Eric Faulkner
Eric Faulkner | |
---|---|
![]() Faulkner (left) with the Bay City Rollers in 1976. | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Eric Falconer |
Born | (1953-10-21) 21 October 1953 (age 70) Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, guitarist |
Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
Years active | 1972–present |
Formerly of | Bay City Rollers |
Website | www |
Eric Faulkner (born 21 October 1953 as Eric Falconer) is a guitarist, songwriter and singer, best known as a member of the Scottish pop band the Bay City Rollers.
Biography
Early life
Faulkner was born at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland. As a child, he learned to play the viola and joined the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra where he played in a performance for Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, in Leith Town Hall. His father was a shop steward and Scottish Trades Union Congress delegate, and member of the CPGB (Communist Party of Great Britain).[1] He attended Moredun Primary School in Edinburgh, and later Liberton High School, where he gained 8 ‘O’ Grades and excelled at rugby and music. At thirteen years old Faulkner formed his first high school band, The Witness (which later became Sugar and then KIP). His early years are covered in the first part of his autobiography “An Edinburgh Lad”.
Bay City Rollers
In 1972 Faulkner joined The Bay City Rollers. The original Rollers, Nobby Clark, Alan and Derek Longmuir had secured a record deal with the UK record label, Bell Records. Until the end of 1973 the band’s line up was Nobby Clark, Alan and Derek Longmuir, Devine and Faulkner. During that time the band worked with the production team of Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, producers of hits for Peter Frampton’s earlier band “The Herd” and Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Titch. Their first production for the band was the song “Mañana”. Winning The Radio Luxembourg Grand Prix song contest, this song gave the band their first European hit. Although Mañana made no impact on the UK charts, the next single, “Saturday Night” (produced by Phil Coulter and Bill Martin), peaked at No 51 in the UK charts. The band continued to tour in the UK, attracting an increasingly enthusiastic fan following. Clark left the band in late 1973 after disputes with the group’s manager, Tam Paton. The band's recently recorded track “Saturday Night” was re-voiced by the group’s new lead singer, 17 year-old Les McKeown. (In 1975 “Saturday Night” would go on to be an no. 1 in the USA).
The band broke through the UK charts in early 1974 with the song “Remember” (also produced by Coulter and Martin). Radio Luxembourg gave the song their seal of approval, nominating it for their Power Play which had the song being played on the hour, every hour. This, along with the band’s vociferous teenage girl fans at live gigs, catapulted “Remember”, without any mainland UK airplay, straight into the charts on its first week of release.
Along with Stuart Wood, Faulkner took over songwriting for the Bay City Rollers. Their first self-penned hit was Money Honey (Bay City Rollers song)
Later works
As well as guitar, Faulkner also plays viola, violin, mandolin, bass and keyboards. Having inherited his family's left-wing views, he has played many Trade Union benefit shows.
In 2006 Faulkner sat in for Jake Burns in Pauline Black’s Three Men and Black for an Arts Centre tour. On Burns’ return, Faulkner continued the working relationship as support on their tours.
In 2007, Faulkner continued as a solo artist and appeared at the Glastonbury Festival as a protest singer in support of British politician Tony Benn.[2] It was arranged for him to end his performance by introducing Tony Benn on the Left Field stage under the banner "Another World is Possible".
In February 2015, Faulkner contracted viral encephalitis.[3] Although his initial recovery seemed rapid, he was left with post encephalitic syndrome. During his recovery, in 2017, he wrote and recorded new music.[4]
In July 2018, Faulkner returned to the stage, with performances at the Heart of Hawick Music Festival in August.[5]
Discography
Albums
Title | Album details |
---|---|
Rollin' |
|
Once Upon a Star |
|
Bay City Rollers |
|
Wouldn't You Like It? |
|
Rock n' Roll Love Letter |
|
Dedication |
|
It's a Game |
|
Strangers in the Wind |
|
Elevator |
|
Voxx |
|
Ricochet |
|
Breakout '85 |
|
Live Albums
Title | Album details |
---|---|
Live in Japan |
|
Rollerworld:Live at the Budokan 1977 |
|
Singles
Year | Title |
---|---|
1971 | "Keep on Dancing" |
1972 | "We Can Make Music" |
"Mañana" | |
1974 | "Remember (Sha-La-La-La)" |
"Shang-a-Lang" | |
"Summerlove Sensation" | |
"All of Me Loves All of You" | |
1975 | "Bye, Bye, Baby" |
"Give a Little Love" | |
"Don't Stop the Music" | |
"Love Me Like I Love You" | |
1976 | "Saturday Night" |
"Money Honey" | |
"Rock and Roll Love Letter" | |
"I Only Want to Be with You" | |
"Yesterday's Hero" | |
"Dedication" | |
"Don't Worry Baby" | |
1977 | "It's a Game" |
"You Made Me Believe in Magic" | |
"The Way I Feel Tonight" | |
"Don't Let the Music Die" | |
1978 | "Where Will I Be Now" |
"All of the World Is Falling in Love" | |
1979 | "Turn On the Radio" |
"Hello and Welcome Home" | |
1980 | "God Save Rock & Roll" |
1981 | "Life on the Radio" |
"No Doubt About It" | |
1983 | "Piece of the Action" |
1985 | "When You Find Out" |
References
- ^ Spence, Simon (2016). When The Screaming Stops: The Dark History Of The Bay City Rollers. Omnibus Press.
- ^ Braiden, Gerry (23 June 2007). "What's the story with . . . the Bay City Rollers?". The Herald Scotland.
- ^ Longmuir, Alan; Knight, Martin (14 November 2018). I Ran With The Gang: My Life In and Out of the Bay City Rollers. Luath Press Ltd. ISBN 9781912387212.
- ^ "Eric Faulkner". Eric Faulkner. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
- ^ "Hawick music festival appealing for handout". Hawick News. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
Bibliography
- Irwin Stambler, Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock & Soul. 1974. St. Martin's Press, Inc. New York, N.Y. ISBN 0-312-02573-4
External links
- Official website
- [1]
- v
- t
- e
- Eric Faulkner
- Alan Longmuir
- Derek Longmuir
- Les McKeown
- Stuart "Woody" Wood
- Nobby Clark
- John Devine
- Duncan Faure
- Billy Lyall
- Archie Marr
- Eric Manclark
- Pat McGlynn
- Ian Mitchell
- Neil Henderson
- David Paton
- Rollin'
- Once Upon a Star
- Bay City Rollers
- Wouldn't You Like It?
- Rock n' Roll Love Letter
- Dedication
- It's a Game
- Strangers in the Wind
- Elevator
- Voxx
- Ricochet
- "Keep On Dancing"
- "Remember (Sha-La-La-La)"
- "Shang-a-Lang"
- "Summerlove Sensation"
- "Bye Bye Baby"
- "Give a Little Love"
- "Saturday Night"
- "Money Honey"
- "Rock and Roll Love Letter"
- "I Only Want to Be with You"
- "Yesterday's Hero"
- "Don't Worry Baby"
- "It's a Game"
- "You Made Me Believe in Magic"
- "The Way I Feel Tonight"
- "Don't Let the Music Die"
- "Where Will I Be Now"
- Discography
- Shang-a-Lang
- The Krofft Superstar Hour
- Burning Rubber
- Tam Paton
Category
Commons