{{Short description|British pop/rock guitarist (born 1943)}} {{Infobox musical artist | image = Rick Westwood.png | caption = Rick Westwood in 1968 | birth_name = Richard Westwood | alias = Rick West | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1943|5|7}} | birth_place = London, England | occupation = Musician | instrument = Guitar, vocals | years_active = 1950s–2012, 2019 | past_member_of = The Tremeloes, the Nashville Teens }}
'''Richard Westwood''' (born 7 May 1943), also known as '''Rick West''' or '''Ricky West''',<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Rick West Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rick-west-mn0001611598 |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref> is a British retired musician, known for being a member of the Tremeloes from 1962 to 2012.
== Early life == Richard Westwood was born in Dagenham, East London on 7 May 1943. Westwood first learned how to play guitar at age nine, and got his first electric guitar at age 12 after seeing guitarist Bert Weedon play live.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />
He was in "Joe and the Teens"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rick Westwood – Hofner Guitar User |url=https://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/hofner/users/rickwest.html |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=www.vintagehofner.co.uk}}</ref> and "Tony Rivers & the Castaways" before he joined the Tremeloes.<ref name=":2" />
== Career == Westwood joined Brian Poole and the Tremeloes (originally spelt correctly as “Tremoloes”) in 1962. On 31 December 1962, Decca Records chose the Tremeloes over the Beatles' audition, due to the Dagenham band living closer in comparison to the Liverpool band.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gary James' Interview With Dave Munden Of The Tremeloes |url=https://www.classicbands.com/TremeloesInterview.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.classicbands.com}}</ref> They first entered the charts with a cover of Twist and Shout in 1963, the song went to number four in the UK.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=TREMELOES songs and albums |website=Official Charts |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/12852/tremeloes/}}</ref>
[[File:The Tremeloes.png|left|thumb|The Tremeloes in 1968, left to right: Dave Munden, '''Rick Westwood''', Len Hawkes, Alan Blakley]] They initially found success in the British Invasion era with lead singer Brian Poole, scoring a UK chart-topper in 1963 with "Do You Love Me", the song went to number one in three different countries (UK, Ireland, New Zealand<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Irish Charts – All there is to know |url=http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=irishcharts.ie}}</ref>). The band mostly covered rock and roll songs of the 1950s, and appeared on shows such as Ready Steady Go!, Top of the Pops, and the NME poll winners concerts in 1964. After Poole's departure in 1966, the band achieved further success as a four-piece with 13 top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart between 1967 and 1971 including "Here Comes My Baby", "Even the Bad Times Are Good", "(Call Me) Number One", "Me and My Life" and their most successful single, "Silence Is Golden" (1967).<ref>{{cite web |last=Pingitore |first=Silvia |date=28 September 2021 |title=The band chosen over The Beatles in 1962: The Tremeloes' interview with Len "Chip" Hawkes |url=https://the-shortlisted.co.uk/tremeloes-interview-len-chip-hawkes/ |access-date=13 April 2022 |website=the-shortlisted.co.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref> Westwood played bass guitar on "Sweet Illusion", a 1973 a minor hit penned and recorded by Junior Campbell of Marmalade. The song spent nine weeks on the Official Singles Chart and peaked at fifteen.
Westwood was applauded for his falsetto vocals on the Tremeloes' hit song "Silence Is Golden", however in the mid-1970s, Westwood started having troubles hearing, and briefly left the band to recover, replaced by Bob Benham during this time. Once he came back, he was unable to sing properly, including being completely unable to sing falsetto.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=The Hollies and the Tremeloes {{!}} Elevated Observations |url=https://elevatedobservations.proboards.com/thread/218/hollies-tremeloes |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=elevatedobservations.proboards.com}}</ref>
During 1977–1979, he played piano for the Nashville Teens, leaving to rejoin the Tremeloes as they reformed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-07 |title=07 FAMILY TREE |url=https://www.nashville-teens.com/Main07.htm |access-date=2024-02-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207180735/https://www.nashville-teens.com/Main07.htm |archive-date=2023-12-07 }}</ref>
Westwood served as Tremeloes guitarist until 2012, when he announced his retirement after 54 years.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=31 October 2012 |title=Last chance to see original Tremeloes guitarist {{!}} Sussexworld |url=https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/lifestyle/shopping/last-chance-to-see-original-tremeloes-guitarist-2363890}}</ref> His last concert was in Guildford on 1 November. The performance was a part of the “Sensational 60s Experience” tour. An exact reason for Westwood's retirement isn't clear, but his long history of hearing problems is suspected to be the reason.<ref name=":3" /> Westwood returned to the band with Hawkes for a small tour in 2019.
Jimmy Page of the Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin once noted Westwood as “one of the world’s best guitarists.”<ref name=":0" />
== Allegations == In December 2015, it was reported that Westwood and Tremeloes member Chip Hawkes would stand trial for the April 1968 assault of a then-fifteen-year-old girl<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barrett |first=Frances |date=2015-12-02 |title=Two former members of 1960s band The Tremeloes deny historic indecent assault |url=http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/two-former-members-1960s-band-10540324 |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=SurreyLive |language=en}}</ref> at a hotel in Chester.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-12-02 |title=60s band stars deny carrying out Chester sex assault |url=https://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/news/15977190.60s-band-stars-deny-carrying-out-chester-sex-assault/ |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=Chester and District Standard |language=en}}</ref> In December 2015, while leaving Chester Crown Court, both he and Hawkes were assaulted by an intoxicated photographer, who had to be restrained by their barrister.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2016-07-22 |title=Tremeloes stars acquitted of indecently assaulting 15-year-old girl |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tremeloes-stars-leonard-chip-hawkes-richard-westwood-live-with-stigma-of-false-sex-abuse-allegations-a7151421.html |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>
In July 2016, it was reported that both parties had been acquitted after their accuser failed to enter evidence.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-07-22 |title=Ex-Tremeloes Leonard Hawkes and Richard Westwood acquitted of assault |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-berkshire-36865947 |access-date=2023-07-25 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Discography == (See The Tremeloes discography)
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{MusicBrainz artist|mbid=adbf4c51-9b9f-4965-b645-48327f068207|name=Rick Westwood}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Westwood, Rick}} Category:1943 births Category:Living people Category:English male singers Category:English pop rock singers Category:British guitarists Category:Beat musicians Category:The Nashville Teens members Category:The Tremeloes members