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Bill Bruford

Biography

Bill Bruford’s profession is similar to his drumming audio — inimitable. Known for his buzzing metallic snare drum, sharp cymbal function, and knack for complicated time signatures, a Bruford found prominence in the past due ’60s with Yes. The drummer finished his British artwork rock and roll trilogy by briefly becoming a member of Genesis in the 1970s and spending a quarter-century with Ruler Crimson with the past due ’90s. Among King Crimson schedules, Bruford led a amazing self-titled jazz fusion single music group from 1978 to 1980. Featuring guitarist Allan Holdsworth (changed after two albums by “the unidentified” John Clark), bassist Jeff Berlin, and keyboardist Dave Stewart, the group released four albums: Feels Great if you ask me (1978), Original (1979), The Bruford Tapes (1980), and Steadily Heading Tornado (1980). And also as he led his visionary jazz music group Costs Bruford’s Earthworks, he preserved a career being a program drummer (with performers like guitarists Al DiMeola and David Torn, bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma, and keyboardist Patrick Moraz). During among King Crimson head Robert Fripp’s many lineup-shifting hiatuses in Bruford’s 1972-1997 tenure, the drummer produced his self-titled Earthworks music group in 1986. In the group’s 1987 Earthworks debut record, Bruford often utilized electric powered Simmons drums to comparison acoustic horn players Iain Ballamy and Django Bates and upright bassist Mick Hutton, reaching the contrary of the typical lineup where drums will be the just acoustic instrument. Following produces like 1989’s Drill down? and 1991’s All Heaven Broke Loose continuing this forward-thinking craze, mixing acoustic and electrical instrumentation and jazz ideology with traditional undertones. But by 1993’s live Stamping Surface, Bruford had changed Hutton with electrical/acoustic bassist Tim Harries and was using keyboard-pitched electrical chordal drums, the mixed result being truly a even more muscular and fuller sound. Bruford continuing documenting and touring with Ruler Crimson through 1997, launching the Earthworks compilation Heavenly Systems just like he quit the venerable rock-band with which he’d acquired his longest tenure. It could end up being a transitional season, as Bruford documented a jazz chamber trio single Compact disc called If Summer time Had Its Spirits with famous jazz numbers Ralph Towner (acoustic guitar/piano) and Eddie Gomez (acoustic bass). Between explorative electrical recordings with bassist and fellow Ruler Crimson alum Tony Levin, Bruford held Earthworks nearer to the chamber jazz setting within the 1999 Compact disc A Part, yet Apart. Similarly, the lineup of Bruford, saxophonist Patrick Clahar, pianist Steve Hamilton, and bassist Tag Hodgson started the brand new millennium using the 2001 Compact disc The Sound of Shock, an outstanding mixture of jazz custom and forward-thinking changeover. This lineup was also in charge of the 2002 live recording Footloose and Nice Totally free and Footloose in NEW YORK, a live Dvd and blu-ray released the next 12 months. Reedman Tim Garland later on replaced Clahar, as well as the music group went on release a the live recording Random Functions of Joy in 2004. Documented at NY City’s Iridium jazz membership, 2006’s Earthworks Underground Orchestra had not been an record with the Earthworks music group per se, but instead an exploration of Earthworks repertoire performed by Bruford alongside Garland and a fresh York version from the latter’s Underground Orchestra (and including performances by trombonist Robin Eubanks on two monitors). During Earthworks’ last many years, the group underwent extra personnel adjustments and toured within the U.K., European countries, and Asia, and in addition appeared in NEW YORK. Earthworks’ final present occurred in the summertime of 2008 at Ronnie Scott’s in London, and in the beginning of the pursuing season Bruford announced a formal end towards the group — in addition to his very own retirement from open public performances.

