Paul Samwell-Smith

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Paul Samwell-Smith (born May 8, 1943 in Richmond , London , as Paul Smith ) is a British musician and producer who was best known as a founding member and bassist of the English rock band The Yardbirds .

Early years

The rock'n'roll and blues fan grew up in south-west London. In 1959 he played guitar in the band "Country Gentlemen", with his school friend Jim McCarty on drums . The group broke up when they finished school in 1962. His next band was called “Strollers”, around which time he switched to bass. From the "Metropolitan (or Metropolis) Blues Quartet", his next group, the Yardbirds emerged.

The Yardbirds

Samwell-Smith celebrated success with the Yardbirds in Europe and America. He co-wrote many of the group's songs. He was co-producer and sound engineer on several recordings of the Yardbirds, working with Mickie Most , Simon Napier-Bell and Giorgio Gomelsky , among others . He left the Yardbirds in 1966 to focus on his career as a record producer .

In the 1980s he played with former Yardbirds colleagues Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty in the band Box of Frogs , which released two albums.

music producer

The musicians and bands Samwell-Smith produced or co-produced include Cat Stevens , Jethro Tull , Carly Simon , Renaissance , Murray Head , Chris de Burgh , Beverley Craven , Illusion , Claire Hamill , Amazing Blondel , All About Eve and Paul Simon . Paul Samwell-Smith was also the music producer for the film Harold and Maude (1971), the music was by Cat Stevens. Another well-known film score he produced was the soundtrack for Greetings from Hollywood (1990).

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Allmusic, see web links
personal data
SURNAME Samwell-Smith, Paul
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Smith, Paul (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British musician and producer
DATE OF BIRTH May 8, 1943
PLACE OF BIRTH Richmond , London