Damian Wilson

Damian began recording music in 1991 with the band Landmarq. He featured on their debut album,  "Solitary Witness" which was released in 1992, followed by a second album, "Infinity Parade" (1993) and "The Vision Pit" (1995).

Damian sang on English prog metal band Threshold's debut album "Wounded Land" (1993). In 1996, Damain joined up with Threshold again to record their third album "Extinct Instinct". Another successful European tour followed, after which Damain left the group. During that time Iron Maiden approached Damian to audition and considered him as a replacement for the departing Bruce Dickinson.

In 1997, Damain's first solo album "Cosmas" was released. This album was a departure from the Heavy/Progressive rock sound to which his fans had become accustomed.

In 1998, Damain was one of the lead vocalists on Arjen Lucassen's Ayreon album Into the Electric Castle.

From 1998 to 2000 he played the lead role of Jean Valjean in Sir Cameron Mackintosh's touring production of Les Misérables. He was asked to audition for the role after he tripped over the dog owned by an actor who knew his work, while running along the Thames.

After the Les Misérables tour, Damain sang on the next three Ayreon albums The Dream Sequencer, Flight of the Migrator and Ayreonauts Only. His collaboration with Arjen Lucassen resulted in three more Star One albums; Space Metal (2002), Live on Earth (2003) and Victims of the Modern Age (2010). In 2000 and 2001, Damain toured Europe and South America with Rick Wakeman as part of the English Rock Ensemble. This resulted in a Live DVD and an album Out There.

After the tour with Rick Wakeman, Damian Wilson released his second solo album "Disciple" (2001) which was partially recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London. The recording session at Abbey Road was filmed and broadcast by the BBC.

Damian toured his solo material with a full band under the name, Damian Wilson Band. A second tour was planned, but Damian was hospitalized and the tour was cancelled. A studio session recording of the rehearsals for the tour was released on CD in 2002, "Live in Rehearsal". In 2003 Damian Wilson 's third official album "Let’s Start A Commune" was released.

Together with Adam Wakeman Damian formed the Progressive metal band Headspace. Mainly to keep in contact with each other between their busy touring schedules. An EP "I Am" was released in 2007 and they supported Ozzy Osbourne on his Black Rain tour in 2007.

Just before the start of their Dead Reckoning tour, Threshold singer Andrew McDermott left the band. Having only a few days to learn the new Threshold material, Damian stepped in as lead vocalist for the tour. Reinstated as lead vocalist, for the first time since 1997, Damian Wilson continued to tour with the band.

In 2009 he toured Europe with his Damian Wilson Band. This time he performed songs from the bands and projects he had been involved in as well as solo material. The tour was filmed and released in 2011 as 3DVD set including a live concert and tour documentary "Cheers Lads; 20 Years Of Avoiding A Job".

Within Temptation guitarist Ruud Jolie, who also played guitar during the 2009 DWB tour, asked Damian to sing for his side project Maiden uniteD’; a collective of musicians that play rearranged acoustic version of Iron Maiden tracks. Damian Wilson and Anneke van Giersbergen sang on their first album Mind The Acoustic Pieces (2010). After a small club tour the project takes off and Damian Wilson played venues and big festivals in Europe. He recorded two more albums with the project "Across The Seventh Sea" (2012) and "Remembrance" (2015).

Damian Wilson also released a 31-track retrospective double album, "I Thought The World Was Listening 1997–2011". This album featured remastered tracks from throughout Damian Wilson's solo career, re-recorded versions of songs and previously unreleased new material. The release of this album also marked the return to the stage as a solo artist.

Damian has been playing select solo shows, mainly acoustic, through Europe since 2011.

Damian Wilson's solo album "Cosmas" was re-released as a remastered edition in 2012. On the last of a series of solo shows he played the album in its entirety.

