Eric Woolfson, Co-Founder of Alan Parsons Project, Dies at 64

[n2doc]

By WILLIAM GRIMES
Published: December 4, 2009
Eric Woolfson, a founder and the principal songwriter and vocalist of the Alan Parsons Project, a British group that existed only in the studio and that took its ambitious, sophisticated progressive rock to the pop charts, died on Wednesday in London. He was 64.

The cause was cancer, said his daughter Sally Seddon.

Mr. Woolfson, a songwriter and keyboardist, met Alan Parsons in the summer of 1974 while working as a session musician at Abbey Road Studios in London. He had recently branched out into management, and Mr. Parsons, an engineer and producer who had just completed work on Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon,” asked to be taken on as a client.

Before long the pair began discussing ideas about a new kind of group that would emphasize the engineer and producer rather than the musicians, in the same way that auteur filmmakers were turning the spotlight away from stars and onto the director. In 1975 they formed the Alan Parsons Project, a studio entity that had no permanent members, other than its two founders, and never toured.

Mr. Woolfson, who wrote nearly all the music and lyrics for the group’s 10 concept albums, sang lead vocals on many of its most famous songs, including “Time,” “Eye in the Sky” and “Don’t Answer Me.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/arts/music/04woolfson-1.html

[ixion]

1. safe travels, Mr. Woolfson, your music will not soon be forgotten

:toast:

[Laelth]

2. k&r for the Great Eric Wolfson. He made the world a more beautiful place. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[Newsjock]

3. Damn. :(

.

[CBGLuthier]

4. Good stuff. Too young.

Although it was known more for the electronic sequencer stuff (which I loved also) a few times some achingly beautiful melodies would come through. The first two albums are mighty and essential listening.

[Liberal In Texas]

5. Damn. I still really like the music. RIP,

Another one gone.

[Botany]

6. From the time mTV and videos were the "bee's knees"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALC7kt6iUHY&feature=player_embedded