Wix Wickens

(Redirected from Paul Wickens)

Paul "Wix" Wickens is an English musician best known as keyboardist and musical director of Paul McCartney's touring band since 1989.[1][2] In a career spanning more than 40 years, Wickens has also worked with artists including Nik Kershaw, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Bon Jovi, Edie Brickell, Kevin Coyne and many others.

Wix Wickens
Wickens at RDS Arena in Dublin, Ireland, in 2010
Background information
Birth namePaul Wickens
Born (1956-03-27) 27 March 1956 (age 68)
Brentwood, Essex, England
Occupation(s)Musician, producer
Instrument(s)Keyboards
Years active1973–present

Career

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In the early 1980s Wickens was a member of Woodhead Monroe, a band that issued two singles distributed by Stiff, "Mumbo Jumbo" and "Identify".[citation needed]

Wickens began touring with Paul McCartney in 1989. Since then, Wickens has served as the musical director for many of McCartney's tours. He continues to tour with McCartney (as his keyboardist, occasional guitarist and backing vocalist), and is the longest serving of the four musicians in McCartney's touring band.[citation needed]

Wickens played on albums by Tommy Shaw of the American rock band Styx, the Damned, Tim Finn, Paul Carrack, Nik Kershaw, Jim Diamond, Boy George, and David Gilmour, and was the co-producer of the first Savage Progress album. He also was the keyboardist and programmer for Edie Brickell & New Bohemians album, Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars – which was where he first met Chris Whitten. Wickens was also involved in making the 2008 album Bandaged in aid of BBC Children in Need.[citation needed]

Wickens played accordion on The The's minor UK hit "This Is the Day", from their album Soul Mining.[3] He also recorded a version of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit".[citation needed]

He attended Brentwood School, Essex where he became a friend of fellow student Douglas Adams. Wickens composed the music for the sequel radio productions of Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Tertiary to Quintessential Phases and performed at his memorial service in 2001.[citation needed]

Selected discography

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Music producer

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YearAlbumArtist
1986Desire for FreedomJim Diamond
1988Creeping Up on JesusThe Big Dish
1992Sleeping SatelliteTasmin Archer
1992Great ExpectationsTasmin Archer
1993In Your CareTasmin Archer
1996Big White RoomMelanie Garside
1996She KnowsMelanie Garside

Performer

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YearAlbumArtist
1978Dynamite DazeKevin Coyne
1978Millionaires and Teddy BearsKevin Coyne
1979BabbleKevin Coyne And Dagmar Krause
1983All I See Is YouEddie and Sunshine
1983Do What You Wanna Do / Movin' OnChris Thompson
1983Perfect StrangersEddie and Sunshine
1983The Golden SectionJohn Foxx
1983Soul MiningThe The
1984Human RacingNik Kershaw
1984Un autre mondeTéléphone
1984The RiddleNik Kershaw
1984The Bad and Lowdown World of the Kane GangKane Gang
1985In Mysterious WaysJohn Foxx
1986Hi Ho SilverJim Diamond
1986Radio MusicolaNik Kershaw
1986Big CanoeTim Finn
1986Get CloseThe Pretenders
1987Blue SlipperHelen Watson
1987American EnglishWax
1987AmbitionTommy Shaw
1987To Be RebornBoy George
1988Ain't ComplainingStatus Quo
1988What Up, Dog?Was (Not Was)
1988From Langley Park to MemphisPrefab Sprout
1988Creeping Up on JesusThe Big Dish
1989One Good ReasonPaul Carrack
1989GatecrashingLiving in a Box
1989The WorksNik Kershaw
1989Flowers in the DirtPaul McCartney
1989Mind BombThe The
1990Stolen MomentsJohn Hiatt
1990Other VoicesPaul Young
1990Tripping the Live FantasticPaul McCartney
1991Places I Have Never BeenWillie Nile
1993Off the GroundPaul McCartney
1993Paul Is LivePaul McCartney
1996Big White RoomMelanie Garside
1996Desire for FreedomJim Diamond
1997So Help Me GirlGary Barlow
2002Back in the US/Back in the WorldPaul McCartney
2003Seven Years – Ten WeeksDavid Sneddon
2007Memory Almost FullPaul McCartney
2009Good Evening New York CityPaul McCartney
2013NewPaul McCartney
2018Egypt StationPaul McCartney

References

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  1. ^ Canhoto, Bela, Interview With Paul "Wix" Wickens, archived from the original on 22 May 2008, retrieved 19 January 2009
  2. ^ Regen, John, VIDEO - Wix Wickens' Touring Rig with Paul McCartney, retrieved 29 April 2018
  3. ^ Simpson, Dave (25 April 2022). "'It means more to me now I've lost family': how the The made This Is the Day". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
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