Gary Fletcher

Gary Fletcher - The Official Gary Fletcher Bootleg Album - 2004 - Hypertension Music

Gary Fletcher is best known as a member of legendary The Blues Band. Along with Paul Jones, Tom McGuinness, Dave Kelly and Hughie Flint he was one of the bands original founding members in 1979. The Gary Fletcher Band’s sound is built around his own songs with him playing acoustic/electric/slide guitar - whilst not a loud band, they create great sounds with touches of country, blues, folk and roots. In the mid '70s Gary joined blues rock band, Sam Apple Pie, later known as The Vipers, and a couple of years later - enter Dave Kelly. Gary had played with Dave Kelly in late 1978 in The Wildcats, which also included Wilgar Campbell, the ex Rory Gallagher drummer. Impressed by Garys prowess both as a musician and songwriter, Kelly asked Gary to join a new band he was putting together, which also featured Paul Jones & Tom McGuinness (ex Manfred Mann), plus ex John Mayall drummer Hughie Flint. The Blues Band were born - and the rest is history. The success of The Blues Band was almost instantaneous and they were soon playing to packed houses, appearing on TV and radio regularly throughout Europe, and headlining at Glastonbury. Over twenty albums & countless tours later the demand continues to grow for their special & personal interpretation of the blues. The band continues to tour and release new material. Gary Fletcher is a significant contributor of material to The Blues Band’s catalogue – the band’s anthemic ‘Greenstuff’ is one of his songs. Concurrent with over 30 years with The Blues Band, Gary Fletcher has continued to write and record his own material, whilst contributing songs to records by other artists. He is also currently performing with and has written for The Dave Kelly Band as well as his own outfit, The Gary Fletcher Band. Gary started to perform as a solo singer/songwriter around 2003 after receiving positive audience reaction to the tracks on recent Blues Band albums on which he has sung lead. To step forward to the lead vocal microphone after so many years working behind the band’s legendary two principal voices, Paul Jones and Dave Kelly, was a daunting task, but Gary has been enjoying the opportunity to stake his claim as a singer-songwriter in his own right. In 2004 he released ‘The Official Gary Fletcher Bootleg’ CD on the Hypertension label which was a collection of the demos of songs he’d pitched to The Blues Band over the years. Gary’s much acclaimed and superb ‘Human Spirit’ CD on the BGO label was released in 2009 – and featured all new recordings produced by Bill Gautier with a stellar line-up of musicians such as Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody, Rob, Paul and Dave from The Blues Band, Steve Simpson, Mark Feltham and Dennis Greaves. When the vastly underrated Gary Fletcher Band perform, Gary considers himself very fortunate to be able to call upon some great musicians. In the most regular line up he is joined by his colleague from The Blues Band, the immaculate Rob Townsend (or Pick Withers of Dire Straits fame) on drums, depending on availability and youngsters Jack Fletcher (bass) and Steve Ling (guitar). Rob enjoyed major success with Family alongside Roger Chapman and Charlie Witney and subsequently played and recorded with many highly successful artists such as Duanne Eddy, Medicine Head, Peter Skellern before joining The Blues Band in 1981 following Hughie Flint’s departure. The presence of the two youngsters, his son Jack and Steve Ling in the line-up balances very nicely with the more ‘mature’ presence of Gary and Rob! A perfect blend of youth and experience then! The band’s sound is built around Gary’s songs and acoustic/electric/slide guitar playing - whilst not a loud band, they create great sounds with touches of country, blues, folk and roots. There’s an obvious ‘blues’ tinge to the sound but it’s not a straight homage to Chicago, nor is it a power trio type blues band. It’s very ‘musical’ in a melodically and lyrically intelligent kind of way that gives some superb players a great landscape to perform on. The set is predominantly originals but Gary draws on the blues both in terms of his own material and also in covers with songs from the likes of Robert Johnson, Louis Jordan, Willie Dixon, Sleepy John Estes, Ray Charles, Eric Bibb and even J.J. Cale. © 2011 Real Live Music, All Rights Reserved http://www.carlislebluesfestival.com/the-bands/147-gary-fletcher.html?8073b31ad5858e5ef4c0e53efe4a7f65=e611eb923875142a804283e7e4a9f84d

