Born Brian Wilfred Greenwood in Cumbria, UK , Brian “Chico” Greenwood is credited on many albums of the period, including those from acts such as Trifle, JODO,The Meteors, Moonrider, Jasper, Ace, Nicky James, The Electric Banana, J J & the Flyers and Phil May & The Fallen Angels.
Sadly Chico passed away in October 2023, it was a quiet affair with just family. He died in North Devon where he had been living since 1993.
A eulogy from bandmate Dick Cuthell for Chico, who died last year:
When drummer Robbie Ryan left Trifle in 1970, Paul Griffiths put an ad in Melody Maker for a new drummer. Chico answered the advert and auditioned with us and got the job.
Chico, a Cumberland man; as are my roots, was the most easy-going of chaps. He had a great sense of humour and a love of drumming…and music, of course.
That line-up of Trifle which recorded ‘First Meeting’ was a corker!
I recently listened to Alan Fealdman’s ‘Is it Loud?’ which played randomly as I first started writing this piece….a long piece of music; which would often be skipped because of it’s length. I listened to the end of the track, and Chico’s playing is IT!
‘Devil Comin” is also notable for Cheec’s playing his drum kit with marraccas, which would often explode spewing seeds and fragmented wood all over his kit. But he had ad arsenal of them and would change weapons mid-beat.
Chico came to jam with me in the early eighties, at Island Records rehearsal room. I had written some rhythms, and Anthony ‘Wims’ Wimshurst was playing guitar with me on bass. It was lovely. Chico shortly joined a band and sadly we weren’t able to continue my project together.
Lasting memory? Of Chico leaning against a bar, with a fag and a pint and perfectly at home!
‘Big Love Marra!’ Dick Cuthell.
