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Stan Ridgway
Background information
Born	(1954-04-05) April 5, 1954 (age 58) Barstow, California
Genres	New Wave, Western music, electronic music, industrial rock, film score
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, synthesizers, harmonica.
Years active	1977–present
Labels	Restless Records, I.R.S. Records, Geffen Records, Birdcage Records, New West Records
Associated acts	Wall of Voodoo, Drywall, Hecate's Angels
Website	www.stanridgway.com

Stanard 'Stan' Ridgway (born April 5, 1954) is an American multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter known for his distinctive voice, dramatic lyrical narratives, and eclectic solo albums and was the original lead singer of the band Wall of Voodoo ^[1]

Wall of Voodoo[link]

The band was named Wall of Voodoo by Ridgway before their first gig, in reference to a comment made by a friend of Ridgway's while recording and overdubbing a Kalamazoo Rhythm Ace drum machine. While listening to some of the music that created in the studio, Ridgway jokingly compared the multiple-drum-machine- and Farfisa-organ-laden recordings to Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, whereupon the friend commented it sounded more like a "wall of voodoo" and the name stuck.

Ridgway's WoV music could fairly be described as a cross between early synthesizer pop and Ennio Morricone's soundtracks for Italian director Sergio Leone's epic western films of the 1960s. Adding to the music's distinctiveness was percussive and textural experimentation, i.e. mixing drum machines with unconventional instruments such as pots, pans and various kitchen utensils, raw electronics with interlocking melodic figures as well as twangy spaghetti-western guitar. On top of the mix was Ridgway's unusual vocal style and highly stylized, cinematic narratives heavily influenced by science fiction and film noir, sung from the perspective of ordinary folks and characters wrestling with ironies inside the American Dream.

Solo career[link]

Ridgway embarked on a solo career in 1983, shortly after Wall of Voodoo's appearance and break up at the US Festival that same year. After collaborating on the song, "Don't Box Me In" with Stewart Copeland from The Police for the soundtrack to Francis Ford Coppola's Rumble Fish starring Mickey Rourke, Matt Dillon and Dennis Hopper, he released his first proper solo album, The Big Heat (1986), which included the top 5 European (and UK) hit "Camouflage". This was followed by numerous other solo recordings: Mosquitos (1989),^[2] Partyball (1991), Black Diamond (1995), and Anatomy (1999), The Way I Feel Today (1998), a collection of big band standards, and Holiday in Dirt (2001), a compilation of outtakes and previously unreleased songs. Ridgway's album Snakebite: Blacktop Ballads and Fugitive Songs (2005), features the narrative song, "Talkin' Wall Of Voodoo Blues Pt. 1", a history of his former band in song.

Since the early days of Wall of Voodoo, Ridgway has been interested in making music for the cinema. A list of films for which Ridgway has written scores and/or original songs is included below. Ridgway's album Holiday in Dirt was a quasi-cinematic project, with the release of the album accompanied by a showing of 14 short films by various independent filmmakers, each film a visual interpretation of one of the songs on the album. A compilation DVD of the films was released in February 2005.

Stan Ridgway (r) performing with Pietra Wexstun (l) in 2005

In 1994, Ridgway began work on a new project in the form of a trio called Drywall, the other members of the trio being Ridgway's wife, keyboardist/vocalist Pietra Wexstun of the band Hecate's Angels (who had previously worked with Ridgway on Mosquitos and Partyball), and former Rain Parade drummer Ivan Knight. In 1995, Drywall released its first album (first of a "trilogy of apocalyptic documents"), titled Work The Dumb Oracle. A short film directed by Carlos Grasso titled The Drywall Incident was released the same year. An extended, instrumental soundtrack album for The Drywall Incident was released in 1996.

