About
(July 3, 1948 – November 2025) American drummer, singer, songwriter, and producer, born in New Haven, Connecticut. New York session drummer best known for his work with the Sparks in the 1970s.
Hilly Michaels was a New York-based session drummer who began his career in the mid-70s drumming for Sparks on their album Big Beat. He toured with them to support this record, and appears onscreen in their 1977 film, Rollercoaster. Also in 1977 he began his first foray into solo performance with a cover of John Lennon's "Instant Karma" which appeared on Bionic Gold, a Phil Spector tribute album. He then backed Connecticut artist Roger C. Reale, before recording his first solo album, Calling All Girls, with Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker, in 1980 on Warner Brothers Records. Calling All Girls was followed by a second album, also on Warner, Lumia, in 1981, however, neither record was particularly successful. Michaels returned to session work and has played with the likes of Ian Hunter, Stevie Wonder, Lindsey Buckingham, Neil Young, Ronnie Wood, Marianne Faithful, and many more.
He is perhaps best known for the instrumental version of his song "Something On Your Mind", taken from Calling All Girls, which appears during the chaotic boating scene in the 1980 film Caddyshack. The song was also released on the Caddyshack soundtrack LP.
Hilly Michaels was a New York-based session drummer who began his career in the mid-70s drumming for Sparks on their album Big Beat. He toured with them to support this record, and appears onscreen in their 1977 film, Rollercoaster. Also in 1977 he began his first foray into solo performance with a cover of John Lennon's "Instant Karma" which appeared on Bionic Gold, a Phil Spector tribute album. He then backed Connecticut artist Roger C. Reale, before recording his first solo album, Calling All Girls, with Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker, in 1980 on Warner Brothers Records. Calling All Girls was followed by a second album, also on Warner, Lumia, in 1981, however, neither record was particularly successful. Michaels returned to session work and has played with the likes of Ian Hunter, Stevie Wonder, Lindsey Buckingham, Neil Young, Ronnie Wood, Marianne Faithful, and many more.
He is perhaps best known for the instrumental version of his song "Something On Your Mind", taken from Calling All Girls, which appears during the chaotic boating scene in the 1980 film Caddyshack. The song was also released on the Caddyshack soundtrack LP.
Discography
60 releasesPop This!
Hilly Michaels · 2010
Institutional Home
Hilly Michaels · 1981
I Still Think About You
Hilly Michaels · 1981
The Robert Klein Radio Show (August 23, 1981)
Robert Klein Featuring Ian Hunter, Mark Hamill (2) & Hilly Michaels · 1981
Lumia
Hilly Michaels · 1981
Gemini
Hilly Michaels · 1980
Calling All Girls
Hilly Michaels · 1980
Calling All Girls / Something On Your Mind
Hilly Michaels · 1980
Shake It And Dance / U.S. Male
Hilly Michaels · 1980
De Samlede Klichéer
Kliché* · 2011
●G●R●E●A●T●E●S●T●
●H●U●G●* · 1993
Peppermint Twist
Rockin' Roland Cyré · 1988
I Wanna Rock Tonite
DC Star* · 1985
Rockin' In The Classroom
D.C. Star · 1985
I'm Always In Trouble
John Jarrett's Tribe · 1984
John Jarrett's Tribe
John Jarrett's Tribe · 1984
Bravo Charlie
Kliche · 1983
Patrulje
Kliche · 1982
Okay Okay Boys
Kliché* · 1982
Astro-Kid
Delta Cross Band* · 1982
Livin' In A Rock & Roll Whirl
DC Star* · 1984
I Wanna Be A Teen Again (North American Power Pop Of The '80s)
Various · 2025
Sparks 1975-1976 (Indiscreet & Big Beat)
Sparks · 2025
Play On
Scott McCarl · 2023
The Sparks Brothers
Sparks, Edgar Wright · 2021
Idiot Optimism
Van Duren · 2020
Reptiles In Motion
Roger C. Reale & Rue Morgue · 2019
The Collection
Roger C. Reale & Rue Morgue · 2019
Waiting: The Van Duren Story (Original Documentary Soundtrack)
Van Duren · 2019
The Best & The Rest Of The Island Years 74-78
Sparks · 2018
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