Andy Pyle

Andy Pyle (born 15 July 1946, Luton, Bedfordshire, England) is a British bassist. He played with The Kinks from 1976 to 1978. Prior to that, he was in Blodwyn Pig (1968–1972) and Savoy Brown (1972–1974). Later, he played with Wishbone Ash (1986–87, 1991–93).

Career

A musician whose career dates back to the mid-1960s, Pyle was born in Luton in 1945 and reached his teenage years when rock & roll supplanted skiffle as the music of choice for British youth. As a budding young musician, however, he was turning more towards blues than rock & roll, as evidenced by his first professional concert with Victor Brox's Blues Train, directed by the future member of the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation. Then, Jensen's Moods, a band composed of British bluesman Mick Abrahams on guitar and vocals, Pete Fensome on vocals and Clive Bunker on drums, who then changed their name to McGregor's Engine.

Pyle continued his career with the McGregor's Engine group in his home town of Luton, Bedfordshire, in 1967. That same year, Abrahams caught the attention of flutist-singer Ian Anderson, while McGregor's Engine first played John Evan Band with which officiates Anderson, during a concert. When Bunker and Abrahams left McGregor's Engine to form Jethro Tull with Ian Anderson on flute and vocals and Glenn Cornick on bass, Pyle continued to play with local bands. But soon, Abrahams left Jethro Tull after the first album ''This Was'', following a dispute with Anderson about the band's future, to form Blodwyn Pig. With Andy Pyle on bass, Jack Lancaster on saxophone and Ron Berg on drums. After the split of Blodwyn Pig, Pyle joined Juicy Lucy (who includes Micky Moody who would play later with Whitesnake) and Savoy Brown, as well as sessions for Rod Stewart on his 1971 album, ''Every Picture Tells a Story''.

In 1975/76, Pyle spent a year recording and playing with guitarist Alvin Lee, a former Ten Years After guitarist. He plays on Lee's first solo album, ''Pump Iron'' with former King Crimson musicians, Boz Burrell on bass, Ian Wallace on drums, and Mel Collins on saxophone. And the same year, he participated in the concept album ''Peter and the Wolf'' by Jack Lancaster and Robin Lumley, with musicians of different horizons, Alvin Lee, Gary Moore and John Goodsall on guitar, Percy Jones and Dave Marquee at the bass, Brian Eno, Manfred Mann on synths, Bill Bruford and Phil Collins on drums, Stephane Grapelli on violin, etc.

At the end of 1976, Pyle auditioned for the bassist position with the Kinks, which has been released by John Dalton after seven years of loyal service. The Kinks is without a doubt the most pop-rock band he has worked with, and his tenure was a success, with Pyle participating in the Sleepwalker albums where he only plays on one song ''Mr. Big Man'' and ''Misfits'' where he is present on 9 of the 10 songs, before leaving with keyboardist John Gosling. The two formed an ephemeral group, initially called United (with future Iron Maiden guitarist, Dennis Stratton), then Network. His work with them was short-lived, since he was then called by his old friend Gary Moore, with whom he had previously worked as a session musician, to join his band in a series of live dates, which resulted in an album ''Live at The Marquee''. Pyle then headed to Stan Webb's orbit, initially in a reformed version of Chicken Shack, then still with Webb in the Speedway band. In the mid-1980s, he joined Wishbone Ash, then Mick Abrahams and Clive Bunker, as well as Dick Heckstall-Smith saxophone legend making their return for another tour with Blodwyn Pig. With Bernie Marsden, he was part of the Green & Blue All-Stars, and he was back with Gary Moore, this time in the Midnight Blues Band. He spent most of the early to mid-1990s working with Moore, then back in Wishbone Ash and Juicy Lucy. Even though he played everything from traditional rock to hard rock, he prefers blues and even managed to perform in the Carey Bell and Nappy Brown sessions in the 1980s.

