Bill Brufrod annouces retirement

[Deltadrummer]

Monday, January 26, 2009

Bill Bruford, drummer for contless prog rock bands including Yes, King Crimson and Genesis has announced his retirement from public performance effective from January 1st 2009.

http://www.billbruford.com/news.asp?...le&EntryID=116


Bill's contribution to music will be celebrated by the release of two new anthologies covering his solo career.

[Baddstuff]

I got the chance to catch Bill with Crimson back in the day with Golden Earring opening and also with his own band featuring the 'unknown' John Clarke on guitar. Just a fine, fine drummer. He's earned the right to chill out but he will be missed.

[2bsticks]

Wow, now I feel old. He was and still is a big influence on my playing since his early work with Yes. I was lucky enough to catch him live twice. Once with Tony Levin and another time he did a drum clinic at the old E.U. Wurlitzer in Boston.

[Steamer]

Amazing career and body of work. Quite the news!

Wishing Bill all the very best!

Wow...


didn't see that coming. Though, stranger things have happened, I didn't expect Bill Bruford to just come out and announce his retirement from public performance.

An outstanding percussive career was certainly attained by him, and he has influenced many. Congratulations, BB. Great ride!

Good Luck with your all your other endeavors, Mr. Bruford.


You will be missed. ;-)

[Deathmetalconga]

Yeah, like that will last.

Artists go into retirement periodically to generate publicity, then come out of retirement to generate even more publicity.

Originally Posted by Deathmetalconga

Yeah, like that will last.

Artists go into retirement periodically to generate publicity, then come out of retirement to generate even more publicity.

No, I don't think Bill Bruford is that way.

Definitely not!

[bilkay]

Bruford stopped performing in the US several years ago, because it was too expensive. His European performances have diminished steadily over the last few years, as well. I think he has thought this decision through, and we can take it at face value. I just hope he continues to compose and record, and perhaps enters into more collaborations with other musicians in the studio.

[DrumEatDrum]

Originally Posted by Deathmetalconga

Yeah, like that will last.

Artists go into retirement periodically to generate publicity, then come out of retirement to generate even more publicity.

More or less.

They may mean to retire, but after a while, they get the urge to do something, and then retirements over.

[PreppieNerd]

I've never understood why an artist of any type would make a decision to up and quit whatever they're doing. Like whe Joaquin Phoenix decided to quit movies and make music. I can see someone having a shift in interests and going in a different direction, but I find it rather pretentious to say "never again will I..." anything, particularly when it comes to the arts.

[bilkay]

Bruford's about 60 years old. That's in the ballpark of retirement age. He still plans to make music.

But if we're lucky, he will change his mind and perform publicly in the future.

Time will tell.

[diosdude]

Well i wish him the best. One of my top 10 influences of all time.

I am very lucky to have witnessed Bruford and Alan White on the same stage back in '91? on the Yes Union tour. One of the most awesome tours ever conceived: Jon Anderson on vox Chris squire, God of Bass Guitar. Trevor Rabin AND Steve Howe on guitar, Tony Kaye AND Rick Wakeman on keys, Alan White AND Bill Bruford on drums!!! In the round, the rotating stage.

Man, you just can't get any better than that

[Garvin]

What the hell kind of musician announces their retirement? This ain't like professional athletics or banking... Music is something that seems impossible to "retire" from. Is he gonna wear earplugs 24 hours a day from now on too?

[diosdude]

Originally Posted by Garvin

What the hell kind of musician announces their retirement? This ain't like professional athletics or banking... Music is something that seems impossible to "retire" from. Is he gonna wear earplugs 24 hours a day from now on too?

retirement from touring and concerts, i'm sure. You're probably only going to see him at like Atlantic Record's 50th anniversary concert or something of that magnitude.

But hey, maybe Bernhard can get him to drop by DW, hehe

[Deathmetalconga]

"Going into retirement" is one of the oldest publicity stunts in the book. He'll be "back by popular demand" before long. They always are.

[Deltadrummer]

He does have an autobiography coming out. But I think that he is facing the reality that it is very hard to continue to fund his projects, which tend to be very abstract and avant-garde.

[jimtyler]

I just hope the retirement is not for some undisclosed health reasons.

[Muckster]

Please tell me he didn't end the statement with: "Peace and Love, peace and love."

[Mook]

Some real cynics on here!

That's bad news as far as I'm concerned, if he does retire, it's a loss for the music world, if he comes back, so what - we can go & see him again!

[Bish]

Originally Posted by Mook

Some real cynics on here!

That's bad news as far as I'm concerned, if he does retire, it's a loss for the music world, if he comes back, so what - we can go & see him again!

Seconded.

Bill was one of the people along with Joe Morello who got me into drumming. He will be missed.

[Bruce M. Thomson]

Well, it says he is retiring from public performance, I am sure that there will still be music coming our way; after all, he is a musician. Just think, he will have his friends over, maybe allow him self a cold one and have lots of fun, could lead to new material.
Good for him.

[Hex]

Bill is one of my biggest influences and probably the #1 drummer I would love to see live, but never have. :(