Marty Simon


Marty Simon is a Canadian drummer, composer and music director. In the 1970s, Simon was part of Mylon LeFevre's Holy Smoke Band and later formed the rock band Sharks in London with Andy Fraser and Chris Spedding. His songwriting credits include works with Celine Dion, Wilson Pickett, and Rick Ross. Simon has collaborated with artists such as Brian Eno, Leslie West, and Serge Gainsbourg. As a film and TV composer, he is best known for scoring the sci-fi TV series Lexx, contributing to 65 episodes.

Early life and education

Simon was born in Montreal, Quebec, to Arthur and Miriam Simon, who were originally from Winnipeg. His musical talent emerged at age 5 when he played the piano by ear.
In the mid-1960s, Simon played in local bands influenced by The Beatles. He attended Concordia University in 1966, where he met drummer Corky Laing. Simon's first studio experience came in 1967 with his band The Scene, which recorded "Scenes " for B.T. Puppy Records. In 1968, after dropping out of Concordia University, Simon studied piano and percussion at McGill University's Faculty of Music. In 1969, he formed the band LIFE, which gained regional success with the hit Hands of the Clock for Polydor Records.

Career

In the 1970s, Simon had a progressive music career, starting with his involvement in New York City with Mountain's management firm and joining Mylon LeFevre's "Holy Smoke" band in Atlanta. He toured with Mylon and opened for bands like The Who, Ten Years After, and Traffic. Simon contributed to projects such as Mylon's albums Holy Smoke and Over the Influence. He later formed Sharks in London with Andy Fraser, recording albums and touring Europe, and worked with several artists there, including Brian Eno on Here Come the Warm Jets.
Simon continued collaborating with artists, including The Leslie West Band, Michel Pagliaro, and Wilson Pickett. He co-wrote the disco hit " Get Dancin by The Bombers in the late 1970s.
He is the founder of MRD-Music Revenue Data Inc., a global royalty management service, and Powerscore Music, a tech-reporting subsidiary.

Discography (selected)