Gary Walker & The Rain - Magazine Woman

Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock

Gary Walker (born Gary Leeds, 9 March 1942, Glendale, California) was the drummer, and vocalist with both The Standells and The Walker Brothers.

In 1967 he founded Gary Walker and The Rain, which consisted of Joey Molland (guitar and vocals); Charles "Paul" Crane (lead vocals, guitar); and John Lawson (bass guitar).

Gary Walker (real name Gary Leeds) was by far the least prominent of the Walker Brothers; nominally the drummer, he apparently played on few if any of the group's records. When the Walkers split in 1967, he formed his own band, Gary Walker & the Rain, which played a far more guitar-oriented brand of pop/rock than his previous outfit. Also including future Badfinger guitarist Joey Molland, the group managed to release an album in Japan in 1968 before splitting in the late '60s. Leeds surfaced again as part of the mid-'70s Walker Brothers reunion.

The sole LP by Walker & the Rain is a middling slice of late-'60s British mod-pop/rock with mild psychedelic influences, like phasing and slight guitar distortion. Not at all similar to the balladeering of the Walker Brothers, Leeds deserved credit for trying to reinvent himself within a straightahead rock group, although the results weren't that impressive.

Gary formed his own group, Gary Walker and The Rain, in the autumn of 1967. The group consisted of Paul Charlie Crane (lead vocals/rhythm guitar/piano), John Lawson (bass), Joey Molland (lead guitar/vocals) and naturally Gary on drums and vocals. Contractual problems prevented Gary from joining John and Scott in the studio during his time with the Walker Brothers. However, as band leader, Gary was the driving force in all of the Rain's recording sessions, contributing as songwriter, vocalist and drummer. Their debut single was a cover of the Classics IV song Spooky released early in 1968. The single release was supported by a lengthy and very successful UK tour with The Kinks, The Herd and The Tremeloes. An extensive tour of Japan followed later that year during which the 'Gary Walker & The Rain Album No 1' was released. The LP was supported by the release of an EP and two singles, all consisting of songs taken from the album. None of the tracks were ever released other than in Japan, consequently the original Japanese LP is now extremely valuable and rare.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Gary Walker
• psychedelic music
• British mod-pop/rock
• British psychedelia

[Sue2710]

Love this one - I'm lucky enough to own the original vinyl Japanese LP issued in 1968. Wonderful stuff

[projektor4]

the walker brothers were cool. ...i remember reading in nme. about g w and the rain, but never heard any tracks by them.

thanks for this upload along with all the extra info. that i "chevied down" to find

[thehenryal]

this is really great psychedelic sounds. Really should have make it.

[sladest72]

Had the 45,cost me a pretty penny,worth every bit,great"lost"track

[retrospecta2010]

Great track - thanks for sharing

[irlandos1]

very nice! thx for posting