YouTube

Introducing The Hardline Live Terence Trend D'Arby – Introducing the Hardline LIVE on YouTube

Tin Tin Out Here's Where The Story Ends Shelley Nelson Tin Tin Out Here's Where The Story Ends TOTP 1998 on YouTube

Tin Tin Out Emma Bunton

What I Am Tin Tin Out – What I Am ft. Emma Bunton on YouTube

Live performance and tours

Sanctuary Band – London College Concerts. Guest Phil Collins (1971–1973)

The Rocky Horror Show Kings Road Theatre (1974) Pit Band Dep Drummer Various Dates

Kate Bush – The Tour of Life (1979)

London Symphony Orchestra / Kate Bush 75th Anniversary Concert Royal Albert Hall (1979)

Peter Gabriel Reading Festival (1979) with Phil Collins/Gerry Marotta

The Nolans British Tour (1980)

Roy Harper Glastonbury Festival and U.K. Tour (1981)

Randy California Glastonbury Festival (1985)

Kim Wilde European Tour (1985)

Paul McCartney Royal Command Performance (1986)

The Princes Trust Rock Gala (1989) Percussion with George Martin Level 42 Alexander O'Neal John Farnham

Terence Trent D'Arby World Tour (1995)

Eurovision Song Contest / Love City Groove (1995)

Jimmy Sommerville European Tour and Festivals (1996)

Tin Tin Out / Hyde Park Route of Kings Concert (2000)

Zohar / World Peace Music Awards /Bali/ Concerts in Lomndon, U.S.A. Tour and Singapore (2006–2007)

Bali Jazz Festival (2006)

The Wolfmen London Concerts (2007–2011)

Avivit UK Concerts and Big Green Gathering Festival (2006)

James Stewart Cape Town South Africa Live Album Recording (2006)

Laura Miller and Double Six (2007) London Concerts

Aigul Babaeva The Opera House Almaty Kazakhstan (2012)

Expo 2017 World Expo Astana Kazakhstan 2017 Concert With No Mad Karma

References
  1. Steve Huey. "Gonzalez | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  2. Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. Billboard Books. p. 259.
  3. Williamson, Nigel (2 October 2005). "The Mighty Bush". Scotland on Sunday
  4. "Kate Bush: her 31 UK singles from worst to best". Telegraph.co.uk. 30 July 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  5. Simon Reynolds. "Kate Bush, the queen of art-pop who defied her critics". The Guardian
  6. "Mike Oldfield - The Killing Fields - Tubular.net". Tubular.net. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  7. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 145.
  8. Whaley, Christopher (September 2007). Sananda Maitreya Speaks! (interview). Sobo Magazine. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.