(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)
At this point, Bernie Marsden was the guitarist
in this band. He called some of his former friends in Cozy Powell's Hammer
to play here: Neil Murray
(bass) and Don Airey (keyboards), plus Frank Ricotti, etc.
Back on the streets was Gary's 2nd solo album, recorded while he still was in Thin Lizzy. Recorded with Gary's companions in Thin Lizzy: Phil Lynott (bass, vocals) and Brian Downey (drums), plus John Mole (bass), Don Airey (keyboards), Simon Phillips (drums). The album has two different parts: some songs are near to hard rock style (a la Thin Lizzy), and some songs are pure jazz-rock (a la Colosseum). It includes the original version of 'Parisienne walkways', as well as great songs such as 'Back on the streets', or a slow rendition of Lizzy's classic 'Don't believe a word'.
(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)
Dirty fingers wasn't released as an official album, but several years later, it finally appeared. The musicians in the album are: Charlie Huhn (vocals), Andy Pyle (bass), Jimmy Bain (bass, ex-Rainbow, Dio, Wild Horses), Don Airey (keyboards), and Tommy Aldridge (drums). The album was recorded in the beginning of 1981.
Run for cover is a good album, containing several superb songs, such as 'Military man' (sung by the great Phil Lynott). At that time, Gary's band was Glenn Hughes (bass, vocals), Neil Carter (keyboards), and Gary Ferguson, but they used lots of different musicians along the whole album: Don Airey (keyboards), Andy Richards (keyboards), Charlie Morgan (drums), Paul Thompson (drums), Bob Daisley (bass). Produced by Mike Stone. Don plays in two tracks: 'Military man' and 'Out in the fields'.
Don also played in the album After the war, only as a guest. This was Gary's band at that time: Gary Moore (guitar, vocals), Neil Carter (keyboards, guitar, vocals), Bob Daisley (bass), Cozy Powell (drums). Other musicians in the album: Laurence Cottle (bass), Steve Piggott (bass), Don Airey (keyboards), Andy Richards (keyboards), Charlie Morgan (drums), Simon Phillips (drums), guest vocals by Ozzy Osbourne (on two tracks), and backing vocals by: Chris Thompson, Sam Brown, Miriam Stockley, Andrew Eldritch.
Still got the blues is a superb album!!! I love it! Gary Moore is one of my favourite artists, and I've always loved this kind of blues, so two reasons for loving it. The list of musicians is fantastic. George Harrison (guitar & backing vocals in 1 track written by him), Andy Pyle (bass, 9 tracks), Bob Daisley (bass, 3 tracks), Mick Weaver (keyboards, 5 tracks), Don Airey (keyboards, 6 tracks), Nicky Hopkins (keyboards, 2 tracks), Graham Walker (drums), Brian Downey (drums, old Gary Moore colleague in Thin Lizzy) plus the horn section: Frank Mead (sax, harmonica), Nick Pentelow (sax), Nick Payn (sax), Raoul D'Oliveira (trumpet). The album is dedicated to Peter Green. Being a recent album, we must notice that three of the musicians has sadly passed away since then: Albert King, Albert Collins and Nicky Hopkins. I love all the songs here, but if I had to choose some, my favourite songs are "Oh pretty woman" (just incredible), "Still got the blues", "King of the blues" (with those great horns blowing and blowing), "As the years go passing by" (a lovely rendition of this old song).
Out in the fields - the very best of
is a compilation. The first, limited edition, includes a 2nd, bonus disk,
with live songs and outtakes. Although it doesn't contain list of musicians,
Don Airey appears in the 1st disk, reading the songlist.
(CD
reissue on RPM label)In And about time too album the list of guests include Jack Bruce (bass), Neil Murray (bass), Jon Lord (keyboards), Don Airey (keyboards), Ian Paice (drums), Simon Phillips (drums) and Cozy Powell (drums), as well as Doreen Chanter on backing vocals. The CD reissue includes 3 bonus tracks: 'You & me' (B-side of a single), plus two live tracks, 'Who's fooling who' and 'Shakey ground', taken from The Friday Rock Show Sessions (with David Coverdale, Neil Murray, Don Airey and Simon Phillips, recorded in 1981).
