An interview with Gary Reeves: UK musician and all round talented guy
Janice: What is fascinating is your family's allegiance to drawing on Medieval music...what are the connections Gary?
Gary: I was indeed fortunate to have an older brother who was very adventurous in the kind of music he listened to and used to go out to see live bands play when he was still only 15. Once I became old enough, he'd take me along with him and we saw bands like The Who, The Moody Blues, The Creation & The Yardbirds which made a deep impression on me. It was he that also persuaded me to join the band he was in when I was still at school. They needed a lead singer and it all seemed a bit of a lark so I joined, little realising I was setting off on a voyage that would last my entire life.
Ours was a household in which music was constantly being played and everyone was encouraged to sing along. My grandmother lived with us and she'd sing a lot of music hall songs, all of which we learned and sang. We were exposed to a wide variety of musical styles. Fast forward a few years to when Brian & Katy opened their own folk club and we became immersed in traditional music for many years. Mum & Dad were always encouraging no matter what musical endeavour we undertook. Maybe this explains our links to all manner of euphonious styles.
I don't know a lot about my ancestry - I think there were Scottish connections on my Dad's side of the family but have never investigated this. Maybe I should. It's just finding the time to do it...
Of course, as you already know, now it's my younger brother Tel and myself that keep the juggernaut rolling. He loves to write songs about the things that both go on around he and his family now and what happened in the past. We often talk about trying to leave behind us a legacy that future generations can access, probably the reason we write the long descriptions we do for all of the Cripple Club songs. We're thinking about putting them all into a booklet, though whether we'll get around to it I have no idea. Making the album was a start, I suppose. Who knows where it will lead us?
Gary: Root Division was:
Terry Reeves: Lead Vocals / Guitar
Brian Reeves: Guitar / Synths / Backing Vox
Gary Reeves: Drums / backing Vox
John Palmer: Bass
Formed in 1981 to record the new songs Terry was writing. We never played any gigs, just did home recordings using Brian's 4 track reel-to-reel. All of the tracks are on the Mountain Songs page and were released as an album on Bandcamp a few years ago.
rootdivision.bandcamp.com/album/root-division
Playing in that band with my 2 brothers was one of the great times in my life.
That family tie was so strong.
Janice: Your tracks are so varied. Hard rock one minute, then that medieval modality. Always with strong melodic lines and often almost orchestral arrangements. I was just listening to a track titled: 'Where Are the Dead' can you tell us more about it Gary.
Gary: 'Where Are The Dead' has its basis in Tel's involvement with various big Charity organisations, which made him totally cynical about what they do and how they do it.
All of the music was played and produced by my good friend Arkestar
We met here on Soundcloud when we both worked on the same track for someone. He's a one-man brass section, singer and producer, so everything you hear on the track is played by him. He's got some interesting stories to tell - might also be a good person for you to interview.
When you asked me about 'No job, No money, No life', are you referring to the Root Division song 'Final Choice'?
Janice: Yes Gary, I caught the lyrics as they were flying by.
Gary: If so, it was from a newspaper story Tel read back in 1981 about two teenagers who'd committed suicide by setting fire to the car they were sitting in. It was Thatcher's Britain and there were no jobs for the young - a terrible time to which I fear we are inexorably returning. They left a note saying those very words, which prompted the song. A lot of the Root Division songs were politically based.
Janice: Thank you Gary for sharing so openly with me. Whilst it's a more than shocking and revealing note to close this brief interview on; it gives me further insight into the basis of your family's music; it's potency and deep integrity. I look forward to following up with you about other aspects of your recordings.
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