Roll You Over b/w By the River

Marty Simon (born, Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian drummer, songwriter, producer, and film/television composer whose career bridges the worlds of classic rock, international pop, and screen music.

Raised in Montreal, Simon displayed early musical talent, playing piano by ear before pursuing formal studies at McGill University’s Faculty of Music. By the mid-1960s he was immersed in the city’s vibrant scene, leading the band The Scene, which cut the single “Scenes (From Another World)” for B.T. Puppy Records in 1967. A few years later he fronted the Canadian rock group Life, scoring a national Top 20 hit with “Hands of the Clock” in 1969 and releasing a striking cover of “Strawberry Fields Forever.”

Like many ambitious Canadian musicians of the era, Simon set his sights overseas. He moved to London in the early 1970s, where he co-founded Sharks with Andy Fraser, formerly of Free, and guitarist Chris Spedding. Their two albums for Island Records positioned Simon in the thick of Britain’s hard rock scene. Around the same time he also played with Mylon LeFevre’s Holy Smoke Band and contributed drums and percussion to Brian Eno’s landmark debut, Here Come the Warm Jets in 1974. His reputation as a versatile drummer opened doors to sessions with Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, and Jimi Hendrix, encounters that underscored his adaptability across genres.

Returning to Canada, Simon extended his skills behind the console. He produced records for Atlantic and EMI, worked closely with Quebec labels, and established himself as a reliable arranger and music director, winning two Anik Awards and four Félix Awards. As a songwriter he co-penned material for Céline Dion, including the breakthrough “Des Mots Qui Sonnent,” as well as songs for Wilson Pickett and Julien Clerc, and disco and pop tracks such as the Bombers’ club anthem “Everybody Get Dancin’.”

From the late 1980s onward, Simon moved into composing for screen. His credits span dozens of productions, among them L’île des pirates disparus in 1989, New York, alerte à la peste in 1992, and Life with Billy in 1993. He earned Gemini Award nominations for Les anges de la ville in 1993 and, most famously, for his bold, futuristic score to the sci-fi series Lexx, which ran from 1997 to 2002 and featured his music across 65 episodes. His electronic and orchestral textures gave the show much of its cult atmosphere and won him international recognition.

In later years Simon continued to balance performance, composition, and innovation. He founded MRD–Music Revenue Data Inc. and Powerscore Music, companies dedicated to bringing transparency and fairness to film and television music royalties, ensuring future generations of composers can sustain their craft.

-Robert Williston

Related acts: Life: https://citizenfreak.com/titles/288229-life-st The Scene: https://citizenfreak.com/titles/317285-scene-the-scenes-from-another-world-b-w-you-re-in-a-bad-way Bombers 1: https://citizenfreak.com/titles/268102-bombers-st Bombers 2: https://citizenfreak.com/titles/268100-bombers-bombers-2