(CD
reissue on RPM label)Look at me now originally didn't include Don Airey, but... The original album includes Michael Schenker (doing claps, not playing guitar!!), Neil Murray (bass), Jon Lord (keyboards), John Cook (keyboards), Ian Paice (drums), Simon Phillips (drums) and Cozy Powell (drums), as well as Doreen Chanter on backing vocals. A very similar lineup to its predecesor. The CD reissue includes 3 bonus tracks: 'Always love you so' (B-side of a single), plus two live tracks, 'Look at me now' and 'Byblos shack', taken from The Friday Rock Show Sessions (with David Coverdale, Neil Murray, Don Airey and Simon Phillips, recorded in 1981).
(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)
The Friday Rock Show Sessions is
a live album compiling two different concerts. Four tracks were recorded
by Bernie Marsden & friends (Bernie Marsden, David Coverdale, Neil
Murray, Don Airey, Simon Phillips) at that radio show in 1981. Seven
tracks were recorded at Reading Festival 1982 by Bernie Marsden's SOS (Bernie
Marsden, Robert Hawthorn, Steve Cherry, Richard Bailey, Clive Edwards),
including a guest appearance by Micky Moody in one track.
Over the top is a killer album. The complete personnel list is:
(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)
Tilt was recorded during Spring 1981, with lots of former bandmates. The complete personnel list is:
(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)
Next album was Octopuss. The complete personnel list is:
(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)
Don also appears in The drums are back. This was Cozy's 4th solo album, with top guest musicians (as always!): Brian May (guitar), Steve Lukather (guitar), Jamie Page (guitar), Ray Fenwick (guitar), Steve Makin (guitar), Billy Sheehan (bass), John Deacon (bass), Laurence Cottle (bass), Neil Murray (bass), John Sinclair, Jon Lord (keyboards), Don Airey (keyboards), Geoff Nicholls (keyboards). Produced by Cozy himself.
The best of is a compilation, and that's why Don appears there, in most of the tracks.
A superb album, Ozzy's solo debut. The band was: Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Randy Rhoads (guitar), Bob Daisley (bass), Lee Kerslake (drums). Don Airey plays the keyboards in the album, that was recorded in March/April 1980. Soon after, Don joined Ozzy's band for the tours.
Radio voices also features fantastic
players: Micky Moody (guitar), Brian May (guitar), Nigel Jenkins (guitar),
John Giblin (bass), John McKenzie (bass), Gavin Povey (keyboards), Don
Airey (keyboards in 1 song), Eddie Hardin (keyboards), Simon Darlow (keyboards),
Bimbo Acock (flute, horns), John Lingwood (drums), Zak Starkey (drums),
Tony Beard (drums), Luis Jardim (percussion), Suzie O'List (backing vocals).
This band was assembled by guitarist Bernie Marsden, with Robert Hawthorn (vocals), Brian Badhams (bass) and John Marter (drums). Don Airey helps them in this album. After the release of the album, Don joined the band for a while.
This was a studio-only project, where Cozy Powell was involved with Ray Fenwick. They released 4 albums, but in 1992, Instrumentals was released. It's a compilation, but including 5 previously unreleased tracks out of 9. With Jan Akkerman, Ray Fenwick, Bernie Marsden, Mario Parga, Don Airey and Cozy Powell.
This is a new project by former Black Sabbath singer,
Tony Martin, and Italian guitarist Dario Mollo, who had already played
with Don in Crossbones. Don also plays in this album, along with Fulvio
Gaslini (bass), Ezio Secomandi (drums). The album contains a cover of Deep
Purple's 'Stormbringer'.
Their last album with Ozzy Osbourne as lead singer. The album contains appearances by Don Airey (keyboards) and John Elstar (harmonica). Unfortunately, not their best album, although it still contains some classic, such as 'Never say die'.
