Gass (band)

Gass
Origin UK
Genres Rock, Funk, Soul
Years active 1965–1971
Labels Polydor, CBS, Parlophone
Associated acts Bobby Tench, Catch My Soul, The Jeff Beck Group, BBA, Hummingbird, Gonzalez
Members
Robert Tench, Godfrey McLean, Delisle Harper,Derek Austin, Michael Piggott
Past members
Alan Roskans, Frank Clark, Humphrey Okan, Lol Coxhill, Errol McLean

Gass was a rock band[1] formed in May 1965[2] by Robert Tench, Godfrey and Errol McLean.[2] They were managed by The Active Management Group. The band fused inspired melodies with soul, Latin influences, blues and progressive rock often employing complex rhythms.[3]

Contents

History

The original line up was Tench on bass guitar, percussionist Errol McLean, his brother drummer and vocalist Godfrey McLean, saxophonist Humphrey Oka and guitarist Alan Roskans.[2] Tench soon become the band's vocalist[4] and as their music progressed the line up changed. They performed at fashionable music venues[5] in London's Soho, such as The Flamingo Club,[4] The Scotch of St.James where Eric Burdon sang with them and it was at The Bag O'Nails Jimi Hendrix joined the band for a jam session.[4] Gass became involved with Catch My Soul-Rock Othello produced by Jack Good[6] during 1969.

Their album Juju (1970)[7] featured guitarist Peter Green.[2][8] The band was featured on Catch My Soul (1971),[9] which was recorded with the original cast of the UK stage production of Catch My Soul-Rock Othello.[2] Pete Masden mentions in his book Funk Guitar And Bass, that Godfrey McLean and Tench performed at regular jam sessions with other musicians at Ronnie Scott's club. These sessions led to an embryonic line up for the fusion band Gonzalez.[10] In May 1971 Tench joined The Jeff Beck Group and Gass disbanded.[11] Delisle Harper appeared with Tench on Freddie King's Burglar (1974) also Larger than Life (1975).[12] Tench later moved on to play with The Jeff Beck Group, Hummingbird, Humble Pie, Streetwalkers and Van Morrison, amongst others. Godfrey McLean recorded End of the Game (1970) with Peter Green and appeared with Brian Auger and The Oblivion Express.[13]

Band members

1969-1971

1965-1969

Discography

Albums

Singles

Notes

  1. ^ Larkin, Colin. The Guinness encyclopedia of popular music. Guinness. p. 947. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Joynson, Vernon. The Tapestry of Delights - The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and Progressive Eras. Borderline. p. 325. 
  3. ^ New Vitality London Management Team. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1971-11-13. 
  4. ^ a b c Leslie Fran (October 2009). Interview with Bobby Tench. Blues In Britain. pp. 18, 19, 20 Vol 1 issue 94. 
  5. ^ Cramp Nathaniel (2006-06-31). "It Happened Here". timeout.com. http://www.timeout.com/london/music/features/1772/Ad_Lib_club-It_happened_here.html#articleAfterMpu. Retrieved 2009-01-28. 
  6. ^ Vahimagi, Tise. "Jack Good". screenonline.org.uk. http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/574989/index.html. Retrieved 2009-04-18. 
  7. ^ "Gass album Juju". nme.com. http://www.nme.com/artists/gass. Retrieved 2009-01-22. 
  8. ^ Freedland, Jan and Fitzgerald, John. "Peter Green". fmlegacy.com. http://www.fmlegacy.com/Bios/biopeter.html. Retrieved 2009-01-22. 
  9. ^ "Jack Good's Rock Othello-Catch My Soul". homeonline.com. http://home.online.no/~frodebye/dana_gillespie/lp_catch_my_soul.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-22. 
  10. ^ Masden, Pete. Funk Guitar And Bass. p. 55. 
  11. ^ Hjort, Chris and Hinman, Doug. Jeff's book: A Chronology of Jeff Beck's Career 1965-1980. p. 111. 
  12. ^ "DeLisle Harper". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p84406. Retrieved 2009-01-22. 
  13. ^ "Godfrey McLean". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p104484. Retrieved 2009-01-22. 

References

External links