Andy Ward (musician)

Andrew John 'Andy' Ward (born 28 September 1952 in Epsom, England) is an English drummer. He began drumming at the age of 13 in a local rock band with Jim Butt (guitar), Doug Houston (vocals), Colin Burgess (bass) and Jan (Murray) Obodynski (keyboards) from the Glyn County Grammar school, Epsom. He went on to become a founding member of the rock band Camel.

Camel formed in 1971, evolving from Ward's first band, The Brew.[1] One of the leading lights of the English progressive rock movement, Camel enjoyed considerable success worldwide, peaking in 1975 when they performed their album The Snow Goose at the Royal Albert Hall, accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra. Following a period of ill health - including problems caused by alcohol and drugs - in 1981 he was forced to retire from the band.[2] Two years later he resurfaced briefly with Marillion,[3] appearing in the video of the hit single, "Garden Party".

Throughout the 1990s Ward worked with Richard Sinclair's Caravan of Dreams[4] and Going Going, with Sinclair, Hugh Hopper, Vince Clarke and Mark Hewins. In 1994 he joined Mirage – a progressive "supergroup" combining members from both Camel and Caravan.[5] Other projects included the studio-only group Chrys&themums, led by eccentric singer-songwriter Yukio Yung (aka Terry Burrows), who received drum tracks through the post from Ward before building songs around them, playing all the other instruments himself. At this time Ward also became full-time drummer with cult English rock band the Bevis Frond, with whom he recorded and toured extensively.

In 2002 a compilation CD, Sticking Around, was released, highlighting his work with Camel and other projects.

In 2003, Ward participated in a short lived reformation of the original members of The Brew (with Latimer and Ferguson) and recorded material for an album that never materialized largely due to Latimer's ongoing health issues.[6]

It has been said about Ward "He is the driving force behind any band he graces, the very heart of the beast."[1]

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://artintodust.blogspot.com/2008/05/andy-ward-camel-etc.html
  2. ↑ Camel Official Site
  3. ↑ http://www.themarqueeclub.net/marillion
  4. ↑ http://www.sakalli.info/tag/andy-ward/
  5. ↑ http://calyx.perso.neuf.fr/mus/ward_andy.html
  6. ↑ http://www.classicrock-startpage.com/andylatimerinterview.html