Don't talk back features Madeline Bell (vocals), Kay Garner (vocals), Gerry Rafferty (guitar), Hughie Burns (guitar), Tim Renwick (guitar), Laurence Juber (guitar, from Wings), B.J. Cole (steel guitar, from Cochise), Gary Taylor (bass), Herbie Flowers (bass), Rod Clemens (bass), DeLisle Harper (bass), Rab Noakes (bass), Brian Odgers (bass), Francis Monkman (keyboards), Pete Wingfield (keyboards), Don Airey (keyboards), Chris Mercer (sax), Mel Collins (sax), Graham Preskett (violin, keyboards), Pick Withers (drums, from Dire Straits), Dave Mattacks (drums), Barry Morgan (drums), Henry Spinetti (drums) and Peter Van Hooke (drums).
Solid logic features Rab Noakes (vocals),
Hugh Burns (guitar), B.J. Cole (pedal steel guitar), Ricky Hitchcock (guitar),
John Giblin (bass), Don Airey (keyboards), Graham Preskett (keyboards,
violin), Mel Collins (sax), Morris Pert
(percussion), Preston Heyman (drums).
Although credited to 'Group', the band was just
a duo: Michael Schenker (guitar) and Gary Barden. The initial rehearsals
were made with Billy Sheehan (bass) and Denny
Carmassi (drums). But, at the time of recording the album (May/July
1980), Michael and Gary asked for skilled sessionmen: Mo Foster (bass),
Don Airey (keyboards), Simon Phillips (drums). A fantastic album. Produced
by Roger Glover.
John Mizarolli
In Message from the 5th stone, John have his old boss Ginger Baker guesting, plus some other great musicians: Jon Elstar (vocals), Noel McCalla (vocals), Don Airey (keyboards), Chris Parren (keyboards), Henry Thomas (bass), John McKenzie (bass), Brett Morgan (drums), Richard Bailey (drums), and backing vocals by Stevie Lange, Joy Yates, Vicki Brown and Sam Brown.
In Spectrum zone, we find some of
the same musicians: Noel McCalla (vocals), Pete Sault (guitar, bass), Andy
Herbert (bass), John McKenzie (bass), Henry Thomas (bass), Tony Ciniglio
(bass), Don Airey (keyboards), Kelvin Christiane (sax), Ginger Baker (drums),
Kofi Baker (drums, he's Ginger's son, also a terrific drummer), Brett Morgan
(drums), Richard Bailey (drums), Gary Ferguson (drums), etc.
This was a project conceived by the great Eddie Hardin, since 1976. Wind in the willows is based on a musical translation of a novel, Eddie Hardin and Zak Starkey started working on it in 1985. With a great list of musicians: Ray Fenwick (guitar), Steve Hackett (guitar), Chris Thompson (guitar, vocals), John Entwistle (bass), Mike O'Donnell (bass), Steve Richardson (bass), Tony Ashton (keyboards, vocals), Don Airey (keyboards), Jon Lord (keyboards), Raphael Ravenscroft (sax), John 'Bimbo' Acock (sax), Pete York (drums), and vocals by: Maggie Bell, Graham Bonnet, Tony Barton, Donovan, Joe Fagin and Val McKenna.
(scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)
In 1991, there was a live performance at the Zeitfestival
Freiburg in Germany, and seven years later, it was released as Wind
in the willows - a rock concert. The great lineup is very similar
to the studio version: Ray Fenwick (guitar), Tony Ashton (keyboards, vocals),
Don Airey (keyboards), Jon Lord (keyboards), Raphael Ravenscroft (sax),
Pete York (drums), and vocals by: Maggie Bell, Graham Bonnet, Donovan,
Joe Fagin. This CD release also includes two studio bonus tracks from the
original sessions, featuring Denny
Laine (song 'The life we left behind') and Billy Ocean.
The 1987 album was recorded with this lineup: David Coverdale (vocals), John Sykes (guitar), Neil Murray (bass), Aynsley Dunbar (drums). With help from Adrian Vandenberg (guitar, later Sykes' replacement in the band), Don Airey (keyboards) and Bill Cuomo (keyboards). With a smashing song, 'Still of the night'. Sorry, many people think it's a Led Zep clone, but I love this song! Sykes' playing is IMMENSE, AMAZING, as well as the other performers! Rock'n'roll!!! Ah, the album was called Whitesnake in the States.