Ridgway and Wexstun also collaborated and forayed into new musical territory, composing a suite of mostly instrumental and orchestral pieces to accompany an exhibition of postmodern surrealist artist Mark Ryden's paintings after being introduced by a mutual friend, Sean P. Riley, who toured with Wall Of Voodoo on their 1982 "Call Of The West - Tour Of Virtue" as the band's merchandiser. The album was released on CD in 2003 as Blood — Miniature Paintings of Sorrow and Fear in a unique 3-panel packaging design by the artist which quickly sold out of its limited pressing of 7,500. Ridgway plays banjo and harmonica in Wexstun's group Hecate's Angels.

Stan Ridgway and Drywall regrouped in 2006 to release the album Barbeque Babylon, the third "apocalyptic document" with the single "The AARP Is After Me". The new Drywall lineup features Rick King on guitars and bass and Bruce Zelesnik on drums and percussion. In 2008 Ridgway and Wexstun released "Silly Songs For Kids Vol. 1", a collection of children's songs that feature the duo and also saxophonist and woodwind player Ralph Carney.

Ridgway's most recent solo recording is Neon Mirage (2010).

Ridgway has also contributed to albums and projects by producer Hal Willner, Frank Black and the Catholics, The Flesh Eaters, The Divine Horsemen, The Ray Campi Quartet, The Fibonaccis, and Roger McGuinn.

Albums[link]

Solo[link]

Studio Albums[link]

• The Big Heat (IRS, 1986)
• Mosquitos (Geffen, 1989)
• Partyball (Geffen, 1991)
• Black Diamond (Birdcage, 1995)
• The Way I Feel Today (Disinformation, 1998)
• Anatomy (Ultramodern/New West, 1999)
• Snakebite (redFLY, 2004)
• Neon Mirage (A440, 2010)

Live[link]

• Stan Ridgway Live: “Poolside with Gilly”: The “Partyball” Tour: The Strand, Hermosa Beach, CA 1991 (Dis-Information, 2001)
• Stan Ridgway Live: The “Beyond Tomorrow” Show: The Coach House 3/16/90 (Dis-Information, 2002)
• Stan Ridgway Live in NYC: The “Black Diamond” Tour: The Mercury Lounge 6/17/96 (Dis-Information, 2002)
• Stan Ridgway Live: The Mosquitos Tour: The Ancient Town of Frankfurt December 6, 1989 (Dis-Information, 2002)

Compilations[link]

• Songs That Made This Country Great (IRS, 1992) - A 'Best-of' collection, including material recorded with Wall Of Voodoo
• The Drywall Project/The Drywall Incident (TWA, 1996) - Two-disc compilation of Drywall's "Work The Dumb Oracle" and music recorded for the film "The Drywall Project"
• Film Songs (EP) (TWA, 1997) - A compilation of individual songs written for various films
• Holiday in Dirt (Ultramodern/New West, 2002) - B-sides, outtakes and rarities
• The Complete Epilogues (A440, 2011) - Outtakes from "Neon Mirage" and assorted live tracks and demos

With Pietra Wexstun[link]

• Blood: Miniature Paintings of Sorrow and Fear (Dis-Information, 2003)
• Silly Songs For Kids, Volume 1 (A440, 2009)

As a member of Wall of Voodoo[link]

• Wall of Voodoo (EP) (Index, 1980)
• Dark Continent (IRS, 1981)
• Call of the West (IRS, 1982)

Compilations[link]

• Granma's House (IRS 1983)
• The Index Masters (BMG/Restless, 1999) remastered release of "Wall of Voodoo" EP with additional concert tracks

As a member of Drywall[link]

• Work the Dumb Oracle (IRS, 1995)
• Barbeque Babylon (redFLY, 2005)

DVD[link]

• Holiday in Dirt:14 short films of the Music of Stan Ridgway DVD (Ultramodern/New West, 2005)a collection of short films of songs found on the Holiday in Dirt Album

Singles[link]

Film scores[link]

