# Cozy Powell

Cozy Powell (born Colin Trevor Flooks; 29 December 1947 – 5 April 1998) was an English drummer who made his name with major rock bands and artists such as The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Gary Moore, Graham Bonnet, Brian May, Whitesnake, Emerson, Lake & Powell, and Black Sabbath.
Powell appeared on at least 66 albums, with contributions on many other recordings. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential drummers of all time; many rock drummers have cited him as a major influence.

## Early life

Colin Trevor Flooks (Cozy Powell) was born in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, on 29 December 1947 and was adopted. He never knowingly met his birth parents. He started playing drums aged 11, in the school orchestra, thereafter playing along in his spare time, to popular singles of the time. Powell's first band, was named The Corals, whom he joined in 1963, played each week at the youth club in Cirencester. The Corals also played at a youth club in Latton, a small village seven miles (11 km) from Cirencester. During this time, the band broke the world record for non-stop playing without playing the same song twice. Aged 15, Cozy had already worked out an impressive drum solo.
The stage name Cozy was borrowed from the jazz drummer Cozy Cole, while he took the name Powell, from his adoptive mother's maiden name.

## Career

Powell began playing with The Sorcerers, a vocal-harmony pop band, in 1966 on the semi professional circuit. The late nights and usual on-the-road exploits, began to affect Powell's education, and he left to take an office job, to finance the purchase, of his first set of Premier drums. The Sorcerers performed on the German club scene, in the mid 1960s.
By 1968, the band had returned to England, basing themselves in the Birmingham area. Powell struck up friendships with many notable local musicians, including Led Zeppelin members Robert Plant and John Bonham, future Slade vocalist Noddy Holder, Fairport Convention bassist Dave Pegg and future Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi. The Sorcerers, who had released some singles in 1966 and 1967, later renamed Youngblood, released a few more singles in late 1968 and early 1969. The group then linked up with The Move's former bassist and vocalist Ace Kefford and formed The Ace Kefford Stand in 1968. Five tracks are available on Ace Kefford's solo album Ace The Face, released by Sanctuary Records in 2003. Powell also began session work and with fellow The Sorcerers members Dave and Denny Ball, formed the band Big Bertha.

### Isle of Wight 1970 and Jeff Beck

Powell played with swamp rocker Tony Joe White at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970. Powell had landed the highly prestigious drumming job, inThe Jeff Beck Group, a few months earlier in April 1970. Their first album, was supposed to be an album of Motown covers in the US. However, this was never finished and remains unreleased. During the sessions, photographs show Cozy Powell and Jeff Beck present at the recording of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition", on which Beck appears. Cozy has stated in interviews he plays on the record, but this remains to be confirmed. After two studio albums, Rough and Ready released in October 1971 and Jeff Beck Group released in July 1972, the band disbanded.

### 1972–1974

In 1972, Powell played drums on two tracks ("Hey Sandy" and "Martha") on Harvey Andrews' album Writer of Songs. By late 1972 he had joined up once again with the Ball brothers and also singer Frank Aiello to form Bedlam, whose eponymous album produced by Felix Pappalardi, was recorded for Chrysalis and released in August 1973.
With Powell's session work at RAK and subsequent solo success (including "Dance with the Devil", which reached No. 3 in the UK singles chart in January 1974), Bedlam subsequently fell apart.
"Dance With The Devil" was his only solo hit in North America, reaching No. 48 in Canada for four weeks, and No. 49 in the United States. The track featured Suzi Quatro on bass. Powell's second hit during 1974 was with "The Man in Black", which reached No. 18. Arrows singer Alan Merrill, also a RAK records artist, played bass guitar on '"The Man in Black'" and the B-side '"After Dark".
Jeff Beck's producer at the time, was Mickie Most and Powell soon found himself drafted into sessions for artists signed to Most's RAK label, including Julie Felix, Hot Chocolate, Donovan and Suzi Quatro. To cash in on his chart success, the drummer formed his own band, named "Cozy Powell's Hammer" in April 1974. The lineup consisted of future Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden, bassist Clive Chaman, keyboardist Don Airey and former Bedlam vocalist Frank Aiello. Clive Chaman was replaced by future Whitesnake bassist Neil Murray, in early 1975 for the RAK Rocks Britain Tour. "Na Na Na" was a UK No. 10 hit, and another single "Le Souk" was recorded, but ultimately never released.
Sharing a love of power trio bands like Cream, Powell formed a band named Strange Brew in 1974, with guitarist Clem Clempson and bassist Greg Ridley, both of Humble Pie, but when this fell apart during rehearsals the following year, Cozy temporarily quit the music business to take up motorcycle and car racing. His desire to launch a power trio band in the vein of Cream remained; recordings with Tipton, Entwistle & Powell are testament to this as are sessions with Cream bassist Jack Bruce and former Scorpions and Electric Sun guitarist Uli Jon Roth, briefly after recording for Cinderella: "to get him (Uli Roth) had been the idea of Larry Mazer (at the time manager of Cinderella), Jack met him, but at the time Uli was busy with a symphony. I don't think it would have worked, we had him in mind as well as some other people, like Gary Moore, ideally Jeff Beck really", followed by Clem Clempson, Pat Travers and Pat Thrall with whom they recorded, shopped for a deal - unsuccessfully—until Powell would join Black Sabbath.

