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Gary's good friend and former Rain member, Joey Molland, will be performing in the UK during August.  Dates and details are currently being arranged and both Gary and former Rain bassist, John Lawson, will hopefully be involved in some of the shows.  Watch this space for news of The Rain reunion!

On Sunday 14 September Gary will be appearing at the Lichfield Garrick Theatre with Mike Powell, "the voice of Matt Monro and Scott Walker".  Tickets are available online and from the theatre box office - Telephone: 01543 412121

                   

Gary will be appearing on the 'Rock Til You Drop'  shows with The Dakotas, The Honeycombs, Billie Davis and Wee Willy Harris, and on the 'Rock Til You Drop 2' shows with The Fortunes, The Honeycombs, Billie Davis and Wee Willy Harris.  The shows will be performing at several venues throughout the UK.  The following dates have been confirmed:

Sunday 20 September ~ The Artrix Theatre, Bromsgrove ~ tickets available online

Friday 31 October ~ Lochgelly Centre, Lochgelly, Fife

Thursday 18 December ~ Civic Hall, Whitehaven, Cumbria 

2009

Thursday 22 January ~ Assembly Rooms, Tamworth, Staffordshire

Saturday 25 April ~ The Regent Centre, Christchurch, Dorset

Saturday 26 September ~ Town Hall Theatre, Hartlepool, Durham

Gary is featured on the front cover of the Jan-Feb 2008 edition of Shindig! magazine.  A lengthy, fact-filled, article about Gary and The Rain is also included in this edition.  Journalist Stefan Granados spent many months researching Gary's career and the story of The Rain.  It has been a true labour of love that has resulted in a compelling and essential read.  Stefan interviewed Joey Molland and Gary for this feature, and his archive research has also unearthed many previously undocumented details in The Rain story.

Shindig! is on sale in several stores worldwide and is also available on subscription.  The Jan-Feb edition can also be ordered here.

 

       

13 August  ~ Left to right: in the pirate studio with 'Daphne' and Dave Cash; on board the LV18 with Gord Cruse, Keith Skues and Dave Cash; returning to Halfpenny Pier ~ Report

From August 9 - 14, award-winning Pirate BBC Essex returns to the airwaves to mark the 40th anniversary of the Marine Offences Act, which set out to outlaw the offshore radio stations.  Pirate BBC Essex will be based aboard the classic light vessel LV18, moored off Harwich, Essex.  Many Sixties pioneers of offshore radio have signed up to be part of the twenty first century team of presenters to broadcast from the North Sea.  They include Johnnie Walker, Emperor Rosko, Dave Cash and Keith Skues.  Pirate BBC Essex goes on air at 6am (BST) on Thursday 9 August and, in a parallel with what happened in 1967, is scheduled to go off air at 3pm (BST) on Tuesday 14 August.

On Monday 13 August, Gary will be on board the LV18 participating in the Dave Cash Show from 9-11am (BST).  Listeners will be able to tune in to Pirate BBC Essex across the world via the BBC Essex website, and on 729, 765 & 1530MW across the south of England.  For more information please visit the BBC Essex website.

The Walkers are mentioned in Emperor Rosko and Dave Cash's special recording to celebrate the return of pirate radio.  The video can be found on the TurnOnThePirates YouTube site.  

         

Gary in Solihull, West Midlands ~ 27 April ~ Report

 

On 5 April Gary was delighted to meet up with John Lawson for the first time since 1969.  After a seemingly never-ending search, it was John's son Justin and daughter Adele who saw Gary's website and MySpace appeals, and they contacted Gary via his MySpace page.  John has many great memories, and stories to tell, from his times with The Rain.  For instance, he recalls a night during the 1968 UK tour when The Rain's sound system failed, which caused The Tremeloes, who were watching from the wings, to burst into song with What Have They Done To The Rain!!!

Martin Creasy's book Legends on Tour - The Pop Package Tours of the 1960s will be published by Tempus Publications in July.  The book focuses on seven major sixties pop package tours, including two that starred The Walker Brothers.  Other artists featured include The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Roy Orbison, Engelbert Humperdinck, Cat Stevens, The Small Faces, Del Shannon, The Hollies and The Searchers.  Martin spoke extensively with Gary during his research, and Gary's memories of the tours are included in the book.  Paul Jones, Peter Noone, Helen Shapiro, Engelbert Humperdinck, Kenney Jones, Reg Presley, Frank Allen and Bobby Elliott are some of the many other stars who contributed.

         

Gary Walker & The Rain Album No 1 was officially released on CD for the first time by Universal Japan on 28 February.  The CD - catalogue number UICY-93236 - is part of a collection of limited edition Walker Brother CDs from Universal Japan that feature original album artwork and 24-bit remastering.  The collection also includes: Take it Easy, Portrait, Images, Live in Japan, Scott, Scott 2, Scott 3, Scott 4 and 'Til The Band Comes In.  The UK release date for The Rain CD is still to be confirmed by Universal.

Alan 'Fluff' Freeman - 1927-2006

So sad to hear of Fluff's passing.  We're going to really miss him and, without him and a few others, we probably never would have got as far as we did.  He was one of the first to interview us in great depth in 1965 and was very approachable, and just an absolutely real nice person.  Gary, 28 November

Gary surprised his old friend PJ Proby with an impromptu visit to his dressing room at the Civic Hall, Grays, Essex on Friday 20 October.  Gary and PJ aren't sure when they last met up, but they think it must be around 42 years ago!  PJ is currently appearing on The Ring of Fire tour.  Gary reports that, "it's a great show, and you must get along to see PJ."  Full details of the tour are available on PJ's official website.

In January Gary recorded an interview for the BBC Radio 2 documentary 'The Scott Walker Story'.  The programme has had a few scheduled transmission dates, most recently 3 July.  The producer put a great deal of time and effort into the programme, so it's particularly disappointing for him that it has now been removed from the Radio 2 schedule, and will not be aired.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original No 1 hit single, Universal Music re-released ''The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" in the UK on 27 March.  The CD release also includes "After The Lights Go Out", "(Baby) You Don't Have To Tell Me", and  the No 1 hit "Make It Easy On Yourself".  The limited edition vinyl single can be ordered from the Shop page.

 

The single will be followed by a 5 CD Box set entitled "Everything Under The Sun", which is scheduled for release on 10 July.  The box set will include twelve previously unreleased songs, and the packaging will feature a 48 page book styled as a 1960s fan magazine.  Gary is involved in promoting both releases.

 

 

On 10 March Gary recorded an interview with Bogomir Mijatovich (known as 'Bogi') for the Serbian national music station Radio 100.  Gary's interview will be included in Bogi's book "60x60x60" (60 interviews with 1960s musicians to be published in 2007 when Bogi will be 60).  Radio 100 is not currently able to broadcast online, but Bogi's chat with Gary will be available here soon.  Bogi had this to say after he interviewed Gary, "I have been doing more than 50 interviews with sixties rock musicians and if I should choose who from them should be my friend - no doubt, it would be Gary".

The White Rock Hotel, Hastings - 3 December 2005 Report.   

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