Alan Parsons Project Co-Founder Dies
/ News / 02/12/2009 18:47pm
Eric Woolfson, who man who co-founded The Alan Parsons Project, has died at the age of 64 after battling against cancer.
Woolfson was a key driving force behind The Alan Parsons Project, writing all the lyrics and contributing some lead vocals. Additionally, he wrote songs for the likes of Marianne Faithfull, Frank Ifield and The Tremeloes.
Woolfson was also involved with the musical theatre. He was hoping to bring his masterpiece Poe to European stages next year.
Eric Woolfson gave his last interview to Classic Rock Presents Prog. You will be able to read this in the next issue.
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Thanks for reporting the news.
I should add, that Eric wrote not only all lyrics, but the most of the music of APP, and often played piano.
I should also specify that the Edgar Allan Poe musical is currently on stage in Germany.
I’m deeply sad. My thought is to Eric’s family, but also to the lots of people with collaborated with him (firstly Alan), and to the fans.
He had a unique compositive style which balanced always original chord sequences, but combined with catchy melodies, making of him what I always considered the greatest composer of our times, and a reference point for musicians. His recent video published for fans, in which he plays piano, reveals also his unique style as pianist. He also gave us multiple-interpretation lyrics coming from inspiring concepts (he also talked personally to Isaac Asimov) but also from his personal passions.
Many artists end their creativity at a certain age, but that wasn’t Eric’s case. In recent times he planned a series of four albums in which completing abandoned songs, showing more and more that, from the songwriting point of view, the border between APP and his musicals was very subtle. He was now working on the second of that albums, as well as revising two musicals adding new material, and developing the studio album for another one. That’s why we fans remain shocked of his departure.
I am stunned and devastated. Eric Woolfson was by far the most influential lyricist I have ever known — to me, personally, and to many others who loved the APP. I can barely stand the thought of his being taken from us. I had just watched the DVD version of his POE musical (at Abbey Road studios) and I planned to write him a note of thanks…
Travel well, Eric. I know two people who will miss you terribly. With great sadness, and condolences to his family and the huge family of all his fans…
“Silence and I… are two of a kind…”
William D Gagliani
[...] Rock Magazine is reporting the sad news that Eric Woolfson, the man who co-founded The Alan Parsons Project along with Alan [...]