Dick Wagner
| Dick Wagner | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Richard Allen Wagner |
| Born |
December 14, 1942 Oelwein, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | July 30, 2014 (aged 71) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Genres | Rock, hard rock, heavy metal, shock rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, author |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1964–2014 |
| Labels | Desert Dreams |
| Associated acts | The Frost, Ursa Major, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, Aerosmith, KISS, Tim Curry |
| Website | wagnermusic.com, notonlywomenbleed.com |
Richard Allen "Dick" Wagner (December 14, 1942 – July 30, 2014) was an American rock music guitarist, songwriter and author best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, and Kiss. He also fronted his own Michigan-based bands, the Frost and the Bossmen.
Born in Oelwein, Iowa, Wagner grew up in the Saginaw, Michigan, area and graduated from Waterford Township high school in 1961. His first band, called the Bossmen, was a favourite in the Detroit area and scored radio play with the Wagner-penned composition "Baby Boy", "You're the Girl for Me" and others. Wagner formed his next band, the Frost, with Donny Hartman, Bobby Rigg and Gordy Garris, in the late 1960s and built up a substantial following in the Michigan area. The band featured the dual lead guitars of Wagner and Hartman. The band released three albums during their tenure together on Vanguard Records: 1969's Frost Music and Rock and Roll Music, plus 1970's Through the Eyes of Love. Wagner was the principal songwriter, arranger and lead singer of The Frost. Their live appearances brought out large crowds of young fans throughout the region.
In 1972, Wagner moved to New York and formed the short-lived group "Ursa Major". The original line-up included Billy Joel on keyboards and Rick Mangone on drums. As Billy Joel had to leave the band for personal reasons, Wagner replaced him with former Amboy Dukes bassist Greg Arama. They released one seminal, acclaimed self-titled album as a power trio. The band toured nationally with Jeff Beck and then with Alice Cooper.
In 1973, Wagner was recruited by producer Bob Ezrin for Lou Reed's band along with Steve Hunter. Wagner and Hunter were featured guitarists on Lou Reed's dark and controversial 1973 studio album, Berlin. Soon after, Wagner and Hunter were joined by Prakash John, Pentti "Whitey" Glan and Ray Colcord for Lou Reed's Rock 'n' Roll Animal Tour. As band leader and arranger, Wagner took the early Lou Reed songs that had been recorded by the Velvet Underground and rearranged them for the concert stage. The new arrangements left behind the laid back feeling that had been established by the prior Reed band and won Reed his first gold album. The band toured internationally with Reed, culminating in the Rock 'n' Roll Animal album, recorded live at the New York Academy of Music in December 1973. Readers of Guitar World ranked the Hunter/Wagner solos on the 1973 live version of "Sweet Jane" 81st among the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of all time.
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