GARY FLETCHER is probably best known as the bass player in The Blues Band, although his song writing talent is respected by many. The band’s encore anthem, his song 'Green Stuff', has been a constant in their live set since the Ready album was released in 1980, and has been covered by bands throughout Europe. The band’s latest album, 'Stepping Out', features Gary’s song 'Stepping Out On Main', another big winner with audiences. Gary’s initial influences came from the blues, most notably 'Eddie Boyd' with Fleetwood Mac and Cream’s 'Wheels of Fire' double album. Exposure to these blues-orientated records sowed the seeds of his musical aspirations. Though left handed, he didn’t let the fact that the instrument was a right handed one stand in his way, and to this day plays a guitar strung for normal right hand use – left handed, ie. upside down. Only a few other guitarist play like this from the late Albert King to Coco Montoya. His initial pro bands were Panama Scandal, the famed Blues/Rock band, Sam Apple Pie - later known as The Vipers – and with Dave Kelly & Wilgar Campbell, the ex Rory Gallagher drummer in The Wildcats ; The Dave Kelly Band followed and then mega success loomed with The Blues Band. 25 years later he’s been developing his own band with his son Jack on bass and original Dire Straits drummer Pick Withers. Two CD’s have followed - a compilation 'The Official Gary Fletcher Bootleg Album' CD - and 'Human Spirit' on BGO Records, both showcasing Gary’s great songs and acoustic & electric material. © http://www.feenstra.co.uk/bands/garyfletcher/garyfletcher.htm

'The Official Gary Fletcher Bootleg Album' is a collection of demo versions of 16 Gary Fletcher songs written throughout the The Blues Band's 25 year history. Gary and his band play folk, country and roots with a blues flavour. These are far from perfect tracks, but there are enough good songs here to make it a very welcome and worthwhile album from a great and very unassuming musician. "World Gone Crazy" is a simple but heartfelt song about 9/11. There are many other beautifully written songs on the album. Try and listen to The Blues Band's "Greenstuff: Live at the BBC 1982" album, and The Gary Fletcher Band's "Human Spirit" album. Read more about The Blues Band @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blues_Band [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 130 Mb]

TRACKS

1. World Gone Crazy
2. It Takes the Blues to See
3. A Lie Is a Lie
4. The Other Side of the Street
5. Brand New Start
6. Greenstuff
7. So Lonely
8. Help Me
9. Watch My Lips
10. You've Got to Choose
11. Stop Messing With My Life
12. Commuter Blues
13. Stepping Out on Main Street
14. Told No Lies
15. You Are True
16. Take Me to the Redline

All songs composed by Gary Fletcher except "So Lonely" by Gary Fletcher, Hilary Fletcher, Steve Gurl and "Commuter Blues" by Gary Fletcher & Hilary Fletcher

BAND

Gary Fletcher - Guitar, Vocals
Ed Dean - Guitar, Slide Guitar
Lou Stonebridge - Organ, Horn Samples, String Samples
Hilary Fletcher - Background Vocals

