As in the pictured, drummer Cozy Powell had 8 arms just like an octopus.
(Photo: Octopuss - the third solo album by Cozy Powell)
Anyone who listened to his drumming could not remain indifferent. He was sharp, precise and powerful. On the one hand with crazy technique and on the other hand with amazing emotion.
Powell was the drummer of so many great bands and his influence on drummers, especially in the hard rock and heavy metal genres (but certainly not only), was tremendous.
He was born on December 29, 1947 in the town of Cirencester, located about 100 km west of London, as Colin Flooks.
Cozy never saw his biological parents, he was adopted as a baby.
He started playing drums at the age of 12 in a school band.
The first band he ever played was called "Corals". Cozy was then only 15 years old and during the show he already had a regular drum solo.
He took his stage name "Cozy" from jazz drummer Cozy Cole.
The first professional band he played was "The Sorcerers"ת which he joined in 1967.
His big break came when he joined "The Jeff Beck Group" in 1970.
(Photo: Discgos)
Powell has since then had been courted by bands and great artists. He has performed as a drummer on over 60 different albums and here is only a partial list of his work:
1. With "Rainbow" - In the albums "Rising", "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll", "Down to Earth" and on the live album "On Stage".
2. With "Michael Schenker Group" - on the album "MSG" and in the live album "One Night at Budokan".
3. With "Whitesnake" - on the album "Slide It In".
4. With "Black Sabbath" - on the albums "Headless Cross", "Tyr" and "Forbidden".
5. With the supergroup "Emerson, Lake & Powell" - on the album "Emerson, Lake & Powell".
6. With "Forcefield" - on albums I, II, III, IV and "Instrumentals".
7. With Brian May - on the albums "Back to the Light", "Another World" and "Red Special".
8. With the supergroup "Tipton, Entwistle & Powell" - on the album "Edge of the World".
In addition, Powell has been featured on albums by the following artists (again, this is only a partial list):
1. Donovan's "Cosmic Wheels" album.
2. The album "First of the Big Bands" by Tony Ashton and Jon Lord.
3. The albums "And About Time Too!" And "Look at Me Now" by Bernie Marsden.
4. The "Line-Up" album by Graham Bonnet.
5. Jon Lord's "Before I Forget" album.
6. The album "Pictures at Eleven" by Robert Plant.
7. The album "Under a Raging Moon" by Roger Daltrey.
8. The supergroup "Phenomena" on their debut album.
9. "Warlock's" album "Triumph and Agony".
10. "Cinderella's" "Long Cold Winter" album.
11. The album "K2" by Don Airey.
12. Gary Moore's "After the War" album.
13. The album "Baptizm of Fire" by Glenn Tipton.
14. The album "Peter Green Splinter Group" by the band of Peter Green.
15. The album "Facing the Animal" by Yngwie Malmsteen.
16. The album "Scream" by Tony Martin.
In addition, Powell released 5 more solo albums. The first was "Over the Top" from 1979, which featured Gary Moore, Don Airey, Jack Bruce and Bernie Marsden. The album included a cover version of the instrumental section "Theme One" written by "The Fifth Beatle" George Martin and originally served as an intro for the BBC radio station, later as a sign of the Israeli music chart of "Reshet Gimel" with the legendary Benny Dudkevitch, and today as a transition segment in Israel's rock chart on "Ze Rock" radio.
There is a rumor that Powell accompanied guitarist Jeff Beck when he played on Stevie Wonder's "Talking Book" album, but he did not get credit for it.
On May 22, 1993, Powell was playing live here in Israel, as part of Brian May's band, which was an excellent opening act for "Guns N 'Roses" on Hayarkon Park - 22/05/1993.
On April 5, 1998, Cozy Powell was killed in a car accident, when he lost control of his vehicle near Bristol in England. He was only 50 years old at the time of his death.
Powell was on his way to his lover who was married to another. She called him during a heated argument with her husband and asked him to come to her house quickly. He got in his Saab 9000 and galloped down the highway in severe weather at 170 mph. During the ride the partner called him again and asked "Where are you?", He managed to answer her that he was on the way and then she heard him say "Oh shit! "And immediately afterward she heard a loud thud. Powell lost control of his vehicle, and collided with a guardrail. He was blown out of the windshield and was dead on the spot.