The Gorillas
Encyclopedia
The Gorillas were a rock
group from Hammersmith
, London
, England
formed in 1974, and fronted by Jesse Hector, who played high energy rock music
.
, northwest London
, England
) played in bands from the age of 11, first the Rock and Roll Trio, and then the R&B-influenced band The Cravats. Cravats bassist Adrian Stambach joined mod outfit The Clique
in 1963. Hector reformed the Rock and Roll Trio before starting two more short-lived bands, The Way of Life and the Mod Section, and went on to form the proto-punk band Crushed Butler
in 1969 with then drummer Darryl Read
, which also included bassist Alan Butler. After a brief flirtation with EMI Records
, the band was renamed Tiger (the group)
, until Darryl left to join a Glam Rock group called Dizzy, then they changed name again to Helter-Skelter. With the addition of drummer Gary Anderson, the band became The Hammersmith Gorillas, taking their name from London's pro-Castro
activist group the Hammersmith Guerillas. The band's debut release was a cover version
of The Kinks
' "You Really Got Me
" on the Penny Farthing
label, produced by Larry Page
, and timed to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the original release. They then signed to Chiswick Records
, recording two singles for the label, and building a loyal fanbase, before moving on to Raw Records. In 1976, they played at the Mont-de-Marsan
Punk Festival in the south of France
along with The Damned and Eddie and the Hot Rods. After two more singles in 1978, the band's debut (and only) studio album was issued, Message to the World. Hector was noted for his extravagant sideburns
, and was a keen self-publicist, declaring The Gorillas to be "the future of rock music". He was influenced by several dead rock stars, and several tracks on the band's album were performed in the style of his heroes, including a cover of Jimi Hendrix
's "Foxy Lady" and "Going Fishing" performed in the style of Marc Bolan
. They returned to Chiswick in the early 1980s for the "Move It" single, before splitting up after Butler died. Hector continued to regularly perform live around London, working with a new band, The Jesse Hector Sound, in the early 1990s, with bassist Kevin White and drummer Gilles Baillarguet. The band issued a single in 1991, "Leavin' Town" on the Clawfist label. When the group split in 1993, Hector assembled a new band, The Gatecrashers, named after a Gorillas single, contributing to several retro-garage rock compilations and releasing an EP
in 2000, Keep on Moving.
Hector now works as a cleaner at The Royal Geographical Society
, and was the subject of a documentary film in 2008, A Message To The World, directed by Caroline Catz
, which was shown as part of the Raindance festival, and at the Barbican
as part of its "Pop Mavericks" season.
Gorillas tracks are also included on the Jesse Hector retrospective collection Gorilla Garage: The Jesse Hector Story (2005) RPM Records.
Crushed Butler's recordings were compiled by Darryl Read
on the Uncrushed album in 2005 by RPM Records.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
group from Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 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...
formed in 1974, and fronted by Jesse Hector, who played high energy rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
.
History
Jesse Hector (born in 1947, in KilburnKilburn
Kilburn is an area of north west London, England, which is divided between three London Boroughs, Brent, Camden, and a small part in Westminster. The main thoroughfare running northwest-southeast is Kilburn High Road, part of the modern A5 road which forms the boundary between the boroughs of Brent...
, northwest London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 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...
) played in bands from the age of 11, first the Rock and Roll Trio, and then the R&B-influenced band The Cravats. Cravats bassist Adrian Stambach joined mod outfit The Clique
The Clique (1960s UK band)
The Clique was a band of musicians formed in England.It was formed in 1963 by John Rowe , Peter Westgarth , Trevor Roberts and Adrian Stambach . Joined shortly after by John Kitchin...
in 1963. Hector reformed the Rock and Roll Trio before starting two more short-lived bands, The Way of Life and the Mod Section, and went on to form the proto-punk band Crushed Butler
Crushed Butler
Crushed Butler were a British protopunk/hard rock band that existed between 1969 and 1971. According to 2008's Pretty Vacant: A History of UK Punk, the band "was, in many ways, Britain's first proto-punk band." Band members went on to form Darryl Read's Beat Existentialists The Gorillas and to...
in 1969 with then drummer Darryl Read
Darryl Read
Darryl Read is a British poet, singer, guitarist, drummer, actor, and writer. Read is among the forerunners of punk rock...
, which also included bassist Alan Butler. After a brief flirtation with EMI Records
EMI Records
EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
, the band was renamed Tiger (the group)
Tiger (the group)
Tiger was a protopunkgroup formed in 1971 by Jesse Hector , Alan Butler and Darryl Read . Initially called Crushed Butler the band reformed as Tiger in an attempt to get a recording deal as Crushed Butler were turned down by every record company in London, mainly because of their aggressive...
, until Darryl left to join a Glam Rock group called Dizzy, then they changed name again to Helter-Skelter. With the addition of drummer Gary Anderson, the band became The Hammersmith Gorillas, taking their name from London's pro-Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
activist group the Hammersmith Guerillas. The band's debut release was a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
' "You Really Got Me
You Really Got Me
"You Really Got Me" is a rock song written by Ray Davies and performed by his band, The Kinks. It was released on 4th August 1964 as the group's third single, and reached Number 1 on the UK singles chart the next month, remaining for two weeks...
