Intuitive Music

Just a few months after I posted the news on the death of the renowed bassist and vocalist Boz Burrell, with great sadness I have to announce the death of another member from the same line-up of King Crimson. Drummer Ian Wallace died last Thursday, 22nd of February 2007, at the age of 60, after several months of fight with an esophageal cancer. He was one of the finest drummers in the history of rock music.

Born in Bury, England, on September the 29th, 1946, Ian Wallace started his musical career when he formed a school band in Bury called The Jaguars, where he was also the lead singer. Soon later he joined The Warriors, a local band from Accrington, Lancashire, which featured Tony Anderson and Jon Anderson (later of Yes) on vocals, Rod Hill (guitar), Mike Brereton (guitar), and David Foster (bass) later of Badger. With The Warriors, Wallace played for 18 months in clubs in Germany and Denmark. He later moved to Copenhagen to join Big Sound for a period of six months. For a while, several ex-members from both bands, The Warriors and Big Sound, were sharing a flat in London’s Fulham with the members from the first Yes line-up. Actually, Ian Wallace got to replace Bill Bruford on drums on one gig when he fell sick. During the late 60’s, Big Sound made a name in London as backing band and working to Sandie Shaw, The Marbles, David Garrick, Marv Johnson, Lou Christie, and many others. Wallace later joined Vivian Stanshall’s Bonzo Dog Band, and later The World.

In 1971, Ian wallace was invited to join the new version of King Crimson to record the album “Islands”, released in December 1971, which remains as one of the most remarkable albums in the band’s career. In May 1972, after differences with Robert Fripp and coinciding with the end of an American tour, Ian Wallace decided to leave King Crimson along with sax player Mel Collins andbass/vocalist Boz Burrell, and the three of them stayed on in the United States to play with bluesman Alexis Korner’s band Snape.

During the following years, Wallace became a reputable studio musician and worked to reputed artists such as Peter Frampton in 1975 and Ry Cooder in 1979. In 1978, Wallace he was invited to join Bob Dylan’s band, which provided an big reputation to his career. He was later selected by drummer Don Henley to take over the drum chair for three of his solo tours through the ’80s and ’90s.

During the forthcoming years, Wallace worked to some of the most renowned music artists, including Chuck Berry, Little Richard, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley, Roy Orbison, Alvin Lee, Jon Anderson, Keith Emerson, Crosby Stills and Nash, Joe Walsh, Brian Eno, Larry Coryell, John Fogerty, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Steve Marriott, Bonnie Raitt, Badger, Al Kooper, Glen Frey, Tim Buckley, Lonnie Mack, Billy Joel, Otis Spann, Sting, Steve Winwood Bob Seger, Jimmy Buffett, Robben Ford, Linda Ronstadt, Warren Zevon, and Jackson Browne.

For a while, Wallace formed a curious band called in Los Angeles called The Teabags, which featured Peter Banks (ex-Yes), Jackie Lomax (ex-Badger), David Mansfield, Kim Gardner (ex-Creation), Graham Bell (ex-Sweet).

In 1993, he joined Procol Harum on tour. He also occasionally joined The Traveling Wilburys and in 2004, Wallace formed the 21st Century Schizoid Band, a revision of King Crimson, featuring Mel Collins, Ian Wallace, Jakko M. Jakszyk, Ian McDonald and Peter Giles. The band toured live, releasing the live album ‘Pictures Of A City’ in March 2006.

In 2005, Ian Wallace formed the The Crimson Jazz Trio, along with bassist Tim Landers and pianist Jody Nardone, playing jazz interpretations of the band favorites and releasing ‘The King Crimson Songbook, Volume One’.

Ian Wallace also released the solo albums “Take A Train” (1999) and more recently “Happiness With Minimal Side Effects” (2003). For the last few months, Ian fought esophageal cancer and in the last weeks, his condition deteriorated rapidly despite the regime of chemotherapy and other interventions. In a communication at Ian Wallace official website, Ian’s wife Margie has stated: ‘It breaks my heart to tell you all that Ian left us this morning. He slept through the night and was, to my mind, very comfortable. He was still fighting I asked him to let go and fly away…and he did.’ King Crimson’s official web site is currently publishing personal tributes from the band’s members on his memory. He will be remembered as one of the most remarkable rock and jazz drummers of all times having some of the most impressive careers ever.