Cosmo Wilson
Encyclopedia
Cosmo Wilson is a concert lighting designer
and director for rock & roll bands, and has been since 1986.
He has worked with over 40 acts including AC/DC
, Black Sabbath
, The Cure
, Emerson, Lake & Palmer
, Foreigner
, Genesis
, INXS
, Iron Maiden
, Meat Loaf
, Mötley Crüe
, The Rolling Stones
, Ronnie James Dio
, David Lee Roth
, Scorpions
and Rod Stewart
.
He worked on the Rolling Stones "Steel Wheels
" 1989 tour as Lighting Crew Chief before moving up to Lighting Director in February 1990, where he spent the next 7 months touring Japan and Europe with both "Urban Jungle" and "Steel Wheels" shows.
He has worked with AC/DC
since 1990, directing over 600 shows since then, including 1991's "Monsters of Rock" stadium tour, which finished in Moscow
on September 28, 1991 at Tushino airfield, where it was estimated that there were over 1.6 million fans in attendance, and was described as the first free outdoor Western rock concert in Soviet history. Most recently, he toured with AC/DC
on their Black Ice World Tour
, which lasted from October 2008 through June 2010, and played 168 shows in 29 countries with over 5 million fans in attendance, and was the second highest grossing tour in history.
In the Autumn of 2002, he traveled with the Scorpions
on the most extensive rock & roll tour of the old Soviet Union
ever undertaken at the time. They played 20 cities over the course of 6 weeks on a tour stretching from Ekaterinburg in the West to Vladivostock in the East.
He also has credit for several live concert films, the Rolling Stones
Steel Wheels
"At the Max
" (1991) IMAX
movie, Black Sabbath's
"The Last Supper
" (1999), 4 films for AC/DC
- "Live at Donington" (1991), "No Bull
" (1996), "Stiff Upper Lip Live
" (2001), and "Live at River Plate
" (2009); Dio's
"Holy Diver Live
" DVD (2006), Scorpions
"Live At Wacken Open Air 2006
" DVD (2007) and Foreigner's
"Alive & Rockin
" DVD (2007).
Prior to becoming a Lighting Designer, Cosmo worked as a backline
technician for such bands as Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
, Mink DeVille
, D.L. Byron and Falcon Eddy, and musicians such as Joan Jett
, Ricky Byrd, Willy DeVille
, Thommy Price
, and Robert Sarzo
.
He is currently working with Foreigner
on their "Can't Slow Down
" World Tour.
Lighting designer
The role of the lighting designer within theatre is to work with the director, choreographer, set designer, costume designer, and sound designer to create an overall 'look' for the show in response to the text, while keeping in mind issues of visibility, safety and cost...
and director for rock & roll bands, and has been since 1986.
He has worked with over 40 acts including AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
, The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
, Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
, Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
, Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
, INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
, Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Ronnie James Dio
Ronnie James Dio
Ronald James Padavona , better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio, which means God in Italian. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser...
, David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
, Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
and Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
.
He worked on the Rolling Stones "Steel Wheels
Steel Wheels
Steel Wheels is the 19th British and 21st American studio album by The Rolling Stones and was released in 1989. Heralded as a major comeback upon its release, the project is notable for the patching up of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' relationship, a reversion to a more classic style of music and...
" 1989 tour as Lighting Crew Chief before moving up to Lighting Director in February 1990, where he spent the next 7 months touring Japan and Europe with both "Urban Jungle" and "Steel Wheels" shows.
He has worked with AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
since 1990, directing over 600 shows since then, including 1991's "Monsters of Rock" stadium tour, which finished in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
on September 28, 1991 at Tushino airfield, where it was estimated that there were over 1.6 million fans in attendance, and was described as the first free outdoor Western rock concert in Soviet history. Most recently, he toured with AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
on their Black Ice World Tour
Black Ice World Tour
Black Ice World Tour was a 2008/2009/2010 concert tour by Australian rock band AC/DC in support of the group's 15th studio album, Black Ice, which was released in October 2008. The tour was the band's first since the Stiff Upper Lip World Tour in 2000/2001.The jaunt began in Wilkes-Barre,...
, which lasted from October 2008 through June 2010, and played 168 shows in 29 countries with over 5 million fans in attendance, and was the second highest grossing tour in history.
In the Autumn of 2002, he traveled with the Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
on the most extensive rock & roll tour of the old Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
ever undertaken at the time. They played 20 cities over the course of 6 weeks on a tour stretching from Ekaterinburg in the West to Vladivostock in the East.
He also has credit for several live concert films, the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
Steel Wheels
Steel Wheels
Steel Wheels is the 19th British and 21st American studio album by The Rolling Stones and was released in 1989. Heralded as a major comeback upon its release, the project is notable for the patching up of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' relationship, a reversion to a more classic style of music and...