Headspace signed a three-record deal with Inside Out Music and their debut album I Am Anonymous  was released in 2012. It is a concept album in which Damian Wilson's lyrics are directed the listener. "This is about you and your relationship with humanity, ultimately the battles fought within the mind from child to man. Through Kubler Ross' model of impending death, with reference to war, the turmoil leads us to peace and acceptance... only then to swing straight back round to chaos". A second album was released in 2016; "All That You Fear Is Gone".

2012 was also the year in which Threshold released its first album since 1996 with Damian Wilson as lead vocalist, March Of Progress, followed by a European club and festival tour. A second album, For The Journey, followed in 2014.

The following tour was recorded and released as double live album European Journey in 2015. Threshold and Damian Wilson parted ways in 2017.

In October 2015, he announced two new albums for 2016. "Weir Keeper's Tale" an acoustic album with Adam Wakeman, which was released in January 2016, and a new solo album, his first in over a decade. "I've never stopped writing songs so I have accumulated a lot since my last solo album. In June we have started recording in Dublin with some amazing musicians from all over Europe. We’re happy to say that we’ve come a long way these last couple of months and the album is taking shape. I believe we’re creating something worthy of your expectations. The songs reflect on how our personal relationships are relevant to the bigger picture, even on a world level", he stated.

The new album "Built for Fighting" was released September 9, 2016. The album contains 11 new original songs and a cover of Depeche Mode's "Somebody" "Built for Fighting" was mixed and mastered in Sweden by the Fascination Street duo Jens Bogren and Tony Lindgren, who have worked with acts such as Opeth, Devin Townsend and Headspace.

The track "Thrill Me" was released as a single on August 9, and made the BBC Radio 2 playlist. On August 4, 2017, a new version of the song "Impossible" was released. The track was remixed by Dave Bascombe.

The second album with Adam Wakeman, accompanied with a 22-date acoustic tour, was released in February 2018; "The Sun Will Dance in Its Twilight Hour". After the tour they went into the studio for one day and tried to capture the onstage chemistry. They recorded everything and released it as a session album "Stripped" in January 2019.

Damian released a five-track EP on his 50th birthday, October 11, 2019. The EP "Thank You" was a return to a more classical approach of recording, just with piano and string orchestra. It was announced on July 14, 2020 that Damian Wilson had joined the band Arena, following the departure of their previous singer Paul Manzi, who left to join The Sweet.

In 2021, Damian released the album "Limehouse to Lechlade". The album, produced by Andrew Holdsworth, is Damian's first full-length solo album since 2016's "Built For Fighting".

It contains 13 original songs. Known for his exploration into different genres, the songs on the album range from Folk-rock to Power pop, with the occasional Floydian guitar solo. The title, "Limehouse to Lechlade", refers to the navigable length of the River Thames heading upstream from central London to the Cotswolds.

Damian loved his many years living on river boats and traveling the River Thames is particularly special to him. The album has an underlying concept throughout that represents our journey through life.

The album is mastered by Tony Lindgren (Billie Eilish, Opeth, Katatonia) and features a wide range of musicians, 17 in total, including Alex Reeves (Elbow), Lee Pomeroy (ELO), Michael Buckley (Glen Hansard) and Chris Hill ( Jamie Cullum).

"Limehouse to Lechlade" was recorded during one of the most challenging periods for the music industry. Damian believes that music is about connecting with people, and after this period of separation from each other he is looking forward to reconnecting with his audience on the road.

"Can We Leave The Light On Longer?" was released in 2024, the 4th album with Adam Wakeman, the 3th full langth album. The album, containing 10 new songs, features Damian on vocals and acoustic guitar and Adam on piano, vocals, Hammond organ, acoustic & electric guitars, bass and percussion. Additional drums and trumpet are provided by Pete Riley and George Hogg and there's an 18-voices choir.

In line with, perhaps even more than on, their previous albums the songs have a very personal depth and meaning to Adam and Damian. Adam thinks this will come across to the listeners.

