Pierre Moerlen
Pierre Moerlen (23 October 1952, Colmar, Haut-Rhin – 3 May 2005, Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, near Strasbourg) was a French drummer and percussionist, best known for his work with Gong and Mike Oldfield and as Pierre Moerlen's Gong.
Biography
Pierre Moerlen was born in Colmar (Haut-Rhin) on 23 October 1952, third of five children. His father Maurice Moerlen was a famous organist (one of his teachers was Maurice Duruflé) and his mother was a music teacher. All five Moerlen children learned music with their parents and all became musicians. Pierre's younger brother, Benoît Moerlen, is also a percussionist (he worked also with Gong and Oldfield).
Pierre left Colmar for Strasbourg to learn percussions with Jean Batigne, founder of Les Percussions de Strasbourg. He was also member of two rock and rock-jazz bands, including Hasm Congélateur (with included future Magma guitarist Gabriel Federow), whose most notable performance was the opening slot at the Seloncourt Festival in September 1972, headlined by Ange, Genesis and Robert Wyatt's Matching Mole.
Podcasts:
Pierre Moerlen
ALBUMS
- Family Jewels released: 1998
Born: 1952-10-23
Died: 2005-05-03
