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Forsey, Keith (2nd January 1948-Present)

He is a drummer, songwriter, composer and producer born in London, England.

He became a member of The Spectrum and found success with them in his first recordings.  They achieved chart hits in Spain and Germany and were perhaps best known for being the band that performed the end title theme of Gerry Anderson’s popular TV series “Captain Scarlet”.

He went on to drum for Giorgio Moroder and their ensuing long-time association resulted in him performing on his novelty hit “Son of My Father” performed on the Moog synthesizer and hit songs such as “Bad Girls and “The Wanderer” for Donna Summer as well as several of her albums which were recorded prior to 1981.  Other artists he worked with during his association with Giorgio Moroder included Sparks, Boney M and Munich Machine and he also performed on the Academy Award nominated soundtrack of Midnight Express.

He got together with Pete Bellotte who was Giorgio Moroder’s co-producer and they formed the dance band TRAX and released the album Watch Out! in 1977 and Dancing in the Street in 1978.

As a producer he began working with Billy Idol in 1981 when he became a solo artist, producing many of his album releases.  During the 1980s and ‘90s he also worked on albums by the Psychedelic Furs, Charlie Sexton and Simple Minds on their albums and was a producer and songwriter on the soundtracks for Beverly Hills Cop II, The Breakfast Club, Flashdance and Ghostbusters. More recently he has produced the debut album for the group Rooney.

His songwriting duties have seen him co-writing the 1984 Academy Award winning “Flashdance…What a Feelin’”, the 1985 international hit “Don’t You (Forget About Me) for Simple Minds and “The Heat Is On” sung by Glenn Frey.  He has also written or been a performer or producer on other music and songs that have appeared in countless television series and movies that include Along Came Polly, American Gigolo, American Pie, Cat People, Family Guy, Foxes, The Full Monty, The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag, Herbie Fully Loaded, Metropolis, The Neverending Story, Not Another Teen Movie, She’s Out of Control, Superman III and many more.

During his long and successful career he has worked in one form or another on numerous albums that include his own Dynamite as well as Vive La Trance by Amon Duul II, Best Shots by Pat Benatar, Night Flight to Venus by Boney M, Casablanca Years by Cher, Salute to Hollywood, Broadway & TV by Richard Clayderman, Long Voyage Home by Joe Cocker, Underworld by The Divinyls, Solo Collection by Glenn Frey, Kiss Me Deadly by Generation X, Night Rains by Janis Ian, Primitive Man by Icehouse, Rebel Yell by Billy Idol, Thunder & Lightning by Dee D. Jackson, Victim of Love by Elton John, Still Alive by Patrick Juvet, Getting the Spirit by Roberta Kelly, Greatest Hits by Patti LaBelle, At the Discotheque by Lipstique, Airport: Greatest Hits by The Motors, Only Sisters Can Do That by The Pointer Sisters, Mirror Moves by the Psychedelic Furs, Passion by Jennifer Rush, Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Best Of… by Silver Convention, Glittering Prize and Good News from the Next World by Simple Minds and No. 1 in Heaven by Sparks, I Remember Yesterday by Donna Summer, Greatest Hits by The Three Degrees and Utopia by Utopia.

In recognition of his work he has been the winner of a 1984 Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA nomination for Flashdance, a 1984 and 1986 Grammy Award for the scores of Flashdance and Beverly Hills Cop respectively and a 1988 ASCAP Award, a BAFTA nomination and Academy Award nomination for the score for Beverly Hills Cop II.

Giorgio Moroder  recordings
Chase (Giorgio Moroder)
Casablanca CAN 144 A (UK 45)
Love’s Theme (Giorgio Moroder)
Casablanca CAN 144 B (UK 45)

Here he is performing “Hold on” from his album Dynamite

Sources:

  1. http://keithforsey.com/
  2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Forsey
  3. http://www.answers.com/topic/keith-forsey
  4. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:g9fexqy5ldse~T1
  5. http://www.technodelic.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Upload04/Spectrum.htm
  6. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0286850/
  7. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0286850/awards
  8. http://www.discogs.com/artist/Keith+Forsey
  9. http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id243.htm
  10. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:g9fexqy5ldse~1~T40B
  11. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:g9fexqy5ldse~2~T40B
  12. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:g9fexqy5ldse~3~T40B