Adrian Gurvitz
Encyclopedia
Adrian Gurvitz is an English
singer, musician
and songwriter
.
/singer with the band, The Gun
. The Gun's only UK Singles Chart
success was "Race With The Devil", a song that was revived in the early 1980s by a cover version
from the all-female hard rock
band, Girlschool
.
Gurvitz was also the lead guitarist in the band Three Man Army, (together with his brother
Paul Gurvitz). Their album
, Third Of A Lifetime (1971), predominantly featured a selection of hard-driven blues
tracks such as "Butter Queen", but also featured the melodic instrumental
title track. The album is now available on a remastered CD
format. Adrian Gurvitz also recorded
on a 1973 album with Buddy Miles
.
After Three Man Army split, the Gurvitz brothers teamed up with Ginger Baker
to form The Baker Gurvitz Army
. They released the albums Baker Gurvitz Army
(1974), Elysian Encounter (1975) and Hearts on Fire (1976), on which they added vocalist Snips from the band Sharks. After this they joined with Graeme Edge
for two albums - Kick Off Your Muddy Boots (1975) and Paradise Ballroom (1977) - released by Threshold
under the name The Graeme Edge Band, with cover illustrations by Joe Petagno
.
In 1982, Gurvitz reached #8 in the UK Singles Chart
with his single
, "Classic". The follow-up release, "Your Dream", was less successful, peaking at #61.
Gurvitz is the stepfather of Carly Lewis, a former member of the American
pop
girl group
, No Secrets
. Gurvitz wrote the song "Hot" that was featured on their debut album
. He is currently working with recording artist, Emii
, towards releasing her debut album.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
singer, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
.
Career
Gurvitz (until the early 1970s he used his surname Curtis and then took the family real name, Gurvitz) is mostly known as the lead guitaristGuitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
/singer with the band, The Gun
The Gun (band)
The Gun was a late 1960s British rock guitar trio who had a single British Top Ten hit, "Race With The Devil" and recorded two albums before disbanding...
. The Gun's only UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
success was "Race With The Devil", a song that was revived in the early 1980s by 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...
from the all-female hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band, Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
.
Gurvitz was also the lead guitarist in the band Three Man Army, (together with his brother
Sibling
Siblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
Paul Gurvitz). Their album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Third Of A Lifetime (1971), predominantly featured a selection of hard-driven blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
tracks such as "Butter Queen", but also featured the melodic instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
title track. The album is now available on a remastered CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
format. Adrian Gurvitz also recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
on a 1973 album with Buddy Miles
Buddy Miles
George Allen Miles, Jr. , known as Buddy Miles, was an American rock and funk drummer, most known as a founding member of The Electric Flag in 1967, then as a member of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys from 1969 through to January 1970.-Early life:George Allen Miles was born in Omaha, Nebraska on...
.
After Three Man Army split, the Gurvitz brothers teamed up with Ginger Baker
Ginger Baker
Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker is an English drummer, best known for his work with Cream and Blind Faith. He is also known for his numerous associations with World music, mainly the use of African influences...
to form The Baker Gurvitz Army
Baker Gurvitz Army
Baker Gurvitz Army was an English rock group. Their self-titled debut album featured a blend of hard rock laced with Ginger Baker's drumming. The lengthy "Mad Jack" was that album's outstanding track, and the album hit the US Billboard 200 chart, and peaked at #22 in the UK Albums Chart...
. They released the albums Baker Gurvitz Army
Baker Gurvitz Army (album)
Baker Gurvitz Army is Baker Gurvitz Army's first studio album.-Track listing:#"Help Me" 4:34#"Love Is" 2:47#"Memory Lane" 4:46#"Inside Of Me" 5:33#"I Wanna Live Again" 4:22...
(1974), Elysian Encounter (1975) and Hearts on Fire (1976), on which they added vocalist Snips from the band Sharks. After this they joined with Graeme Edge
Graeme Edge
Graeme Charles Edge is best known as the drummer and a songwriter for the Moody Blues, but has also led his own outfit, the Graeme Edge Band.-Biography:...
for two albums - Kick Off Your Muddy Boots (1975) and Paradise Ballroom (1977) - released by Threshold
Threshold Records
Threshold Records was a record label created by The Moody Blues, after their 1969 album On the Threshold of a Dream.It was a UK subsidiary of Decca Records and a U.S. subsidiary of London Records...
under the name The Graeme Edge Band, with cover illustrations by Joe Petagno
Joe Petagno
Joe Petagno is an artist known principally for creating images used on rock album covers, for bands such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Nazareth, Motörhead, Roy Harper, Marduk, Nightshade, and Illdisposed....
.
In 1982, Gurvitz reached #8 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
with his single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Classic". The follow-up release, "Your Dream", was less successful, peaking at #61.
Gurvitz is the stepfather of Carly Lewis, a former member of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
, No Secrets
No Secrets (girl group)
No Secrets was an American girl group with five members: Angel Faith, Carly Lewis, Erin Tanner, Jessica Fried and Jade Ryusaki. The group debuted in the United States in 2002 with their single "Kids in America".-Debut album:...
. Gurvitz wrote the song "Hot" that was featured on their debut album
No Secrets (No Secrets album)
No Secrets is the self-titled debut and only album by No Secrets. It was released on August 6, 2002, and spawned two singles, "Kids in America" and "That's What Girls Do" .- Track listing :-Leftover Tracks:*"Baby It Works For Me"*"Comes Back"*"Friends Forever"*"Janet"*"Little Angel of...
. He is currently working with recording artist, Emii
Emii
Emii is an American pop recording artist originally from Youngstown, Ohio.- Life and career :Emii received fame after releasing her first single, "Magic", on April 6, 2010, which reached #32 on The Pop Indicator Chart and holds the #66 position on the R&R/Mediabase Top 40 Pop Chart...
, towards releasing her debut album.
Solo discography
- Sweet Vendetta (1979, JetJet RecordsJet Records was a small British record label set up by Don Arden with artists like Electric Light Orchestra , Roy Wood, Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Riot and Magnum. The first release on the "Jet Records" label was "No Honestly", a UK top 10 for its singer and writer Lynsey De Paul in November 1974...
) - The Way I Feel (1979, Jet)
- Il Assassino (1980, Jet)
- Classic (1982, RAKRAK RecordsRak Records was a British record label, founded by record producer Mickie Most in 1969. Rak was home of artists like Herman's Hermits, Suzi Quatro, Mud, Kenny, Hot Chocolate, Smokie, Arrows, Span, Racey and Kim Wilde. Rak Records were distributed via a licensing deal with EMI, which bought the...
) - Acoustic Heart (1996, Playfull)
- No Compromise (2000, Playfull)
- Classic Songs (Compilation) (2000, Playfull)