ABOUT GARY FLETCHER

GARY FLETCHER was born in London in the early ‘50s and is probably best known as the bass player in The Blues Band, although his songwriting talent is respected by many. The band’s encore anthem, his song Green Stuff, has been a constant in their live set since the Ready album was released in 1980, and has been covered by bands throughout Europe. The band’s latest album, Stepping Out, features Gary’s song Stepping Out On Main, another big winner with audiences. Although he bought the With The Beatles album when it first came out in ’63, Gary’s preoccupation with cars, trains & other Boys’ Own hobbies meant that it wasn’t until the later years of the Sixties that he made his next album acquisitions – notably Eddie Boyd with Fleetwood Mac and Cream’s Wheels of Fire double album. Exposure to these blues-orientated records sowed the seeds of his musical aspirations and he gradually began to play around with his sister’s humble Spanish guitar. Though left handed, he didn’t let the fact that the instrument was a right handed one stand in his way, and to this day plays a guitar strung for normal right hand use – left handed, ie upside down. Few others play this way although the late, great, blues player Albert King was similarly afflicted. On the basis of knowing no more than the riff to Willie Dixon’s Spoonful, Gary got the job in his first band, The Breath Of Life. Together with a bunch of local Streatham musicians, his next band, Garfield Row, was formed …. a semi-acoustic folk rock band who played regularly in a local pub owned by the father of Jethro Tull’s bassist, Glenn Cornick. Glenn gave the band much encouragement, lending them some top class amps & guitars. They eventually went their separate ways when Glenn pinched the band’s guitar player and Gary went on to sustain work as a musician in a variety of bands from Blues/Rock to Folk/Rock to Soul, to playing in a Country band at Wembley Arena, to writing/performing in Rock band Panama Scandal. In the mid ‘70s he joined long running Blues/Rock band, Sam Apple Pie, later known as The Vipers. Alongside this, Gary and his old mate and songwriting partner, Steve Gurl, landed a separate recording contract and together with the third partner in the songwriting team, Hilary – Gary’s wife, a publishing contract. Gary met Dave Kelly in late ’78 when they both played in a band put together by Wilgar Campbell, the ex Rory Gallagher drummer, called The Wildcats. He then played bass on a track on Dave’s Willing album and was suggested by Dave for the bass job when, together with Paul Jones & Tom McGuinesss (ex of Manfred Mann), plus ex John Mayall drummer Hughie Flint, The Blues Band first got together. The success of The Blues Band was almost instantaneous and they were soon playing to packed houses, releasing their first album, appearing on TV and radio regularly, including the celebrated Euro-wide Rockpalast, and headlining at Glastonbury. Sixteen albums & countless tours later the demand continues to grow for their special & personal interpretation of the blues, thousands of excellent reviews have appeared in a variety of publications - The Times referring to them as "a top flight group of seasoned professionals" – and early editions of their first album are now collector’s items. Still going strong, new chapters are still to be added to their story in the 21st century. Concurrent with The Blues Band during the past 25 or so years Gary has continued to write and record his own material and has contributed songs to records by other artists. His ‘pop’ side project The Relatives released the enigmatic ‘Feud of Love’ album in 1997 although the record had been in the making since the early ‘90s. He has also performed with and written for The Dave Kelly Band and Christine Collister, Dave Kelly & The Travelling Gentlemen. It is only in the past couple of years that Gary has started to perform solo, after gaining the confidence to do so from positive audience reaction to the tracks on recent Blues Band albums that he has sung lead on. A couple of songs sung by Gary are now a regular feature of The Blues Band’s shows. To step forward to the lead vocal microphone after so many years working behind the band’s legendary two principal voices, ie Paul Jones and Dave Kelly, was a daunting task but the strength of good original songs sung by their writer has proved an audience pleaser, and Gary has been encouraged to stake his claim as a singer songwriter in his own right. His The Official Gary Fletcher Bootleg Album CD (on the Hypertension Music label ref HYP 4227), features 16 tracks, a full one hour running time plus a Friedel Muder designed 20 page booklet which includes extensive background notes and the full lyrics to each track. Many of the tracks are the original writer’s versions of songs that have been recorded by The Blues Band during the band’s 25 year existence. ‘Greenstuff’ which has become something of an anthemic ‘classic’ for the band over the years is featured in a totally stripped back acoustic guitar and voice version whilst ‘It takes the blues to see’ appears in a much less aggressive mode than it does on the recent ‘Stepping Out’ album. ‘You’ve Got To Choose’ is a song recorded back in 1991 by The Blues Band but to date never released whilst ‘Watch My Lips’ is a tune written for the band but which never got through the selection ‘committee’! Written in Oct 2001, the emotive ‘World Gone Crazy’ already features in The Blues Band’s repertoire and responds to the events of Sept 11th and to the serious accident which Gary’s son suffered three days before. Also present are brand new songs, one or two of which may be recorded for the band’s next studio album but, in any event, will certainly be featured in Gary’s increasing schedule of live performances in solo, duo and group guise. Gary recorded a session in his own right for BBC Radio 2 which was broadcast in Mar ’05 and a DVD ‘Live at The Ram Jam Club’ was released in ’06. Gary’s latest album (as at June ’07) is Human Spirit on BGO Records (BGOCD 780) which features a core band of Gary on acoustic and electric guitars, his son Jack on bass, his fellow Blues Band rhythm section partner, the superb Rob Townsend on drums and congas and, new to the wider blues/roots scene, the wonderful John Evans on lead guitar. Also featured are Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody and Dave Kelly on guitars, Steve Simpson on mandolin, violin and guitar and Mark Feltham and Paul Jones on harmonicas. The so-called ‘radio’ single from the album is a track called ‘Payback’ and a promo video of the song has been produced. This and song clips etc are included on this site and will soon also feature on a dedicated ‘myspace’ page. Over the years Gary has had an involvement in the world of motorsport. Anyone interested in this aspect of his life please check http://www.garyfletchermusic.co.uk/biography.htm to read more. © http://www.garyfletchermusic.co.uk/biography.htm