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MAKE SENSE OF THE SENSELESS ! / QUESTION THE QUESTIONABLE ! / SHOUT ABOVE THE NOISE !

Friday 18 April 2008

GARY HOLTON - Ruby (7"vinyl-rip)


Gary’s been mentioned in despatches on this blog before. Here’s his first solo single since he left/was asked to leave the Heavy Metal Kids. Ruby (Don’t Take Your Love To Town) was a song written in 1967 by Mel Tillis. It originally told the tale of a dying and disabled Korean War Veteran, who didn’t want his lover to leave him. By the time it had been made popular by Kenny Rodgers in 1970 it was about a Vietnam Vet, In Gary’s tale the line about “That old crazy Asian War” was changed to reflect the British Armies involvement in Northern Island. It’s a stonking slab of bar room boogie, dominated by Gary’s cockney barrer boy vocals. When he released it in 1982 with Casino Steel of The Boys fame It reached Number One in Norway, don’t think it dented the spittoon when it came out in Britain two years previously. Gary will probably be remembered more for his acting roles, especially his role in the popular Auf Wiedersein Pet, which he should really have sung the theme tune to rather than the no-mark that did who’s name I can’t and don’t particularly want to remember. However Gary did sing the theme to Murphy’s Mob, an early 80’s kids drama about the trials and tribulations of a youth football team, directed by Mickey Dolenz of Monkees fame trivia fans. I don’t know if it was ever released as a single, if it was, it’s a bastard to find, however here’s a brief sound clip of it, and here’s Gary’s Ruby single, plus it’s b-sides. Or was it the other way round? Whatever, enjoy!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Apparently there’s an album/bootleg of the Damned with Gary on vocals called Nightmares In The Dark.

Pipeline

Anonymous said...

Thanks for old and long too forgetten Gary!

A Dashing Blade said...

Nice post! tyvm!

zenpunk said...

i have to remind you that it was that big twat called Jimmy Nail who you couldnt remember-awful talentless,best way to get signed by a big record company apparently

MIDNIGHT RAMBLER said...

I have seen Gary with The Heavy Metal Kids at the Roundhouse in july 1976 with Stray & another metal band ! He had a leg in the cast and crutches...but what concert !

Nuzz Prowlin' Wolf said...

I'll have to look out for that one pipeline, cheers for reminding me zenpunk,sounds like a good gig MR, I stood behind him once at a Johnny Thunders gig, he was with funnily enough Rat Scabies from The Damned, you can't keep the good rockers down j.n, not if I can help it anyway.