Eric Faulkner
Encyclopedia
Eric Faulkner is a guitarist
, songwriter
, and singer, best known as a member of the Scottish
pop
band
, the Bay City Rollers
.
Eric Faulkner was born at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh
, Scotland
. As a youngster he learned to play the viola
and played for a time in a youth orchestra. He is also adept at playing the violin
, mandolin
, bass
and keyboards
.
Faulkner joined the Bay City Rollers in 1972 as their guitarist
, after a period with the group KIP (previously known as Sugar). Faulkner was a member of the Rollers for the remainder of their existence into the 1980s. He was a co-writer
of many Rollers song
s, including the UK Singles Chart
hits "Money Honey" and "Love Me Like I Love You".
In 1976, during the Rollers heyday, Faulkner made headlines for an alleged parasuicide
attempt via sleeping pill overdose.http://www.nme.com/artists/bay-city-rollers The incident was turned into a media opportunity by Bay City Rollers manager
, Tam Paton
who allegedly phoned the press before emergency services; Faulkner maintains the overdose was accidental and not a suicide attempt.
In the 1990s, he worked as lead singer of a reformed version of the Bay City Rollers, which for a time also featured his wife, singer Karen "Kass" Prosser. He also toured with his own band, The Eric Faulkner Co-operative that he founded with Prosser.
Faulkner performed at Guilfest
2006 with 3 Men & Black, featuring Pauline Black from The Selecter
. During the set he led a tribute to the late Syd Barrett
and sang "See Emily Play
", as well as "Radio Heaven", a recent song he penned, and a rendition of the Bay City Rollers hit "Shang-a-Lang". Faulkner continued to perform with 3 Men & Black as a support act on their 2006 concert
tour.
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
. arranged for him to end his performance by introducing Tony Benn
on the Left Field stage under the banner "Another World is Possible". He also performs all the old favourite Roller tunes as Eric Faulkner's Bay City Rollers.
Faulkner and the five other former Bay City Rollers members filed a lawsuit in 2007 against Arista Records which alleged a breach of contract for unpaid royalties
.
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, 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 singer, best known as a member of the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
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 Bay City Rollers
Bay City Rollers
The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band who were most popular in the 1970s. The British Hit Singles & Albums noted that they were "tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh", and were "the first of many acts heralded as the 'Biggest Group since The Beatles' and one of the most screamed-at...
.
Eric Faulkner was born at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. As a youngster he learned to play the viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
and played for a time in a youth orchestra. He is also adept at playing the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
.
Faulkner joined the Bay City Rollers in 1972 as their guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, after a period with the group KIP (previously known as Sugar). Faulkner was a member of the Rollers for the remainder of their existence into the 1980s. He was a co-writer
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...
of many Rollers 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, including 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 ...
hits "Money Honey" and "Love Me Like I Love You".
In 1976, during the Rollers heyday, Faulkner made headlines for an alleged parasuicide
Parasuicide
Parasuicide refers to suicide attempts or gestures and self-harm where there is no result in death. It is a non-fatal act in which a person deliberately causes injury to himself or ingests any prescribed or generally recognised therapeutic dose in excess...
attempt via sleeping pill overdose.http://www.nme.com/artists/bay-city-rollers The incident was turned into a media opportunity by Bay City Rollers manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, Tam Paton
Tam Paton
Thomas Dougal "Tam" Paton , was the manager and primary spokesman during the 1970s of the Scottish band, the Bay City Rollers....
who allegedly phoned the press before emergency services; Faulkner maintains the overdose was accidental and not a suicide attempt.
In the 1990s, he worked as lead singer of a reformed version of the Bay City Rollers, which for a time also featured his wife, singer Karen "Kass" Prosser. He also toured with his own band, The Eric Faulkner Co-operative that he founded with Prosser.
Faulkner performed at Guilfest
GuilFest
GuilFest, formerly the Guildford Festival of Folk and Blues is a music festival held in Stoke Park, Guildford, England each July. The festival, like the larger Glastonbury Festival, features a range of genres including rock, folk, blues, and in recent years pop...
2006 with 3 Men & Black, featuring Pauline Black from The Selecter
The Selecter
The Selecter are a 2 Tone ska revival band from Coventry, England, formed in mid 1979.Like many other bands in the ska revival movement, The Selecter featured a racially diverse line-up. Their lyrics featured themes connected to politics and marijuana, set to strong melodies and a danceable beat...
. During the set he led a tribute to the late Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett , born Roger Keith Barrett, was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter, best remembered as a founding member of the band Pink Floyd. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years, providing major musical and stylistic...
and sang "See Emily Play
See Emily Play
"See Emily Play" was the second single recorded by the English psychedelic rock group Pink Floyd. It was written by original frontman Syd Barrett and recorded on 23 May 1967. The single featured "Scarecrow" as its B-side...
", as well as "Radio Heaven", a recent song he penned, and a rendition of the Bay City Rollers hit "Shang-a-Lang". Faulkner continued to perform with 3 Men & Black as a support act on their 2006 concert
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...
tour.
In 2007, Faulkner continued as a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
artist and appeared at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
as a protest singer in support of British politician Tony Benn
Tony Benn
Anthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC is a British Labour Party politician and a former MP and Cabinet Minister.His successful campaign to renounce his hereditary peerage was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963...
. arranged for him to end his performance by introducing Tony Benn
Tony Benn
Anthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC is a British Labour Party politician and a former MP and Cabinet Minister.His successful campaign to renounce his hereditary peerage was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963...
on the Left Field stage under the banner "Another World is Possible". He also performs all the old favourite Roller tunes as Eric Faulkner's Bay City Rollers.
Faulkner and the five other former Bay City Rollers members filed a lawsuit in 2007 against Arista Records which alleged a breach of contract for unpaid royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
.