Five Songs You Should Know Featuring Adrian Belew

Guitarist Adrian Belew is one of the most celebrated and versatile musicians in and beyond the rock idiom. The Kentucky native started out his musical endeavors as a drummer, moving to guitar in his teenage years. Largely-self-taught. Belew quickly developed a style that not only set him apart from his contemporaries, but soon made him one of the most in-demand players on the scene. His deep résumé includes work with Nine Inch Nails, Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Herbie Hancock, Joe Cocker, Jean Michel Jarre, Paul Simon and many others.

He’s also a producer and technological innovator, designing a guitar (the Parker Fly) and a multi-effects mobile app (FLUX). Belew’s current project is leading BEAT, a supergroup featuring Tony Levin, Steve Vai and Tool’s Danny Carey. Here are five great tracks that merely scratch the surface of the artistry of Adrian Belew.

“Boys Keep Swinging” by David Bowie from Lodger (1979)
After being discovered by Frank Zappa, Belew toured with the iconoclastic band leader and appeared on Zappa’s 1979 double LP Sheik Yerbouti. At the urging of pioneering musician Brian Eno, David Bowie invited Belew to leave Zappa’s employ and join his band. Belew played lead guitar on the tour documented on Bowie’s Stage LP, and handled the squealing, squalling and knotty leads on Bowie’s next studio release, Lodger. This angular cut is a highlight of that critically-acclaimed record.

“Frame by Frame” by King Crimson from Discipline (1981)
After a seven-year hiatus, Robert Fripp relaunched King Crimson in the 1980s. The group’s progressive music took a daring turn toward complex polyrhythms, but maintained a melodic sense thanks to Belew’s songwriting skills (Belew offset those pop vibes with guitar effects that sounded like charging elephants). Featuring the interlocking fretwork of Fripp and Belew (plus Levin on Chapman Stick and the great Bill Bruford on drums), “Frame by Frame” would be the breakout track from the new lineup’s debut.

“Fear is Never Boring” by The Bears from The Bears (1987)
Belew’s pop sensibilities have always coexisted with his progressive proclivities. His membership in The Bears underscores the former. Written by fellow Bears guitarist Rob Fetters, “Fear is Never Boring” features a catchy melody and sharp hooks, adding just enough proggy weirdness to keep the math rock enthusiasts happy. The Bears’ self-titled debut album would be a critical smash and a solid seller.

“Oh Daddy” by Adrian Belew from Mr. Music Head (1989)
Adrian Belew’s rich sense of humor has always figured into his music, even in the early days when he did Bob Dylan impressions onstage with Frank Zappa. On his fourth solo album Mr. Music Head, Belew was joined by daughter Audie – age 11 at the time – taking the lead vocal on this playful and amusing look at life from the perspective of a kid whose dad is a first-call guitarist to the stars. “Oh Daddy” was released as a single, and Belew created a wacky and hilarious music video for the track as well.

“Deadwing” by Porcupine Tree from Deadwing (2005)
Amidst much other activity, Belew found time to guest on Deadwing, the eighth studio album from progressive rock heroes Porcupine Tree. For that album, leader Steven Wilson – a first-class guitarist himself – brought in two of his favorite guitar players, giving each the space to solo on one of his songs. Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt played on the epic “Arriving Somewhere but Not Here,” and Belew provided masterful solos on “Halo” and the album’s title track.