Gerry Laffy
Encyclopedia
Gerry Laffy is a singer and guitarist who has played in the bands Girl
, London Cowboys, Sheer Greed
, John Taylor, and Ultravox
among others. Girl are still cited as an influence by many major artists twenty years later, even though they disbanded after only three years, allegedly due to their record company and mismanagement. In total Gerry Laffy has released 26 albums; he has played in venues as diverse as Wembley Arena
, Taipei Hard Rock Cafe
, the Reading Festival and, the now infamous Girl three-night residency at the former Marquee Club in Wardour St. Girl were first discovered by promotor Jon Lindsay, a partner of manager of The Who, Kit Lambert. Lambert and Lindsay were seeking out bands to sign to Lambert's new record company during the fledgling Nu Romantics era. The band were first introduced to music publisher Simon Napier-Bell of Nomis but eventually signed a recording deal with Jet Records.
He has been offered gigs with Def Leppard
, L.A. Guns
, Sigue Sigue Sputnik
, The Human League
and Andy McCoy of Hanoi Rocks
, but declined them all due to his other commitments in his multi-faceted career. He owns the label Die Laughing Records and all his own released material.
(along with his brother Simon Laffy
). The band recorded three albums and put out two (Sheer Greed
and Wasted Youth
) between 1980 and 1983. Killing Time
was finally released in 1998, and two live albums and an anthology were released later.
After Girl disintegrated, Laffy joined London Cowboys, (with former members of The Idols, Sex Pistols
and New York Dolls
), which released two albums in 1985. He then played guitar on demos of Duran Duran
's 1986 Notorious album.
In 1990, Laffy founded Die Laughing Records and released the solo album Money & the Magic. The song "Shoot 'Em Down" from this album was included on the European soundtrack to the film Highlander II: The Quickening
.
Laffy formed Sheer Greed
with some of Girl's alumni, which put out two albums in 1992 and 1993. He followed up with a joint Gerry Laffy/Simon Laffy album called Lying With Angels, then a guest appearance on the 1994 album Revelation from Ultravox
.
From mid-1997 to mid-2000, Laffy was lead guitarist in Terroristen, John Taylor's band while on hiatus from Duran Duran. Terroristen recorded constantly and gigged all over the United States and Japan, also travelling to Taiwan and Germany.
In 2001, he released a second solo album All Day Long.
In 2005, Gerry was a guest vocalist with ex-Freddie Mercury
guitarist Chris Chesney on his album Diabolical Liberties.
In 2007, a third solo album - The Icebox Studio Sessions was released. Entirely self performed, written and produced.
In July 2009 Girl were approached to reform for a 30th Anniversary tour of Japan & UK in 2010. It is yet to be confirmed.
. They formed the company LeBad Films together. Laffy also served as Mulcahy's personal assistant on his first three features: ** full filmography. Razorback
, Highlander
, and Duran Duran's Arena (An Absurd Notion)
. He managed Mulcahy through the pinnacle of his career, including ten feature films and dozens of award-winning music videos * (including Duran Duran
, Queen
, The Rolling Stones
, Billy Joel
, Elton John
and Fleetwood Mac
) and commercials (including the Ford Motor Company
, Smirnoff
, Opel
, British Petroleum, Universal Studios
, and Miller Brewing
).
In 1995, he established his own film production company Laffy Michaels Filmworks, which set up the $20 million film Vampires
starring James Woods
.
.
Since 2001, he has come full circle and is now a successful London-based artist with an international celebrity clientele for his quirky, funky pop art
/mixed media
canvases.
2011: Laffy currently resides in South Hampstead, London, England. He is a working artist with many gallery shows under his belt.
He has a teenage son, Conor Jack.
Girl (band)
Girl were an English glam metal band formed in 1979, who split up in 1982 with band members going on to join Def Leppard and L.A. Guns among others.-History:The band's lead vocalist was Phil Lewis...
, London Cowboys, Sheer Greed
Sheer Greed (band)
Sheer Greed were a band featuring former Girl members Gerry Laffy, Simon Laffy, and Pete Barnacle. The band also featured guitarist Neil Gabbitas.Gerry Laffy sang lead vocals in Sheer Greed, as well as playing guitar....
