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THE NEW ENGLISH ROCK ENSEMBLE
ADAM WAKEMAN - KEYBOARDS
TONY FERANDEZ - DRUMS
ANT GLYNNE - GUITAR
LEE POMEROY - BASS
DAMIAN WILSON - VOCALS
Rick Wakeman was recently interviewed about the English Rock Ensemble and the newly formed New English Rock Ensemble. He explains the concept of the group and the change in line up:
How many incarnations of the ERE have played live over the last 25years ?
"Not that many. There was the original band out together for the 'Journey' tour, then there were a couple of personnel changes for the 'King Arthur' tour and then again for the 'No Earthly Connection' tour in 1982. There was another line up for the 1984 and that was pretty much it except for a few dates in the late eighties around Europe"
It seems that, from time to time, you feel the need to play with a"classic" rock band, that you keep calling the English Rock Ensemble. Lately, you reformed one band. What inspired you to do this?
"A need to return to
what I love doing, playing with other musicians and playing Progressive Rock. I
reformed the band with all new young musicians, except for my drummer, and we
haven't looked back. We've played over thirty shows this year and plan one
hundred for next year."
Could you introduce us to the musicians in your band ?
"On Bass is the best Bass player I have ever worked with. Lee Pomeroy, just a young lad who is stunningly talented.
On Guitar is Ant Glynne who has brought a whole new sound to the band which we've never have had before. An amazing player.
Adam Wakeman, Keyboards. My second eldest son and a wonderful player. There are so many Keyboard parts to play and I can't play them all on my own!
Tony Fernandez has been my drummer for 26 years and I rate him as the best.
Finally, there is Damian Wilson who is a singer very unusual to rock music as he has the most extraordinary vast vocal range.
The band is amazing live - lot of movement, very visual too. Very un-Prog. in it's presentation.
We
will have played 45 gigs by the end of this year (2001) all around the
world."
"The best way to describe the new album, which is entitled 'Out There' is that it is a 21st Century follow up to 'No Earthly Connection' as regards it's concept. Musically, it is prog.rock with a difference. We hope that we can cross over to other rock audiences with this album. It's already been a year in the making and I want to make sure we get it exactly right."
Adam Wakeman
| Rick Wakeman's second son, Adam was born in 1974. He became interested in music at an early age of course and was part of an Isle of Man band until he left school in 1992. He recorded his first album with Rick Wakeman called 'Wakeman with Wakeman' and this was followed by a tour of the UK lasting for two months. By the end of 1992, Adam had recorded his first solo album entitled 'Soliloquy' |  |
In 1993, a second 'Wakeman with Wakeman' album was released called 'No Expense Spared' There followed an extensive tour of the UK, Europe, South America and the United States of America.
Adam's second solo album '100 Years Overtime' was released in 1994. In the same year, he was voted the Best New Talent in the American Keyboard magazine.
In 1995, 'The Official Bootleg' album was released. This had been recorded two years earlier during a tour of Brazil with Rick Wakeman. In the same year the band 'Jeronimo Road was formed along with Adam's friend guitarist and writing partner Fraser Thorneycroft-Smith. The band contributed their version of 'Starship Trooper' to the Tales from Yesterday YES tribute album.
Adam was musical director and keyboard player with the human extravaganza Cirque Surreal which toured the UK during the summer.
The last few years has seen Adam working with the Artful Dodger, touring Kosova and the Falkland Islands with Tony Hadley to entertain the troupes there. He also joined Rick Wakeman and the rest of the members of the NERE for two tours of South America, one in 2000 and one in 2001. Also, there was the premiere of 'Return to the Centre of the Earth' in Canada early in 2001.
Lee Pomeroy
 |
Lee has
worked with many artists including Moondigger, Geneside 2, Archive, Billy
Ray Martin and B.L.O.W. to name just a few.
It may surprise some people to find that Lee plays the bass upside down because he borrowed his brother's right hand bass when he was young and had to turn it over to play it.
|
|
He also spends a lot of time composing music for television and film along with his writing partner Steve Emney. Much of their music has been heard on the British television stations Channel 4 and ITV. Shortly, more of their music will be featured in the new BEDAZZLED 2 film. Also, he plays in a band based in the South East of England called the 'Tar Babies' and they mostly perform in clubs or pubs. |
Tony Fernandez
| Tony has
been a member of London's premier rock blues outfit Ruthless Blues for
over 10 years, recorded on their albums 'Ruthless', 'Sure Enough' both in
the late 80's on President records and their Live tape album in
1983. He also played as part of the House band on Channel 4's
gas tank programme with Rick Wakeman. Other bands include Dana
Gillespie's band, Roy Hill band (1979), No Dice (1979) with Stevie
Smith from Ruhtless, Alan Ross albums 'Ross' and 'Pit & Pendulum'
1974/5, The Strawbs album'Dead Lines' and 1980 tour band. Tony has also
appeared on numerous Rick Wakeman albums over the last twenty five years. |
|
Ant Glynne
 |
Besides being a member of the New English Rock Ensemble, Ant has been involved in numerous other projects and played with some of the best known artists around. He has also been involved in playing on film track music and West End musicals. Some artists he has appeared with are Mike Oldfield, Roger Chapman, Maggie Bell, Nina Simone and Leo Sayer. He has joined AC/DC on their European and American tours. |
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