He produced his only solo album in 1985 titled ''Barrier Language'' which went virtually unnoticed. After the departure of Mervyn Spence, Pyle was offered the vacant bassist position at Wishbone Ash in early 1986. An intensive touring period ensued, including appearances in Russia in 1987, before Pyle gave in to allow the reform of the original Wishbone Ash training. However, Andy Powell and Pyle remained close friends and continued to collaborate on songs. Pyle is also co-author of the title track of the album ''Strange Affair''. Pyle, meanwhile, joined Gary Moore once again and appeared on the album ''Still Got the Blues'' in 1990.

In 1991, Pyle joined Wishbone Ash following the second split of Martin Turner with the band. A two-year period of touring followed, as evidenced by the 1992 film ''The Ash Live in Chicago''. In 1994, he met Mick Abrahams and Blodwyn Pig when he appeared on the ''I Wonder Who'' song on the album ''Lies''.

More recently, Pyle played on the album ''Running Blind'' (2002) as a member of ex-Uriah Heep Ken Hensley's solo band. He also performed in an exceptional concert with Ken Hensley and John Wetton, who was filmed and recorded for the DVD release of ''More Than Conquerors'' in 2002.

Discography

Solo

1985: ''Barrier Language''

With Blodwyn Pig

Studio albums :

* 1969: ''Ahead Rings Out''
* 1970: ''Getting to This''
* 1994: ''Lies'' – Pyle plays on ''I Wonder Who''

Live albums:

* 1997: ''Live At The Lafayette'' – recorded in 1993
* 1997: ''The Modern Alchemist''
* 2000: ''The Basement Tapes''
* 2002: ''Live At The Marquee Club London 1974 (The Official Bootleg)''
* 2012: ''Radio Sessions '69 to '71''
* 2003: ''Rough Gems (Official Bootleg Number 2)''

Compilation:

* 2013: ''Pigthology''

With Rod Stewart

* 1971: ''Every Picture Tells a Story''

With Juicy Lucy

* 1972: ''Pieces''

With Savoy Brown

* 1972: ''Lion's Share''
* 1973: ''Jack the Toad''

With Gerry Lockran

1972: ''Wun'' – Pyle plays on ''Maybe Not Up'', ''Tired Neal Groans'' and ''She Was A Very Good Friend Of Mine''

With Alvin Lee

* 1976: ''Pump Iron''

With The Kinks

* 1977: ''Sleepwalker'' – Pyle plays on ''Mr. Big Man''
* 1978: ''Misfits'' – Pyle plays on nine of the album's ten songs

With Gary Moore

* 1983: ''Live at the Marquee''
* 1990: ''Still Got the Blues''
* 1993: ''Blues Alive''
* 1995: ''Blues for Greeny'' – tribute album to Peter Green
* 2009: ''Essential Montreux'' – 5-CD boxset

With Wishbone Ash

* 1992: ''The Ash Live in Chicago''

With Ken Hensley

* 2002: ''Running Blind'' – with John Wetton on bass and vocals, Dave Kilminster on guitar and John Young on keyboards, plus three drummers

With Ken Hensley & John Wetton

* 2002: ''More Than Conquerors''(DVD) – with the same line-up

Collaboration

* 1975: ''Peter and the Wolf'' by Jack Lancaster and Robin Lumley – with Brian Eno, Phil Collins, Gary Moore, Stephane Grapelli, Bill Bruford, John Goodsall, Percy Jones, Julie Tippett, Keith Tippett, etc. Pyle plays on "Duck Theme" and "Rock And Roll Celebration".

References

Andy Pyle , Biography & History

Mick Abrahams

Andy Pyle





Wishbone Ash – Live In Chicago
* Ken Hensley Running Blind
KEN HENSLEY – Running Blind (2002)

* Ken Hensley/John Wetton
KEN HENSLEY – Ken Hensley & John Wetton. More Than Conquerors (2002)


Jack Lancaster, Robin Lumley – The Rock Peter And The Wolf

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pyle, Andy
1946 births
Living people
People from Luton
English rock bass guitarists
Male bass guitarists
Wishbone Ash members
The Kinks members
The Gary Moore Band members
Savoy Brown members
Chicken Shack members
Blodwyn Pig members