• Rumble Fish (1983), directed by Francis Ford Coppola (end title song "Don't Box Me In," with Stewart Copeland)
• Terminus (1986), directed by Pierre-William Glenn (title song)
• Slam Dance (1987), directed by Wayne Wang (song "Bing Can't Walk")
• Pump Up the Volume (1990), directed by Allan Moyle (song, "Talk Hard")
• Future Kick (1991), directed by Damian Klaus (score)
• Floundering (1994), directed by Peter McCarthy (title song & "My Drug Buddy" (later renamed "Amnesia" when released on Holiday In Dirt))
• Melting Pot (1997), directed by Tom Musca (score)
• Death Smokes a Big Cigar (1997), directed by Franco Riccardi (score)
• Error In Judgment (1998), directed by Scott Levy (score)
• Desperate But Not Serious (1999), directed by Bill Fishman (score)
• Speedway Junky (1999), directed by Nick Perry (score)
• The Keening (1999), directed by Alex & Andrew Smith (score)
• Simpatico (1999), directed by Matthew Warchus (end title song)
• $pent (2000), directed by Gil Cates Jr. (score)
• Vengeance (2001), directed by Brian Belefant (songs)
• Desert Saints (2002), directed by Richard Greenberg (song)

References[link]

External links[link]

• 2010 Stan Ridgway interview
• Stuck In The 80's - Stan Ridgway Interview 2006
• Official Stan Ridgway Site
• Essays and Reviews on Stan Ridgway, by Prof. Sam Umland
• Stan Ridgway Profile
• Complete Discography
• "Beyond Tomorrow" fan site
• Trouser Press entry
• Stan Ridgway at the Internet Movie Database

Related artists[link]

• Wall of Voodoo
• Pete McRae
• Hal Willner
• Frank Black and the Catholics
• The Flesh Eaters
• The Divine Horsemen
• The Ray Campi Quartet
• The Fibonaccis
• Roger McGuinn

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Stan Ridgway

Stewart Copeland
Stewart Copeland in Marseille in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Stewart Armstrong Copeland
Also known as	Klark Kent
Born	(1952-07-16) July 16, 1952 (age 59)
Origin	Alexandria, Virginia
Genres	Rock, reggae, pop, New Wave, jazz
Occupations	Musician, composer
Instruments	Drums, percussion, vocals, keyboards, guitar
Years active	1974–present
Labels	A&M, E1 Music
Associated acts	The Police, Animal Logic, Oysterhead, Gizmo, Curved Air, Manzarek-Krieger
Website	www.stewartcopeland.net

Stewart Armstrong Copeland (born July 16, 1952) is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks. Copeland was ranked by a Rolling Stone magazine reader poll in 2010 as the fifth greatest drummer of all time.^[1]

Background[link]

Copeland was born in Alexandria, Virginia,^[2][3] the youngest of four children of CIA officer Miles Copeland, Jr. and Scottish archaeologist Lorraine Adie. The family moved to Cairo, Egypt a few months after his birth, and Copeland spent his formative years in the Middle East. In 1957, the family moved to Beirut, Lebanon and Copeland attended the American Community School there. He started drum lessons at age twelve and by age thirteen he was playing drums for school dances. Later he moved to England and attended Millfield from 1967 to 1969. Copeland went to college in California, attending United States International University and UC Berkeley. Returning to England, he worked as road manager for the progressive rock band Curved Air's 1974 reunion tour, and then assumed drumming duties for the band during 1975 and 1976.

The Police[link]

In 1977, Copeland founded The Police with singer-bassist Sting and guitarist Henry Padovani (who was soon replaced by Andy Summers), which became one of the top bands of the 1980s. The Police's early track list was mostly made of Copeland's compositions, including the band's first single "Fall Out" (Illegal Records, 1977). Though Copeland's songwriting contribution was reduced to a couple of songs per album as Sting started writing more material, he continued to co-arrange all The Police's songs with his two bandmates.

Klark Kent[link]

Copeland also recorded under the pseudonym Klark Kent, releasing several UK singles in 1978 with one ("Don't Care") entering the UK Singles Chart that year, along with an eponymously titled 10-inch album on green vinyl released in 1980. Recorded at Nigel Gray's Surrey Sound Studio, Copeland played all the instruments himself.