Quick Facts


Full Name Bill Bruford
Profession Drummer, Composer, Music Producer, Songwriter, Percussionist
Education University of Leeds
Nationality English
Spouse Carolyn Bruford
Children Alex Bruford
Parents John Bruford, Betty Bruford
Music Groups Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, U.K., Earthworks, Bruford Levin Upper Extremities, Gong, National Health, ProjeKct One, Gordian Knot, Savoy Brown, Bruford
Music Songs Roundabout, Owner of a Lonely Heart, Love Will Find a Way, I've Seen All Good People: a. Your Move, b. All Good People, And You And I, Leave It, Changes, Heart of the Sunrise, Wonderous Stories, Long Distance Runaround, Yours Is No Disgrace, Siberian Khatru, Starship Trooper, Rhythm of Love, The Gates of Delirium, South Side of the Sky, It Can Happen, Awaken, Mood for a Day, Hold On, Perpetual Change, The Revealing Science of God, Shoot High Aim Low, Ritual: Nous Sommes Du Soleil, Close to the Edge, Don't Kill the Whale, Clap, Our Song, Machine Messiah, The Fish, Into the Lens, To Be Over
Albums Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Feels Good to Me, One of a Kind, Gradually Going Tornado, Flags, Music for Piano and Drums, Red, Fragile, The Yes Album, A Trick of the Tail, Wind & Wuthering, Starless and Bible Black, Three of a Perfect Pair, Discipline, The Great Deceiver, Thrak, Time and a Word, Union, Beat, Yes, Epitaph, USA, Thrakattak, The Road to Red, U.K., The Bruford Tapes, Frame by Frame: The Essential King Crimson, Yesstory, A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson, Yesyears, If Summer Had Its Ghosts, In Tokyo, In Two Minds, Gradually Going..., An Introduction to Bill Bruford's Summerfold, Master Strokes 1978-1985, Rock Goes To College, Summerfold Collection: 1987–2008, The Winterfold Collection 1978-1986, An Introduction To Bill Bruford's Winterfold Records
Movies Genesis: In Concert, Yessongs, Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman & Howe: Live, Superdrumming, Bill Bruford: Footloose in New York City, Rock Milestones: Asia, Bill Bruford: Earthworks: Video Anthology: Vol. 2, Bill Bruford: Earthworks: Video Anthology: Vol. 1


  • Facts
  • Filmography
  • Awards
  • Salaries
  • Quotes
  • Trademarks
  • Pictures

#Fact
1 Formed late '70s prog rock supergroup UK with John Wetton, bass (ex-Family, King Crimson, Roxy Music and Uriah Heep); Allan Holdsworth, guitar (Tempest, Soft Machine, Gong and Tony Williams); and Eddie Jobson, keyboards and violin (Curved Air, Roxy Music and Zappa).
2 Wrote his Autobiography in 2008, published the following year to coincide with his retirement from public performances.
3 Has lived in Surrey, England since 1980.
4 Stated, in 2007, that he will not play with Yes again in the future.
5 Teaches drumming at Kingston University.
6 His son, Alex, is the drummer in the band The Infadels.
7 Was touring drummer for Genesis during their 1976 "Trick of The Tail Tour". This was Phil Collins' 1st tour as lead singer replacing Peter Gabriel. He then was replaced in Genesis by drummer Chester Thompson in 1977.
8 Educated at Tonbridge School, Kent.
9 Bruford played in both Savoy Brown and King Crimson, bands that had the highest turnover rates (over 100 players between them) for musicians in the '70s.
10 Rock and jazz drummer, formerly with bands such as Yes, King Crimson and Earthworks.


