ArtistInfo

Paul Blakeley

dr, US
Musician of Rock and Blues

American rhythm 'n blues drummer of 'BC and The Cavemen', with bassist Mark Boston & guitarist Bill Harkleroad. P.G. Blakely joined Alexis Snouffer's formation of the Magic Band in the fall of 1964. Blakely was soon replaced by Vic Mortensen when the group became "Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band". Prior to the group recording two singles for A&M Mortensen was called up for active service in Vietnam. Snouffer stood in on drums and Rich Hepner was recruited in to occupy his place on guitar. By the time the group's first single "Diddy Wah Diddy" became a regional hit Hepner had departed and Snouffer was guitarist, once again. Blakely returned as the drummer for their live appearances, until the fall of 1966 when he was replaced by John French from 'Blues In A Bottle'. Paul Blakely or "P.G.", as he was known, only performed live with the early group. Some of his work appears on live out-takes, although an early PR photo has him with the group on the sleeve of the 1984 collective singles release "The Legendary A&M Sessions" - where he is credited as the drummer and as 'P.G. Blakeley'. The Oct 1984 A&M Press Pack photo correctly identifies him as 'Paul (P.G.) G. Blakely', whilst its accompanying 'Biography'-headed text-sheet miss-spells his name and compounds many errors in the group's early history.

Instruments

• Drums
• Guitar
• Bass

Genres

• Rock
• Blues
• Spoken Word

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