Later career[link]

In 1982 Copeland was involved in the production of a WOMAD benefit album called Music and Rhythm. In 1983, Copeland composed a musical score to earn a Golden Globe nomination for his scoring of Rumble Fish. The film directed and produced by Francis Ford Coppola from the S.E. Hinton novel also had a song released to radio on A & M Records "Don't Box Me In" (UK Singles Chart n. 91) — a collaboration between Copeland and singer/songwriter Stan Ridgway, leader of the band Wall of Voodoo, that received significant airplay upon release of the film that year. After The Police stopped touring in 1984, Copeland established a career composing soundtracks for movies Airborne, Talk Radio, Wall Street, Riff Raff, Raining Stones, Surviving the Game, See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Highlander II: The Quickening, The Leopard Son, She's Having a Baby, Taking Care of Business, West Beirut, I am David, Good Burger), television (The Equalizer, Dead Like Me, Star Wars: Droids, the pilot for Babylon 5 (1993), Nickelodeon's The Amanda Show, The Life and Times of Juniper Lee), and video games (Spyro the Dragon and The Agents), along with operas (Holy Blood and Crescent Moon, commissioned by Cleveland Opera) and ballets.

In 1985, Copeland released a solo album, The Rhythmatist. The record was the result of a pilgrimage to Africa and its people, and it features local drums and percussion, with more drums, percussion and other musical instruments added by Copeland. (Stewart is seen playing the drums in a cage with lions surrounding him). The album was the official soundtrack to the movie of the same name, which was co-written by Stewart. He also starred in the movie, which is "A musical odyssey through the heart of Africa in search of the roots of Rock & Roll." The movie is an almost psychedelic, psychological, anthropological, and mythological cosmic adventure drawing from sources like Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung, similar to Peter Weir's "The Last Wave."

In 1988 Copeland followed up with The Equalizer & Other Cliff Hangers on I.R.S. No Speak, an album collecting some of his soundtrack efforts. In 1986, Copeland teamed with Adam Ant to record the title track and video for the Anthony Michael Hall movie Out of Bounds. In 1989, Copeland formed Animal Logic with jazz bassist Stanley Clarke and singer songwriter Deborah Holland. The trio had success with their first album and world tour but the followup recording sold poorly, and the band did not continue. Copeland has occasionally played drums for other artists including Peter Gabriel, Mike Rutherford and Tom Waits. In 1993 he composed the music for Ch 4's Horse Opera and director Bob Baldwin. He was commissioned by Insomniac Games and Universal Interactive Studios (now Vivendi) in 1998 to make the musical scores for the hit PlayStation game Spyro the Dragon. He also created the musical scores for the sequels Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!, Spyro: Year of the Dragon, and Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly. In 1999, he provided the voice of an additional American soldier in the animated musical comedy war film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999).

In 2000, he combined with Les Claypool of Primus (with whom he produced a track on the Primus album Antipop) and Trey Anastasio of Phish to create the band Oysterhead. That same year, he was approached by director Adam Collis to assemble the score for the film Sunset Strip. In 2002, Copeland was hired by Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors to play with them for a new album and tour, but after an injury sidelined Copeland, the arrangement ended in mutual lawsuits. In 2005, Copeland released "Orchestralli", a live recording of chamber ensemble music which he had composed during a short tour of Italy in 2002. Also in 2005, Copeland started Gizmo, a new project with avant-garde guitarist David Fiuczynski. The band made their U.S debut on September 16, 2006 at the Modern Drummer Drum Festival. In January 2006, Copeland premiered his film about the Police called Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out at the Sundance Film Festival. In February and March, he appeared as one of the judges on the BBC television show Just the Two of Us (a role he later reprised for a second series in January 2007).

The Police Reunion (2007–2008)[link]

At the 2007 Grammy Awards, Copeland, Andy Summers and Sting performed the song "Roxanne" together again as The Police. This marked the band's first public performance since 1986 (they had previously reunited only for an improvised set at Sting's wedding party in 1992 and for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003). One day later, the band announced that in celebration of The Police's 30th anniversary, they would be embarking on what turned out to be a one-off reunion tour on May 28, 2007. Also at that time, Copeland released the compilation album The Stewart Copeland Anthology.