, John Taylor, and Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements....
among others. Girl are still cited as an influence by many major artists twenty years later, even though they disbanded after only three years, allegedly due to their record company and mismanagement. In total Gerry Laffy has released 26 albums; he has played in venues as diverse as Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
, Taipei Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
, the Reading Festival and, the now infamous Girl three-night residency at the former Marquee Club in Wardour St. Girl were first discovered by promotor Jon Lindsay, a partner of manager of The Who, Kit Lambert. Lambert and Lindsay were seeking out bands to sign to Lambert's new record company during the fledgling Nu Romantics era. The band were first introduced to music publisher Simon Napier-Bell of Nomis but eventually signed a recording deal with Jet Records.
He has been offered gigs with Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
, L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns is the name of a hard rock group formed in Los Angeles, California, of which two rival incarnations currently exist due to numerous line-up changes. The first incarnation of the group was formed, by Tracii Guns, in 1983 but disbanded in 1985 following its merger with fellow Los Angeles...
, Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Sigue Sigue Sputnik were a British new wave band created in 1982 by the former Generation X bassist Tony James. The band had three UK Top 40 hit singles, including the song "Love Missile F1-11".-Early years:...
, The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
and Andy McCoy of Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band formed in 1979, whose most successful period came in the early 1980s. The band broke up in 1985 after the death of their drummer, Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley...
, but declined them all due to his other commitments in his multi-faceted career. He owns the label Die Laughing Records and all his own released material.
Musical career
In 1978, Laffy was a founding member of the band GirlGirl (band)
Girl were an English glam metal band formed in 1979, who split up in 1982 with band members going on to join Def Leppard and L.A. Guns among others.-History:The band's lead vocalist was Phil Lewis...
(along with his brother Simon Laffy
Simon Laffy
Simon Laffy is an English bassist, a member of Man-Raze and former member of Girl.-Career:Simon Laffy was born at home in Hoxton, London. He started playing music at fourteen years old, inspired by his musician brother, Steve...
). The band recorded three albums and put out two (Sheer Greed
Sheer Greed
Sheer Greed is the first album of the British glam metal band Girl, released in January 1980 by the independent record label Jet Records. The album was published during the explosion of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal phenomenon and its sales took advantage of the favourable attitude towards...
and Wasted Youth
Wasted Youth (Girl album)
Wasted Youth is the second album released by the British glam metal band Girl.-Track listing:# "Thru the Twilight" - 3:25# "Old Dogs" - 3:40# "Ice in the Blood" - 3:00...
) between 1980 and 1983. Killing Time
Killing Time (Girl album)
Killing Time is a British glam metal band Girl album that was released after the band broke up. It was made with leftover tracks from previous albums and unpublished tracks for a third album never released.-Track listing:#"Juliet"...
was finally released in 1998, and two live albums and an anthology were released later.
After Girl disintegrated, Laffy joined London Cowboys, (with former members of The Idols, Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
and New York Dolls
New York Dolls
The New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
), which released two albums in 1985. He then played guitar on demos of Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
's 1986 Notorious album.
In 1990, Laffy founded Die Laughing Records and released the solo album Money & the Magic. The song "Shoot 'Em Down" from this album was included on the European soundtrack to the film Highlander II: The Quickening
Highlander II: The Quickening
Highlander II: The Quickening is the second installment to the Highlander film series, released on January 31, 1991.-Plot:In August 1994, news broadcasts announce that the ozone layer is fading, and will be completely gone in a matter of months. In Africa, millions have perished from the effects of...
.
Laffy formed Sheer Greed
Sheer Greed (band)
Sheer Greed were a band featuring former Girl members Gerry Laffy, Simon Laffy, and Pete Barnacle. The band also featured guitarist Neil Gabbitas.Gerry Laffy sang lead vocals in Sheer Greed, as well as playing guitar....
with some of Girl's alumni, which put out two albums in 1992 and 1993. He followed up with a joint Gerry Laffy/Simon Laffy album called Lying With Angels, then a guest appearance on the 1994 album Revelation from Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements....
.
From mid-1997 to mid-2000, Laffy was lead guitarist in Terroristen, John Taylor's band while on hiatus from Duran Duran. Terroristen recorded constantly and gigged all over the United States and Japan, also travelling to Taiwan and Germany.
