Cedric Sharpley was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1952. He moved to the UK and settled in Hertfordshire during the 1960s. He formed progressive rock band Druid with bassist Neil Brewer, singer and guitarist Dane Stevens, and keyboardist Andrew McCrorie Shand. Druid released two albums on EMI: Toward The Sun (1975) and Fluid Druid (1976).
Druid disbanded in the mid-1970s. Cedric Sharpley joined Tubeway Army and played drums on Gary Numan’s “Cars.” He performed with Numan from 1979 to 1992. After Tubeway Army disbanded, Sharpley, synthesist Chris Payne, guitarist Russell Bell and keyboard-player Denis Haines, formed synthpop band Dramatis.
I read his obituary on another site, & no mention was made of Cedric’s time in Druid. Perhaps Druid’s existence is now viewed as an embarrassment to the Berlin era Bowie fashionistas.
Or perhaps they just didn’t know about it, Roger. If you think a group of albums over 40 year old are anything to forth fashion, it’s possible your sensibilities are a little bit out of date. x
As a former Gary Numan fan I always said that Cedric and the rest of the band were the backbone of project Numan and not so much Numan himself as he takes credit for. A lot of Numan’s ideas weren’t his own.
Sadly I only discovered that Ced had died 2 days ago? and I feel devastated. I knew Chris Payne Russell Bell Denis Haines and Ced Sharpley very well as Dramatis as we were on the same Record Label Rocket Records and they performed with me at The Pop Festival in Rotterdam in 1982. We were very close back then and I saw them before that backing Gary Numan and they were really exciting times for all of us x Johnny Warman x
I agree wholeheartedly with @mike’s comments and @johnny warman’s friendship with the Dramatis chaps was lovely to read.
When I think of the early 80s’ I always think of Cars and Cedric Sharpley. He always stood out to me. Been so many years since his passing and I feel awful I didn’t know. His star shines one.
Joey L., I just found out about about Cedric’s passing and am disturbed as well. Was a big fan of the GN band in late 70s – early 80s and actually saw them perform Cars on the old SNL TV show. Man, Cedric could rock that drum kit!
I just found this out now. Sorry to hear this. He seemed like a powerhouse of a drummer. Sad when anyone dies but especially when they are young.
He died in 2012 lads. What the hell were you doing all the time? LOLZ!
Great drummer. I am listening to The Pleasure Principle just now and the musicianship, in general, is high quality. The guy who suggested that Numan was taking credit for ideas that he wasn’t responsible for. I find that REALLY hard to believe.
Gary Numan – A young 21 year old self confessed non musician going from nothing to super stardom in an incredible short space of time is astonishing even by today’s standards.
The quickest catapult to fame since the Beatles.
Just dropping by to say we are listening to Cedric right now! keep those angels in time up there man!
Gary Numan along with Rik Mayall was involved in a project which was grooming young people for furture roles in music and entertainment. Kate Bush may also have been participant. This wasn’t a Fame style school,it was more leaning towards the Frankfurt/Marxist school. All these people have their careers engineered and mapped out for them,Just like the Beatles had. Anyone wanting to know more about what really goes on in the rock music world may want to watch Sage Of Quay,the late Dave McGowan or Mark Devlin.
@Leeds Mick I’m glad someone else knows the truth. I’ve heard from a reliable friend within the music industry that Numan’s songs in the early years was written for him and the music was composed by studio musicians not by him at all. Of course he took the credit for it all. I was shocked at this and went back to listen to his 1978 – 1983 albums and all the time was thinking that this man wasn’t or isn’t the genius he was made out to be. A kick in the teeth but it all makes sense now.