Paul Gene Whaley (January 14, 1947 – January 28, 2019) was an American drummer best known as the drummer for rock band
Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer was an American rock band that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was sporadically active until 2009. Based in San Francisco, Blue Cheer played in a psychedelic blues rock or acid rock style, and ...
. He was the son of country music singer Paul Edward Whaley. He grew up in the towns of Vallejo and Winters, California. He played drums with a Davis, California band called
the Oxford Circle. Whaley is credited on the Oxford Circle album ''Live at the Avalon 1966''. When he left the Oxford Circle to join Blue Cheer in 1967, the former band dissolved. He was the longest-standing member in Blue Cheer following Peterson's death at age 63. Whaley died of
heart failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...
on January 28, 2019, two weeks after his 72nd birthday.
Discography
With Oxford Circle
Singles
*"Foolish Woman/Mind Destruction" (World United 002, January 1966)
Albums
* "Nuggets from California: Live at the Avalon" 1966 (Big Beat, 1997)
With Blue Cheer
Singles
*"Summertime Blues" b/w "Out Of Focus" (From the album Vincebus Eruptum)
*"Just a Little Bit" b/w "Gypsy Ball" (From the album Vincebus Eruptum)
*"Feathers From Your Tree" b/w "Sun Cycle" (From the album Outsideinside)
*"The Hunter" b/w "Come And Get It" (From the album Outsideinside)
Albums
*''
Vincebus Eruptum
''Vincebus Eruptum'' (; pseudo-Latin) is the debut album of American rock band Blue Cheer. Released on January 16, 1968, the album features a heavy-thunderous blues sound, which would later be known as heavy metal.
A commercial and critical su ...
'' (1968)
*''
Outsideinside
''Outsideinside'' is the second album by American power trio Blue Cheer. Philips Records released the album in August 1968, only seven months after their debut LP, ''Vincebus Eruptum''.
The album was recorded both outdoors and indoors—hence the ...
'' (1968)
*''
New! Improved!
''New! Improved!'' is the third album by American rock group Blue Cheer. Released in March 1969 by Philips Records, it is their first without original guitarist Leigh Stephens. The album features songs recorded by two different group lineups: in ...
'' (1969)
*''
The Beast Is Back
''The Beast Is Back'' is the seventh album by a newly reformed Blue Cheer, 13 years after their previous album, ''Oh! Pleasant Hope'' (1971). It contains re-recorded versions of some of the band's most popular songs from their late-1960s heyday a ...
'' (1984)
*''
Highlights and Lowlives
''Highlights and Lowlives'' is the eighth studio album by American rock band Blue Cheer, released in 1990 and produced by Jack Endino. The bonus track Blues Cadillac is on some versions/releases and can be hidden on some of the CDs.
Track listi ...
'' (1990)
*''
Dining with the Sharks
''Dining With the Sharks'' is the ninth studio album by American rock band Blue Cheer. It features a cover of Jimi Hendrix's classic "Foxy Lady".
Track listing
#"Big Noise" (Bruce Stephens, John Rewind, Dickie Peterson) – 4:51
#"Outrider" ( ...
'' (1991)
*''
What Doesn't Kill You...'' (2007)
*''7 (Finish in 1979)'' (2012; ShroomAngel Records)
*''The '67 Demos'' (Demo, 2018; BeatRocket)
Live
*''
Blitzkrieg Over Nüremberg
''Blitzkrieg Over Nüremberg'' is the first live album by American blues-rock band Blue Cheer. It features a cover of Jimi Hendrix's classic " Red House".
Track listing
# "Babylon" (Dickie Peterson)/"Girl Next Door" (Tony Rainier) – 9:20
# ...
'' (1989; Thunderbolt/Nibelung Records)
*''Live & Unreleased, Vol. 1: '68/'74'' (1996;
Captain Trip Records
Captain Trip Records is a Japanese music label founded and run by musician Ken Matsutani. The label specializes in experimental music and various subgenres of rock, particularly psychedelic rock and progressive rock. In addition to the publication ...
)
*''Live & Unreleased, Vol. 2: Live at San Jose Civic Centre, 1968 & More'' (1998; Captain Trip Records)
*''Hello Tokyo, Bye Bye Osaka – Live in Japan 1999'' (1999)
*''Rocks Europe'' CD/DVD, 2009; Rainman/Captain Trip Records)
*''Live at Anti WAA Festival 1989'' CD/DVD, (2014; Nibelung Records)
*''Party Hard at the Underground Cologne'' (online only, 2017; Nibelung Records)
*''Three Giants, One Tour - Live in Germany in 1992'' (online only, 2022; Nibelung Records)
*''Live Bootleg: London – Hamburg'' (bootleg/unofficial, 2005; Rockview Records)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whaley, Paul
1947 births
2019 deaths
Blue Cheer members
American rock drummers