Jimmy Copley

Jimmy Copley
James Frank Copley (29 December 1953 – 13 May 2017) was an English rock drummer.
Copley was largely a session musician and worked with Jeff Beck, Graham Parker, Upp, Paul Young, Magnum, Roger Glover, Ian Gillan and Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Go West, Killing Joke, Tears for Fears, Seal, Tony Iommi and Paul Rodgers. He was the drummer with Manfred Mann's Earth Band from 2007.
He was a master of the open-handed drumming technique. This method dispenses with crossing the hands when playing the hi-hat and snare drum simultaneously, as opposed to the more traditional way of playing drums which features crossed hands as the basic playing position.
Copley was a long-term Tama Drums endorser. He used Superstar, Granstar, Artstar II and Starclassic drums throughout the years. Another long time association was with Zildjian Cymbals. He also used Vic Firth drumsticks.
Death
According to University Hospital Bristol, Copley had been diagnosed with leukemia in 2015 and relapsed following a bone marrow transplant. He opted to discontinue chemotherapy. In Copley's final days, his hospital room was transformed into a temporary recording studio so that he and friends could record an EP to benefit the Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre and Royal United Hospital in Bath.
Selected discography
Upp
Upp (1975)
This Way Upp (1976)
Killing Joke
Outside the Gate (1988)
Tears For Fears
Tears for Fears: Live at Knebworth '90 (Change, Badman's Song, Everybody Wants to Rule the World) (1990)
Going To California (Live from Santa Barbara) (1990)
Psychedelix
Move On/Green Light (1992)
Psychedelix (1992)
no one's wastin' time (live album, 1992)
Rowdy Boys (1993)
Psychedelix II (1994)
Livin' In Osaka (1994)
Merry-Go-Round (1995)
Stand (1995)
Stand e.p. (1995)
Smoky (1996)
On-Gaeshi 1 (live album, 1999)
On-Gaeshi 2 (live album, 1999)
Edoya Collection 1992-1996 (1999)
20th March 1994 (live DVD, 2000)
Move On Tour Stage 1 (live DVD, 2005)
New Classics (2008)
Stone Free - Jimi Hendrix Tribute
Stone Free - Jimi Hendrix Tribute (1993)
Curt Smith
Soul on Board (1993)
Martin Page
In the House of Stone and Light (1994)
The Pretenders
Last of the Independents (1994)
Paul Rodgers
Live: The Loreley Tapes (live album, 1996)
Now (1997)
Now and Live (2-CD compilation, 1997)
Electric (2000)
Char
Days Went By 1988-1993 (1993)
20th Anniversary "Electric Guitar Concert" (live album, 1997)
Today (1998)
Let It Blow (1998)
Touch My Love Again (1999)
I’m Gonna Take This Chance (1999)
Char Edoya Collection 1988-1997 (1999)
Char Plays Ballad (1999)
20th Anniversary "Electric Guitar Concert" (live DVD, 1999)
Share The Wonder (2000)
Char Played With And Without (live album, 2000)
Bamboo Joints (2001)
Char Psyche 1988 (live album, 2002)
Live In Nippon Budokan 2001 "Bamboo Joints" (live DVD, 2002)
Sacred Hills (2002)
Mr.70’s You Set Me Free (2003)
Singles 1976-2005 (2006)
Tradrock "Jeff" by Char (2011)
Mayfield
Mayfield (1998)
Tony Iommi
Iommi (2000)
The 1996 DEP Sessions (2004)
Go West
The Best Of Go West - The Runaway Train Tour (1987)
Magnum
Livin' The Dream (2005 live DVD)
Princess Alice and the Broken Arrow (2007)
Jimmy Copley
Slap My Hand (2008)
Jimmy Copley & Char
Slap My Hand Special Session (live DVD, 2009)
References
1953 births
2017 deaths
English rock drummers
Manfred Mann's Earth Band members
Musicians from London
English heavy metal drummers
English session musicians
Deaths from leukemia
Deaths from cancer in England
Magnum (band) members
The Company of Snakes members