Hi to all ROA subscribers,

Quite a few listeners to Thursday's special compared Gravy Train to Jethro Tull and I must admit there is a similarity although the 'Train were more guitar orientated. Overall during the early 70's there were a number of innovative prog rock bands that featured flute ... Jade Warrior, SeaTrain, Blodwyn Pig, Camel, Focus and Audience spring to mind. It's a pity that the instrument doesn't feature all that much these days as I feel that it brings an extra dimension to modren rock music .... This coming Thursday's special will be of the leading lights in the new electric guitar wave that has spawned the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes ... his name is Eric Gales and if you are fan of Jimi, Robin Trower and Frank Marino style rock then don't miss this explosive and jaw dropping guitarist.

Eric Gales grew up in a musical family with four brothers, two of them who learned to play the guitar upside down and left handed in the same fashion that Eric does. Eric's brother Eugene Gales played bass in the Eric Gales Band and his brother Jimmy King had a thriving career as a blues artist before his untimely death. Eric released his first record at age16 titled "The Eric Gales Band" for Elektra records to an amazing response from the media and music fans around the globe. Guitar World Magazine's Reader's Poll named Eric as "Best New Talent," in 1991. After recording a second record for Elektra, "Picture of a thousand faces", all three brothers teamed up for "The Gales Bros. Left Hand Brand" which was recorded for the House of Blues label in 1996. Through the years, it would not be unusual to look out in the audience and see artists like Carlos Santana, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, B. B. King, and Eric Clapton, looking on with interest as Eric took his God-given talent and worked crowd after crowd into a frenzy.

The new Millennium presented new opportunities for Eric and he was signed to a deal with Nightbird Records which was affiliated with Jimi Hendrix's sister Janie Hendrix and Experience Hendrix, L. L. C. and distributed through MCA/Universal. Under this deal, Eric recorded the critically acclaimed record "That's What I Am" in 1991 and hit the road, mesmerizing fans around the world with his uncanny connection to his guitar. In 2004 Eric Gales made headline music news when he was chosen to perform with Carlos Santana, Joe Satriani, Jerry Cantrell and others on the Experience Hendrix tour to honor the late, great, Jimi Hendrix. 2006 brings a new state of mind for guitar great, Eric Gales with his new release Crystal Vision on Blues Bureau Records. "Crystal Vision" takes the next logical step in Gales career, further establishing him as one of the rare musical talents of his generation. This left-handed guitarist of extraordinary ability and expressive vocals is a natural for people to compare to Hendrix. Gales has developed a unique hybrid blues/rock sound that also draws upon influences as diverse as Albert King and Eric Johnson. A unique amalgam of styles, Eric Gales stands head and shoulders among other guitarists in his genre.

Discography

2006 Crystal Vision
2001 That's What I Am
1995 Left Hand Brand
1993 Picture of a Thousand Faces
1993 Eric Gales
1991 The Eric Gales Band

One of the great things about classic rock music is the wonderful legacy that many of the artists have created. In recent months I have been rediscovering the power of Led Zep, the quirky Englishness of Jethro Tull, the sheer funkiness of Free and the stratosphere blazing exploits of Jimi Hendrix. At the moment Rory Gallagher is doing it for me again, if you listened last Thursday you would have heard me play an amazing acoustic track called "Just a smile" taken from a Rory new anthology released last year. "Big Guns - the very best of Rory Gallagher" is a 24 track, double cd set that has been released by SonyBMG on the Super Audio cd format and remixed in 5.1 surround sound. All the faves like "Calling card", "Tattoo'd lady", "Messing with the kid" and "A million miles away" as well as several Taste classics and some acoustic tracks that show just what a multi talented player Rory was .... highly recommended.