Bass player Ken Whaley, best known for being a member of Welsh rockers Man, has died at age 66 after a long illness.
Whaley was a member of Man for two years, from 1974 to 1975, during which they recorded one of their most renowned albums, Rhinos, Winos And Lunatics. The band’s most successful record, it was produced by Roy Thomas Baker (Queen) and peaked at No.24 in the UK chart. Whaley also played on Man’s Slow Motion full-length.
Whaley began his career in music in the late 1960s and helped found another revered Welsh band, Help Yourself, before leaving in 1972 to form pub-rockers Ducks Deluxe. He later rejoined Help Yourself, the band celebrating his comebackj by calling their next album The Return Of Ken Whaley.
In later years Whaley joined the Tyla Gang but eventually became disenchanted with the music business, working as a journalist on London’s Islington Gazette and Camden Journal newspapers.
For the last 10 years Whaley was in a band called Green Ray, playing music inspired by his love of Californian psych-rock bands such as Quicksilver Messenger Service.
His funeral takes place today (May 17) at Islington Crematorium.
-Classic Rock
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