Ray Cooper, also known as Chopper, is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist living in Sweden.
Initial musical collaborations and session work
Single Common Truth by Amazorblades
Cooper's first professional band (1975–1978) was Amazorblades[1] together with Rob Keyloch (engineer/producer/remixer[2]) and Ben Mandelson. They were a punk/jazz outfit who toured extensively and recorded the single "Common Truth" in 1977 for Chiswick Records.[3]
Between 1981 and 1982 Cooper played with the London-based band OK Jive,[4] who signed to CBS in 1981. In 1983, he played bass guitar and bugle with The Mighty Clouds of Dust on their single release Flowers on the Wall / Champion (The Wonder Horse) / Mr.Custer.[5]
In 1983, Cooper joined the World Music group 3 Mustaphas 3 where he played cello and sang under the name of Oussack Mustapha, alias The Nightingale of Szegerely. He recorded two albums with them for Globe Style Records. They also recorded a single with Agnes Bernelle produced by Phil Chevron and Elvis Costello. Cooper left the group in 1986. He performed in a reunion of six group members at the 30th Anniversary concert for fRoots magazine at the Roundhouse in London on 22 January 2010.[6]
Member of Oysterband
Ray Cooper performing with Oysterband in 2010
Cooper was a member of Oysterband between 1989 and 2013.[7]
