Ant-Bee (stage-name for Billy James) is an American experimental musician and writer. In his musical work, he is a

psychedelic era The Psychedelic era was the time of social, musical and artistic change influenced by psychedelic drugs, occurring from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s. The era was defined by the proliferation of LSD and its following influence in the development of p ...

revivalist, working with members of

The Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as The Mothers) was an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B band ...

; the original members of the

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guilloti ...

group, and

Captain Beefheart Don Van Vliet (; born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as Th ...

's Magic Band. Founder of Glass Onyon PR, he has represented music artists including

King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...

Jon Anderson John Roy Anderson (born 25 October 1944) is an English singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes, which he formed in 1968 with bassist Chris Squire. He was a member of the band across thre ...

, Michael Bruce,

Greg Lake Gregory Stuart Lake (10 November 1947 – 7 December 2016) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. He gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock bands King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP). Born and b ...

Mitch Mitchell John Graham "Mitch" Mitchell (9 July 194612 November 2008)In his book about the Experience, Mitchell states he celebrated his 21st birthday while on tour on 9 July 1967, which makes his birth year 1946.Mitchell's obituaries in '' Billboard' '' ...

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, and others. As a recording artist with the name ANT-BEE, he is a multi-instrumentalist who has recorded and performed with musicians including members of the original

group Michael Bruce,

Dennis Dunaway Dennis Dunaway (born December 9, 1946, in Cottage Grove, Oregon) is an American musician, best known as the original bass guitarist for the rock band Alice Cooper (1962–1975, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021). He co-wrote some of the ...

, and Neal Smith; the original

Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as The Mothers) was an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B band ...

; Bruce Cameron, and others; and produced his four solo albums, including Lunar Musik and Electronic Church Muzik. As a writer, he has co-authored and authored biographies of musicians including Michael Bruce,

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band U ...

, and others. In the 1990s James performed and recorded with musicians including Michael Bruce, whose autobiography James co-authored, "No More Mr Nice Guy: The Inside Story of the Alice Cooper Group", first published in 1996.

Producer

Billy James helped to gather together an array of guest artists on the album '' Midnight Daydream'' from Bruce Cameron.

Author

James' rock biographies, such as the book ''Lunar Notes - Zoot Horn Rollo's Captain Beefheart Experience'' written with Bill Harkleroad (

Zoot Horn Rollo Bill Harkleroad (born January 8, 1949), known professionally as Zoot Horn Rollo, is an American guitarist. He is best known for his work with Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band. In 2003, he was ranked No. 62 in a ''Rolling Stone'' magazi ...

) have been reprinted after being out of print for years by GONZO MultiMedia UK.

Other

Interviews with Billy are featured in the DVD documentaries ''From Straight To Bizarre - Zappa, Beefheart, Alice Cooper and LA's Lunatic Fringe'' and ''Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention - In The 1960s''.

Discography

*'' Pure Electric Honey'' (1990) *'' With My Favorite "Vegetables" & Other Bizarre Muzik'' (1994) *'' Lunar Muzik'' (1997) *''

Electronic Church Muzik ''Electronic Church Muzik'' is the fourth studio album by Ant-Bee, released on February 28, 2011 by Barking Moondog Records. Recorded over the course of several years, it features musical contributions from members of The Alice Cooper Group, Fl ...

'' (2011)

References

External links

The Official Ant-Bee Website

Interviews with Billy James on Outsight Radio Hours
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ant-Bee 1960 births Living people American rock musicians Berklee College of Music alumni American jazz musicians American male non-fiction writers American writers about music 20th-century American musicians 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American musicians 21st-century American male musicians Musicians from Charlotte, North Carolina Writers from Charlotte, North Carolina 20th-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American male writers