Soundtrack

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Apollo 18 2011 writer: "And You And I"
The Other Side of Rick Wakeman 2007 Video documentary writer: "And You And I"
Classic Artists: Yes 2007 Video documentary writer: "Yours Is No Disgrace", "And You And I"
Yes: Live at Montreux 2003 2007 Video writer: "And You And I", "Heart Of The Sunrise"
Ha-Shminiya 2006-2007 TV Series writer - 2 episodes
Songs from Tsongas: Yes 35th Anniversary Concert 2005 Video documentary writer: "Yours Is No Disgrace", "And You And I"
Jon Anderson: Tour of the Universe 2005 Video writer: "Yours Is No Disgrace"
Yesspeak 2003 Documentary performer: "Yours Is No Disgrace" / writer: "And You And I", "Heart Of The Sunrise", "Yours Is No Disgrace"
Yes: Symphonic Live 2002 Video documentary writer: "And You And I"
Dreamtime 2002 Video short writer: "And You And I"
Top Ten 2001 TV Series documentary writer - 1 episode
Yes: Keys to Ascension 2001 Video writer: "And You And I"
House of Yes: Live from House of Blues 2000 Video documentary writer: "Yours Is No Disgrace", "And You And I"
That '70s Show 1998 TV Series writer - 1 episode
Rock Family Trees 1998 TV Series documentary writer - 1 episode
Buffalo '66 1998 writer: "Heart of the Sunrise"
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe: An Evening of Yes Music Plus 1994 Video arranger: "Long Distance Runaround" / performer: "Long Distance Runaround" / writer: "Time And A Word/ Owner Of A Lonely Heart/ Teakbois", "Birthright", "And You And I", "Themes", "Brother Of Mine", "Heart Of The Sunrise", "Order Of The Universe"
Live with Kelly and Michael 1993 TV Series performer - 1 episode
Yesshows '91: Union Tour Live 1991 Video writer: "Yours Is No Disgrace", "Heart Of The Sunrise"
YesYears 1991 Video writer: "Yours Is No Disgrace", "Heart Of The Sunrise", "And You And I"
In the Big Dream 1989 Video short writer: "Themes", "Brother Of Mine", "Fist Of Fire", "Order Of The Universe", "I'm Alive", "Heart Of The Sunrise" Live
Beginnings... 1976 Short performer: "Break Away From It All"
Yessongs 1975 Documentary writer: "And You and I"
The Old Grey Whistle Test 1975 TV Series writer - 1 episode
Sounding Out: Yes 1972 TV Short writer: "Heart Of The Sunrise"

Director

Director

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Bill Bruford's Earthworks: Video Anthology Volume 1 2007 Video

Music Department

Music Department

TitleYearStatusCharacter
On the Case with Paula Zahn 2010 TV Series documentary music - 1 episode

Self

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
How the Brits Rocked America 2012 TV Mini-Series documentary Himself
Metal Evolution 2012 TV Series documentary Himself
I'm in a Rock 'n' Roll Band 2010 TV Mini-Series documentary Himself
Prog Rock Britannia 2009 TV Movie Himself
Bill Bruford's Earthworks: Video Anthology Volume 1 2007 Video Himself
Classic Artists: Yes 2007 Video documentary Himself
Timeshift 2004 TV Series documentary Himself - Yes
Bill Bruford's Earthworks: Footloose in NYC 2002 Video documentary Himself
Top Ten 2001 TV Series documentary Himself - Interviewee
Deja Vroom 1999 Video Himself
Rock Family Trees 1998 TV Series documentary Himself
King Crimson: Live in Japan 1995 Video documentary Drums / Percussion
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe: An Evening of Yes Music Plus 1994 Video Himself
Live with Kelly and Michael 1993 TV Series Himself
Yesshows '91: Union Tour Live 1991 Video Himself - Drums
YesYears 1991 Video Himself
In the Big Dream 1989 Video short Himself
Three of a Perfect Pair: Live in Japan 1985 Video documentary Himself - Drums / Percussion
Micro Live 1984 TV Series documentary Himself
Pop Quiz 1982-1983 TV Series Himself
The Noise: Live in Fréjus 1982 Video documentary Himself - Drums / Percussion
Fridays 1981 TV Series Himself
The Old Grey Whistle Test 1975-1978 TV Series Himself / Himself - 'Hold Out Your Hand / You By My Side' music video
The Genesis Concert Movie 1977 Documentary Himself
Beat-Club 1969-1972 TV Series Himself
Sounding Out: Yes 1972 TV Short Himself
Top of the Pops 1971 TV Series Himself
Rock of the 70s: Yes 1970 TV Movie Himself
Not Only... But Also 1970 TV Series Himself
Disco 2 1970 TV Series Himself
Baff - Fast eine Sendung 1969 TV Series Himself
Magpie 1968 TV Series documentary Himself

Archive Footage

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Genesis: Together and Apart 2014 TV Movie documentary Himself (uncredited)
Oh! You Pretty Things: The Story of British Music and Fashion 2014 TV Mini-Series documentary Himself
Yesspeak 2003 Documentary Himself

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#Quote
1 [speaking about his early days in rock 'n' roll] I don't really remember a whole lot of sex, drugs and rock n' roll, really.


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