Rick Grech

Richard Roman Grech was a British Bassiste of Rock born on November 1st 1946 with Bordeaux (France) and deceased the March 17th 1990.

Biography

It is more particularly known as bass player of the English group Family, like for its participation in the super-group Blind Faith.

Family

In 1965, Rick Grech becomes bass player of The Farinas , substitute Tim Kirchin. This group of Leicester, still particularly influenced by the Rythm' Blues, changes name to become Family. Grech takes part in September 1967 in the recording of the first simple Scene Through The Eye Of has Lens/Gypsy Woman , before the group does not sign on the label Reprise again. The first album of Family Music in has Doll' S House leaves in July 1968 and one becomes success underground.

Recorded in February 1969, Family Entertainment , second album of the group, constitutes a major turning for Grech. In addition to playing of low and violin on the title The Weaver' S Answer , it composes three songs of the album: How-Hi-Tea-Li , Face In the Cloud , and vibrating it Second Generation Woman which he sings itself.

Blind Faith

In spring 1969, Eric Clapton (Cream) and Steve Winwood (Traffic) launch the super-group Blind Faith. In the search of a bass player, they recruit Grech. Grech forgets to give its vacation to Chapman and Whitney, being likely to compromise the American round of Family which starts. After the first concert of the group in Fillmore East of New York on April 8th, 1969, it is replaced by John Weider (ex- Animals).

Of return in England, Rick Grech takes part in the recording of the first and single album of Blind Faith with Clapton, Winwood, and the beater Ginger Baker (ex- Cream). The album éponyme of the group coldly is accommodated by criticism, but is adulated by the fans of Cream and Traffic. Eric Clapton, disappointed by musical quality and the public performances, leaves the group. Grech and Winwood remain with Baker to form the Ginger Baker' S Air Force , but Winwood reforms Traffic with its original members at once Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi, and Grech ends up following it.

In October 1969, between the experiments Blind Faith and Traffic, Grech records two pieces in solo, Spending All My Days in which he sings, and instrumental the Exchange And Mart . These tracks are reproduced in no-claims bonus on the republication 1986 of the album Blind Faith, and are wrongfully credited with the group whereas they are the work of Rick Grech.

Traffic

Aucours of its period Traffic, Grech contributes to two important albums Welcome To the Canteen and The Low Spark off High-Heeled Boys . Steve Winwood and its group separate from Grech because of leaning sound for drug.

In studio

Grech continues its career in studio, playing with Rod Stewart, Ronnie Lane and Muddy Waters. He also works with Rosetta Hightower, the Crickets or Gram Parsons. In 1973, it appears in the Eric Clapton' S Rainbow Concert , then it joint with Roger Chapman and John " Charlie" Whitney when the duet records in 1974 an album post- Family. Grech belongs to the guests, who will give rise to the Streetwalkers. Grech, however, will never form part of the group.

Grech makes several attempts to create a new rock group in the Seventies. It tries to form a group in 1973 with the ex-Family John " Poli" Micrometer caliper, without success. It then plans to found a group with the old beater of Jimi Hendrix Mitch Mitchell and Joe Jammer, a guitarist whom they had discovered together. This group was born never.

Epilog

Grech leaves the scene rock'n'roll and is withdrawn in 1977 with Leicester. He is then confronted with alcohol problems and dies into 1990 of one brain hemorrhage at the 43 years age.

Reference

In its original version, this article is a translation of the article Rick Grech, on English Wikipédia.

External bonds

(in) Strange Band - the page on Family
(in) detailed Biography (Geocities.com)

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