Bruce Smith (musician)

Bruce Neal Smith (born 14 December 1960 in California) is an American musician best known as the drummer for post-punk band The Pop Group. He has also been a member of The Slits and the New Age Steppers and is currently performing with Public Image Ltd. He was raised and educated in Bristol, England and was once married to Neneh Cherry.

Bruce Smith
Background information
Birth nameBruce Neal Smith
Also known asMinty
Born (1960-12-14) 14 December 1960
California, United States of America
OriginBristol, England
GenresPost-punk, alternative rock
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Drums
Years active1977–present

Career

Smith helped co-found The Pop Group in 1977 and would play with them until they disbanded in 1981.[1] Smith was also part of the line-up when the band re-formed in 2010.[2][3]

While the Pop Group was still active, Smith also joined The Slits in 1979, replacing Budgie, and would play with them until they disbanded in 1981.[1]

After the Pop Group and the Slits, Smith teamed up with Adrian Sherwood and performed with the New Age Steppers and various other acts on Sherwood's On-U Sound Records label. He married Neneh Cherry, who was also involved with the New Age Steppers, during this period. Smith and Cherry then went on to form Rip Rig + Panic with former Pop Group guitarist Gareth Sager. This band performed from 1981-1983.[4][5]

In 1986 Smith joined PiL for the tour to support their Album release and became a permanent member of the band, playing on their next two studio albums Happy? and 9.[6] Smith left PiL in 1990 a few years before the band broke up. However, Smith re-joined the band when John Lydon reformed it in 2009.[7]

In addition to working with his regular bands, Smith has also done a lot of session work, recording with artists such as Sananda Maitreya, The The and Björk.[4][6][8][9]

Bruce Smith's father was the celebrated avant-garde artist Hassel Smith.[10]

Partial discography

The Pop Group

Rip Rig + Panic

Public Image Ltd

Others

References
  1. Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 757–758. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  2. Wilkinson, Peter (14 September 2010). "Review: Pop Group returns, raucous and defiant". CNN.
  3. "The Pop Group Reform — Bristol post-punk band announce gigs". Clash magazine. 10 July 2010.
  4. "Bruce Smith biography". On-U Sound Records.
  5. Bruce Smith at AllMusic
  6. "PiL Members". Public Image Ltd.
  7. Goldsmith, Belinda (9 September 2009). "Sex Pistol singer John Lydon to reform Public Image". Reuters.
  8. "PiL People Bios". Public Image Ltd.
  9. Chamberlain, Rich (19 December 2016). "PiL drummer Bruce Smith on 40 years of post-punk". MusicRadar. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  10. Gehr, Richard (7 November 2014). "The Oral History of the Pop Group: The Noisy Brits Who Were Too Punk for the Punks". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
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