Adrian Baker
Encyclopedia
Adrian Baker is an English
singer, songwriter
, and record producer
.
/Epic Records
in the United Kingdom
. In 1975, he released his first solo
album
, Into a Dream (MAG 5009). From that album, he had several hits
on the UK Singles Chart
, and performed several times on the BBC Television
's Top of the Pops
programme
. As a record producer
, Baker is known across Europe
for his dance
hit productions with the group Liquid Gold
.
He twice attempted to write the UK's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest
, reaching the A Song For Europe final in both 1979 and 1981. His first finalist song, "Miss Caroline Newley", performed by the band M Squad
finished eleventh of the twelve songs in 1979. But in 1981, his song "Don't Panic", performed by Liquid Gold, finished in second place and had the rare distinction of being a losing song from the A Song For Europe contest to make the UK Singles Chart, reaching #42.
Baker, with his band Gidea Park, recorded a version of the Beach Boys "California Girls
" for the James Bond
film
, A View to a Kill
. It was featured in the opening sequence with Bond snowboarding. It has been suggested that this teaser sequence helped initiate interest in snowboarding
.
In the United States
, he is best known for being the falsetto
voice
for the touring Beach Boys band from 1981–1982, 1988–1993, and 1998-2004. Baker was also a member of The Four Seasons
with Frankie Valli
from 1994-1995. In 2006, Baker released his sixth solo album, Runaway Tracks.
On 19 March 2011, Baker was presented with the Key to the City of Hickory, North Carolina
, for his efforts raising money for education. Baker was Honorary Chairman of the Hickory Rotary Club's Rotarian Idol Education Scholarship competition for the second consecutive year. He is currently touring with the band Papa Doo Run Run
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
.
Career
Baker made his debut as a singer on Magnet RecordsMagnet Records
Magnet Records was a record label started in 1973 by Michael Levy and acquired by Warner Bros. Records in 1988 for an estimated £10m.Artists on the label included Alvin Stardust, Matchbox, Adrian Baker, Silver Convention, Guys 'n' Dolls, Darts, Kissing the Pink, Bad Manners, David D'Or, Blue Zoo...
/Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In 1975, he released his first solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Into a Dream (MAG 5009). From that album, he had several hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, and performed several times on the BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
's Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
programme
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
. As a record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, Baker is known across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for his dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
hit productions with the group Liquid Gold
Liquid Gold
Liquid Gold was an English disco group, from Brackley in Northamptonshire. Their biggest success came in 1980 with Dance Yourself Dizzy, which peaked at number two on the UK chart.-Career:...
.
He twice attempted to write the UK's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
, reaching the A Song For Europe final in both 1979 and 1981. His first finalist song, "Miss Caroline Newley", performed by the band M Squad
M Squad
M Squad is an American police drama television series that ran from 1957 to 1960 on NBC. Its format would later inspire the creation of spoof TV show Police Squad! Its sponsor was the Pall Mall cigarette brand; Lee Marvin, the program's star, appeared in its commercials during the...
finished eleventh of the twelve songs in 1979. But in 1981, his song "Don't Panic", performed by Liquid Gold, finished in second place and had the rare distinction of being a losing song from the A Song For Europe contest to make the UK Singles Chart, reaching #42.
Baker, with his band Gidea Park, recorded a version of the Beach Boys "California Girls
California Girls
"California Girls" is a song by American rock band The Beach Boys, featured on their ninth studio album Summer Days . Written by band-members Brian Wilson and Mike Love, the song features contrasting verse-chorus form...
" for the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, A View to a Kill
A View to a Kill
A View to a Kill is the fourteenth spy film of the James Bond series, and the seventh and last to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Although the title is adapted from Ian Fleming's short story "From a View to a Kill", the film is the fourth Bond film after The Spy Who Loved...
. It was featured in the opening sequence with Bond snowboarding. It has been suggested that this teaser sequence helped initiate interest in snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, he is best known for being the falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
voice
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
for the touring Beach Boys band from 1981–1982, 1988–1993, and 1998-2004. Baker was also a member of The Four Seasons
The Four Seasons (group)
The Four Seasons are an American rock and pop band who became internationally successful in the mid-1960s. The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has stated that the group was the most popular rock band before The Beatles...
with Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli is an American musician, most famous as frontman of The Four Seasons. He is well-known for his unusually powerful falsetto singing voice...
from 1994-1995. In 2006, Baker released his sixth solo album, Runaway Tracks.
