tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132450572023-10-21T06:10:13.689-07:00spencerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09754853011714966954noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13245057.post-1156301883920497492006-08-22T19:26:00.000-07:002006-08-22T19:58:03.953-07:00Bruce Gary - drummer in The Knack - producer of archive Jimi Hendrix recordings - and respected sideman for Jack Bruce, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Stephen Stills, Rod Stewart, Sheryl Crow, Bette Midler, Yoko Ono and Harry Nilsson et al - died today from complications of lymphoma.<br /><br />Bruce has been a friend to Spencer for many years and a very close friend during recent years. "He was a great mate and I'm really going to miss him," says Spencer.<br /><br />Spencer, June and Ashlee shared many wonderful times with Bruce and are left with many warm memories to look back on. Here is something from Martin Lewis that Spencer would like to share:<br /><br /><br /><b>Bruce Gary - Musician 'n' Mensch</b> <div><p></p></div> <div>In the late 1970's it wasn't only rock 'n' roll that was in the doldrums - drumming had been eclipsed by the universal drone of techno-perfect but soulless drum machines. <div><p></p><br /></div> <div>It was into that sterile vacuum that Bruce Gary and his powerhouse drumming for The Knack burst like an incendiary bombardment. The first drum attack on "My Sharona" sounded the death knell for disco. It was shock and awe percussion that demolished the blight of disco handclaps and returned rock to its primal roots.</div> <div><p></p></div> <div>No less shocking were the contradictions in Bruce himself. He looked as tall and stick-thin as the average Brit rocker - yet his personality was as warm, cosy and "haimishe" as your favorite Jewish grandmother. With a mischievous twinkle. Keith Richards exterior - Ruth Gordon on the inside.</div> <div><p></p></div> <div>I only had the gift of knowing Bruce for the past few years. I first met him when I was producing some benefit shows and needed a drummer to play with the highly-ranked Brits-in-exile I'd assembled . Spencer Davis, Denny Laine, Andy Summers, Chris Spedding, Phil Chen, Gordon Waller, Laurence Juber... It need a drummer of stature to play with all of those characters - and I found that and more in Bruce. He played like a dervish and provided the unity that bound the unrehearsed musicians together. Watching him thrash the drums on Spencer Davis' "I'm A Man" and Andy Summers' acid-tinged take on the Ventures' "Walk Don't Run" was to see a man possessed... possessed of the pure passion of rock 'n' roll.</div> <div><p></p></div> <div>Getting to know Bruce was even more pleasurable. Warm, funny, Beatles-obsessed, lanky, goofy, ladies' man... And on Oscar nights he was a perennial at Norby Walters' "Night Of A Hundred Stars" bash at the Beverly Hills hotel - sat around a table next to a cigar-chewing radio deejay - schmoozing Sean Young and sundry actresses to the manor born...</div> <div><p></p></div> <div>Most of all I shall miss Bruce and his habit of greeting me - as he did all his friends when he ran into them - by gently cradling my face with his calloused drummer hands while shining a smile as warm as the sun. He was that rarest of people: A musician AND a mensch. Elvis and chicken soup in one package. Happy trails Bruce...</div> <div><p></p></div> <div><a href="http://www.martinlewis.com">Martin Lewis</a></div> <div><br /><br /></div></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13245057.post-1136507431753165292006-01-05T16:17:00.000-08:002006-01-05T16:37:08.100-08:00Spencer is back from Germany, where he performed on New Year's Eve in front of 12,000 people with <a href="http://www.blaeckfoeoess.de">Blaeck Foess</a> at the Cologne Arena.<br /><br />Back in May Spencer played at The Bluesgarage in Germany and this concert was live on TV and is now released as a CD, "Official Bootleg 2006" -- not really a bootleg, of course. Produced by Eckhard Gallus (aka "Wallbreaker"), this live CD has the sound of being there in person at the show. <a href="http://www.rocktimes.de/gesamt/s/spencer_davis_group/official_bootleg_2006.html">A review</a> in German is available at the <a href="http://www.wallbreaker.de/english-start.htm">Wallbreaker</a> site.<br /><br />This CD will be available at Spencer's web site Jan. 9, 2006.<br /><br />Also upcoming is the release of Spencer's new CD, "So Far," to be available in February (pre-sales at web site coming up!).<br /><br />Be sure to subscribe to this blog to get updates!<br /><br />Oh, and Spencer wishes you a happy new year!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13245057.post-1118201968189568392005-06-07T20:37:00.000-07:002005-06-07T20:39:28.193-07:00I'm back from Catalina -- played with Bruce Bellum at the Catalina Ballroom Casino. Wish I was on David Baker's yacht with a pint of marguerita.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13245057.post-1117319438628633522005-05-28T15:23:00.000-07:002005-05-28T15:30:38.626-07:00Too tired to write, and you would be too if you just returned from an extensive touring schedule. But, I wanted to welcome you to my new blog (my first). My web designer put this up and is making me write things. So, I'm writing ... but will have to write about "things" later. Be sure to subscribe ... enjoy!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2