Cosmas - (1997) Remastered version released in 2012

Disciple - (2001)

Live in Rehearsal - (2002) studio session

Let's Start a Commune - (2003)

20 Years of Avoiding a Job - (2011) dvd

Built for Fighting - (2016)

Thank You (The Holdsworth Sessions) - (2019) ep

Limehouse to Lechlade – (2021)

Wounded Land - (1993)

Extinct Instinct – (1997)

Paradox – (2009) single box set

March of Progress – (2012)

For the Journey – (2014)

European Journey – (2015) live

Weir Keeper's Tale (2016)

The Sun Will Dance In Its Twilight Hour (2018)

Stripped (2019)

Can We leave The Light On Longer? (2024)

Ayreon - Into the Electric Castle - (1998)

Ayreon - Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer – (2000) Lead vocals on "And the Druids Turned to Stone"

Ayreon - Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator – (2000) Backing vocals on "Dawn of a Million Souls"

Ayreon - Ayreonauts Only – (2000) Lead vocals on "Into the Black Hole"

Star One - Space Metal – (2002)

 

Star One - Live on Earth – (2003)

Stream of Passion - Live in the Real World – (2006)

Star One - Victims of the Modern Age – (2010)

Ayreon Universe – The Best of Ayreon Live - (2018)

Ayreon - Electric Castle Live and Other Tales - (2020)

Star One – Revel in Time (on "Bridge of Life") – 2022

Out Of The Blue – (2001) live

Live in Buenos Aires - (2001) dvd

Out There - The movie - (2003)

After Forever - Mea Culpa - (2006)

After Forever- Emphasis (Single) – (2001) (Lead vocals on "Imperfect Tenses" & "Who Wants to Live Forever")

Aina - Days of Rising Doom – (2003) (Vocals on "Revelations")

Alarion - Waves of Destruction – (2016) (Lead & backing vocals on “Chains of the Collective”, “Waves of Destruction - II - Struggle for Survival”, “Colourblind”, “The Whistleblower - I – Devastation”, “The Whistleblower - II - Vindication”, narration on: “Waves of Destruction - I - Rising Tide”, “The Whistleblower - II - Vindication”)

Archangel - The Akallabeth - (2009)

Archangel - Tales of Love and Blood - (2013)

Casual Silence - Lost In Life – (2007) (Guest Vocals)

Clive Nolan - Alchemy - (2013)

Computer Mind - The Aspie Project - (2014)

Dave Bainbridge - Celestial Fire - (2014)

Ex Libris - Medea (Song of Discord) - (2014)

Ruud Jolie For All We Know – For All We Know - (2011)

Fughu - Human (The Facts) - (2013) (as Mr. Tloth)

Galexia – Recidivate – (2008) (Single)

Gary Hughes - Once & Future King Part 1 - (2003) (Lead vocals on "Excalibur")

Guy Fletcher – Inamorata – (2008) (Backing Vocals)

 

Jeronimo Road - Live at the Orange - (2006)

LaSalle – LaSalle – (1993)

Micha Calvin - Evolution 2 - (1995) (Backing vocals)

Mostly Autumn - Passengers – (2003) (Backing vocals)

Peter Gee - East Of Eden - (2011)

Port Mahadia – Echoes in Time- (2007)

Resource - More Than a Feeling – (2006) (Single)

Revealing Songs of Yes -(2001) (Lead vocals on "Going For the One" & "And You & I")

Seti - Discoveries - (2010)

Shadowkeep- A Chaos Theory – (2002) (Backing vocals)

Shadowland - Mad as a Hatter – (1996) (Backing vocals on "Salvation Comes")

Shadrane – Neurastasia - (2004)

Tales from Yesterday - w/Jeronimo Road - (1995) (Lead vocals on the "Starship Trooper")

Thomas Zwijsen - Perferct Storm (Nylonized Album) - (2014)

Unwritten Pages – Part 1. Noah - (2010)

Wicked Sensation- Reflected – (2002) (Backing vocals on "You're the Answer", "Stand Tall", "Highspeed Chase", "The Preacher", "Night on Fire", "Caught in a Fantasy", "Let it Ride", and "Joker in the Pack")