Aynsley Dunbar

The Profile

English drummer from Liverpool, active since the mid-1960s. He led The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation and recorded/toured with Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Journey, Jefferson Starship, and Whitesnake, among others.

Came up via Alexis Korner and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers; debuted his band on the 1968 album The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation. Praised for inventive rhythms and dynamic solos. Collaborations include Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, David Bowie, Lou Reed, and Jefferson Starship.

One review digs deep into The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation’s 1968 debut, tracing roots from Alexis Korner and John Mayall to an ambidextrous, inventive drum style. Track analyses spotlight grooves, shuffles, and an extended solo on Mutiny, plus Hipgnosis artwork lore. The verdict: an electrifying, refined slice of British electric blues. Connections to Zappa, Bowie, Reed, and Jefferson Starship close the loop.