" on the Penny Farthing
Penny Farthing Records
Penny Farthing Records was established by UK record producer Larry Page, as a progression from his mildly successful 1960s record label, Page One Records. It did not repeat the top 20 hits of his earlier venture, but signed some artists of note....
label, produced by Larry Page
Larry Page
Lawrence "Larry" Page is an American computer scientist and internet entrepreneur who, with Sergey Brin, is best known as the co-founder of Google. As of April 4, 2011, he is also the chief executive of Google, as announced on January 20, 2011...
, and timed to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the original release. They then signed to Chiswick Records
Chiswick Records
Chiswick Records was a British record company. Chiswick was the "first true 'indie' label" to be established in Britain for nearly a decade". The label has been described as "significant" in the "punk era"...
, recording two singles for the label, and building a loyal fanbase, before moving on to Raw Records. In 1976, they played at the Mont-de-Marsan
Mont-de-Marsan
Mont-de-Marsan is a commune and capital of the Landes department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.Mont-de-Marsan airbase « Constantin Rozanoff » is a major installation of the French Air Force. The base includes CEAM , an air defense radar command reporting centre, and an air defence control...
Punk Festival in the south of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
along with The Damned and Eddie and the Hot Rods. After two more singles in 1978, the band's debut (and only) studio album was issued, Message to the World. Hector was noted for his extravagant sideburns
Sideburns
Sideburns or sideboards are patches of facial hair grown on the sides of the face, extending from the hairline to below the ears and worn with an unbearded chin...
, and was a keen self-publicist, declaring The Gorillas to be "the future of rock music". He was influenced by several dead rock stars, and several tracks on the band's album were performed in the style of his heroes, including a cover of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
's "Foxy Lady" and "Going Fishing" performed in the style of Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
. They returned to Chiswick in the early 1980s for the "Move It" single, before splitting up after Butler died. Hector continued to regularly perform live around London, working with a new band, The Jesse Hector Sound, in the early 1990s, with bassist Kevin White and drummer Gilles Baillarguet. The band issued a single in 1991, "Leavin' Town" on the Clawfist label. When the group split in 1993, Hector assembled a new band, The Gatecrashers, named after a Gorillas single, contributing to several retro-garage rock compilations and releasing an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in 2000, Keep on Moving.
Hector now works as a cleaner at The Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
, and was the subject of a documentary film in 2008, A Message To The World, directed by Caroline Catz
Caroline Catz
-Biography:Born Caroline Caplan, Catz began acting in the early 1990s, initially playing minor roles. On registering with Equity, she discovered that an actress with the name Caroline Caplan was already registered, so she had to choose a different professional name.In 1994 she took a lead role in...
, which was shown as part of the Raindance festival, and at the Barbican
Barbican Centre
The Barbican Centre is the largest performing arts centre in Europe. Located in the City of London, England, the Centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, and a conservatory...
as part of its "Pop Mavericks" season.
Singles
- "You Really Got Me" (1974) Penny FarthingPenny Farthing RecordsPenny Farthing Records was established by UK record producer Larry Page, as a progression from his mildly successful 1960s record label, Page One Records. It did not repeat the top 20 hits of his earlier venture, but signed some artists of note....
(as The Hammersmith Gorillas) - "She's My Gal" (1976) ChiswickChiswick RecordsChiswick Records was a British record company. Chiswick was the "first true 'indie' label" to be established in Britain for nearly a decade". The label has been described as "significant" in the "punk era"...
- "Gatecrasher" (1977) Chiswick
- "You Really Got Me" (1977) Raw
- "It's My Life" (1978) Raw
- "Message to the World" (1978) Raw
- "Move It" (1981) Chiswick
Albums
- Message to the World (1978) Raw (reissued with bonus tracks (1998) Damaged GoodsDamaged Goods (record label)Damaged Goods is a British independent record label and online shop.- History :Damaged Goods started in 1988 from a living room in east London.Ian Damaged called it DamagedGoods. The first release was a re-issue of the 1977 single by Slaughter and the Dogs, "Where Have All the Bootboys Gone?"...
) - Gorilla Got Me (1999) Big BeatBig Beat Records (Ace subsidiary)Big Beat Records is a British record label and import distributor owned by Ace Records, specialising in garage rock.-Roster:Releases include:*Big Star*Dean Carter*The Chocolate Watchband*Count Five*The Cramps*The Flaming Stars*Frumious Bandersnatch...
(credited to The Hammersmith Gorillas)
Gorillas tracks are also included on the Jesse Hector retrospective collection Gorilla Garage: The Jesse Hector Story (2005) RPM Records.
Crushed Butler's recordings were compiled by Darryl Read
Darryl Read
Darryl Read is a British poet, singer, guitarist, drummer, actor, and writer. Read is among the forerunners of punk rock...
on the Uncrushed album in 2005 by RPM Records.
External links
- Lamey, Charles P. "The Gorillas", Trouser PressTrouser PressTrouser Press was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow Who fan Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" ...
- Gottschalk, Alex "Hammersmith Gorillas", Punk77