### 1975–1980: Rainbow

In 1975, Powell joined Rainbow after the release of their debut album. Over the next five years he and guitarist Ritchie Blackmore were the only constants in the band. Powell played on three studio albums, one live album and many live recordings with the band. During this time, Blackmore developed the band's sound from neoclassical hard rock and heavy metal to a more commercial AOR sound. Powell grew concerned with the overly commercial direction and decided to leave, although not before Rainbow headlined the first Monsters of Rock show at Castle Donington, England, on 16 August 1980. This was Powell's last show with the band. He became the first musician to appear at the Monsters of Rock show with two different bands, when he once again played at the show, with Whitesnake in 1983.

### 1980–1983: Graham Bonnet, Michael Schenker, Phenomena

After leaving Rainbow, Powell again worked with vocalist Graham Bonnet, their most notable song being "Night Games" from Bonnet's solo album Line-Up, which was released in 1981, as a single and reached number 6 in the UK singles chart. He also played drums on two tracks, on former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant's first solo album Pictures at Eleven in 1982.
For the rest of the 1980s, Powell assumed short-term journeyman roles with a number of major bands and artists, including Michael Schenker Group. He played on one studio album and one live album with the band. In 1985, he joined Phenomena for their debut album, which was released the same year. In 1987, he also formed a new supergroup, named Forcefield with Bonnet and later vocalist Tony Martin, former Ian Gillan Band guitarist Ray Fenwick and former Focus guitarist Jan Akkerman and bassists Neil Murray and Laurence Cottle. Cottle would eventually join as a session bassist, for the recording of Black Sabbath's, studio album Headless Cross in August 1988 and was again replaced by Murray in April 1989, for the supporting tour.

### 1982–1985: Whitesnake

Powell was invited to join Whitesnake in early October 1982 after his departure from Michael Schenker Group, to replace Ian Paice for a presumed farewell tour with the band in Europe, but after the success of the Saints & Sinners album in the British and Japanese charts, and a successful supporting tour, that culminated in a memorable performance at the Monsters of Rock Festival in August 1983, the band signed with American record label Geffen Records. Due to contractual obligations, the band had to release one more album for their previous label Liberty, which would be Slide It In, released in January 1984.
Now under guidance of A&R executive John Kalodner, the album was remixed with the help of producer Keith Olsen for the American market, with the lineup during the tour, consisting of singer David Coverdale, guitarist John Sykes, returning bassist Neil Murray and Powell on drums. Powell left the band in January 1985, after a highlight performance, at the Rock in Rio festival in Brazil. In February 1985, he was asked to join Keith Emerson and Greg Lake in a revamped version of ELP, Emerson, Lake and Powell, they released their self-titled album Emerson, Lake & Powell, in June 1986. Powell also made headlines in 1986, when he appeared on the BBC children's programme Record Breakers, where he set a world record for the most drums (400) played in under one minute, live on television.

### 1987–1998: Black Sabbath and solo

Powell briefly played, with former Whitesnake bandmate John Sykes in Blue Murder, before working with Gary Moore in 1988, followed by stints with Black Sabbath from 1988 to 1991, and again from 1994 to 1995.
Between late 1992 and early 1993, Powell put together an occasional touring band, using the old band name 'Cozy Powell's Hammer' featuring himself on drums, Mario Parga on guitar and fellow Sabbath members Neil Murray on bass, Tony Martin on vocals and occasional rhythm guitar/synth module. The band performed throughout Europe and appeared on German television.
Powell and Murray became members of Brian May's band, playing on May's solo albums, Back to the Light and Another World. Powell played with May, opening for the American rock band Guns N' Roses, on the second American leg of their Use Your Illusion tour, in 1993. Powell and Murray also had a spell with blues guitarist Peter Green, between 1996 and 1997. Powell briefly joined Yngwie Malmsteen's band, for Malmsteen's solo album Facing the Animal, released in 1997.
Powell's last recording session was in February 1998, for former The Zombies singer Colin Blunstone and his solo album The Light Inside, alongside Don Airey on keyboards and Mo Fosteron bass, which was released shortly after Powell's death. Powell's final solo album, Especially for You, was released in Japan in 1998 after his death, and featured American vocalist John West, bassist Neil Murray, Lonnie Park, guitarist Michael Casswell and others. Additionally a tribute album, called Cozy Powell Forever was also released in Japan in September 1998, in Powell's memory. The album featured well known Japanese musicians, as well as Powell's Blue Murder bandmate, bassist Tony Franklin and American drummer Carmine Appice on two tracks. The album featured songs from notable bands that Powell played in, as well as songs from his solo albums.

