Geoff Britton

About

From Wikipedia:

Geoffrey Britton (born 1 August 1943, in Lewisham, South East London) is an English rock drummer known for his work with Paul McCartney & Wings from August 1974 to January 1975, where he was featured on the Venus and Mars album.

Britton was a member of the progressive rock band East of Eden which formed in Bristol from June to December 1969 and recorded the album Snafu. Afterward he joined The Wild Angels. After leaving Wings in early 1975 Britton was a member of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band from 1978 to 1979, playing on the Angel Station album. In 1977 he was in the ‘supergroup’ Rough Diamond, recording in London’s Roundhouse Studios. In the early 1980s, he joined the power pop group The Keys, whose one album was produced by Joe Jackson. […]

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In May 1974, Geoff Britton was hired as the next drummer for Wings, as Denny Seiwell had left the band in August 1973 before the “Band On The Run” sessions in Lagos.

You should have seen the people there. It was like a Who’s Who of the music industry. But I was a bit disappointed actually because I thought it would be a chance to play with McCartney, but they’d hired session men to play with us instead. Wings just sat out in front of the audience and watched. I wasn’t really nervous. I’m never nervous, although I might be a bit apprehensive. We had to play about four numbers-some of it quite advanced stuff for an ordinary rock and roll number. Anyway, I got up there and did my stuff … A few days later I got this phone call and they said I was on the short-list of five, and this time it would be Paul and the group playing. That time I had a 20 per cent chance, yet I felt it was more hopeless than ever. I met Paul and the group and they were really nice. After that I got a phone call saying they’d narrowed it down to two geezers. Each of us spent a whole day with the group and had dinner with them. Then one day the phone rang. It was Paul. He said, ‘Well, we’ve decided’ and he was mucking about, geeing me up … In the end I said: ‘Well, who’s it gonna be?’ and he said: ‘You got the job.”

Geoff Britton – From “The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After The Break-Up 1970-2001” by Keith Badman

You were on a short list of five at the auditions, how did you feel at the time?

Very excited, I had a 20% chance, then the office rang to say they’d like me to come back, I was on a shortlist of two. My chances had come to 50/50, and all the time the gig seemed to be getting further away. Anyway, I went along on the Monday and spent all day with them and the other guy went on Tuesday. They didn’t give anything away, you know. They were very nice; we went out to dinner, had a nice day. We played all day and they taped it and there was no way of knowing if I’d cut any ice or not. Paul rang me on the Thursday, and just said: “Yeh, well …we’ve listened to the tapes and you’ve got the job. Take it easy, go to the office and have a chat, and then we’ll go to Nashville.” Actually once I was short listed to two, I thought I’d leave my other group no matter what. I had some money in the bank so I thought I’II either go to America, or go to Japan and see some of my Karate friends. I’ll do one or the other, and have a complete break, blow the money and start again. If I was number two for Wings, I’d be number one for somebody eIse. As it happened I got the job, and went to the States.

Geoff Briton – Interview published in Wings Fun Club newsletter N°3 1974

He joined Wings for the Nashville sessions in 1974, participated on the “One Hand Clapping” project in August 1974. He then participated to the sessions for the album “Venus And Mars”, starting in November 1974. In March 1975, Geoff Britton left Wings and was replaced by Joe English.

Last updated on August 2, 2023