Pete Gage (guitarist)
| Pete Gage | |
|---|---|
| Born |
31 August 1947 Lewisham, South East London |
| Instruments | guitarist, composer, arranger,record producer |
| Years active | 1960s-present |
| Associated acts | The Deltas, The Zephyrs, Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band, Dada, Vinegar Joe, Elkie Brooks . Joan Armatrading, Restless |
Peter Gage (born 31 August 1947, Lewisham, South East London) is an English rock guitarist, pianist, composer and record producer, best known for his work with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band and Vinegar Joe.
In 1964 Gage formed his Ram Jam Band with school friend Geoff Pullum and Pullum's musician colleagues from working Frankfurt clubs, Herb Prestige (drums) and John Roberts (Bass). Gage's name for the band was inspired by the Ram Jam Inn, a solitary pub on the A1 road in Rutland, UK which he often passed driving North on tour with The Zephyrs. Gage's aspiration was for the band to emulate the US soul shows such as Solomon Burke, James Brown, Johnny Otis & Motown all of which were practically unknown in the UK at that time. The Zephyrs had played at the East Anglian USAF Bases and Gage had met Geno Washington who regularly jumped up on stage and jammed with the visiting bands but Geno had another 14 months before being demobbed.
The formation of the Ram Jam Band consolidated after many auditions and adding saxophonists Lionel Kingham and Stephen 'Buddy' Beadle. Finding an effective singer proved harder despite trying several singers from the West Indian community; Kenny Bernard, Kenrick Des Etages and John Holder came and went. The longest collaboration was with singer Errol Dixon (Jamaican Chart single 'Got to have some') but although they performed at the prestigious 'Flamingo' jazz/soul club and Ska/BlueBeat heartland the 'Roaring 20's', Gage started to believe that the right singer for the band would have to be from an Afro-American background. He met with Geno Washington and offered him the money (on loan from his mother) to demob, return to the USA and return to front the Ram Jam Band in the UK. Through a very nervous 2 months in 1965 the Ram Jams waited for Geno to return. After two weeks rehearsal they auditioned for the Gunnell brothers, managers of the Flamingo Club and were immediately booked as a regular attraction.
They became known for their energetic live performances and released two live albums Hand Clappin, Foot Stompin, Funky-Butt ... Live! (1966) and Hipster Flipsters Finger Poppin' Daddies, both of which were major UK chart successes, although their singles "Water", "Hi Hi Hazel", "Que Sera Sera" and "Michael (The Lover)" only sold moderately.
...
Wikipedia