Site Last Updated:  05/04/02

Home
Articles
Biography
Eric's Girls
Discography
Fan Gatherings
Links
Messageboard
News & Info
Photo Gallery
Polls
Show Reviews
What's New

 

 

 

Biography

Information in this biography was taken from many sources, including the bio sheet from Eric's fan club.  If anyone has any additional information to be included, please email it to me and I'll add it.  This biography is a work in progress.  Keep checking back for updates.

In 1970 Eric joined the Bay City Rollers. At the time, he was playing in another Edinburgh based band called Kip, where he has his first encounter with Stuart "Woody" Wood. Eric and John Devine joined the Bay City Rollers at the same time, replacing Neil Henderson and Archie Marr.

The Bay City Rollers signed a contract with Bell Records and the first single he recorded with the Bay City Rollers was Keep on Dancing. It entered the charts in 1971 and reached #9. Eric's first trip abroad with the Bay City Rollers was to Hamburg. Their first appearance was on Top of the Pops in 1972 and they played Keep on Dancing.

In 1972, Eric and the boys recorded and released the singles We Can Make Music and Manana. Both songs bombed in the UK. Their next trip abroad was to Luxembourg where they won the #1 slot in the Radio Luxembourg Grand Prix.

In 1973, they recorded Saturday Night, which failed to make the charts. The band felt the time had come for a really strong number to give them another chance. It came in the guise of Remember. This gave Eric his second appearance on Top of the Pops.

Beginning in 1974, Remember climbed the charts and two new band members joined to replace John Devine and Nobby Clarke. The two new members were Les McKeown and Stuart "Woody" Wood. Remember climbed the charts to #6. This was also the year they recorded Shang-A-Lang, which reached #2. Shang-A-Lang was followed by Summer Love Sensation, which peaked at #3. By now Rollermania was beginning to take off and scenes from their gigs were such to cause Eric concern for the safety of their fans.

1974 was also the year that one of Eric's personal dreams came true -- the recording of their first album Rollin. This album featured four songs he co-wrote with Woody. This gave him a much needed vehicle for his own song writing. In the meantime, another single All of Me Loves All of You was released and it topped the charts at #4.

For the time being, Eric's ambition of writing a #1 song seemed to be eluding him. Rollin sold well into 1975, shooting to the #1 slot on the album charts. This established the Bay City Rollers once and for all. Much to Eric's chagrin, the music press seemed decidedly underwhelmed by the whole thing.

1975 was a hectic year for Eric and the Bay City Rollers. They recorded the single Bye Bye Baby, their second album Once Upon a Star, and their own television series Shang-A-Lang. Bye Bye Baby gave them their first UK #1 single, which topped the charts for five weeks. Eric was also presented with his first gold disc for Remember. The guys embarked on an extensive UK tour where scenes of hysteria became more and more frenzied.

In the summer of 1975, they released Give a Little Love, which reached #2. This was the year Eric and Woody bought a farm on the outskirts of Edinburgh. It seemed to be constantly broken into while they were gone by fans.

Eric's ambition was to break into America. The helping hand in this was Sid Bernstein. Throughout 1975, preparations were made for a US tour. Meanwhile, in Britain, the scenes of hysteria were getting out of control and the band was threatened with being barred from playing in the UK.

Another first for Eric happened in 1975 -- his first tour to Australia, which went extremely well. At the end of 1975 Eric stepped onto the stage at the Wembley Empire Pool with the rest of the Bay City Rollers, who had been voted Best Group of the Year.

1976 started well with the single Money Honey, written by Eric and Woody. It stormed up the charts to #4. Their first American single, Saturday Night, was also racing up the charts in the US and the guys released their third album Wouldn't You Like It with many of the songs written by Eric and Woody.

1976 was also a hectic year. It included tours of the US, Canada, Europe, and the UK. The pinnacle was the recording of the Mike Mansfield one-hour special Rollercoaster, which was broadcast live to the US. The scene at the screening was to win over the US public and it proved to be very memorable to Eric.

