Neil Lockwood

Vocals, Guitars, Keyboard

Neil Lockwood was born on 23rd February 1958 in Wales. He had no musical education and taught himself to play piano. His joined his first group in 1979 and they called themselves Element 98. Then he recorded his first solo single "Tell Tale Heart" in 1983 on Red Bus Records. As a member of Shine he recorded two singles with them. "Shadow Dancing" and "I Dream In Blue" for China Records. In 1986 he was guest vocalist on the album "Strange Land" by Box Of Frogs, and had worked with Jeff Glixman, singing on the first album by Jagged Edge. He was also involved with Elaine Paige and on Mica P aris' first album. He worked with Peter Bardens (of Camel) on the albums "Seen One Earth" and "Speed Of Light" and toured the USA with Mick Fleetwood / Peter Bardens in 1989. Neil also worked on a solo album "Thunderheart" with the help of Duncan Mackay (Ex 10 CC).

Through his work with Jeff Glixman, Neil was chosen as frontman for ELO Part II in 1990. Neil, who is a superb piano player and a fine singer was in fact taught to play the guitar by Pete Haycock when he joined ELO Part II. Due to his late arrival, he was only able to sing lead and backing vocals on the almost finished album "Part Two". On their live shows he played second guitar and piano on those songs when Eric fronted the band. He also mimed the bass on a TV show in Germany.

After his departure from ELO Part II in 1992, Neil took a well paid but probably boring job as a piano player in a bar in London, playing and singing such standards(!) as "Roll Over Beethoven, Leaving On A Jet Plane, Blackberry Way, Showdown, Purple Rain, Canīt Get It Out Of My Head, Flight Of The Bumble Bee and Mr. Blue Sky".

He guested ELO Part II on two 1993 shows on December 18th in Warsaw as a warm up for the following night in Birmingham, playing keyboards, because Louis had another concert date with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on the same night.

Neil had a hit in Germany with "Sarah", a ballad he had written for Mathou. He is currently concentrating on a solo career: "I have set up a studio at home and have locked myself in it."

Neil has been married to Sarah since 1985 and has no children.

Information compiled by Marc Haines, Patrik Guttenbacher and Alexander von Petersdorff.
Shortened excerpt taken from their book "Unexpected Messages"
(C) 1996 FACE THE MUSIC GERMANY.


last modified: 26.02.2000