Mike Vickers
Encyclopedia
Mike Vickers is a British musician who came to prominence as guitarist
, flautist and saxophonist with the 1960s band, Manfred Mann
. He originally played flute
and saxophone
but with the increasing popularity of guitar
s in bands it was decided that Manfred Mann should have a guitarist in its line-up. Vickers volunteered for this role but he was always happiest playing woodwind. His tough flute soloing on hard blues tracks such as "Without You" prefigured the work of Ian Anderson
with Jethro Tull
five years later. As the group were all multi-instrumentalists who delighted in instrumental solos, multi-tracking was used to allow Vickers to perform on guitar and woodwind on the same recordings, while drummer Mike Hugg
similarly doubled on vibraphone
.
He was jointly credited with the group's early hit singles and contributed a few tracks to albums, such as "The Abominable Snowmann" and "You're for Me". Band-mate Tom McGuinness described him as "the nicest one of the group...nice nearly all the time. But when he's nasty he just can't be nice about it" and added "He collects saxophones - which we buy for him".
At this time, McGuinness wrote, Vickers was already "recording with his own orchestra and looks like becoming a definite threat to Semprini
" and shortly after, at the end of 1965, he quit the band, though the solo album, entitled I Wish I Were a Group Again, did not appear until 1968. At about the same time he conducted the orchestra for the live recording of The Beatles
' "All You Need Is Love
", which was shown on live TV across the world when communications satellite technology was celebrated by a worldwide link-up.
Vickers has persevered as a composer
and arranger
for records, TV
shows and films. One of his most familiar TV compositions is "Jet Set," the theme music
first for the NBC
game show
, Jackpot
in 1974-75; and since 1977 as opening music for the sports series This Week in Baseball
. Another familiar TV composition is "Gathering Crowds", composed under the pseudonym
Patrick J. O'Hara Scott, which has been the closing theme for This Week in Baseball throughout its history.
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, flautist and saxophonist with the 1960s band, Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band...
. He originally played flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
but with the increasing popularity of guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s in bands it was decided that Manfred Mann should have a guitarist in its line-up. Vickers volunteered for this role but he was always happiest playing woodwind. His tough flute soloing on hard blues tracks such as "Without You" prefigured the work of Ian Anderson
Ian Anderson (musician)
Ian Scott Anderson, MBE is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work as the leader and flautist of British rock band Jethro Tull.-Early life:...
with Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
five years later. As the group were all multi-instrumentalists who delighted in instrumental solos, multi-tracking was used to allow Vickers to perform on guitar and woodwind on the same recordings, while drummer Mike Hugg
Mike Hugg
Mike Hugg is a professional musician and a founding member of the 1960s group Manfred Mann.-Biography:...
similarly doubled on vibraphone
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
.
He was jointly credited with the group's early hit singles and contributed a few tracks to albums, such as "The Abominable Snowmann" and "You're for Me". Band-mate Tom McGuinness described him as "the nicest one of the group...nice nearly all the time. But when he's nasty he just can't be nice about it" and added "He collects saxophones - which we buy for him".
At this time, McGuinness wrote, Vickers was already "recording with his own orchestra and looks like becoming a definite threat to Semprini
Semprini
Alberto Fernando Riccardo Semprini known by his stage name Alberto Semprini, or Semprini, was an English pianist, famous for appearances on the BBC, mainly on radio....
" and shortly after, at the end of 1965, he quit the band, though the solo album, entitled I Wish I Were a Group Again, did not appear until 1968. At about the same time he conducted the orchestra for the live recording of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' "All You Need Is Love
All You Need Is Love
"All You Need Is Love" is a song written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was first performed by The Beatles on Our World, the first live global television link. Watched by 400 million in 26 countries, the programme was broadcast via satellite on 25 June 1967...
", which was shown on live TV across the world when communications satellite technology was celebrated by a worldwide link-up.
Vickers has persevered as a composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
for records, TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
shows and films. One of his most familiar TV compositions is "Jet Set," the theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
first for the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
, Jackpot
Jackpot (game show)
Jackpot! is a television game show seen in three different runs between 1974 and 1990. Geoff Edwards hosted the original version of this Bob Stewart production from January 7, 1974 until September 26, 1975 on NBC. A second version, produced in Canada, aired from September 30, 1985 to December 30,...
in 1974-75; and since 1977 as opening music for the sports series This Week in Baseball
This Week in Baseball
This Week in Baseball is a weekly television program, originally designed to show highlights of the previous week's Major League Baseball action. TWIB debuted in .-Genesis of the series:...
. Another familiar TV composition is "Gathering Crowds", composed under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Patrick J. O'Hara Scott, which has been the closing theme for This Week in Baseball throughout its history.