- Mel Collins
-
Mel Collins 
Mel Collins playing with Kokomo.
Live at Barnes, London on 17 May 2008
Photo by AcabashiBackground information Birth name Melvyn Desmond Collins Born 5 September 1947 Origin Isle of Man Occupations Musician Instruments Saxophone, flute Associated acts King Crimson, Camel, Tony O'Malley Mel Collins (born Melvyn Desmond Collins, 5 September 1947, Isle of Man) is a British saxophonist and flautist and session musician.
Contents
Career
Collins has worked with a large number of notable recording artists,[1] including 10cc, Alexis Korner, Clannad, Eric Clapton, Bad Company, Dire Straits, Bryan Ferry, Roger Chapman, Marianne Faithfull, The Rolling Stones, Roger Waters[2] Gerry Rafferty, Tears For Fears, and Go West.
He was a member of progressive rock bands King Crimson, Camel, Caravan and The Alan Parsons Project. For King Crimson he was Ian McDonald's replacement, playing the same three instruments as McDonald on the In the Wake of Poseidon, Lizard and Islands albums,[clarification needed] and was a session musician on the Red album. He played on the Crimson Jazz Trio's second album, The King Crimson Songbook, Volume Two, released in 2009.
Collins played the saxophone solo on The Rolling Stones 1978 single, "Miss You",[3] and played with Dire Straits on their live album, Alchemy. He was one of the members of Kokomo with Tony O'Malley, Neil Hubbard, Paddy McHugh, Frank Collins, Dyan Birch, and Alan Spenner, and is a frequent performer with Tony O'Malley. From 2002–07 Collins has been a member of the King Crimson "revival" group 21st century Schizoid Band, with other former Crimson members.
In 1985 Collins was part of the Willie and the Poor Boys video, in 1986 a musician on the animated film When the Wind Blows, and in 2006 a band member on Die Harald Schmidt Show.[4]
In May 2008 Kokomo was reformed temporarily. With Collins were Tony O'Malley, Neil Hubbard, Mark Smith, Adam Phillips, Andy Hamilton, Paddy McHugh, Dyan Birch, Frank Collins, Bernie Holland, and Glen Le Fleur.
On April 13, 1997 Collins was interviewed by Chris Groom at the Half Moon in Putney. He talked about his life, and times in music.[5]
Collins played woodwinds on the 2011 King Crimson ProjeKct 7, A Scarcity of Miracles, appearing on a King Crimson album for the first time since 1972.
Selected discography
- The Alan Parsons Project: Eye in the Sky; Ammonia Avenue
- Joan Armatrading: Show Some Emotion; Walk Under Ladders; The Key
- Bad Company: Bad Company; Burnin' Sky; Rough Diamonds
- Barón Rojo: Volumen brutal
- Bucks Fizz: Bucks Fizz; Writing on the Wall
- Eric Burdon: Darkness Darkness
- David Byron: On the Rocks
- Camel: Rain Dances; A Live Record; Breathless; I Can See Your House from Here; Nude; Stationary Traveller; Pressure Points
- Jim Capaldi: The Sweet Smell of... Success; Let the Thunder Cry; Fierce Heart; Some Come Running
- Caravan: Back to Front
- Clannad: Macalla; Sirius; Past Present; Anam; Lore
- Eric Clapton: Slowhand
- Joe Cocker: Cocker
- Terence Trent D'arby: Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby
- Dire Straits: Twisting by the Pool [EP]; Alchemy; Money for Nothing
- Bryan Ferry: Let's Stick Together; In Your Mind; Taxi
- Humble Pie: Thunderbox; Street Rats
- King Crimson: In the Wake of Poseidon; Lizard; Islands; Earthbound; Red
- Alexis Korner: Accidentally Born in New Orleans; Live on Tour in Germany ; Alexis Korner; Mr. Blues; The Party Album; And Friends
- Alvin Lee: Road to Freedom; In Flight; Pump Iron; Pure Blues
- Phil Lynott: The Philip Lynott Album
- Phil Manzanera/801: Listen Now; K Scope; Guitarissimo (1975–1982)
- Meat Loaf: Blind Before I Stop
- Miyuki Nakajima: Yoru wo Yuke
- No-Man: Flowermouth; Wild Opera
- Robert Palmer: Pressure Drop
- Cozy Powell: Tilt
- Gerry Rafferty: Night Owl; Snakes and Ladders; Sleepwalking; North & South; On A Wing And A Prayer; Over My Head
- Cliff Richard: 31st of February Street; Now You See Me...Now You Don't
- Rolling Stones: Love You Live; Some Girls
- Pete Sinfield: Still
- Small Faces: Playmates
- Chris Squire: Fish Out of Water
- Stray Cats: Rant N' Rave with the Stray Cats
- David Sylvian: Gone to Earth
- Tears for Fears: The Hurting; Songs from the Big Chair
- Pete Townshend/Ronnie Lane: Rough Mix
- Tina Turner: Private Dancer
- Uriah Heep: Return to Fantasy
- Roger Waters: Radio K.A.O.S.
- Kokomo: Kokomo; Rise & Shine
- Richard Wright: Wet Dream
- Tony O'Malley: Oh!
- Pete Bardens: Heart To Heart
Bands by years
- Eric Burdon; saxophonist:1965;1980
- Phillip Goodhand-Tait and the Stormsville Shakers; saxophonist 1966
- Circus; saxophonist 1967–69
- King Crimson; saxophonist/flautist 1970–72;1974
- Alexis Korner; saxophonist 1972–82
- Kokomo; 1973–75
- Alvin Lee; saxophonist 1973–2000
- Bad Company; saxophone 1974–82
- Snafu; saxophonist 1974–75
- Humble Pie; saxophonist 1974–75
- Uriah Heep; saxophonist 1975
- Phil Manzanera; saxophonist 1975–87
- Bryan Ferry; 1976–93
- Eric Clapton; saxophonist 1977
- The Small Faces; saxophonist 1977
- Streetwalkers; saxophonist 1977
- Camel; saxophonist 1977–84
- Joan Armatrading; saxophonist 1977–83
- The Rolling Stones; saxophonist 1977–78
- Ian Matthews; saxophonist 1978–79
- Gerry Rafferty; saxophonist 78–94
- Anthony Phillips; saxophonist/Flautist 1978–80
- Sally Oldfield; saxophonist 1980–83
- Jim Capaldi; saxophonist 1980–88
- Marianne Faithfull; saxophonist 1981
- Caravan; saxophonist 1981
- The Alan Parsons Project; saxophonist 1982–84
- Cliff Richard; saxophonist 1982–83
- Dire Straits; saxophonist 1983
- Wang Chung; saxophonist 1983
- Tears for Fears; saxophonist 1983–85
- 10cc; saxophonist 1983
- Eberhard Schoener; saxophonist:1983
- Roger Waters and the Bleeding Heart Band; saxophonist 1984–87, and played on the last shows of the 2000 In the Flesh tour.
- Go West; saxophonist 1985
- Clannad; saxophonist 1985, 1994–98
- 21st century Schizoid Band; saxophonist/flautist (2002–present)
References
- ^ Collins: Answers.com Retrieved 15 Jan 2011
- ^ Collins with the Rolling Stones Retrieved 15 Jan 2011
- ^ "Miss You" – Rolling Stones Retrieved 29 August 2008
- ^ Collins: IMDb Retrieved 15 Jan 2011
- ^ Collins interview on ETWiki Retrieved 15 Jan 2011
External links
Categories:- 1947 births
- Living people
- English rock saxophonists
- English rock flautists
- King Crimson members
- English session musicians
- Manx musicians
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