Ga Ga's

Ga Ga's

http://www.thegagas.com
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Biography

Three years ago, after a year of emotional turmoil and travelling, a dream was born. The dream - to put together the most kick ass rock n’ roll machine ever known. The dreamer - 19 year old, Somerset-born singer/guitarist/songwriter Tommy Gleeson. Having already endured a rollercoaster year of relationship difficulties and armed with a passion for “good, real music” the young star-to-be began a quest that would result in THE*GA*GA*S being formed.

The first pilgrim to heed the call was Jason, with whom Tommy had unwittingly crossed paths a year or so previous to this encounter at a gig in Manchester. Jason’s talent was unquestionable and his understanding of “THE SONG” was unprecedented in any drummer Tommy had ever met. This man was clearly a beast, and swiftly joined Tommy on his quest for rock immortality.

After an initially poor response from the UK’s bass-playing fraternity, Tommy took a day out and went to the Distortion Festival in Nottingham. It was here that he met Ginger of The Wildhearts fame who informed him of a bass-wielding rock pirate he knew by the name of Toshi. Once again, Tommy and Toshi had crossed paths some time ago when their previous bands had played a show together at J.B’s in Dudley. Numbers were exchanged and a couple of weeks later Toshi swaggered into the rehearsal room, plugged into the fucked-up house amp and blew Jason and Tommy away. He was the one.

The three newly-wed-noise-niks then decided it was time to move studios and headed south of the Thames to a new den of iniquity. A period of no less than five months ensued. Time in which the guys worked on more and more songs and slowly sculpted the vision of the as-yet untitled project, whilst simultaneously auditioning a bizarre and bounteous array of guitar playing lunatics. Some played great, some looked great, some needn’t have bothered at all, but the definitive guitar hero just didn’t walk through the door. The absence of said hero was causing frustration in the ranks but they persevered until one day, Tommy received a call from Big Mick Hughes, sound-man extraordinaire (Metallica/Slipknot), informing him of a “shit hot” guitarist playing a gig that night in the Midlands.

Tommy was on the next train there and was introduced to Rob. He was fronting a band playing in the back room of J.B’s, playing a set of predominantly original material. For reasons beyond Rob’s control, the sound that night was poor and the crowd mostly absent, but the second Rob began to sing and play, Tommy could sense something very special. Vocal harmonies had been a big part of the London trio’s vision and Rob’s voice was nothing short of astonishing… a trait that no other guitarist the band had seen, possessed. Meanwhile, Rob's guitar playing quietly went about its business of stripping the paint off the walls of the venue. Again, numbers were exchanged and a veritable rock pilgrimage was arranged for Rob to come down to London and rehearse with the band.

Rob spent three days and nights with Tommy, Toshi and a ‘flu-suffering’ Jason, playing, talking, drinking and… drinking and it was as clear as could be that this was the illusive missing link. The band suddenly sounded as big and tough, and as tender and beautiful as the three amigos had dreamed. Everyone was smiling, and all of a sudden, the headlines didn’t seem so far away. Rob was in the band, and THE*GA*GA*S were born.

Fast forward to January 2004 and THE*GA*GA*S are rapidly becoming the monster they always knew they were destined to be. After just over a year in the wilderness they never lost faith. With the support of their management they independently released the ‘Breaking America EP’ to critical acclaim in 2003. The UK rock press were quick to jump on board, positioning them as one of the hottest prospects for the coming and music TV newbies SCUZZ immediately playlisted the video for the title track.

Momentum was starting to increase and it wasn’t long before labels started sniffing round this hot new property. Few of them however were very forthcoming with anything concrete. A further six months passed by during which the band decided to carry on doing what they had always been doing. They holed themselves up in the studio with reknowned rock n’roll bad boy Russ Russell and recorded the then untitled album.

In July 2004, THE*GA*GA*S released the strictly limited edition, double a-side ‘Replica/KO’ to a desperate market. The strictly limited pressing of 1000, hand numbered singles sold out in a week and the band set of for a wirlwind headline tour of the UK, that climaxed in a riotous gig at London’s Carling Academy, Islington. And then it happened. World-renowned rock label Sanctuary Records approached the management with a deal on the table. After many long nights finalising the details of the contract the deal was done and THE*GA*GA*S were officially a signed band.

Debut album ‘Tonight The Midway Shines’ is released on the 7 February, with the first commercial single from the album ‘SEX’ hitting the streets on 31 January.

With THE*GA*GA*S firmly seated as the saviours and guardians, the future of UK rock n’ roll is safe. Welcome to the good times. read less

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