## Death

Powell died on 5 April 1998 following a car crash while driving his Saab 9000 at 104 mph (167 km/h) in bad weather on the M4 motorway near Bristol. He had been dating a married woman who was having problems with her husband. Upset, she phoned him and asked him to come quickly to her house which was approximately 35 miles (56 km) away. As he was driving to her house, she phoned him again and asked "Where are you?" He informed her he was on his way and she then heard him say "Oh shit!" followed by a loud bang.
Powell was ejected through the windscreen and died at the scene. According to the BBC report, at the time of the crash Powell's blood-alcohol reading was over the legal limit, and he was not wearing a seat belt, in addition to talking with his girlfriend on his mobile phone. The official investigation also found evidence of a slow puncture in a rear tyre that, it was suggested, could well have caused a sudden collapse of the tyre with a consequent loss of control of the car.
He was living in Lambourn in Berkshire at the time and had returned to the studio shortly before his death to record with Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green. At the time of death, Powell had recently pulled out of tour rehearsals with Yngwie Malmsteen, having suffered an injury in a motorcycle accident.
A memorial plaque at the Corn Hall in Cirencester was unveiled in January 2016 in a ceremony led by Brian May, with Suzi Quatro, Bernie Marsden, Neil Murray, Don Airey and Tony Iommi in attendance.

## Posthumous releases

In October 2005, Powell made a "new" appearance on an album. Former Black Sabbath vocalist Tony Martin released a studio album titled Scream, and a track named "Raising Hell" is featured on the album. Powell had recorded the drums for the track, when he and Martin were in Cozy Powell's Hammer in 1992, and gave to Martin for "future use". There are apparently as many as 19 additional drum tracks also recorded that could turn up in the future. Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton also released material recorded during the 1997 Baptizm of Fire sessions; the 2006 album, entitled Edge of the World, was released under the moniker of Tipton, Entwistle & Powell in memory of John Entwistle and Powell.

## Band timeline (not including session work)

Text in bold indicates solo work.
* The Corals (1963–1966)
* The Sorcerers (1966–1968)
* Youngblood (1968–1969)
* The Ace Kefford Stand (1968–1969)
* Big Bertha (1969–1970)
* The Jeff Beck Group (1970–1972)
* Bedlam (1972–1974)
* Cozy Powell (1973–1974, 1979–1983, 1992, 1998)
* Cozy Powell's Hammer (1974–1975, 1992–1993)
* Strange Brew (1974–1975)
* Rainbow (1975–1980)
* Graham Bonnet (1980–1981)
* Michael Schenker Group (1980–1982)
* Robert Plant (1981–1982)
* Whitesnake (1982–1985)
* Phenomena (1984–1987)
* Emerson, Lake & Powell (1985–1986)
* CAJO (1986)
* Pete York/Cozy Powell (1987)
* Blue Murder (1987–1988)
* Forcefield (1987–1992)
* Gary Moore (1988–1989)
* Black Sabbath (1988–1991, 1994–1995)
* The Brian May Band (1991–1992, 1993–1994, 1998)
* S.A.S Band (1994–1998)
* Tipton, Entwistle & Powell (1994–1997)
* Peter Green Splinter Group (1996–1998)
* Yngwie Malmsteen (1997–1998)
* The Snakes (1997–1998)

