|
 |
|
THE FALCONS
History HISTORY The Falcons play original instrumental rock inspired by The Shadows and The Ventures. Formed in 1992, The Falcons have helped revive the instro rock genre worldwide. Based in Vancouver, Canada, The Falcons have recorded four original albums, toured in the Yukon and Europe, and showcased in Japan. The Falcons 1992 cassette, featuring "Shadow Land", charted coast to coast in the top ten on Canadian campus radio. Debut album "Queen of Diamonds", with guest Ventures guitarist Nokie Edwards, was named 1998 Album of the Year by UK instro magazine PIPELINE. back to topWHO'S WHO IN THE FALCONS Guitar -MIKE BEDDOES was born in London, England and grew up in Vancouver, Canada. He plays lead guitar and writes most of The Falcons' songs. Mike wrote his first instro, "Queen of Diamonds" in 1963 and, in the mid 60s, played instros in his first bands - The Rogues in Vancouver and The Gremmies in New Hampshire. In the late '60s he formed The Mike Beddoes Blues Band and switched to finger-style guitar. In the '70s he toured BC with an original psychedelic band, and played trad jazz in London and Irish & western in San Francisco. In the 80s he played electric concert guitar in BC and Ontario. In 1992, Mike got back to his instro roots and formed The Falcons. KIM CLARKE was born in Penang, Malaysia, and now teaches photography in London, Ontario. Kim played folk clubs in late 60s London UK, and formed the pop power trio Bonus Boys in Vancouver in 1979. Kim can be heard playing rhythm guitar, and lead on his own tunes, on "Fly by Night"," Live in London", "Queen of Diamonds", and the "Canadian Christmas" EP. GARY CRAMER, BC cult songwriter, played with Mike in the psychedelic band Ridgerunner in the mid-70s, and The Sharks in the late 80s. Gary plays rhythm guitar on the "Canadian Christmas" album . MICHAEL O'BRIEN was born in Petrolia, Canada. Michael teaches classical guitar. He plays rhythm guitar on "Fly by Night" and on the 1992 Falcons three song cassette featuring "Shadow Land". GARY SCHNEPPER is a guitarist and computer programmer. Gary toured Canada's Yukon playing rhythm guitar with The Falcons. He plays rhythm guitar, and lead on "Jokers Wild", on "Rebel Jukebox". Bass - DAVE ENGLEMAN is a sound technician and played bass in Ridgerunner with Mike in the mid 70s. He can be heard on Kim's instro "Sombrero del Diablo" on " Fly by Night". BRIAN HARTON plays bass and is an airline pilot. He and Ted Harrison were the rhythm section for the 60s Vancouver band, Yellow Brick Road. They both played on the earliest Falcons recording (as yet unreleased). Brian plays upright bass on "Fly by Night". GORD KEARNEY, from Toronto, has played mainly in R & B and show bands including The Questionnaires. He and Mike played on the same cruise ship, the Xanadu, in the mid 70s. Gord has been playing fretless bass with The Falcons since 1992 and can be heard on all The Falcons' albums. Drums - DENNIS BURKE from Edmonton, is a jazz drummer, composer, and video instructor. Dennis can be heard on "Queen of Diamonds" and the "Canadian Christmas" EP. ANDRE DESLAURIERS played with Kid Chrysler & The New Yorkers in the rockabilly revival of the late '70s. He has been playing drums with The Falcons since 1998. Andre can be heard on "Rebel Jukebox" and the "Canadian Christmas" album. TED HARRISON plays drums and is an actor. He and Brian Harton were the rhythm section for the 60s Vancouver band, Yellow Brick Road. They both played on the earliest Falcons recording (as yet unreleased). MITCH LAZER, from Montreal, plays jazz-fusion drums. In the late 80s, he played in The Sharks with Mike. Mitch can be seen on "The Falcons in Shadow Land" video. LARRY "LUNCHPAIL" MCGILLVRAY plays drums and is a real estate agent. He played in Ridgerunner with Mike in the mid 70s. He can be heard on the 1992 Falcons cassette featuring "Shadow Land" and on "Fly by Night". DISCOGRAPHY Canadian Christmas album (FBM-041) COMPILATIONS Instrobeat (Fireball Records, Canada) PERFORMANCE VIDEO Pipeline 1995 London Convention |
The Queen of Diamonds Story Vancouver instro-rockers the Falcons recently had their independent CD, Queen of Diamonds, chosen as best album of 1998 by UK's influential surf-music magazine Pipeline. As lead guitarist and main songwriter Mike Beddoes explains, that's a far better reaction than he got the first time he performed that album's title track, in a Grade 8 talent contest at Lord Byng High School. "That was a fiasco," Beddoes recalls, "The drummer and I were too lazy to rehearse, and when we got onstage they closed the curtains in front of the drummer, so he couldn't see or hear me. When I started playing the song, somebody had to go back and tell him to start, so then he chimed in. He only stopped playing when I went back and said, 'It's over.'" Needless to say, Beddoes and his hapless pal did not claim first prize that day. From an Interview with Steve Newton, The Georgia Straight, March 1999 |
[The Falcons] [Catalogue] [Links] [About FBM] [Contact] [Home] Webmistress © 2005 Falcon Beach Music |
