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Wikipedia / Jerry Mercer

Gerald Mercer (born April 27, 1939) is a Canadian drummer, best known for his work with the rock groups Mashmakhan, April Wine as well as Offenbach.

Personal life

Mercer was born in Dominion of Newfoundland. Prior to becoming a full-time musician, Mercer worked both as a cattle farmer and as an IBM computer programmer.

Career

Mercer's start in the music industry was as a singer, but quickly moved to drums while still a teenager. He played several different styles in his early years, including Latin and jazz, Jerry Mercer was the drummer for Trevor Payne and The Soul Brothers in the early 1960s in Montreal. With the departure of Trevor Payne the group became known as The Triangle, who later changed their name to Mashmakhan upon obtaining a record deal in Toronto. Mercer's work can be heard on the band's most successful single "As the Years Go By". As part of Mashmakhan, Mercer played on the Festival Express tour and was interviewed for the 2003 documentary.

Following Mashmakhan's dissolution in the early 1970s, Mercer played for Roy Buchanan, and then The Wackers, before joining April Wine, who were in the process of changing their line-up following the departure of two founding members in 1973. His first public performance with the band was as an opening slot for T. Rex and Three Dog Night at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium. Shortly thereafter, he completed his first album with the band, Electric Jewels, which contained the hit "Weeping Widow". Mercer remained with the band consistently since joining, and played on all their subsequent albums and tours. In November 2008, he stated that he was retiring at the end of the year. He was replaced by Blair Mackay in January 2009. In May 2010, Mercer became the first Canadian to receive a Legends Award at the 10th annual Cape Breton International Drum Festival.

In his live shows, Mercer was known for lengthy drum solos (often during April Wine's cover of King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man") which frequently include a strobe light show.

In addition to performing, Mercer was also involved in manufacturing drums with a company he co-founded with Bill Hibbs called Monolith Drums. Briefly assuming the brand name "Solstice Drums", now back to Monolith and about to celebrate 20 years of drum making. Mercer is no longer involved with Monolith Drums.

At the end of 1980, Mercer played briefly with Offenbach, a French-Canadian blues-rock outfit. He played on the band's 1980 album Offenbach Live à Montreux.

Discography

Le Triangle

Trio formed by Pierre Senecal on organ, Rayburn Blake on guitar and Jerry Mercer on drums who would later form Mashmakhan.

  1. Single :

  2. 1969 : 2 Miroirs/Les Montagnes Russes

Mashmakhan

  • 1970 : Mashmakhan

  • 1971 : The Family

April Wine

  1. Studio albums :

  2. Electric Jewels (1973), Aquarius Records

  3. Stand Back (1975), Aquarius Records

  4. The Whole World's Goin' Crazy (1976), Aquarius Records

  5. Forever for Now (1977), Aquarius Records

  6. First Glance (1978), Aquarius Records

  7. Harder ... Faster (1979), Aquarius Records

  8. The Nature of the Beast (1981), Aquarius Records, Capitol Records

  9. Power Play (1982), Aquarius Records, Capitol Records

  10. Animal Grace (1984), Capitol Records

  11. Walking Through Fire (1986), Aquarius Records, Capitol Records

  12. Attitude (1993), Flood Ross Entertainment

  13. Frigate (1994), Flood Ross Entertainment

  14. Back to the Mansion (2001), Civilian Records

  15. Roughly Speaking (2006), Universal Music Canada

  16. Live albums :

  17. April Wine Live (1974), Aquarius Records

  18. Live at the El Mocambo (1977), Aquarius Records

  19. In Concert (1980), BBC Transcription Services

  20. Live in London, on VHS (1981), Picture Music

  21. Live From Central Park, split with Saga (1982), Telemedia Communications, TBS Syndications

  22. Live From Central Park, split with Eddie Money (1982), Telemedia Communications

  23. One For The Road (1985), Aquarius Records

  24. From the Front Row ... Live! (2004), Silverline

  25. Live in London (2009), Cherry Red Records

  26. Compilation albums :

  27. Greatest Hits (1979), Aquarius Records

  28. The Best of April Wine Rock Ballads (1981), Aquarius Records

  29. King Biscuit Flower Hour, split with Michael Stanley Band (1981), DIR Broadcasting

  30. King Biscuit Flower Hour, split with John Waite (1983), DIR Broadcasting

  31. All the Rockers (1987), Aquarius Records

  32. The Hits (1987), Aquarius Records

  33. The First Decade (1989), Aquarius Records

  34. Oowatanite (1990), Aquarius Records

  35. Rock Ballads (1990), Aquarius Records

  36. The April Wine Collection (1991), Aquarius Records

  37. Champions of Rock (1996), Disky

  38. Back to Back Hits split with Great White (1996), CEMA Special Markets

  39. King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents...April Wine (1999), DIR Broadcasting

  40. Rock Champions (2000), EMI

  41. Classic Masters (2002), Capitol Records

  42. Best of April Wine (2003), Aquarius Records

  43. Greatest Hits Live 2003 (2003), Civilian Records

  44. April Wine Rocks! (2006), Aquarius Records

  45. Animal Grace / Walking Through Fire (2009), BGO Records

  46. First Glance / Harder... Faster (2007), BGO Records

  47. The Hard & Heavy Collection (2009), Micro Werks

  48. The Best of April Wine Rock Ballads (2009), Aquarius Records

  49. The Nature of the Beast / Power Play (2012), BGO Records (re-released 2020)

  50. Classic Album Set (2016), Caroline Records

Offenbach

  • 1980 : Offenbach Live à Montreux

Buzz Band

  • 1980 : Buzz Band

Collaborations

  • 1972 : Shredder by The Wackers

  • 1973 : Second Album by Roy Buchanan

Health

In 1997, Mercer was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but finished treatment for it the following year.

See also

References