In 2001, he released a second solo album All Day Long.
In 2005, Gerry was a guest vocalist with ex-Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
guitarist Chris Chesney on his album Diabolical Liberties.
In 2007, a third solo album - The Icebox Studio Sessions was released. Entirely self performed, written and produced.
In July 2009 Girl were approached to reform for a 30th Anniversary tour of Japan & UK in 2010. It is yet to be confirmed.
Film career
For fifteen years, from 1982 to 1997, Laffy worked as personal manager for film director Russell MulcahyRussell Mulcahy
Russell Mulcahy is an Australian film director. His work is easily recognized by his use of fast cuts, tracking shots and use of glowing lights.- Music videos :...
. They formed the company LeBad Films together. Laffy also served as Mulcahy's personal assistant on his first three features: ** full filmography. Razorback
Razorback (film)
Razorback is a 1984 Australian film, based on Peter Brennan's novel, written by Everett De Roche, and directed by Russell Mulcahy who would later make the first two of the Highlander trilogy...
, Highlander
Highlander (film)
Highlander is a 1986 fantasy action film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart. The film depicts the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and...
, and Duran Duran's Arena (An Absurd Notion)
Arena (An Absurd Notion)
Arena is a concept concert video filmed during the course of Duran Duran's 1984 Sing Blue Silver North American Tour in support of the album Seven and the Ragged Tiger.-Background:...
. He managed Mulcahy through the pinnacle of his career, including ten feature films and dozens of award-winning music videos * (including Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
, Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
and Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
) and commercials (including the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Smirnoff
Smirnoff
Smirnoff is a brand of vodka owned and produced by the British company Diageo. The Smirnoff brand began with a vodka distillery founded in Moscow by Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov , the son of illiterate Russian peasants. It is now distributed in 130 countries.Smirnoff products include vodka, flavored...
, Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
, British Petroleum, Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
, and Miller Brewing
Miller Brewing
The Miller Brewing Company is an American beer brewing company owned by the United Kingdom-based SABMiller. Its regional headquarters are located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the company has brewing facilities in Albany, Georgia; Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Eden, North Carolina; Fort Worth, Texas;...
).
Duran Duran
- "Planet Earth"
- "My Own Way"
- "Lonely In Your Nightmare"
- "Hungry Like the Wolf"
- "Save A Prayer
- "Rio"
- "(Waiting for the) Nightboat"
- "Is There Something I Should Know?"
- "The Reflex
- "The Wild Boys"
Elton John
- "I'm Still Standing" (two versions)
- "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" (wrote concept for video)
- "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" video co-producer
- "Wrap Her Up"
- "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That"
- "Town of Plenty"
- "A Word in Spanish"
- "The One"
Others
- "True" for Spandau Ballet
- "Total Eclipse of the Heart" for Bonnie Tyler
- "Allentown", "She's Right On Time", "Pressure" and "A Matter of Trust" for Billy Joel
- "A Kind Of Magic" and "Princes of the Universe" for Queen
- "One Hit (to the Body)" and "Going To A Go-Go" for The Rolling Stones
- "Gypsy" for Fleetwood Mac
- "Voyeur" for Kim Carnes
- "The War Song" for Culture Club video co-producer
- "Hey, Little Girl" and "Street Cafe" for Icehouse
- "The Tubes Video" nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video
Films
- Razorback - Greg Harrison (1984)
- Arena Duran - Duran (1985)
- Highlander - Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery (1986)
- Highlander II: The Quickening - Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery (1991)
- Ricochet - Denzel Washington, John Lithgow (1991)
- Blue Ice - Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins (1992)
- The Real McCoy - Kim Basinger, Val Kilmer (1993)
- The Shadow - Alec Baldwin, Ian McKellen (1994)
- Silent Trigger - Dolph Lungren (1996)
In 1995, he established his own film production company Laffy Michaels Filmworks, which set up the $20 million film Vampires
Vampires (film)
Vampires is a western-horror film directed by John Carpenter in 1998. Adapted from the novel Vampire$ by John Steakley, the film stars James Woods as Jack Crow, leader of a Catholic Church-sanctioned team of vampire hunters...
starring James Woods
James Woods
James Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
.
