Harry Williamson (musician)
Harry Williamson (born May 12 1950, Ilfracombe, North Devon, England) is a British musician, producer and inventor.
He is the son of noted author Henry Williamson and his second wife Christine Duffield. Divorced, one daughter Bee Williamson. Educated at Exeter Cathedral School under Lionel Dakers (later head of RSCM), and at Millfield School, Street, Somerset.
He started a Physics degree at Imperial College, University of London, but abandoned Physics for Rock Theatre, working at Glastonbury Festival and the Rainbow Theatre and crewing for The Rolling Stones in the 1970s. He helped establish the Green Party of England and Wales and is still actively involved in designing innovative energy efficient systems.
He met Anthony Phillips of Genesis with whom he composed music for the film of his father's bestseller "Tarka the Otter". The music, recorded by The London Philharmonic Orchestra was not used in the film due to budgetary considerations but some years later was finished with funds from Amy International and released by PRT, where it was #1 in the New Music Charts for three months. It is still regarded as a classic by Genesis fans and excerpts are used for documentaries and other nature oriented films worldwide. Another series of recordings started in 1976 became 'Gypsy Suite', released 1998. During this time he was playing with Nick Turner of Hawkwind and he wrote 'Nuclear Waste' which was recorded by The Radio Actors, with Sting on vocals, Mike Howlett on Bass and Steve Hillage on lead guitar. It was released by Virgin Records and later by Charly and is still considered an anti-nuclear anthem in Eastern Europe.
Harry married Gilli Smyth (ex-Gong) in 1982 and emigrated to Melbourne, Australia where he now lives and dedicates his time to composing film, world, and many other styles of music, producing recordings from artists around the world and implementing his environmentally sustainable designs. He completed a musical 'Lace' which deals with life, death romance and despair in a Spanish family, and soundtracks for film - 'Rokkashomura Rhapsody' a Japanese documentary on Nuclear reprocessing in Rokkasho, Aomori, and works with singer Liz Van Dort, who is also half of Faraway. He is currently exploring the migration of the Celts from Northern India from a musical point of view, and producing concert films and documentaries.
Discography
- 1975 - Gypsy Suite (with Anthony Phillips) 1998 Voiceprint
- 1976 - Tarka (with Anthony Phillips) 1988 PRT 1996 Voiceprint
- 1978 - Nuclear Waste (with Sting and the Radio-Actors) (Virgin, Charly, DB, Voiceprint)
- 1978 - Fairy Tales (with Gilli Smyth, Didier Malherbe et al) (Charly)
- 1981 - Robot Woman 1(with Mother Gong) (Butt)
- 1983 - Robot Woman 2(with Mother Gong) (Shanghai)
- 1984 - Living on the brink (with Gilli and tom the poet) (Ottersongs)
- 1986 - Robot Woman 3(with Mother Gong) (Shanghai)
- 1986 - Stroking the Tail of the Bird (with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth) (Voiceprint)
- 1987 - Owl in Tree (With Mother Gong and Daevid Allen)1989 (Demi-Monde)2004(Voiceprint)
- 1989 - Buddha's Birthday (With Mother Gong) (Ottersongs)
- 1989 - Wild Child (With Mother Gong) (Demi-Monde)
- 1990 - Fish in Sky (With Mother Gong) (Ottersongs)
- 1991 - Mothergong Live in the USA 1991 (Ottersongs )2008 (Voiceprint)
- 1993 - She made the world (Voiceprint)
- 1998 - Far from the madding crowd (Faraway) (with Liz Van Dort) (Voiceprint) 2001 (Prikosnovenie)
- 1999 - Life in the Unseen World (with many friends) (Voiceprint)
- 1999 - 22 meanings (with Daevid Allen) (Gliss, via Pinnacle)
- 2000 - Seadrone (meditation with wind spirits) ( Sleeping Tiger)
- 2003 - Battle of the Birds (Celtic tale) (Voiceprint)
- 2005 - Fish in Tree(compilation re-issue of Fish and Owl above) Voiceprint
- 2005 - Soleluna (with Soleluna quintet) (Elysian) available from CB Baby
- 2008 - The Glissando Orchestra DVD with Daevid Allen, Steve Hillage and others (Voiceprint)