Adrian Baker


Adrian Baker is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer.

Career

Baker made his debut as a singer on Magnet Records/Epic Records in the United Kingdom. In 1975, he released his first solo album, Into a Dream. From that album, he had one hit with "Sherry" a cover of the Four Seasons hit on the UK Singles Chart reaching No. 10 in July 1975, and performed several times on the BBC Television's Top of the Pops programme. As a record producer, Baker is known for his dance hit productions with the group Liquid Gold.
He twice attempted to write the UK's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, reaching the A Song For Europe final in both 1979 and 1981. His first finalist song, "Miss Caroline Newley", performed by the band M Squad finished 11th of the 12 in 1979. But in 1981, his song "Don't Panic", performed by Liquid Gold, finished in second place and had the rare distinction of being a losing song from the A Song For Europe contest to make the UK Singles Chart, reaching No. 42.
Baker, with his band Gidea Park, recorded a version of the Beach Boys "California Girls" for the James Bond film, A View to a Kill. It was featured in the opening sequence with Bond snowboarding. It has been suggested that this teaser sequence helped initiate interest in snowboarding.
In the United States, he is best known for being the falsetto voice for the touring Beach Boys band from 1981 to 1982, 1990 to 1993, and 1998 to 2004. Baker was also a member of The Four Seasons with Frankie Valli from 1994 to 1995. In 2006, Baker released his sixth solo album, Runaway Tracks.
On 19 March 2011, Baker was presented with the Key to the City of Hickory, North Carolina, United States, for his efforts raising money for education. Baker was Honorary Chairman of the Hickory Rotary Club's Rotarian Idol Education Scholarship competition for the second consecutive year. He is currently touring with the band Papa Doo Run Run.

Tenure

  • The Pebbles – 1969–1971
  • Playground – 1972–1975
  • Adrian Baker Band – 1975–1980
  • Gidea Park – 1981–1989
  • The Beach Boys – 1981–1982
  • The Beach Boys – 1990–1993
  • Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons – 1994–1995
  • The Beach Boys – 1998–2004
  • Papa Doo Run Run – 2004–present
  • Baker Street – present

    Discography

Albums

  • Into a Dream MAG 5009 · 1975
  • Gidea Park POLP 102 · November 1981
  • ABCD AKB-1 · 1991
  • Everyone Needs Someone at Xmas ABP 101 · 2003
  • Surfer's Paradise ABP 102 · 2004
  • The Christmas Song EP ABP 101-B · 2005
  • Runaway Tracks ABP 111 · 2006
  • California Girls ABP 300 · 2010
  • Gold Medleys ABP 301 · 2011
  • Summer of Gold ABP 302 · 2013

    Singles

  • "Sherry" / "I Was Only Fooling" · Magnet Records · July 1975
  • "Candy Baby" / "Dance To It" · Magnet Records · 1975
  • "White Christmas" / "Leave Me Alone" · Magnet Records · · December 1975
  • "Don't Do It" / "So You Think You've Got It Made" · Magnet Records · 9 April 1976
  • "Why Haven't I Heard From You" / "Vibrations" · Magnet Records · 22 October 1976
  • "Adrian Baker E.P." "Work, Work, Work" "Marlena" B-Side "Look for a Miracle" · Magnet Records 117 · 1978
  • "I'll Keep You Satisfied" / "Feel Like Dancing" · MCA · 1978
  • "Beach Boy Gold" / "Lady Be Good" · Stone · · 1978 - AUS No. 49
  • "The Boogie Romance" / "From Me To You" · Ariola 1979
  • "California Gold" / "Summer Girls" · Polo Records · August 1980
  • "High Time" / "High Time" · Polo Records · April 1981
  • "Beach Boy Gold" / "Lady Be Good" · Stone 2162. · July 1981
  • "Don't Worry Baby" / "Happy Birthday Brian Wilson" · Polo Records · August 1981
  • "Seasons of Gold" / "Lolita" · Polo Records · September 1981
  • "California Gold" / "Summer Girls" · Polo Records · · 1982
  • "Lightning Strikes" / "Baby Come Back" · Polo Records · · January 1982 - AUS No. 82
  • "Beach Boy Gold Part II" / "Summer Girls" · Polo Records · · July 1982
  • "Summertime City" / "American Girls" Mayfair Records · 1984
  • "I Get Around" / "Lazin' On The Beach" / "Stay Healthy" · Polo Records · · 1985
  • "Sherry" / "Stay Healthy" · ABP Records · 2006
  • "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" · ABP Records · 2007
  • "God Only Knows" · ABP Records · 2008
  • "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" / "The Christmas Song" · ABP Records · 2008
  • "Missing Kissing You" / "Cherie" · ABP Records · 2009
  • "Jingle Bells" · ABP Records · 2010
  • "Jingle Bell Rock" · ABP Records · 2010
  • "Christmas Party Time" · ABP Records · 2011
  • "Poltergeist" · ABP Records · 2014
  • "Thriller" · ABP Records · 2017
  • "My Christmas Wish" · ABP Records · 2017
  • "Over The Top In Love" · ABP Records · 2020

    Other credits

  • Mike & Dean – Christmas Party · 1983
  • Elton John – Reg Strikes Back · 1988 "Since God Invented Girls"
  • Various artists · Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin · 1991 "Crocodile Rock"
  • The Beach Boys · Summer in Paradise · 1992
  • Salute to NASCAR · 1998
  • Papa Doo Run Run · 40th Anniversary DVD BRP 2601 · 2006
  • Papa Doo Run Run · Soundtrack + 6 BRP 20071 · 2007
  • Chris Farmer · California Dreamin CFM 101 · 2008
  • Papa Doo Run Run · Greenifornia BRP · 2008
  • Adrian Baker with Baker Street and Friends · Biggest Little Christmas ABP/BKS 0001 · 2009
  • The Beach Boys – ''That's Why God Made the Radio''

    Chart information

Solo releases

  • "Sherry" · No. 10 UK; on the chart for eight weeks · 1975
  • "Beach Boy Gold" · No. 11 UK; on chart for 13 weeks · 1981
  • "Seasons of Gold" · No. 28 UK; on chart for six weeks · 1981 · #82 on Billboard Hot 100

    With Liquid Gold

All songs produced, arranged, written, and engineered by Adrian Baker
  • "Anyway You Do It" · No. 41 UK; on the chart for seven weeks · 1978
  • "My Baby's Baby" · No. 45 US; on the chart for six weeks · 1978
  • "Dance Yourself Dizzy" · No. 2 UK; on chart for 14 weeks · 1980
  • "Substitute" · No. 8 UK; on chart for nine weeks · 1980
  • "The Night, The Wine and The Roses" · No. 32 UK; on chart for seven weeks · 1980
  • Liquid Gold · No. 34 UK; on the chart for three weeks · 1980
  • "Don't Panic" · No. 42 UK; on the chart for five weeks · 1981