Art career
Before his first band, Laffy started his career as a graphic artist at London Weekend TelevisionLondon Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
.
Since 2001, he has come full circle and is now a successful London-based artist with an international celebrity clientele for his quirky, funky pop art
Pop art
Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the mid 1950s in Britain and in the late 1950s in the United States. Pop art challenged tradition by asserting that an artist's use of the mass-produced visual commodities of popular culture is contiguous with the perspective of fine art...
/mixed media
Mixed media
Mixed media, in visual art, refers to an artwork in the making of which more than one medium has been employed.There is an important distinction between "mixed-media" artworks and "multimedia art". Mixed media tends to refer to a work of visual art that combines various traditionally distinct...
canvases.
2011: Laffy currently resides in South Hampstead, London, England. He is a working artist with many gallery shows under his belt.
He has a teenage son, Conor Jack.
Discography
- 1980 - Girl: Sheer GreedSheer GreedSheer Greed is the first album of the British glam metal band Girl, released in January 1980 by the independent record label Jet Records. The album was published during the explosion of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal phenomenon and its sales took advantage of the favourable attitude towards...
- 1982 - Girl: Wasted YouthWasted Youth (Girl album)Wasted Youth is the second album released by the British glam metal band Girl.-Track listing:# "Thru the Twilight" - 3:25# "Old Dogs" - 3:40# "Ice in the Blood" - 3:00...
- 1998 - Girl: Killing TimeKilling Time (Girl album)Killing Time is a British glam metal band Girl album that was released after the band broke up. It was made with leftover tracks from previous albums and unpublished tracks for a third album never released.-Track listing:#"Juliet"...
(* finally released) - 1999 - Girl: Live at the MarqueeLive At The Marquee (Girl album)Live At The Marquee is a Girl live album.-Track listing:#Ice In My Blood#Icey Blue#Mad For It#Overnight Angels#Old Dogs#Big Night#Sweet Kids#Wasted Youth#Nice N Nasty#My Number#Standard Romance#Thru The Twilight-Personnel:...
(* r) - 1999 - Girl: Live at the Exposition Hall, Osaka, JapanLive At The Exposition Hall, Osaka, JapanLive At The Exposition Hall, Osaka, Japan is a Girl live album, originally recorded in 1982.-Track listing:#Wasted Youth#Make It Medical#My Number#Heartbreak America#Little Miss Ann#Ice In The Blood#Family At War#Mad For It#Tush...
(* r) - 2002 - Girl: My Number: The AnthologyMy Number: The AnthologyMy Number: The Anthology is a Girl compilation album.These cult heroes from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal featured future L.A. Guns singer Phil Lewis on lead vocals and future Def Leppard star Phil Collen on guitar...
- 1985 - London Cowboys: Dance Crazy
- 1985 - London Cowboys: Live at The Milkweg Amsterdam
- 1990 - Gerry Laffy: Money & The Magic
- 1990 - Highlander II European Soundtrack: song: Gerry Laffy "Shoot 'Em Down" from Money & The Magic
- 1992 - Sheer Greed: Sublime to the Ridiculous
- 1993 - Sheer Greed: Live in London
- 1994 - Gerry & Simon Laffy: Lying With Angels
- 1994 - Ultravox: Revelation (CD)
- 1997 - John Taylor, Feelings Are Good (CD)
- 1998 - John Taylor Terroristen, 5.30.98 (EP)
- 1998 - Roxy Music Tribute album: Dream Home Heartaches (CD)
- 1999 - John Taylor, Meltdown (recorded in 1992)
- 1999 - John Taylor, Juicy Jeans Promo Sampler (EP)
- 1999 - John Taylor, The Japan Album (CD)
- 2000 - John Taylor, Japanese (EP)
- 2000 - John Taylor, Live Cuts (CD)
- 2001 - John Taylor, Techno For Two (CD)
- 2001 - Gerry Laffy: All Day Long
- 2005 - Chris Chesney & Gerry Laffy - Diabolical Liberties
- 2006 - Girl - Live Bootlegs - Tokyo 1980
- 2006 - Girl - The Rare DVD Collection
- 2007 - Gerry Laffy - The Icebox Studio Sessions