Rick Wills
Encyclopedia
Rick Wills is a British
bass
player. He is best known for his work with rock
band Foreigner
and his associations with the Small Faces and Bad Company
.
Wills joined the blues-rock
band Joker's Wild
in 1966, replacing Tony Sainty, until they broke up in 1968. He played bass on Peter Frampton
's first three albums before ending parting from Frampton in 1975. He became the bassist with Roxy Music
in 1976 and played on Viva (1976), before leaving the band and joining The Small Faces in 1977, during their reunion period. He left The Small Faces and appeared on David Gilmour
's eponymous album in 1978. The next year, Wills became a member of rock
band Foreigner
. and remained with them for fourteen years.
After leaving Foreigner in 1992, he joined Bad Company
and stayed with them until Boz Burrell
rejoined the band in 1998. On April 24, 2001, he appeared at The Steve Mariott Memorial Concert, as part of a backing band with Bobby Tench
, Zak Starkey
and Rabbit Bundrick.
Wills was reunited with The Small Faces drummer Kenney Jones
in the The Jones Gang during 2006 and appeared with The RD Crusaders
for The Teenage Cancer Trust
at The London International Music Show on June 15, 2008.
With Roxy Music
With The Small Faces
With David Gilmour
With Foreigner
With Bad Company
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player. He is best known for his work with rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band 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...
and his associations with the Small Faces and Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
.
Career
Wills played in the early days of rock music in Cambridge, from c.1961 in the Vikings, then a succession of local bands: the Sundowners, Soul Committee, Bullet and Cochise before joining Frampton's Camel.Wills joined the blues-rock
Blues-rock
Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
band Joker's Wild
Joker's Wild (band)
Jokers Wild were a mid 1960s blues-rock band from Cambridge, England.The line-up included guitarist David Gilmour, who went on to join Pink Floyd....
in 1966, replacing Tony Sainty, until they broke up in 1968. He played bass on Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
's first three albums before ending parting from Frampton in 1975. He became the bassist with Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
in 1976 and played on Viva (1976), before leaving the band and joining The Small Faces in 1977, during their reunion period. He left The Small Faces and appeared on David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
's eponymous album in 1978. The next year, Wills became a member of rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band 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...
. and remained with them for fourteen years.
After leaving Foreigner in 1992, he joined Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
and stayed with them until Boz Burrell
Boz Burrell
Raymond "Boz" Burrell was an English musician. Originally a vocalist, Burrell is best known for his bass playing and work with the rock bands King Crimson and Bad Company.-Career:...
rejoined the band in 1998. On April 24, 2001, he appeared at The Steve Mariott Memorial Concert, as part of a backing band with Bobby Tench
Bobby Tench
Robert Tench , also known as Bob Tench, Bobby Tench and Bobby Gass is a British vocalist and guitarist. Originally a bass player he began singing with Gass influenced by artists such as Sam Cooke and Ray Charles...
, Zak Starkey
Zak Starkey
Zak Starkey is an English rock drummer. He is the son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and Starr's first wife Maureen Starkey Tigrett. He is also well known for his unofficial membership in the English rock band The Who, with whom he has performed and recorded since 1996. He is also the third...
and Rabbit Bundrick.
Wills was reunited with The Small Faces drummer Kenney Jones
Kenney Jones
Kenneth Thomas "Kenney" Jones is a veteran English rock drummer best known for his work in Small Faces, Faces, and The Who.-Small Faces to the Faces:...
in the The Jones Gang during 2006 and appeared with The RD Crusaders
The RD Crusaders
The RD Crusaders is a super group band created by The Who's Roger Daltrey and newspaper publisher Richard Desmond in 2003. The group has raised several million in funds for charities including The Teenage Cancer Trust and Norwood ....
for The Teenage Cancer Trust
Teenage Cancer Trust
Teenage Cancer Trust is a charity that focuses on the needs of teenagers and young adults with cancer, leukaemia, Hodgkin’s and related diseases by providing specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals. The units are dedicated areas for teenage patients, who are involved in their concept and creation...
at The London International Music Show on June 15, 2008.
Discography
With Parrish and Gurvitz 1972 produced by George Martin.With Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
- Viva! Atco (1976)
With The Small Faces
- Playmates (1977)
- 78 in the Shade78 in the shade78 in the Shade is a Small Faces album released on the Atlantic label in 1978 and re-issued in 2005 on Wounded Bird. The album was created during the brief re-union of the band in the 1970s. Ronnie Lane is notably absent from the album, this is due to him starting to show symptoms of multiple...
AtlanticAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
(1978)
With David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
- David GilmourDavid Gilmour (album)David Gilmour is the first solo album from Pink Floyd guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour, released in May 1978 in the UK and on 17 June 1978 in the US. The album reached #17 in the UK and #29 on the Billboard US album charts and was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA...
HarvestHarvest Records-References:* Harvest Records collectors guide ISBN 978-5-9622-0021-7...
(1978)
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...
- Head GamesHead GamesHead Games is the third studio album by Anglo American rock band Foreigner, released in 1979. The album charted at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart, and has sold over five million copies in the US alone. It is perhaps as famous for its album cover, depicting a worried young woman in a men's...
Atlantic (1979) - 44 (Foreigner album)-Foreigner:*Lou Gramm – Lead vocal, percussion*Mick Jones – guitar, keyboards, background vocal*Rick Wills – bass, background vocal*Dennis Elliott – drums, vocals, background vocal-Additional personnel:...
Atlantic - Agent Provocateur Atlantic (1984)
- Inside InformationInside InformationInside Information is the sixth studio album by American rock band Foreigner, released in 1987. The album hit #15 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and was certified Platinum in the U.S. for sales exceeding one million copies....
Atlantic (1987) - Unusual HeatUnusual HeatUnusual Heat is the seventh studio album by American rock band Foreigner, released in 1991. By now original frontman Lou Gramm had parted company with the band and had been replaced by original Wild Horses singer Johnny Edwards...
Atlantic (1991)
With Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
- What You Hear Is What You Get: The Best of Bad CompanyWhat You Hear Is What You Get: The Best of Bad CompanyWhat You Hear Is What You Get with subtitle The Best Of Bad Company is a live album by hard rock band Bad Company, with Brian Howe in place of Paul Rodgers as lead vocalist. Released in 1993, the album covers the 1992 U.S tour, with much of the recording done at various California dates...
Atco (1993) - Company of Strangers ElektraElektra RecordsElektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
(1995) - Stories Told & UntoldStories Told & UntoldStories Told & Untold is a reprise album by hard rock band Bad Company released in 1996. It was the last with the 1995 line-up of Bad Company including Robert Hart, who had replaced Brian Howe, on lead vocals...
Elektra (1997)