WHO’S WHO
Who’s Who (or “Who is Who”) is the title of a number of reference publications, generally containing concise biographical information on the prominent people of a country. The title has been adopted as an expression meaning a group of notable persons. The oldest and best-known is the annual publication Who’s Who, a reference work on contemporary prominent people in Britain published annually since 1849. The title “Who’s Who” is in the public domain, and thousands of Who’s Who compilations of varying scope and quality (and similar publications without the words “Who’s Who”) have been published by various authors and publishers. Many such publications can be described as Who’s Who scams; they list any people likely to buy the book, or to pay for inclusion, with no criterion of genuine notability.(More from Wikipedia)
In 1978, Chris Spedding was a key musician in one of the most ambitious concept albums of all time (and the best selling British concert/cast album ever), Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds. Actor Richard Burton handled the narration, and the musicians are a virtual Who’s Who of the British rock scene of that era: Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues, Chris Thompson of Manfred Mann, Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy, bass guitarist Herbie Flowers (that’s him playing the prominent bass line on Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side”), David Essex (“Rock On”), and actress/vocalist Julie Covington; she and Essex had been appearing together in early performances of the rock musical Evita. The album tells the story pretty much as The War of the Worlds was written by H. G. Wells (much of Burton’s narration is word-for-word from the novel) decades before Steven Spielberg’s film basically did the same; I consider War of the Worlds to be one of Spielberg’s best movies and certainly his most disturbing.
(November 2011)
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Other rock artists that Patrick Leonard has worked with over the years literally reads like a Who’s Who: Rod Stewart, Michael Jackson, Ted Nugent, Bryan Adams, Kenny Loggins, Peter Cetera, Jody Watley, Natalie Imbruglia, and Natasha Bedingfield. Showing his flexibility, he also co-wrote and produced two of the songs (including the title song, and both in Greek) for an album for Cypriot Greek pop musician Anna Vissi, Apagorevmeno (2008); and co-wrote a song for new age musician David Darling, “96 Years”.
(October 2012)