## Discography

| Year | Band | Title | |
| 1966 | The Sorcerers | Sweet Love/With You | Single |
| 1967 | The Sorcerers | Baby Lass Uns Tanzen Gen/I Love A Girl From Heidelberg | Single |
| 1967 | The Sorcerers | Love Is A Beautiful Thing/Amen | Single |
| 1968 | Youngblood | Green Light/Don't Leave Me In The Dark | Single |
| 1968 | Youngblood | Just How Loud/Masquerade | Single |
| 1968 | Youngblood | Bang-Shang-A-Lang/I Can't Stop | Single |
| 1969 | Youngblood | The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill/I Will | Single |
| 1971 | The Jeff Beck Group | Rough & Ready | Studio |
| 1972 | The Jeff Beck Group | Jeff Beck Group | Studio |
| 1973 | Bedlam | Bedlam | Studio |
| 1973 | Cozy Powell | Dance with the Devil | Single |
| 1974 | Cozy Powell | The Man in Black | Single |
| 1974 | Cozy Powell's Hammer | Na Na Na | Single |
| 1976 | Rainbow | Rising | Studio |
| 1977 | Rainbow | On Stage | Live |
| 1977 | Rainbow | Live | EP |
| 1978 | Rainbow | Long Live Rock 'n' Roll | Studio |
| 1979 | Rainbow | Down to Earth | Studio |
| 1979 | Cozy Powell | Theme One | Single |
| 1979 | Cozy Powell | Over the Top | Studio |
| 1980 | Rainbow | Live at Monsters Of Rock 1980 | Live |
| 1981 | Rainbow | The Best of Rainbow | Compilation |
| 1981 | Cozy Powell | Tilt | Studio |
| 1981 | Graham Bonnet | Line-Up | Studio |
| 1981 | Michael Schenker Group | MSG | Studio |
| 1982 | Michael Schenker Group | One Night at Budokan | Live |
| 1982 | Robert Plant | Pictures at Eleven | Studio |
| 1983 | Cozy Powell | Octopuss | Studio |
| 1983 | Whitesnake | Live at Castle Donington 1983 | Live |
| 1983 | Whitesnake | Whitesnake Commandos | Video |
| 1984 | Whitesnake | Slide It In | Studio |
| 1985 | Whitesnake | Super Rock '84 in Japan | Video |
| 1985 | Phenomena | Phenomena | Studio |
| 1986 | Emerson, Lake & Powell | Emerson, Lake & Powell | Studio |
| 1986 | Rainbow | Finyl Vinyl | Compilation |
| 1987 | Forcefield | Forcefield | Studio |
| 1988 | Forcefield | Forcefield II: The Talisman | Studio |
| 1989 | Forcefield | Forcefield III: To Oz and Back | Studio |
| 1989 | Gary Moore | After the War | Studio |
| 1989 | Black Sabbath | Headless Cross | Studio |
| 1990 | Black Sabbath | Tyr | Studio |
| 1990 | Rainbow | The Best | Compilation |
| 1990 | Rainbow | Live in Germany 1976 | Live |
| 1991 | Forcefield | Forcefield IV: Let the Wild Run Free | Studio |
| 1992 | Forcefield | Instrumentals | Compilation |
| 1992 | Brian May | Back to the Light | Studio |
| 1992 | Cozy Powell | The Drums Are Back | Studio |
| 1993 | Brian May and Cozy Powell | Resurrection | Single |
| 1994 | The Brian May Band | Live at the Brixton Academy | Live |
| 1994 | Whitesnake | Greatest Hits | Compilation |
| 1995 | Black Sabbath | Forbidden | Studio |
| 1996 | Black Sabbath | The Sabbath Stones | Compilation |
| 1997 | Cozy Powell | The Best of Cozy Powell | Compilation |
| 1997 | Peter Green Splinter Group | Peter Green Splinter Group | Live |
| 1997 | Yngwie Malmsteen | Facing the Animal | Studio |
| 1997 | Rainbow | The Very Best of Rainbow | Compilation |
| 1998 | Brian May | Another World | Studio |
| 1998 | Brian May | Red Special | EP |
| 1998 | Cozy Powell | Especially For You | Studio |
| 1999 | Bedlam | Anthology | Compilation |
| 2000 | Whitesnake | The Best Of Whitesnake: The Millennium Collection | Compilation |
| 2000 | Rainbow | The Best Of Rainbow: The Millennium Collection | Compilation |
| 2001 | Rainbow | Classic Rainbow: The Universal Masters Collection | Compilation |
| 2002 | Rainbow | Pot of Gold | Compilation |
| 2002 | Rainbow | All Night Long: An Introduction | Compilation |
| 2003 | Bedlam | Live in London 1973 | Live |
| 2003 | The Ace Kefford Stand | Ace The Face | Studio |
| 2003 | Emerson, Lake & Powell | The Sprocket Sessions | Live |
| 2003 | Emerson, Lake & Powell | Live in Concert | Live |
| 2003 | Rainbow | Catch the Rainbow: The Anthology | Compilation |
| 2003 | Whitesnake | The Silver Anniversary Collection | Compilation |
| 2004 | Whitesnake | The Early Years | Compilation |
| 2004 | Big Bertha | Live in Hamburg 1970 | Live |
| 2006 | Tipton, Entwistle & Powell | Edge of the World | Studio |
| 2006 | Whitesnake | The Definitive Collection | Compilation |
| 2006 | Rainbow | Deutschland Tournee 1976 | Live |
| 2006 | Rainbow | Live in Munich 1977 | Live |
| 2006 | Peter Green Splinter Group | The Best of Peter Green Splinter Group | Compilation |
| 2007 | Rainbow | The Polydor Years 1975–1986 | Compilation |
| 2008 | Whitesnake | 30th Anniversary Collection | Compilation |
| 2009 | Rainbow | Anthology 1975–1984 | Compilation |
| 2010 | Michael Schenker Group | The Michael Schenker Group 1980 Live Bonus Tracks | Live |
| 2011 | Rainbow | 5 Original Albums | Compilation |
| 2012 | Emerson, Lake & Powell | Live in Concert & More | Live |
| 2013 | Rainbow | Since You Been Gone – The Best of Rainbow | Compilation |
| 2014 | Whitesnake | Live In 1984: Back To The Bone | Live |
| 2014 | Rainbow | The Singles Box Set 1975–1986 | Compilation |
| 2015 | Rainbow | Down To Earth Tour 1979 | Live |
| 2015 | Rainbow | A Light in the Black 1975–1984 | Compilation |
| 2016 | Rainbow | Monsters of Rock – Live at Donington 1980 | Live |
| 2017 | Rainbow | Since You Been Gone – The Essential | Compilation |
| 2018 | Cozy Powell | The Polydor Years | Compilation |
| 2019 | Phenomena | Phenomena Anthology | Compilation |
| 2020 | Whitesnake | The Rock Album | Compilation |
| 2021 | Whitesnake | The Blues Album | Compilation |
| 2022 | Whitesnake | Greatest Hits: Revisited, Remixed, Remastered | Compilation |
| 2023 | Bedlam | Bedlam –The Complete Anthology | Compilation |
| 2024 | Emerson, Lake & Powell | The Complete Compilation | Compilation |
| 2024 | Black Sabbath | Anno Domini 1989–1995 | Compilation |