Recent Years[link]

In 2008, RIM commissioned Copeland to write a "soundtrack" for the BlackBerry Bold. Copeland created a highly percussive theme of one minute's length, from which he evolved six ringtones and a softer 'alarm tone' that are preloaded on the device.^[4]

In March 2008, Copeland premiered a new orchestral composition "Celeste" at "An Evening with Stewart Copeland", part of the Savannah Music Festival. The performance featured classical violinist Daniel Hope. Copeland's appearance at Savannah included a screening of Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out and a question and answer session. On August 21, 2009, at SummerFest '09, Copeland unveiled a recent composition, "Retail Therapy", which had been commissioned by the Music Society. Copeland then performed three more original works: "Kaya", "Celeste", and "Gene Pool", the last aided by San Diego-based percussion ensemble red fish blue fish.^[5] Copeland was also present for a composer's roundtable and a question and answer discussion in conjunction with the festival. Copeland wrote the score for an updated theatrical presentation of chariot-racing saga Ben-Hur, premiered September 17, 2009, at the London O2 Arena. Copeland provided English-language narration of the production, which is performed entirely in Latin and the Aramaic language.^[6] In September 2009, a memoir by Copeland entitled Strange Things Happen: A Life with The Police, Polo, and Pygmies was released by Harper Collins.^[7] According to an interview Copeland conducted with the Californian music store Amoeba Music, the book chronicles much of Copeland's life, from his childhood through the course of his work with The Police and to the present.^[8]

In 2008, Copeland was commissioned by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra to create a percussion piece involving primarily Indonesian instruments. "Gamelan D’Drum" was first performed (after two weather delays) in Dallas on February 5, 2011.

In October 2009 he was a guest on Private Passions, the biographical music discussion programme on BBC Radio 3.^[9]

On August 24, 2011, Copeland was a featured soloist on The Late Show With David Letterman, as part of their second "Drum Solo Week".

On January 10, 2012, he appeared on an episode of the A&E reality series Storage Wars to appraise a drum set.

Personal life[link]

Copeland was romantically involved with Curved Air vocalist Sonja Kristina beginning in 1974, and they were married from 1982 to 1991.^[10][11] Copeland adopted Kristina's son Sven from a prior relationship, and they had two more sons together, Jordan and Scott.^[11][12] In 1981, Copeland fathered a son, Patrick, with Marina Guinness, daughter of Irish author Desmond Guinness.^[11][13][14] Copeland currently lives in Los Angeles with his second wife, Fiona Dent, with whom he has three daughters (Eve, Grace and Celeste).^[11]

Copeland's oldest brother Miles Copeland III, founder of I.R.S. Records, was the manager of The Police and has overseen Stewart's interests in other music projects. Stewart's other brother, the late Ian Copeland, was a pioneering booking agent who represented the Police and many others. His father, Miles Copeland, Jr., was a founding member of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), according to his 1989 biography^[15] and files released by the CIA in 2008.^[16]

Copeland's hobbies include rollerskating, cycling along the beach in Santa Monica, filmmaking and playing polo.^{[citation needed]}

Drumming[link]

Copeland is known for precise, energetic, and creative reggae-influenced drumming along with a Lebanese-influenced style.^[17] His distinctive sound centers on a hard, high-pitched crack on a snare or rimshot, and subtle hi-hat work with understated flourishes. During his years with The Police, he became known for engaging only the hi-hat with bass drum to keep the beat on many Police tracks. Copeland is a master of the syncopated beat, and his distinct approach consolidates his position as an important drummer on the world stage, subsequently influencing generations of drummers.

Copeland is also noted for his strong emphasis on the groove as a complement to the song, rather than as its core component. He once drove this point home at a drum clinic: Copeland announced that he would show the audience something "that very few modern drummers can do," and proceeded to play a simple rock beat for two minutes. Nonetheless, his playing often incorporates spectacular fills and subtle inflections which greatly augment the groove. Compared to most of his 1980s contemporaries, Copeland's snare sound was very bright and cutting. Another novelty was his use of splash cymbals. He is also one of the few rock drummers to use the traditional grip rather than the matched grip.