On 19 March 2011, Baker was presented with the Key to the City of Hickory, North Carolina
Hickory, North Carolina
Hickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was 37,222...
, for his efforts raising money for education. Baker was Honorary Chairman of the Hickory Rotary Club's Rotarian Idol Education Scholarship competition for the second consecutive year. He is currently touring with the band Papa Doo Run Run
Papa Doo Run Run
Papa Doo Run Run is a band from Cupertino, California, United States, that specializes in covers of songs from the heyday of surf music in the 1960s.-History:...
.
Tenure
- The Pebbles – 1969–1971
- Playground – 1972–1975
- Adrian Baker Band – 1975–1980
- The Beach BoysThe Beach BoysThe Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
– 1981–1983 - Gidea Park – 1984–1989
- The Beach Boys – 1989–1993
- Frankie Valli & The Four SeasonsThe Four Seasons (group)The Four Seasons are an American rock and pop band who became internationally successful in the mid-1960s. The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has stated that the group was the most popular rock band before The Beatles...
– 1994–1995 - The Beach Boys – 1998–2004
- Papa Doo Run RunPapa Doo Run RunPapa Doo Run Run is a band from Cupertino, California, United States, that specializes in covers of songs from the heyday of surf music in the 1960s.-History:...
– 2004–present - Baker Street – present
Solo releases
- Into a Dream (Magnet/Epic Records) MAG 5009 · 1975
- Gidea Park (Polo Records) POLP 102 · November 1981 (as Gidea Park)
- ABCD (AKB Records) AKB-1 · 1991
- Everyone Needs Someone At Xmas (ABP Records) ABP 101 · 2003
- Surfer's Paradise (ABP Records) ABP 102 · 2004
- The Christmas Song EP (ABP Records) ABP 101-B · 2005
- Runaway Tracks (ABP Records) ABP 111 · 2006
- California Girls (ABP Records) ABP 300 · 2010
- Gold Medleys (ABP Records) ABP 301 · 2011
With other artists
- Mike & Dean - Christmas Party (Hit Bound Records) · 1983 (producer and vocals)
- Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
- Reg Strikes BackReg Strikes BackReg Strikes Back is the twenty-first studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1988. It was his self-proclaimed comeback album, and his own way of fighting back against bad press. The "Reg" in Reg Strikes Back refers to Elton John's birth name, Reginald Kenneth Dwight. This...
(Rocket Records - MCA) · 1988 "Since God Made Girls" (w/ The Beach Boys on background vocals) - Various artists · Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie TaupinTwo Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie TaupinTwo Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin is a 1991 tribute album consisting of interpretations of sixteen songs written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. The title refers to the song on Elton John's album 21 at 33, "Two Rooms at the End of the World", to the duo's unusual...
(Polydor) · 1991 "Crocodile Rock" (w/ The Beach Boys on vocals) - The Beach BoysThe Beach BoysThe Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
· Summer in ParadiseSummer in ParadiseSummer in Paradise is The Beach Boys' twenty-seventh studio album, their first release of the 1990s and the band's last full album of new, original material. It was released in the United States in 1992 on Brother Records and in the United Kingdom in 1993 on EMI. It has been reported that Navarre...
(Brother Records) · 1992 (vocals) - Salute to NASCAR (Tasco Marketing) · 1998 (producer and vocalist)
- Papa Doo Run RunPapa Doo Run RunPapa Doo Run Run is a band from Cupertino, California, United States, that specializes in covers of songs from the heyday of surf music in the 1960s.-History:...
· 40th Anniversary DVD (Blue Pacific Records) BRP 2601 · 2006 (vocals and guitar) - Papa Doo Run Run · Soundtrack + 6 (Blue Pacific Records) BRP 20071 · 2007 (vocals and guitar)
- Chris Farmer · California Dreamin (CF Records) CFM 101 · 2008 (guitar)
- Papa Doo Run Run · Greenifornia (Blue Pacific Records) BRP · 2008 (producer, vocals, guitar)
- Adrian Baker with Baker Street and Friends · Biggest Little Christmas (ABP Records) ABP/BKS 0001 · 2009 (vocals, produced, arranged, multiple instruments)
Singles
- "SherrySherry (song)"Sherry" is a song written by Bob Gaudio and originally recorded by The Four Seasons. It was their first nationally-released single and also their first number one hit, initially reaching the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on September 15, 1962...
