Gary ‘Guitar’ Lammin – Gary ‘Guitar’ Lammin

With some musicians who release a solo album, it’s not really very different to the stuff they do in the band they’re part of and you wonder why they bothered, but in this case I was expecting the album to sound nothing like Bermondsey Joyriders since Gary “Guitar” Lammin has said “One of the things I never get is when people release a solo album that still sounds exactly the same as what they’re doing with their band”.  So, I was expecting something different, and given the description of the album as “a Psychedelic punk rock blues odyssey” then that left things quite wide open.
In some ways it’s no surprise that it’s very different to Bermondsey Joyriders as most of the material here was recorded between 2000 and 2003, well before the Bermondsey Joyriders formed.

Well after listening to it a lot over the last few weeks, I’d certainly agree it’s nothing like his day job with the Bermodsey Joyriders”.  The biggest influence sounds to be Lou Reed/Velvet Underground which is quite prominent in some of the songs.  The vocals are often more spoken-word than singing.  Gary Lammin has quite a gravelly voice and it works really well on this album.
Producer Dave Goodman played Sitar, Tabla and Tibetan flute on the album which adds to the psychedelic feel.

This album is an unusual one, but in a good way.  It sounds nothing like most music being released today, and that helps it stand out from the crowd.  The Lou Reed/Velvet Underground feel that it has in places is certainly no bad thing, and I have to say this is an absolutely fantastic album that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed listening to over the last few weeks.

Highly recommended.

The album will be released on 24th February 2017

Track listing:

1. All opinion will eventually change (Intro)
2. Silver white shadow
3. Lost and falling
4. Last night I dreamt I met my enemy, parts 1 and 2
5. Value
6. Take more care
7. Is that alright by you
8. Memo to Anita
9. Hy Mr John Sinclair
10. All opinion will eventually change