Equipment[link]

Stewart Copeland currently uses Tama drums, Paiste cymbals, Remo drum heads and Vater drum sticks.

[edit] The Police Reunion (2007–2008) tour kit

• Tama Starclassic Maple Drums and Paiste Cymbals:
• Drums - Custom Police Blue Sparkle Maple Wood
  • 10x8" Tom
  • 13x9" Tom
  • 12x8" Tom (To the left of his snare drum)
  • 16x16" Floor Tom
  • 18x16" Floor Tom
  • 20x14" Tama Gong Drum
  • 22x18" Bass Drum
  • 14x5" Tama SC145 Stewart Copeland Signature Snare
  • Tama Custom Police Blue Sparkle Octobans (x4) (custom made for Copeland)
• Cymbals - Paiste
  • 12" Prototype Micro Hi-Hats
  • 16" Signature Full Crash
  • 17" Signature Fast Crash
  • 18" Signature Fast Crash
  • 18" Signature Full Crash
  • 18" 2002 Flat Ride (prototype)
  • 22" Signature Blue Bell Ride
  • 10" Signature Splash
  • 8" Signature Bell
  • 8" Signature Prototype Splash

• Stewart also uses his own Vater Stewart Copeland Standard Sticks.

Original live kit set-up (1984)[link]

• Tama Imperial Star Mahogany Drums (9-ply) and Paiste Cymbals:
• Drums - Midnight Blue
  • 10x8" Rack Tom
  • 12x8" Rack Tom
  • 13x9" Rack Tom
  • 16x16" Floor Tom
  • 14x5" Pearl Jupiter Snare
  • 22x14" Bass Drum
  • 20x16" Tama Gong Drum
  • Tama Octobans Low Pitch (x4)
  • Two Tama Tymp Toms
  • Wood Blocks
• Cymbals - Paiste
  • 13" Formula 602 Medium Hi-Hats
  • 16" 2002 Thin Crash
  • 8" 2002 Bell
  • 7.5 Ufip Ictus Bell
  • 8" 2002 Splash (x2)
  • 11" 2002 Splash
  • 14" Rude Crash Ride
  • 16" Rude Crash Ride
  • 24" Rude Ride Crash
  • 20" 2002 China
  • Stewart also used Calato Regal Tip Rock Wood Tipped Drumsticks

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• Klark Kent: Music Madness from the Kinetic Kid - 1980 (as Klark Kent)
• Rumble Fish - 1984
• The Rhythmatist - 1985
• The Equalizer & Other Cliff Hangers - 1988
• Talk Radio/Wall Street - 1988
• Highlander II - 1991
• Rapa Nui - 1994
• Kollected Works - 1995 (as Klark Kent)
• Silent Fall - 1995
• The Leopard Son - 1996
• Simpatico - 1999
• Orchestralli - 2004
• La Notte della Taranta - 2004
• The Stewart Copeland Anthology - 2007
• Dead Like Me - 2010

Singles[link]

• "Don't Care" / "Thrills" / "Office Girls" - 1978 (as Klark Kent)
• "Too Kool To Kalypso" / "Kinetic Ritual" - 1978 (as Klark Kent)
• "Away From Home" / "Office Talk" - 1980 (as Klark Kent)
• "Rich In A Ditch" / "Grandelinquent" - 1980 (as Klark Kent)
• "Don't Box Me In" / "Tulsa Tango" - 1983 (with Stan Ridgway)
• "Koteya (Oh Bolilla!)" / "Gong Rock" - 1985 (with Ray Lema)
• "Out of Bounds" / "Out of Bounds" (instrumental) - 1986 (with Adam Ant)
• "Love Lessons" / "Love Lessons (remix)" - 1986 (with Derek Holt)
• "The Equalizer" / "The Equalizer Busy Equalizing" - 1988

References[link]

External links[link]

• Copeland's official site