1976 was also when Alan Longmuir left the group and Ian Mitchell joined in his place. Then Ian left the band and Pat McGlynn came in as his replacement at the end of 1976.

There was no letup in the pace of work for Eric and the guys during 1977. They toured the US, Japan, and Europe. During this time they managed to record and release It's A Game, The Way I Feel Tonight, and Love Power as singles, as well as the albums Dedication and It's A Game. Once again, Eric received an award. This time it was the Daily Mirror Poll Award.

They also performed gigs throughout Canada. There was an appearance scheduled in Toronto for CHUM Radio. Apparently 65,000 screaming fans showed up.

At this time Les decided to leave the band and he was replaced by South African, Duncan Faure.

1979 gave Eric his chance to breakout musically and the album Elevator was released in America, Japan, and Australia. It was also released in limited numbers in the Britain. Throughout the year, Eric toured the US with the band and made numerous TV appearances to promote their new album. At the end of the year, Voxx was released, which was light years from anything the band had previously done. The album went down well with the fans, but again it was panned by the critics.

1980 saw Eric and guys sign a new contract with Epic Records and shortly thereafter, they recorded and released Ricochet. To date (even by the band themselves), it was considered to be their best work, except that the press hated it (what's new?). This was also the year that the band toured South Africa and other band members were jailed for non-payment for debts by their management. Eric was in London during this time writing and recording the music for the forthcoming movie Burning Rubber.

It was becoming clear at this time that the band had been ripped off for millions of pounds by financial sharks employed to look after their interests. Eric took two years off from performing and recording to try and straighten out the mess they had been left with. It was this that led Eric's determination to produce and distribute his music himself.

In 1982 the band came together again to do a tour of Japan, which went very well. They played to large crowds in prestigious venues and this led to another offer the following year to follow this up and it resulted in the Live in Japan album.

For the next two years, Eric lived quietly in London writing and producing his own material. It was also at this time he met Kass.

In 1985, Eric teamed up with all of the old band members, including Pat McGlynn and Ian Mitchell. South African drummer George Spencer also joined them and they recorded an album called Breakout, which was released in Japan and Australia. Of all the albums recorded, this was his least favorite. An ill fated tour ensued with the band traveling to Ireland, UK, Japan, and Australia. Amid bitter feuding between band members, Eric decided to go back to Britain and call it a day.

Between 1986 and 1989, Eric formed the Eric Faulkner Co-Operative and then the New Rollers, which included Kass, Andy Boakes, Mark Roberts and Simon. They released a single called Party Harty, which did well on the Indie charts. He also recorded the Eric Faulkner Cassette and Life is a Wasteland. He toured the UK, playing at universities, pubs, and clubs. However rewarding this was, it still wasn't getting the band the recognition they wanted. They even did a mini tour of the US.

Before they toured Australia in 1989, Woody returned from South Africa and Eric asked him join them and he did. In early 1990, Alan rejoined and drummer Phil Watts came on board and they began to tour in earnest.

In 1991, they re-released Bye Bye Baby that sold well, but didn't break the charts. Eric, Kass, and Woody started working on new songs for a new album. In 1992 they performed to 50,000 people at the Chelmsford Spectacular and sole the show from the headline band, Sweet. They also released two CD's in 1992 -- Greatest Hits and Bye Bye Baby. Both sold well, but they didn't break the charts. They also made appearances on various daytime programs in the UK and made a memorable appearance on The Word, performing live in Adrian Seviors kitchen.

At the end of 1992, they found out they would be touring the US and Japan the following year. It had been seven years since they had last been in the US. Gigs were well attended and the band went down well wherever they played.

In 1994 and 1995 they did extensive tours in the UK. Eric spent more time in the studio writing and recording material. At the end of 1995, Demos 1 was remixed and in the final stages of production.

Return to Top