### Guest appearances and sessions

* Tony Joe White – Swamp Music: The Complete Monument Recordings (2006) – Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970
* Ed Welch – Clowns (1971)
* Harvey Andrews – Writer of Songs (1972)
* Julie Felix – Clotho's Web (1972)
* Donovan – Cosmic Wheels (1973)
* Chick Churchill – You and Me (1973)
* Murray Head – Nigel Lived (1973)
* Tony Ashton and Jon Lord – First of the Big Bands (1974)
* Bob Sargeant – The First Starring Role (1974)
* Peter Sarstedt – Every Word You Say (1975)
* Various – Peter and the Wolf (1975) - including Phil Collins, Brian Eno, Gary Moore, Alvin Lee, Chris Spedding, etc.
* Hot Chocolate – XIV Greatest Hits (1976)
* Bernie Marsden – And About Time Too! (1979)
* Bernie Marsden – Look at Me Now (1981)
* Jon Lord – Before I Forget (1982)
* Roger Daltrey – Under a Raging Moon (1985)
* Boys Don't Cry – Who the Am Dam do You Think We Am (1987)
* Sanne Salomonsen – Ingen Engel (Danish Version) / No Angel (English Version) (1987)
* Warlock – Triumph and Agony (1987)
* Pete York – Super Drumming Vol. 1 (1987)
* Cinderella – Long Cold Winter (1988)
* James Darby – Southern Region Breakdown (1988)
* Don Airey – K2 – Tales of Triumph and Tragedy (1988)
* Minute By Minute – Timewatch (1989)
* Ritchie Blackmore – Rock Profile Vol. 2 (1991)
* Various Artists – In From The Storm – The Music of Jimi Hendrix (1995)
* Glenn Tipton – Baptizm of Fire (1997)
* S.A.S. Band – SAS Band (1997)
* Colin Blunstone – The Light Inside (1998)
* Tony Martin – Scream (2005)
* Pete York – Super Drumming Vol. 3 (2008)

## Motor racing and TV appearances

Powell had a fascination with fast cars and motorbikes, and raced with a Mazda RX3 sponsored by Hitachi, on the UK saloon car circuit, for a few months in 1975. He was quoted as saying in an interview, "I drive like I drum – madly".