Micky Waller
Michael Waller (6 September 1941 – 29 April 2008) was an English drummer, who played with many of the biggest names on the UK rock and blues scene, after he became a professional musician in 1960. In addition to being a member, albeit sometimes briefly, of some of the seminal bands of the 1960s, Waller played as a session musician with a host of UK and US artists and was famously known for never having a full drum kit whenever he turned up for recording sessions. Biography. Waller was born in Hammersmith, London. Waller's first professional band, The  Flee-Rekkers, had a No. 23 hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1960, with their recording of "Green Jeans" produced by Joe Meek. He soon left to join a well-known band of the day, Joe Brown and the Bruvvers. In July 1963, he joined the Cyril Davies R&B All Stars, a band with a volatile line-up, replacing the band's original drummer Carlo Little. At that time the line-up was: Davies died on 7 January 1964, and Waller left as the band was changed by Long John Baldry to become the Hoochie Coochie Men. Waller went  on to play with Marty Wilde as one of the Wildecats. While with Wilde, Waller played on two tours with Little Richard around the UK. Like many musicians of the day, Waller moved frequently from band to band, or as was often the case, the band he was in metamorphosed into another. After a short stint with Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, a band he was to rejoin several times, he joined Brian Auger to become part of The Trinity, and was soon followed by Long John Baldry. In April 1965, the group was expanded by Rod Stewart and  Julie Driscoll and evolved into a new band, The Steampacket: In April 1966, Rod Stewart left, and the other members remained as the nucleus of a new band, Brian Auger, Julie Driscoll & The Trinity: Waller subsequently joined John Mayall's Bluesbreakers for a few gigs in April 1967, while Mayall looked for a permanent drummer, and was soon replaced by Keef Hartley. In August 1967, Waller joined the Jeff Beck Group, with former bandmate Rod Stewart: The group produced two albums. "Truth" in 1968 saw the four piece play a mixture of blues with guitar riffs. The instrumental, "Beck's  Bolero", with Jimmy Page on rhythm guitar, The Who's Keith Moon on drums, and bassist John Paul Jones; combined with Waller's playing on the remake of The Yardbirds' hit "Shapes of Things"; set the template for a heavier blues style. The following year, a second album from the band was "Beck-Ola". But by this point Waller had already departed the band, to be replaced by Tony Newman. The mercurial Beck had decided he wanted a "heavier" drummer, and on 11 February 1969 manager Peter Grant fired Waller and Wood - although Wood was retained per Beck's wishes . In 1969, Waller flew to Venice Beach Los Angeles to form the band "Silver Metre" with guitarist Leigh Stephens of Blue Cheer fame, fellow Brit Pete Sears on bass and keyboards, and Jack Reynolds (singer). They recorded one album at Trident Studios in London, England (one track, "Gang bang" containing an extended drum solo) which was released on the National General label, produced by their manager, FM rock radio pioneer Tom Donahue. Also in '69, Waller sat in on "An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down", Rod Stewart's first solo album (it was known as "The Rod  Stewart Album" in the US). The backing band on the album also included Ron Wood, Ian McLagan, Keith Emerson, and guitarists Martin Pugh (of Steamhammer, and later Armageddon and 7th Order) and Martin Quittenton (also from Steamhammer). Waller's relationship with Stewart and Wood served him well, as he would go on to join them on the next three Stewart solo albums, "Gasoline Alley", "Every Picture Tells a Story" and "Never A Dull Moment" The coupling meant that Waller played percussion on Stewart's transatlantic chart topping hit single, "Maggie May". Waller also shared drum duties on Stewart's "Smiler