Del Palmer | |
---|---|
Birth name | Derek Peter Palmer |
Born |
London, England |
3 November 1952
Genres | Alternative rock, art rock, R&B, jazz |
Occupation(s) | Audio engineer, bassist |
Instruments | Bass guitar, keyboards, percussion |
Years active | 1967–present |
Associated acts | Kate Bush |
Website | www.delpalmer.com |
Notable instruments | |
1961 Fender Jazz bass |
Derek Peter "Del" Palmer (born 3 November 1952) is an English singer, songwriter, bass guitarist and sound engineer, best known for his work with Kate Bush, with whom he also had a long-term relationship between the late 1970s and early 1990s. He released his first solo studio album titled Leap of Faith in 2007, followed by Gift in 2010. His third solo album, Point of Safe Return, was released on 6 March 2015.
Born in Greenwich, southeast London, he began playing bass in 1967, joining friend Brian Bath's band Cobwebs and Strange. In 1969, Palmer and Bath formed Tame with Victor King on drums. The band lasted until 1970. From 1972, Palmer and Bath were in Company with Barry Sherlock (guitar) and Lionel Azulay (drums). They signed to Cube Records in 1973, but Azulay was injured in a road accident. Charlie Morgan joined on drums in 1974 and the band changed its name to Conkers. A series of singles followed on Cube.
In 1977, the KT Bush Band began with Bush, Palmer, Bath and Vic King, playing the pub circuit. Their live set included material that would later appear on Bush's first album. Beginning with her second album, Lionheart, Palmer became Bush's main studio bassist. He also toured with her in 1979.
He is credited as an engineer on Kate Bush's Hounds of Love, The Sensual World, The Red Shoes and Aerial. He is also credited with engineering on three further albums involving Bush: Midge Ure's Answers to Nothing (where Palmer engineered her vocal guest recordings),Roy Harper's Once and Alan Stivell's Again. He played bass guitar on Lionheart, Never for Ever, The Dreaming, Hounds of Love, The Sensual World and Aerial (on 5 tracks), and on one track on 50 Words for Snow.