3:17pm Wednesday 12th November 2008
Jimmy Copley began his career aged five, playing drums to accompany his mother’s jazz piano.
Now, after a 30-year career which has seen him work with the likes of Jeff Beck, Tears for Fears, Tony Iommi and Manfred Mann’s Earthband, Jimmy has released Slap My Hand, a new album featuring many of his musical friends.
Jimmy turned pro when he joined Spreadeagle and penned songs for acts such as Genesis, Lindisfarne and Audience.
Later, he formed UPP with Andy Clarke and Stephen Amazing and while rehearsing, Jeff Beck heard them and took them to Escape Studios to record debut album UPP. UPP toured Europe with Beck, Bogart & Appice.
1976 saw Jimmy record This Way UPP, which also featured Jeff Beck and Tom Scott on sax. That summer, Jimmy toured the US with Beck.
Work became steady and gave Jim the chance to work with artists such as Graham Parker, Ian Gillan, Paul Young, Killing Joke and in 1987 Jimmy joined GO West. Two years later he joined Tears for Fears for their Seeds of Love world tour.
Once again he teamed up with Jeff Beck for the Jimi Hendrix tribute Manic Depression and worked with the Pretenders on Last of the Independents as well as recording two albums with Curt Smith of Tears for Fears.
He has since worked with Japanese guitar legend Char, the Paul Rodgers Band, Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi, Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden and Magnum, with whom he toured last year. He continues to perform with Manfred Mann’s Earthband.
Slap My Hand, recorded at the Riverside Studios in Bathford, features contributions from Jeff Beck, Pino Palladino, Peter Cox, Micky Moody, Char, Paul Jackson, Bernie Marsden, Dino Baptiste, Neil Murray, Koji, Steve Evans, Paul Sponge, Chris White, Mo Birch and Mark Stanway.
It promises something for everyone, covering blues, rock ‘n’ roll, soul, R&B and all out balls-to-the-wall rock. Pre-order at www.swagbrigade.co.uk
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