Gus Chambers
Encyclopedia
Gary Chambers known as Gus Chambers, was a musician from Coventry
, England
. He was most known as lead vocalist of Grip Inc.
who left to form The Specials
) in Coventry punk band The Squad
(formed late 1977). They released their first single "Red Alert" in 1978. Terry Hall had helped pen several of the tracks on the first single (before he left).
After relocating to Los Angeles
, Chambers formed band Sons of Damnation. During summer 1993, Gus Chambers met Waldemar Sorychta
, who along with former Slayer
drummer Dave Lombardo
formed Grip Inc.
. The band released four critically acclaimed groove metal
albums.
Chambers' parents lived for a period of time in northern Nevada. As such, he visited the region periodically. After the Grip Inc. tour in support of Power of Inner Strength, Gus spent several months with new-found friends in Reno, Nevada (including a spontaneous performance with local band The Magic Nose Goblins (Pete Noble, Paul Richardson, Ty Hagar, and Joe Sands) at the famed "Moon Rocks".
It was during this time that Chambers enlisted the services of Pete Noble (bass), Romney Ruppel (guitar), and Scott Loring (drums) to revisit and re-record some of The Squad's classics. A four-song EP was produced. Shortly thereafter, Gus was recalled to Los Angeles to work on the second Grip Inc. album.
Following the Grip Inc. release of Solidify, Chambers returned to Reno. Reuniting with Pete Noble, he joined Jeff Dunn, Kevin Kolstad, and Ian Anderson in a new project entitled Kill Kelly. Gus was instrumental in helping to form the initial sounds of Kill Kelly, although he was called back to Germany to fulfill contractual obligations to produce a fourth Grip Inc. album (Incorporated). In fact, many of the songs on Incorporated had been slated to be recorded with Kill Kelly.
Because of the lack of Grip's touring, Chambers formed punk-rock band Squad 21, based in Dortmund
, Germany
, releasing an album. The band's name is a play of The Squad
and 21 Guns
, where Chambers played during his early career. Later, he joined German power metal band Squealer and released one album under moniker Squealer A.D. in 2006.
Later, he played in Coventry-based punk-rock band Mantra Sect.
On 27 October 2009, just over a year after Gus Chambers' death, his son, Nolan Gary Chambers, committed suicide at his mother's home in Utah, USA. He was 25 years old.
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was most known as lead vocalist of Grip Inc.
Grip Inc.
Grip Inc. is a groove metal band and a side project of drummer Dave Lombardo. The band was formed in 1993, and they are currently signed to SPV Records...
Early life
He took over vocals (from Terry Hall (singer)Terry Hall (singer)
Terry Hall is the lead singer of The Specials, and formerly of Fun Boy Three, The Colourfield, Terry, Blair & Anouchka and Vegas. He has released two solo albums and has also collaborated with many artists including David A...
who left to form The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
) in Coventry punk band The Squad
The Squad
The Squad is a Vietnam War novel by David Sherman published in 1990 by the Ivy Book imprint of Ballantine Books....
(formed late 1977). They released their first single "Red Alert" in 1978. Terry Hall had helped pen several of the tracks on the first single (before he left).
After relocating to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Chambers formed band Sons of Damnation. During summer 1993, Gus Chambers met Waldemar Sorychta
Waldemar Sorychta
Waldemar Sorychta , is a German heavy metal musician, songwriter, producer and artist who lives in Dortmund Germany since 1982.- Career :He initially worked with the German thrash metal band Despair, founded in 1986....
, who along with former Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
drummer Dave Lombardo
Dave Lombardo
Dave Lombardo is a Cuban American heavy metal drummer best known for his work with American thrash metal band Slayer. He has performed with Slayer on seven albums, including their groundbreaking 1986 release Reign In Blood and their 2006 release Christ Illusion, for which he received critical praise...
formed Grip Inc.
Grip Inc.
Grip Inc. is a groove metal band and a side project of drummer Dave Lombardo. The band was formed in 1993, and they are currently signed to SPV Records...
. The band released four critically acclaimed groove metal
Groove metal
Groove metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It was often used to describe Pantera and Exhorder.- Characteristics and origins :Pantera's Cowboys from Hell album from 1990 was described as "groundbreaking" and "blueprint-defining" for the groove metal genre...
albums.
Chambers' parents lived for a period of time in northern Nevada. As such, he visited the region periodically. After the Grip Inc. tour in support of Power of Inner Strength, Gus spent several months with new-found friends in Reno, Nevada (including a spontaneous performance with local band The Magic Nose Goblins (Pete Noble, Paul Richardson, Ty Hagar, and Joe Sands) at the famed "Moon Rocks".
It was during this time that Chambers enlisted the services of Pete Noble (bass), Romney Ruppel (guitar), and Scott Loring (drums) to revisit and re-record some of The Squad's classics. A four-song EP was produced. Shortly thereafter, Gus was recalled to Los Angeles to work on the second Grip Inc. album.
Following the Grip Inc. release of Solidify, Chambers returned to Reno. Reuniting with Pete Noble, he joined Jeff Dunn, Kevin Kolstad, and Ian Anderson in a new project entitled Kill Kelly. Gus was instrumental in helping to form the initial sounds of Kill Kelly, although he was called back to Germany to fulfill contractual obligations to produce a fourth Grip Inc. album (Incorporated). In fact, many of the songs on Incorporated had been slated to be recorded with Kill Kelly.
Because of the lack of Grip's touring, Chambers formed punk-rock band Squad 21, based in Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, releasing an album. The band's name is a play of The Squad
The Squad
The Squad is a Vietnam War novel by David Sherman published in 1990 by the Ivy Book imprint of Ballantine Books....
and 21 Guns
21 Guns
21 Guns is a melodic hard rock band formed in the early 1990s by Thin Lizzy's guitarist Scott Gorham, bass player Leif Johanson and drummer Mike Sturgis who met through their work with Tom Galley's and Wilfried Rimensberger's Phenomena. At the time the band was fronted by vocalist Tommy La Verdi,...
, where Chambers played during his early career. Later, he joined German power metal band Squealer and released one album under moniker Squealer A.D. in 2006.
Later, he played in Coventry-based punk-rock band Mantra Sect.
Death
Gus Chambers was found dead on 13 October 2008. According to first reports, it was apparent suicide, but official inquisition report proved it was accidental death because of mixture of his medication and alcohol.On 27 October 2009, just over a year after Gus Chambers' death, his son, Nolan Gary Chambers, committed suicide at his mother's home in Utah, USA. He was 25 years old.
With The Squad
- Red Alert / £8-A-Week (Single, 1978)
- Millionaire / BrockHill Boys (Single, 1979)
With Grip Inc.
- Power of Inner StrengthPower of Inner Strength- Track listing :# "Toque de Muerto" – 1:22# "Savage Seas " – 3:11# "Hostage to Heaven" – 3:57# "Monster Among Us" – 4:22# "Guilty of Innocence" – 3:37# "Innate Affliction" – 3:34# "Colors of Death" – 3:04# "Ostracized" – 3:08...
(1995) - Nemesis (1997)
- Solidify (1999)
- Incorporated (2004)
Sources
- http://www.punk77.co.uk/groups/squad.htm
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Hall_(singer)
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grip_Inc.
- http://www.myspace.com/gripincmusic
- http://www.bnrmetal.com/v2/bandpage.php?ID=Sque
- http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=903
- http://www.myspace.com/roddyradiation