Lots of things happened in Whitesnake since the previous album. The lineup in Slip of the tongue was completely different: David Coverdale (vocals), Adrian Vandenberg (guitar), Steve Vai (guitar), Rudy Sarzo (bass), Tommy Aldridge (drums). But due to a hand injury, Adrian Vandenberg couldn't play in the album, so Steve Vai plays all guitars there. Guests in the album: Don Airey (keyboards), Claude Gaudette (keyboards), David Rosenthal (keyboards), Tommy Funderbunk (vocals), and as 'very special guest', Glenn Hughes on vocals. It includes a new version of an old Whitesnake song, 'Fool for your loving'.
Greatest hits is a compilation including some song only available as a single. The list of musicians from my Olympus appearing there is very long. Let's see: David Coverdale (vocals), Micky Moody (guitar), John Sykes (guitar), Steve Vai (guitar), Dann Huff (guitar), Neil Murray (bass), Rudy Sarzo (bass), Don Airey (keyboards), Alan Pasqua (keyboards), Cozy Powell (drums), Aynsley Dunbar (drums), Denny Carmassi (drums), Tommy Aldridge (drums).
This album, also reissued under the title Frobisher
Drive, was released in 1987 and it features Don Airey.
By this time of On target, Fastway was reduced to a duo: original member Fast Eddie Clarke (guitars) and vocalist Lea Hart, because they had soon lost his two other founder members: Pete Way (bass, from UFO) and Jerry Shirley (drums, from Humble Pie). They got help from some musicians to record this album: Neil Murray (bass), Don Airey (keyboards), Terry Thomas (keyboards), Tim 'Nibbs' Carter (bass, from Saxon), Gary Ferguson (drums, later with Gary Moore), plus Christine Byford (vocals). It includes a song from the band Alaska, co-written by Bernie Marsden and Don Airey, "Show some emotion".
In Bad bad girls, the band was Fast
Eddie Clarke (guitar), Lea Hart (vocals), KB (bass), Riff Raff (drums).
Recorded with help from Don Airey (keyboards), Toby Sadler (keyboards,
from Airrace), Kim & Kris from Girlschool, Biff Byford, Nigel Glockler
and other members of Saxon.
Monaliza Overdrive
Domestic booty was their next (7th) album. The band lineup had changed a bit:
This mythical band had a new lineup for this album
(Phil Mogg (vocals), Laurence Archer (guitar), Pete Way (bass), Clive Edwards
(drums)). Don Airey played in the album, produced by Kit Woolven, and recorded
in 1991. Other guests: Terry Reid, Stevie
Lange and Nic Holland on backing vocals. The Japanese edition contains
a bonus track.
This was the first complete Brian May solo album
after the Queen forced separation, called Back to the light.
The album contains appearances by: Chris Thompson (vocals), Gary Tibbs
(bass, from Roxy Music, once he was in Adam and The Ants!!), John Deacon
(bass, from Queen), Neil Murray
(bass), Maggie Ryder (backing vocals), Miriam Stockley (backing vocals),
Don Airey (keyboards), Mike Moran (keyboards), and Cozy
Powell (drums). There is a cover of a Small Faces song.
Katrina & The Waves
Turnaround was released in 1995, with help from Don.
Walk on water was recorded in 1997, and all the keyboards plus string arrangements were made by Don Airey. By the way, a great work!
And, as a curiosity, when Katrina & The Waves
went to play in Eurovision Song Contest in 1997, with the song 'Love
shine a light' (taken from the album), he went with them to Dublin,
for arranging and conducting the performance! :) Wonderful singer Miriam
Stockley was also added as backing vocalist for the contest. And they won!!
Quatermass was a band formed in the early 70s by
John Gustafson, Mick Underwood
and Peter Robinson. At the end of 1994, they reformed, under the name Quatermass
II, without Gustafson. The new lineup was: Bert Foley (vocals, guitar),
Gary Davis (guitar), Nick Simper (bass, a veteran, ex-Deep Purple), and
Mick Underwood (drums). Don played in their new album.
