Eric Stewart
| Eric Stewart | |
|---|---|
Eric Stewart, Oslo, Norway, 1976
|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Eric Michael Stewart |
| Born |
20 January 1945 Droylsden, Lancashire, England |
| Genres | Pop, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, record producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass, piano, drums, percussion, brass |
| Years active | 1960–present |
| Associated acts | 10cc, Hotlegs, Mandalaband, The Mindbenders, Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders, Paul McCartney, Alan Parsons, Eric Woolfson, Neil Sedaka, Agnetha Fältskog |
| Website | ericstewart.uk.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| Gibson Les Paul | |
Eric Michael Stewart (born 20 January 1945, Droylsden, Lancashire, England) is an English musician, songwriter and record producer most known for his tenure with The Mindbenders in the 1960s, and 10cc from 1972 to 1995.
In 1968, he became a co-owner of Strawberry Studios in , England, where he developed skills as a recording engineer and record producer. His involvement in Strawberry was instrumental in the eventual formation of 10cc.
Stewart has collaborated with Paul McCartney on three of his albums recorded between 1982 and 1986, has recorded three solo albums and released Viva La Difference in 2009.
Stewart was invited to join local band Jerry Lee and the Staggerlees, which after a year changed its name to the Emperors of Rhythm. Stewart remained with the band for two years and was at the Oasis club in Manchester in early 1963 on the evening that Wayne Fontana had an audition with a record company representative. Wayne Fontana's drummer and guitarist did not turn up for the audition and Wayne asked Eric and drummer Ric Rothwell if they would 'sit in' for the audition. After a few minutes' rehearsal, the quartet played three well known songs of the time. Wayne Fontana was offered a record deal on condition that the musicians who played at the audition formed the band.
Wayne Fontana's band was called The Jets, but due to an existing band using the name, an alternative name had to be sought – it was decided that the band would take the name "The Mindbenders", which was the name of a film on release at the time – Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders then came into being. The band initially played rhythm and blues. Stewart, Fontana and bassist Bob Lang co-wrote "Since You've Been Gone", the B-side of the band's sixth single "The Game of Love" (April 1965), which hit No.2 in the UK and No.1 in the US. Stewart and Fontana also shared the songwriting credit on "Long Time Comin'", the B-side of "It's Just a Little Bit Too Late" (June 1965).
The band toured the US with Herman's Hermits in July and August 1965, producing wild scenes Stewart compared with Beatlemania. "The hotels we stayed in were under constant guard by security people and there were always girls waiting outside in the hundreds," he recalled. "They were always yanking off my glasses and pulling out tufts of hair, which was very, very painful." The Mindbenders split with Fontana in late 1965. They had a UK No. 2 hit with "A Groovy Kind of Love" in early 1966 with Stewart on vocals. They reached the top 20 later that year with "Ashes To Ashes". Stewart, who was devoting more time to songwriting, became disenchanted with the Mindbenders towards the end of its existence, realising the material they were playing was drifting further from the music for which they had gained chart success.
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