GARETH DAVIES
My first band was Freebird (guitars/lead vocals) with Nods, who’s been my best mate since 5 years old, and constant musical partner. We used to play covers by Wishbone Ash, Thin Lizzy, Status Quo, UFO, Rory Gallagher and many others, and started to include some of our own compositions in the set. We of course always finished with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Freebird” which was fun to play the first two hundred times but then started to get a bit boring!! Gigged extensively throughout Scotland with Freebird before forming Tour de Force with Nods. While Tour de Force also did lots of covers originally (see ” The Band” page) we gradually incorporated more and more of our own songs – culminating in the signing to Now & Then and the name change to The Promise.
MUSICAL INFLUENCES – Guitarists:
Reb Beach (Winger), Steve Lukather (Toto etc), Joe Satriani, Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), Eddie Van Halen, Brian May, Rory Gallagher, Ritchie Blackmore, Jimi Hendrix
Other Favourite Guitarists: Dan Huff (Giant etc), Neal Schon (Journey etc), Andy Timmons (Danger Danger etc), Pete Lesperance (Harem Scarem), Ty Tabor (Kings X), John Sykes (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake etc), Mattias “IA” Eklundh (Freak Kitchen), Nods Graham, Andi Watson
Other Favourite Artists: Vocals: Steve Lukather (Toto), Steve Perry (Journey), Eric Martin (Mr Big), Johnny Gioeli (Hardline), Kip Winger, Steve Hogarth (Marillion), Morten Harket (A-Ha), Paul Rodgers (Free etc), Steve Augeri (Journey); Keyboards: David Paich (Toto), Jonathan Cain (Journey); Bass: Mike Porcaro (Toto); Drums: Simon Phillips (Toto etc), Steve Smith (Journey etc), Rod Morgenstein (Winger/Dregs), Vikki Fox (ex Enuff Z Nuff)
MUSICAL INFLUENCES – Bands:
The Beatles, Deep Purple, Wishbone Ash, UFO,Thin Lizzy, Night Ranger, Toto, Journey, Winger, Harem Scarem……… and I guess just about anything else I listen to and like!!
FAVOURITE BANDS:
Winger, Harem Scarem, Toto, Journey, Enuff Z’Nuff, Giant, Night Ranger, Kings X, Freak Kitchen, Mr Big, Dan Reed Network, Hardline, Danger Danger, Athenaeum, A-Ha
FAVOURITE ALBUMS:
Winger – Pull & Winger; Harem Scarem – Mood Swings; Toto – Isolation; Giant – Last of the Runaways; Night Ranger – Dawn Patrol, Midnight Madness, Man in Motion; Beatles – Abbey Road & Sgt Pepper; Deep Purple – In Rock; Kip Winger – This Conversation….; Hardline – Double Eclipse; Thin Lizzy – Live & Dangerous; Danger Danger – Screw It; Dan Reed Network – The Heat; Enuff Z Nuff – Strength; Joan Armatrading – s/t, Journey – Arrival, Dishwalla – Opaline
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO:
Journey – Arrival (their best album in ages), Athenaeum – s/t & Radiance, Dishwalla – Opaline, Reb Beach – Masquerade, Harem Scarem – Weight of the World, Tories – The Upside of Down, 40ft Ringo – Demos, Nickelback – Silver Side Up….. and many more. Thanks to Napster and now Audiogalaxy I’m now discovering fantastic new melodic music on a weekly basis and buying more CDs than ever! The future of melodic rock is brighter than ever if these bands can get some exposure and adequate promotion from their labels.
GEAR CURRENTLY USING:
Gear Junkies click here for details of Gareth’s’ gear