Glenn Tipton
Glenn is one of the twin guitars in Judas Priest.
This was his first solo album, after more than 20 years in his band. He
has some special guests, like Cozy
Powell (on 3 tracks), Billy Sheehan (bass, from Talas, UFO, Mr. Big,
and now with own band, Niacin), John Entwistle (bass, from The Who, 1 track),
Don Airey (keyboards, 1 track), Robert Trujillo (bass, from Suicidal Tendencies
and Ozzy Osbourne Band). The Japanese edition contains a bonus track, 'Himalaya'.
Martin Darvill & Friends
In the first album, Phenomena, there are lots of Whitesnake-related musicians: Mel Galley (guitar), Cozy Powell, Neil Murray, Richard Bailey (keyboards), plus some other guests, like Glenn Hughes (vocals, from Deep Purple, Trapeze), John Thomas (guitar, from Budgie), Ted McKenna (drums, from Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Greg Lake Band and Michael Schenker Group), Ric Sanders (fiddle, from Soft Machine, Albion Band), Don Airey (keyboards), etc. With a song co-penned by great guitarist Pat Thrall (he was involved with Glenn Hughes in the Hughes-Thrall project).
The legendary heavy metal label album contains 10 tracks produced by singer and guitarist Lea Hart (ex-Fastway) and guitarist Chris O'Shaughnessy. Lots of great musicians: Dennis Stratton (guitar, from Iron Maiden, Lionheart and Praying Mantis), Paul Di'Anno (vocals, ex-Iron Maiden, Gogmagog with Neil Murray, Battlezone, Killers, Di'Anno, Praying Mantis, and several more), Biff Byford & Nigel Glockner (vocals & drums, from Saxon), Scott Gorham (guitar, from Thin Lizzy and 21 Guns), as well as some members of female hard rock band Girlschool, the band First Strike, plus Tino Troy (guitar, from Praying Mantis), Neil Murray (bass), Don Airey (keyboards), Paul Airey (from a band called Roll-ups, maybe Don's relative??), Toby Sadler (keyboards, from Airrace), Steve Clarke (drums, from Fastway), Paul Samson (from Samson), etc. Also released as N.W.O.B.H.M, by Grand Slamm label. Don only plays in 1 song, 'Only love', with this lineup:
True Brits features Lea Hart, Jem Davis, Gary Barden, Don Airey and Paul Samson, among others.
The original iron men is produced
by Lea Hart. The musicians featured are: Paul Di'Anno (vocals), Dennis
Stratton (vocals, guitar), 'Fast' Eddie Clarke (guitar), Paul Samson (guitar),
Neil Murray (bass), Don Airey (keyboards), Jem Davis (keyboards), Gary
Ferguson (drums), Nigel Glockler (drums), and backing vocals by Biff Byfford,
Kim McAuliffe and Mick White.
Lots of great artists here: Hank Marvin himself, Ritchie Blackmore, Peter Green (with Neil Murray and Cozy Powell), Tony Iommi (again with Neil Murray), Brian May, Mark Knopfler, Adrian Belew (from King Crimson and Frank Zappa band), Peter Frampton, Steve Stevens, Andy Summers (from The Police), Neil Young & Randy Bachman (great musician, from Guess Who and mainly, Bachman Turner Overdrive), Rick Parfitt & Francis Rossi (from Status Quo), Gordon Giltrap, Keith Urban & Stewart Copeland (from Curved Air, The Police and Animal Logic), Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, plus Don Airey (keyboards), Bev Bevan (drums, from ELO, once in Black Sabbath!), Gregg Bissonette (drums, from David Lee Roth band), etc. With all-time classics such as "FBI", "Apache", etc.
This is the lineup in the track where Don plays:
In 'Wonderful Land' (by Tony Iommi):
Press here to come back to Don Airey's biography page
Page created by Miguel Terol on: 08/May/2000. Last modified on: 25/August/2001.