David Baynton-Power
Encyclopedia
Dave Baynton-Power is a musician, best known as drummer
of the long-existing English
rock
band James
. He has a recognisable and characteristic way of playing the drums, moving his sticks
in a circular motion as the songs build up.
Progressive rock
was his first real venture into playing drums
, but Baynton-Power became a huge fan
of punk rock
and was part of the new wave
movement with his first real band
, The Modernaires. They played some decent sized gigs
for a new band, but they soon split after moving to Chester
as their vocalist, who was schizophrenic, announced he was leaving.
They soon re-formed with a new singer however, they realised that with the arrival of the Welsh TV
station S4C
, if they changed the lyrics
of their song
s from English to Welsh they could make some profit. They changed their name to Brodyr Y Ffin (Welsh for 'Brothers On The Border') as their house in Chester was right on the Anglo-Welsh border, and quickly rose to the top of the Welsh scene, staying there for a few years.
However, their existence came to an abrupt end with a massive house fire, which resulted in the death of one of their members. Not long after, Baynton-Power was linked to James through another band's keyboardist
, who was a friend of Andy Dodd - Dodd initially booked all the bands at the Band on the Wall
venue in Manchester
. Dodd suggested Baynton-Power as a replacement for James
previous drummer Gavan Whelan in 1989. According to the band's biography Folklore by Stuart Maconie
, the band was particularly keen to hire Baynton-Power after lead singer Tim Booth
's psychic medium advised him to look out for a "Dave from Wrexham" as the band's new drummer. Although Baynton-Power was initially uninterested in the offer of an audition, he finally relented after the band members offered to pay his train fare to Manchester. Following the audition they immediately offered him the role of drummer.
Baynton-Power endured, remaining in James from that time through to their farewell tour in December 2001. He also played a big part in the production
side of the later James album
s, from Whiplash onwards.
From 2002 Baynton-Power toured with the Welsh rock band The Alarm
, spent more time with his family, and also worked as a freelance sound engineer in television. In early 2007, he was confirmed as a member of the reformed James and joined them on their tour in April of that year, then played on their comeback album Hey Ma
, released in April 2008.
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
of the long-existing English
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...
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 James
James (band)
James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"...
. He has a recognisable and characteristic way of playing the drums, moving his sticks
Drum stick
A percussion mallet is an object used to beat drums and other percussion instruments. Some specialized mallets are called beaters, drumsticks.Note: See Rute .-Drum sticks:...
in a circular motion as the songs build up.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
was his first real venture into playing drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, but Baynton-Power became a huge fan
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
of punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and was part of the new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
movement with his first real band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, The Modernaires. They played some decent sized gigs
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
for a new band, but they soon split after moving to Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
as their vocalist, who was schizophrenic, announced he was leaving.
They soon re-formed with a new singer however, they realised that with the arrival of the Welsh TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
station S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
, if they changed the lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
of their song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s from English to Welsh they could make some profit. They changed their name to Brodyr Y Ffin (Welsh for 'Brothers On The Border') as their house in Chester was right on the Anglo-Welsh border, and quickly rose to the top of the Welsh scene, staying there for a few years.
However, their existence came to an abrupt end with a massive house fire, which resulted in the death of one of their members. Not long after, Baynton-Power was linked to James through another band's keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
, who was a friend of Andy Dodd - Dodd initially booked all the bands at the Band on the Wall
Band on the Wall
Band on the Wall is a live music venue at 25 Swan Street in the Northern Quarter area of Manchester city centre.-Early history:The building dates back to around 1862 when a local brewery, the McKenna Brothers, built it as the flagship pub of their operation. It was called the George and Dragon; the...
venue in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Dodd suggested Baynton-Power as a replacement for James
James (band)
James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"...
previous drummer Gavan Whelan in 1989. According to the band's biography Folklore by Stuart Maconie
Stuart Maconie
Stuart Maconie is an English radio DJ and television presenter, writer, journalist, and critic working in the field of of pop music and popular culture. He is currently a presenter on BBC 6 Music, where he hosts an afternoon show five times a week , alongside Mark Radcliffe, called the Radcliffe...
, the band was particularly keen to hire Baynton-Power after lead singer Tim Booth
Tim Booth
Timothy John Booth is an English singer, dancer, and actor best known as the lead singer from the band James.-1980s:Booth was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England and attended Shrewsbury School...
's psychic medium advised him to look out for a "Dave from Wrexham" as the band's new drummer. Although Baynton-Power was initially uninterested in the offer of an audition, he finally relented after the band members offered to pay his train fare to Manchester. Following the audition they immediately offered him the role of drummer.
Baynton-Power endured, remaining in James from that time through to their farewell tour in December 2001. He also played a big part in the production
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...
side of the later James 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...
s, from Whiplash onwards.
From 2002 Baynton-Power toured with the Welsh rock band The Alarm
The Alarm
The Alarm are an alternative rock band that emerged from North Wales in the late 1970s. They started as a mod band and stayed together for over ten years. As a rock band, they displayed marked influences from Welsh language and culture...
, spent more time with his family, and also worked as a freelance sound engineer in television. In early 2007, he was confirmed as a member of the reformed James and joined them on their tour in April of that year, then played on their comeback album Hey Ma
Hey Ma
Hey Ma is the tenth studio album by British alternative rock band James. It was released on April 7, 2008.- Recording and production :...
, released in April 2008.