" / "I Was Only Fooling" · Magnet Records (MAG 34) · July 1975 - "Candy Baby" / "Dance To It" · Magnet Records (MAG 41) · 1975
- "White Christmas" / "Leave Me Alone" · Magnet Records (Mag 52) · (as The Tonics) · December 1975
- "Don't Do It" / "So You Think You've Got It Made" · Magnet Records (MAG 61) · 9 April 1976
- "Why Haven't I Heard From You" / "Vibrations" · Magnet Records (MAG 77) · 22 October 1976
- "Adrian Baker E.P." (A-Side (1) "Work, Work, Work" (2) "Marlena" B-Side (1) "Look For A Miracle" (2) "Cry Baby Cry")· Magnet Records (Mag) 117 · 1978
- "I'll Keep You Satisfied" / "Feel Like Dancing" · MCA (MCA 1624) · 1978
- "Beach Boy Gold" / "Lady Be Good" · Stone (Son 2162) · (as Gidea Park) · 1978
- "The Boogie Romance" / "From Me To You" · Ariola (Aro 167) 1979
- "California Gold" / "Summer Girls" · Polo Records (POLO 12-5) (as Aero) · August 1980
- "High Time" / "High Time" (instrumental) · Polo Records (POLO 12-7) · April 1981
- "Beach Boy Gold" / "Lady Be Good" · Stone (Son) 2621. (as Gidea Park) · July 1981 (re-issued in picture sleeve)
- "Don't Worry Baby" / "Happy Birthday Brian Wilson" · Polo Records (POLO 11) · August 1981 (withdrawn)
- "Seasons of Gold" / "Lolita" · Polo Records (POLO 14) (as Gidea Park) · September 1981 (issued in picture sleeve)
- "California Gold" / "Summer Girls" · Polo Records (POLO 16) · (as Gidea Park) · 1982
- "Lightning Strikes" / "Baby Come Back" · Polo Records (POLO 12-18) · (as Gidea Park) · January 1982
- "Beach Boy Gold Part II" / "Summer Girls" · Polo Records (POLO 12-22) · (as Gidea Park) · July 1982
- "Summertime City" / "American Girls" Mayfair Records (Fair 1) (as Mayfair) · 1984 (issued in picture sleeve)
- "I Get Around" / "Lazin' On The Beach" / "Stay Healthy" · Polo Records (POLO 12MX1) · (as Gidea Park) · 1985
- "Sherry" / "Stay Healthy" · ABP Records (ABP 120-S) · 2006
- "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" (CD single) · ABP Records (ABP 150) · 2007
- "God Only Knows" · ABP Records (ABP promo) · 2008
- "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" / "The Christmas Song" · ABP Records (ABP 151) · 2008
- "Missing Kissing You" / "Cherie" · ABP Records (ABP 152) · 2009
- "Jingle Bells" · ABP Records (ABP 124-S) · 2010
- "Jingle Bell Rock" · ABP Records · 2010 (Digital Release Only)
Solo releases
- "Sherry" · #10 UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
; on charts 8 weeks · 1975 - "Beach Boy Gold" · #11 UK; on charts 13 weeks · 1981
- "Seasons of Gold" · #28 UK; on charts 6 weeks · 1981 · #82 on Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
(January 1982)
With Liquid Gold
All songs produced, arranged, written, and engineered by Adrian Baker- "Anyway You Do It" · #41 UK; on charts 7 weeks · 1978
- "My Baby's Baby" · #45 USBillboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
; on charts 6 weeks · 1978 - "Dance Yourself Dizzy" · #2 UK; on charts 14 weeks · 1980
- "Substitute" · #8 UK; on charts 9 weeks · 1980
- "Don't Panic" · #42 UK; on charts 5 weeks · 1981
- "Where Did We Go Wrong" · #56 UK; on charts 4 weeks · 1982
- Liquid Gold (album) · #34 UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
; on charts 3 weeks · 1982
External links
- Adrian Baker's official website
- Baker Street Band
- BeachBoysBand.net website dedicated to the touring band and former band members
- Papa Doo Run Run's website