Bernie Tormé
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| Bernie Tormé | |
|---|---|
 Bernie Tormé, performing with GuyMcCoyTormé |
|
| Born | Dublin, Ireland  |
| Genre(s) | Rock |
| Affiliation(s) | Guy McCoy Tormé |
| Notable guitars | Vintage Fender Stratocaster |
| Years active | 1970 — Present |
| Official site | http://www.bernietorme.com |
Bernie Tormé is a rock guitarist, singer, song writer, record label- and record studio owner born in Dublin, Ireland.
Contents |
[edit] Early career
Bernie Torme was greatly influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore of Thin Lizzy and formed his own band at a young age. His first paid performance came when Don Harris, a 14 year old drummer he played alongside when he was 17, secured a gig at the local Girl Guides' dance in Kilmainham in Dublin. [1] Tormé then played in Dublin band The Urge in the early 1970's before relocating to London in 1974, where he initially played with heavy rockers Scrapyard (whose bass player, John McCoy would later be re-united with Tormé in Gillan), before forming the punk Bernie Tormé Band in 1976. The Bernie Tormé Band toured with The Boomtown Rats and Generation X among many others. Tormé has since revealed that he secured the supporting band slot with the Boomtown Rats by agreeing to go around London putting up posters advertising the tour. [2]
In 1977 the band were asked to contribute two tracks to the Live At The Vortex album, "Streetfighter" and "Living for Kicks". This led to them being signed to the Jet Records label, who "...paid us forty quid a week each for the next 18 months... Apart from that they just sat on us pretty much, they were more into ELO."[2]
[edit] Career with Gillan
Frustrated by a lack of commercial success, Tormé accepted the invitation of former Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan in 1979 to join his band Gillan, and it was as part of this band that Tormé is best known. His talented and distinctive "screaming guitar" style perfectly suited audiences of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and he became a "guitar hero" of that genre.
Over the next three years the group enjoyed three Top Ten U.K. albums (Mr. Universe , Glory Road and Future Shock), in addition to extensive worldwide tours of Europe, Japan, and the United States.
In 1981 Tormé walked out on Gillan, citing "boredom" as his reason, and played as a live session man for Atomic Rooster then Ozzy Osbourne as the immediate successor of Randy Rhoads. Tormé was hired to play on makeup dates resulting from cancelled concerts after Rhoads' death. After three weeks on tour, Tormé quit to concentrate on his own band Electric Gypsies and was replaced by Brad Gillis.
[edit] Later career
Since 1982 Tormé has led his own band under various names and lineups (including a version of Torme with singer Phil Lewis, formerly of Girl and later with LA Guns), attracting a small cult following, and makes a living as a session musician.
Tormé spent several years attempting to launch the band Desperado with former Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider. Although the record saw limited release, Snider re-used a number of the songs for a subsequent project, Widowmaker (not to be confused with the 1970s English band of the same name).
In addition to the continued release of new Tormé recordings and re-issuance of his back catalogue titles, Tormé also became involved with the Silver project, which also included former Michael Schenker Group vocalist Gary Barden participating on their first three albums.
In 2005, Tormé announced the formation of Guy McCoy Tormé (aka "G.M.T"), with former Gillan bassist John McCoy and drummer Robin Guy.First album:"Bitter and Twisted" comes out in 2007. Former GILLAN keyboard player Colin Towns takes part in the recording session.
Tormé also runs his own record label, Retrowrek Records, and recording studios, Barnroom Studios in Kent.
[edit] Discography
- With Bernie Tormé Band
- Live At The Vortex Vol.1 (2 tracks contributed to compilation)
- I'm Not Ready (7") 1978
- Weekend(7")(1978 Jet Records)
- All Day and All of The Night(7")(1979)
- Punk Or What (recordings from 1976 — 1978 unreleased until 1999)
- With Bernie Torme
- The Beat(7")(1980 Island)
- America(7")(1982 Kamaflage)
- With Gillan
- Mr. Universe (1979)
- Glory Road (1980)
- Future Shock (1981)
- On the Rocks (Angel Air)
- The Gillan Tapes(Angel Air)
- With Atomic Rooster
- Live In Germany In 1983 (released 2000)
- With Electric Gypsies
- Turn Out The Lights (1982)
- Electric Gypsies
- Scorched Earth [Live 1999-2000]
- With Tormé
- Back to Babylon
- Die Pretty Die Young
- Official Live Bootleg
- Live in Sheffield 1983
- With Desperado
- Bloodied But Unbowed
- With Mammoth
- Mammoth(1989 Jive Records)
- With Rene Berg
- The Leather, The Loneliness and Your Dark Eyes(Communique Records 1992)
- With Silver
- Silver (2001 Point Music)
- Dream machines(2002 Point Music)
- Intruder (2003 Point Music)
- With ex-Samson singer Gary Owen
- Demolition Ball
- As Bernie Tormé
- (A project with Anti-Nowhere League members Chris Jones and John Pearce)
- Wild Irish (1997)
- White Trash Guitar (1999)
- With GMT
- Bitter And Twisted
[edit] References
- ^ "Ten questions with Bernie Tormé", URL accessed on 24 January 2007.
- ^ a b "Bernie Tormé interview", URL accessed on 24 January 2007.
