Larry Gott
Encyclopedia
Larry Gott is an English musician, primarily of the Mancunian band, James
. He is also a designer.
on earlier albums. Prior to joining the band, he had been the guitar tutor for founder members Jim Glennie
and Paul Gilbertson
. He was later invited to join the band after Gilbertson's playing began to decline due to his drug problems, which eventually led to Gilbertson's sacking. Gott was to remain with James throughout the heyday of their career, forming part of what is considered to be the core nucleus of James, together with singer Tim Booth
and bassist Glennie.
Gott announced his intention to leave the band in 1995, after the Laid
/ Wah Wah
albums. According to the band's Foklore biography by Stuart Maconie
he was exhausted from the pressures of touring and wanted to spend more time with his family. He stayed in close contact with the other band members during the following year, writing and recording most of the songs on the band's following album Whiplash
effectively as a regular member.
He went on to study Art and Design and subsequently pursued a career designing furniture. He also taught music lessons at colleges around Manchester, including Manchester College of Arts and Technology.
Gott made two guest appearances on the band's so-called 'farewell tour' in 2001 at the MEN and Wembley Arenas. Following the band's apparent split, he started to work with bassist Glennie in low key, informal improvisation
sessions.
During these intervening years, Gott also worked with Manchester maveric Edward Barton
on an, as yet, unreleased album.
James reformed in January 2007, and Gott is at the centre of the reformation, reprising his duties as lead guitarist.
graduating in 2000. His work, similar to his guitar playing, followed the Kiss principle
, and found favour among the established design community. His 'reaction recliner' won many plaudits and awards including the Allemuir Award for Industry and the Blueprint Award for Creativity, presented by the Milanese architect Mario Bellini
at the 2001 '100% design' show at London's Earls Court
. An early prototype of this design resides in the permanent collection of the Manchester City Art Gallery.
Another of Gott's award winning pieces, an outdoor chair and table set made from wire mesh, caught the eye of Sir Terence Conran and subsequently retailed in the Conran shops worldwide under Gott's brandname 'MeshMan'.
James (band)
James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"...
. He is also a designer.
Music
Within the band Gott mainly plays guitar and provides backing vocals, but also keyboards and the fluteFlute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
on earlier albums. Prior to joining the band, he had been the guitar tutor for founder members Jim Glennie
Jim Glennie
Jim Glennie is the bassist for and namesake of English rock band, James. Glennie is the band's longest-serving member, having been there from the first line-up, through to the present....
and Paul Gilbertson
Paul Gilbertson
Paul Gilbertson was the first guitarist of the British band James. He formed the original band and began its chaotic songwriting method of jamming. He advocated improvisation during live performances and during group recording sessions. Gilbertson was replaced in the band by Larry Gott...
. He was later invited to join the band after Gilbertson's playing began to decline due to his drug problems, which eventually led to Gilbertson's sacking. Gott was to remain with James throughout the heyday of their career, forming part of what is considered to be the core nucleus of James, together with singer Tim Booth
Tim Booth
Timothy John Booth is an English singer, dancer, and actor best known as the lead singer from the band James.-1980s:Booth was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England and attended Shrewsbury School...
and bassist Glennie.
Gott announced his intention to leave the band in 1995, after the Laid
Laid
Laid is the sixth studio album by British alternative rock band James. It was released on October 5, 1993. It was the first of several collaborations between the group and Brian Eno, who produced all but one of the album's tracks – in Stuart Maconie's authorised biography of the group, Folklore,...
/ Wah Wah
Wah Wah
Wah Wah, the sixth full-length release by the Manchester indie rock group James, was produced by Brian Eno during the same six-week session as Laid. Although the group had always been keen on improvisation, both as their principal songwriting method and onstage, this was their first album to be...
albums. According to the band's Foklore biography by Stuart Maconie
Stuart Maconie
Stuart Maconie is an English radio DJ and television presenter, writer, journalist, and critic working in the field of of pop music and popular culture. He is currently a presenter on BBC 6 Music, where he hosts an afternoon show five times a week , alongside Mark Radcliffe, called the Radcliffe...
he was exhausted from the pressures of touring and wanted to spend more time with his family. He stayed in close contact with the other band members during the following year, writing and recording most of the songs on the band's following album Whiplash
Whiplash (album)
Whiplash is the seventh studio album by British alternative rock band James. It contained the top ten hit "She's a Star" which re-established the group commercially...
effectively as a regular member.
He went on to study Art and Design and subsequently pursued a career designing furniture. He also taught music lessons at colleges around Manchester, including Manchester College of Arts and Technology.
Gott made two guest appearances on the band's so-called 'farewell tour' in 2001 at the MEN and Wembley Arenas. Following the band's apparent split, he started to work with bassist Glennie in low key, informal improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
sessions.
During these intervening years, Gott also worked with Manchester maveric Edward Barton
Edward Barton
Edward Barton is a Manchester, England, poet, artist and musician, known for his eccentric stage performances and use of home-made instruments...
on an, as yet, unreleased album.
James reformed in January 2007, and Gott is at the centre of the reformation, reprising his duties as lead guitarist.
Design
Gott studied three dimensional design at Manchester Metropolitan UniversityManchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University is a university in North West England. Its headquarters and central campus is in the city of Manchester, but there are outlying facilities in the county of Cheshire. It is the third largest university in the United Kingdom in terms of student numbers, behind the...
graduating in 2000. His work, similar to his guitar playing, followed the Kiss principle
KISS principle
KISS is an acronym for the design principle Keep it simple, Stupid!. Other variations include "keep it simple and stupid", "keep it short and simple", "keep it simple sir", "keep it simple or be stupid" or "keep it simple and straightforward"...
, and found favour among the established design community. His 'reaction recliner' won many plaudits and awards including the Allemuir Award for Industry and the Blueprint Award for Creativity, presented by the Milanese architect Mario Bellini
Mario Bellini
Mario Bellini is a world renowned Italian architect and designer.He graduated from the Milan Polytechnic - Faculty of Architecture in 1959 and began working as an architect himself in the early 1960s...
at the 2001 '100% design' show at London's Earls Court
Earls Court
Earls Court is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It is an inner-city district centred on Earl's Court Road and surrounding streets, located 3.1 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It borders the sub-districts of South Kensington to the East, West...
. An early prototype of this design resides in the permanent collection of the Manchester City Art Gallery.
Another of Gott's award winning pieces, an outdoor chair and table set made from wire mesh, caught the eye of Sir Terence Conran and subsequently retailed in the Conran shops worldwide under Gott's brandname 'MeshMan'.