"At the Max
Stones at the Max
Stones at the Max is a live concert film by The Rolling Stones released in 1991. It was specially filmed in IMAX during the Urban Jungle Tour in Europe in 1990....
" (1991) IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
movie, Black Sabbath's
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
"The Last Supper
The Last Supper (Black Sabbath video)
The Last Supper is a video / DVD by heavy metal band Black Sabbath in their original line-up. It features the live shows they put on stage on their U.S tour in 1999. This video has received negative criticism by fans for having interview segments interrupt the live footage...
" (1999), 4 films for AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
- "Live at Donington" (1991), "No Bull
No Bull
No Bull is a live video released by AC/DC in November 1996, filmed on Super 16mm at Madrid's Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas on 10 July 1996 during the Ballbreaker world tour...
" (1996), "Stiff Upper Lip Live
Stiff Upper Lip
Stiff Upper Lip is the 14th Australian and 13th international studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC; it was released in 2000. The album was recorded at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, British Columbia and mastered at Sterling Sound in New York City. The album was produced by George...
" (2001), and "Live at River Plate
Live at River Plate
Live at River Plate is a live concert DVD documenting AC/DC’s Black Ice World Tour. The DVD includes footage from three concerts performed in December 2009 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was directed by David Mallet, with Rocky Oldham as producer...
" (2009); Dio's
Dio (band)
Dio was an American heavy metal band from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Formed in 1982 and led by vocalist Ronnie James Dio, after he left Black Sabbath with intentions to form a new band with fellow former Black Sabbath member, drummer Vinny Appice. Naming the band Dio made sense from a commercial...
"Holy Diver Live
Holy Diver - Live (DVD)
Holy Diver - Live is a live album by the heavy metal band Dio.-Dvd Track listing:#"Tarot Woman"#"The Sign Of The Southern Cross"#"One Night In The City"#"Stand Up And Shout"#"Holy Diver"#"Gypsy"#"Caught In The Middle"#"Don't Talk To Strangers"...
" DVD (2006), Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
"Live At Wacken Open Air 2006
Live at Wacken Open Air 2006
Live at Wacken Open Air 2006 is a live DVD release by Scorpions. It was supposed to be released on December 18, 2007 but was delayed till February 12, 2008 for unknown reasons.-Track listing:#Coming Home#Bad Boys Running Wild#The Zoo...
" DVD (2007) and Foreigner's
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
"Alive & Rockin
Foreigner: Alive & Rockin (DVD)
Alive & Rockin' is a live video of Foreignerthat features eight of the group's 16 hits. It was recorded at the Bang Your Head!!! festival in Balingen, Germany, for the band's 30th anniversary in 2006.- Track listing :#"Intro"#"Double Vision"...
" DVD (2007).
Prior to becoming a Lighting Designer, Cosmo worked as a backline
Backline (stage)
The term backline used to refer just to audio amplification equipment that stands behind the band on stage, including amplifiers for guitars, bass guitars and keyboards. In the US, backline has expanded in recent years to include the instruments that the musicians play, from guitars and bass...
technician for such bands as Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
, Mink DeVille
Mink DeVille
Mink DeVille was a rock band known for its association with early punk rock bands at New York’s CBGB nightclub and for being a showcase for the music of Willy DeVille. The band recorded six albums in the years 1977 to 1985. Except for frontman Willy DeVille, the original members of the band played...
, D.L. Byron and Falcon Eddy, and musicians such as Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
, Ricky Byrd, Willy DeVille
Willy DeVille
Willy DeVille was an American singer and songwriter. During his thirty-five year career, first with his band Mink DeVille and later on his own, Deville created original songs rooted in traditional American musical styles. He worked with collaborators from across the spectrum of contemporary...
, Thommy Price
Thommy Price
Thommy Price is a rock musician from Brooklyn, New York. He's played drums in numerous bands, including Billy Idol, Blue Öyster Cult, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and is an in-demand session drummer.-History:...
, and Robert Sarzo
Robert Sarzo
Robert Sarzo is a Cuban-American guitarist. His career has spanned 40 years. He has worked with an array of notable and iconic people in the entertainment industry...
.
He is currently working with Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
on their "Can't Slow Down
Can't Slow Down (Foreigner album)
Can't Slow Down is the ninth album by the rock group Foreigner. It is the group's first studio release with lead singer Kelly Hansen and the group's first new studio album since 1994. In the U.S. the album was first available exclusively through Wal-Mart retailers...
" World Tour.
External links
- Cosmo Wilson at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Cosmo on tour with the Scorpions- Lighting article about the 2004 Scorpions tour.
- "On the road with Cosmo" - Tour Diary
- House of Blue Lights