Ken Lockie

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Ken Lockie born in Newcastle, England is a singer/songwriter and keyboard player. Lockie fronted his own band Cowboys International releasing the album The Original Sin in October 1979. Cowboys International recorded and played with many punk luminaries including Keith Levene from from Public Image Limited, Terry Chimes from The Clash and Marco Pironi of Adam and the Ants. The band toured extensively throughout the UK and in Europe in 1980, at which point Lockie pursued a solo career with Virgin; releasing the album The Impossible in 1981 (featuring guest appearances by John McGeoch of Magazine and Jim Kerr of Simple Minds).

Lockie joined Public Image Limited in New York City in 1981 in preparation for recording in Chicago in November of that year. His contributions to PIL stemmed back to "Metal Box" where he contributed and co-wrote "Radio 4" in 1979 (although not officially credited). Due to complications with Virgin and funding, recording in 1981 was delayed. PIL entered into various recording sessions in NYC during this period until finally entering into Park South Studios to record what became Commercial Zone in 1982. At this point Lockie was no longer a contributor to PIL.

After his departure from PIL in 1982 Lockie found some success in dance music co-producing with Ivan Brietmann and co-wroting with Stuart Agarbright "Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight". Arthur Baker of Streetwise picked up on the single and it became a smash success in the spring of 1984 (#1 on Billboard Dance Chart for 10 weeks). This track later became part of the Grosse Pointe Blank movie soundtrack in 1997. Lockie continued to produce and write on the strength of this but finally opted out of the music business soon after the birth of his first son in 1986.

2003 saw him set up his own label Pnuma Records, and re-issue a collection of Cowboys International recordings from The Original Sin and various singles on CD. He recorded a new Cowboys International album in 2004 "The Backwards Life of Romeo" performing a live show at Eyedrum in Atlanta GA in 2005.


[edit] Discography

Cowboys International:

Solo:

  • The Impossible (1981)


Related Releases and Collaborations: