Biography
For more than 50 years, bassist Bob Daisley has been laying down the foundation upon which some of the greatest rock and roll ever recorded has been built.
From blues and metal to ballads and progressive rock, Bob has done it all – and with the biggest names in the music industry worldwide.
By the time that he was 21, Australian-born Daisley had made the career-making move to London, where he spent the first seven months cleaning flats and working in a vegetarian restaurant.
In February, 1972, on his 22nd birthday, Daisley joined Stan Webb's band Chicken Shack.
Next was good-time band Mungo Jerry, with Daisley joining the reimagined, harder-rocking lineup in 1973. Daisley recorded the hit single 'Alright, Alright, Alright' with band leader guitarist Ray Dorset and toured extensively throughout Europe, Scandinavia and Great Britain.
Daisley re-joined Chicken Shack in 1974, which featured future Robert Plant guitarist Robbie Blunt.
In 1975 Daisley co-formed Widowmaker with Luther Grosvenor (aka Ariel Bender) of Mott The Hoople and Spooky Tooth; drummer Paul Nicholls of Lindisfarne; original Hawkwind guitarist Huw Lloyd Langton and vocalist Steve Ellis from Love Affair.
Widowmaker recorded their debut album, Widowmaker (Jet Records) in 1976 and a second album, Too Late To Cry, featuring new vocalist John Butler, in 1977 (Jet Records).
In August of 1977, Ritchie Blackmore invited Daisley to join Rainbow, featuring vocalist Ronnie James Dio, keyboardist David Stone and drummer Cozy Powell. This lineup is considered by many to be the classic, most iconic iteration of Rainbow. They toured Europe, Scandinavia, The UK, Japan and the USA extensively, promoting their new album Long Live Rock 'n' Roll.
The following year saw a fateful meeting that would change the heavy rock scene forever. Daisley met Ozzy Osbourne, recently ex-Black Sabbath, in 1979 at a London club called the Music Machine. Osbourne invited Daisley to form a band with him and the beginnings of The Blizzard of Ozz were set in motion.
Daisley and Osbourne were joined by American guitarist Randy Rhoads and the three of them began writing and auditioning drummers immediately.
After sifting through dozens of drummers, the band finally found its perfect match in ex-Uriah Heep powerhouse drummer Lee Kerslake.
The Blizzard Of Ozz embarked on a UK tour in September 1980, and their debut album went to #7 in the UK charts. Meanwhile in the US, the Blizzard Of Ozz album entered the charts and stayed there for the next two years, reaching #21 and going platinum in the process.
Striking while the iron was hot, the Blizzard Of Ozz immediately returned to the studio to write and record their follow-up album, which Daisley entitled Diary Of A Madman.
A US tour had already been planned – however, trouble was brewing behind the scenes. Osbourne and Sharon Arden wanted to change the lineup to replace Kerslake with US drummer Tommy Aldridge (Black Oak Arkansas, Gary Moore). To support this move, they approached Daisley for his agreement, but Bob refused, so they got rid of Kerslake and Daisley.
When the Diary Of A Madman album was released in 1981, a work that both Daisley and Kerslake co-wrote, co-produced and performed on entirely, they were only credited for songwriting. It's their performances recorded on the album, but pictures in the record's sleeve insert showed bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Tommy Aldridge, which misled many fans to believe, mistakenly, that Sarzo and Aldridge had played on the album. This has been a point of confusion and contention for years since. Diary Of A Madman reached UK #14 and US #16, and became the band's second consecutive platinum record.
Following their unceremonious departure from the band that they'd built with Ozzy, Daisley and Kerslake remained united as a rhythm section, this time in Kerslake's previous band, Uriah Heep. With a lineup that included original guitarist Mick Box, vocalist Peter Goalby and keyboardist John Sinclair, they immediately got down to writing and then recording the album Abominog (Polygram Records, 1982).
Just six weeks following his dismissal from The Blizzard Of Ozz, Daisley was invited back to write and record with Ozzy for his third album. Daisley accepted on the basis of working with Randy Rhoads again.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Rhoads was killed in a plane crash in March of 1982, so that third album was put on the backburner.
By 1983 the band consisted of guitarist Jake E Lee, drummer Tommy Aldridge, Don Airey on keyboards, and Daisley and Osbourne.
Singles 'Bark At The Moon' and 'So Tired' reached UK #21 and UK #20 respectively, while the album reached UK #24 and US #19. Japan's Burrn magazine charted 'So Tired' at #2. American video channel MTV even aired a date from the 1984 tour, live from the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Following a world tour, Aldridge and Daisley left the band's official lineup, however, Daisley continued in a studio-only capacity. He and guitarist Jake E Lee began writing the next Ozzy Osbourne album, The Ultimate Sin.
Having contributed to Gary Moore's album Victims Of The Future (10 Records, 1984), Daisley signed on for his European tour. The band visited Ireland – the first time Moore had played in his home country for a decade. The trip was filmed for a documentary, Emerald Aisles. Daisley also contributed bass to one track, 'Once In A Lifetime' on Gary Moore's 1985 studio album, Run For Cover. That track hit #1 on British magazine Kerrang's Local Chart, as submitted by US radio station WHOT.
While not on tour, and between Gary Moore projects, Daisley recorded and contributed to Black Sabbath's album Eternal Idol in 1986 (Warner Music, 1987). Daisley's loyalty to Gary Moore precluded any further activity with Black Sabbath.
With Gary Moore ready to get back to business that same year, the band reunited to record the acclaimed Wild Frontier record. There were several singles released including 'Wild Frontier', 'Over The Hills And Far Away' and 'The Loner'. The single 'Over The Hills And Far Away' garnered regular video rotation in Europe and the U.S, while 'The Loner' charted in the UK Top 10, and the album charted in the Top 50.
Rounding out the Gary Moore band were drummer Eric Singer (who had just worked with Daisley on Black Sabbath's Eternal Idol) and keyboard player Neil Carter of UFO. They began an extensive European tour, during which the concert video Wild Frontier Tour was recorded live in Stockholm.
At the end of the 1987 Gary Moore U.S. tour, Black Sabbath drummer, Bill Ward, got in touch with Daisley and requested a couple of performances on his first solo album, Ward One: Along The Way. The album featured something of an all-star cast of players including Jack Bruce, Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde, Lanny Cordola and, of course, Bob Daisley, among others. Daisley performed bass on two tracks, both of which featured Ozzy on vocals – 'Bombers (Can Open Bomb Bays)' and 'Jack's Land'.
After that, Yngwie Malmsteen hired Daisley to play on his Odyssey album. The record broke the British Top 10, according to Kerrang's album chart, while 'Heaven Tonight' became a Top 20 single. Although he played on only four songs, the session was significant in that Bob Daisley came into contact with Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner.
When Ozzy was ready to record with new guitarist Zakk Wylde and drummer Randy Castillo, he asked Daisley back to work on the new album. Daisley contributed the lion's share of the lyrics and co-wrote the music with Zakk Wylde, and laid down bass tracks for the album No Rest For The Wicked (Sony Records, 1988) along with bonus track The Liar. The album charted in the UK at #23 and the US at #13. Former Uriah Heep bandmate John Sinclair supplied keyboards after Daisley recommended him.
A slight reorganisation in the Gary Moore camp resulted in Daisley's former Rainbow bandmate Cozy Powell taking over for Eric Singer on follow-up album After The War (Virgin Records, 1988). The album still retained much of the Irish flavour of its predecessor with songs such as 'Dunluce' and the epic 'Blood Of Emeralds'. Ozzy Osbourne made an appearance on two songs, 'Led Clones' and 'Speak For Yourself'. The tour lasted into 1989, with Chris Slade taking over from Cozy Powell on the road.
That same year, and at Daisley's suggestion, Gary Moore decided that it was time for a change of direction. Having always been a devotee of blues guitarist Peter Green, Moore began recording what would become his biggest selling album to date; Still Got The Blues (Charisma/Virgin Records) Lead single 'Still Got The Blues' charted in the Top 30, as did follow-up 'Too Tired'. Joining Daisley on several of the cuts were ex-Thin Lizzy drummer Brian Downey; former Ozzy and Rainbow keyboardist Don Airey; and, on one track, special guest George Harrison.
In January 1991, Daisley got another yet another call from Ozzy to co-write and perform on the album No More Tears (Sony/Epic). Thanks to heavy MTV rotation, the music video for 'No More Tears' gave Ozzy his greatest exposure yet. This was reflected in platinum sales; album and single alike soared effortlessly into the Top 10.
Gary Moore's 1992 album After Hours (Charisma/Virgin) featured his old friend Bob Daisley on the track Key to the Highway.
Also in 1992, Daisley was contacted by guitarist Jeff Watson of Night Ranger, who asked him to lay down some parts for Watson's debut solo album, Lone Ranger. This collaboration was the beginning of a lengthy association, as the two would unite again the following year, forming new band Mother's Army with drummer Carmine Appice and vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, and releasing their self-titled debut album in 1993.
In 1995, melodic rock group Takara were working on their second album, A Taste of Heaven. Vocalist Jeff Scott Soto and guitarist Neal Grusky invited Daisley to guest on some tracks.
That same year Bob appeared on the Jimi Hendrix tribute album In From The Storm, recording with guitarist Steve Vai, former Free/Bad Company/Firm vocalist Paul Rodgers, and the late drummer Tony Williams. The session was overseen by none other than Hendrix's producer Eddie Kramer.
Mother's Army returned in 1997 with a new album, Planet Earth. As Jeff Watson stated in numerous interviews, the material that he and Daisley were writing with Mother's Army was more socially aware, often touching on issues that dealt with quality of life and the environment. These themes would be revisited on the third Mother's Army album, Fire On The Moon, in 1998. By then, the group had also welcomed legendary drummer Aynsley Dunbar into the fold, in place of Carmine Appice.
1998 also saw Daisley working with Takara to record sessions for their third album, Blind In Paradise.
The other major undertaking of 1998 was Daisley's work in the band Stream, which saw Daisley reuniting with former Gary Moore bandmate Eric Singer (by now, drummer of Kiss) and ex-Giuffria vocalist David Glen Eisley. The three recorded the album Nothing Is Sacred with relatively unknown guitarist Peter Scheithauer. Drawing comparisons to Kiss' Carnival Of Souls, the album was decidedly heavy metal.
After living in England for the majority of his adult life, Daisley moved back to Sydney, Australia in 1997 with his wife Vicki and two daughters, Rebecca and Rosanna.
The Hoochie Coochie Men's debut self-titled blues album was Daisley's first release of the new millennium and brought him around full circle, as he once again found himself working with former Kahvas Jute bandmate, guitarist Tim Gaze, as well as drummer Rob Grosser and harmonica player Jim Conway.
In February 2003, former Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord had just begun a promotional tour of Australia, when a recurring hand injury sidelined plans for the remaining classical performances on the itinerary. Lord contacted Daisley, and the two conspired to make the most of a difficult situation. They took over renowned Sydney music venue The Basement, and after a cursory rehearsal or two, Jon Lord with The Hoochie Coochie Men treated a packed house to the show of a lifetime. Aussie music legend Jimmy Barnes was also invited to sit in. This unusual, exhilarating union was captured on film and released worldwide on CD and DVD later that same year.
While Barnes's appearance with The Hoochie Coochie Men was enjoyable for all concerned, it also opened the door for another, more significant collaboration. In July 2003, Daisley and Barnes convened in Florida to record a new studio album as a new band, Living Loud – a group they formed with Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse, Uriah Heep/Ozzy drummer Lee Kerslake and Deep Purple keyboardist Don Airey. The project realised Daisley's vision of re-imagining songs from the classic Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman albums, along with some new material.
The year 2003 also heralded the return of Daisley to Gary Moore's band for the Power of the Blues album. The pair's reunion, and the subsequent tour in 2004, was to be prematurely curtailed, due to a hand injury sustained by Moore. Around this time, Karl Cochran's Voodooland album was released, featuring Daisley and his former Mother's Army bandmate Joe Lynn Turner.
In 2005, Daisley and fellow Kahvas Jute members reformed for a special performance at The Basement in Sydney. Their 1971 debut album Wide Open was re-released with bonus tracks from the Basement show on CD and the full live performance was released on DVD.
The Living Loud self-titled debut album was released in the US in January 2006, to coincide with the DVD release of the band's debut live concert at Sydney's Fox Studios in Australia.
Later in 2006, Daisley joined Jon Lord at iconic London recording institution Olympic Studios, to work on an album by the Hoochie Coochie Men. Featuring a circle of friends including Jimmy Barnes and Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan, the result is a Blues masterpiece.
Gillan, Lord and Daisley all share a common bond in Ritchie Blackmore; Daisley and Blackmore's late-70s work in Rainbow was revisited with the DVD release of Rainbow: Live in Munich 1977 (Eagle Rock Entertainment, 2006), along with a companion double-disc CD release..
Bob crossed paths with former Yngwie Malmsteen bandmate Anders Johansson when he contributed to the writing and performance of a couple of songs on the Planet Alliance project.
Later in the year, Daisley was one of numerous special guests, including Jeff Scott-Soto, who were asked to contribute to a new recording by Spanish guitarist Jorge Salan. Recorded in September, Chase the Fire and its parent album, Chronicles of an Evolution, were released in February 2007.
Daisley's latest session work for a variety of artists, along with his own new album projects, are perfect examples of the diversity that has put Daisley at the top of his game and made him an influence on countless musicians around the world.
In 2009, after researching his diaries and going through thousands of photos, Bob embarked on the monumental task of writing his autobiography, For Facts Sake, which was published in 2013. It still sells to this day.
Bob Daisley continues to inspire as a songwriter, musician and producer. Some of his most recent performances and contributions can be heard on such recordings as King Kobra and Cactus with Carmine Appice and Mark Stein; Herman Rarebell and Friends, with Howard Leese from Heart; Michael Schenker; Angry Anderson (Rose Tattoo); and various other projects all listed in the discography.
Bob has retired from touring now, but his passion for music and its creation will live as long as he does.