Gary Duncan
Encyclopedia
Gary Duncan is an American
musician
, once guitarist
with The Brogues
, then most notably with Quicksilver Messenger Service
, where the complex interplay between himself and fellow-guitarist John Cipollina
did much to define the unique sound of that San Francisco
based band
.
. It was with The Brogues that he adopted the stage name Gary Duncan. He stayed with them until they broke up in 1965.
in December 1965 at The Matrix
. The complex guitar interplay between Duncan and John Cippolina had a big influence on the sound of psychedelic rock
. In early 1969, after recording
two album
s, Duncan left Quicksilver and as he describes it, "I left for a year and rode motorcycles and lived in New York
and Los Angeles
and just kind of went crazy for about a year."
By the beginning of 1970 Duncan rejoined Quicksilver Messenger Service along with singer/guitarist Dino Valenti which pushed the group toward a more folk rock
sound. By 1971 the original group had splintered with Cippolina, David Freiberg
and Nicky Hopkins
all leaving Duncan, Elmore and Valenti to perform as Quicksilver Messenger Service until the end of the 1970s.
was attacked. After that Duncan recalls there were no more shows to play and he tore down his home studio
for financial reasons. He says: "I tore the Studio apart by myself... no help from any of my friends... in fact not even a word... they all came and got the stuff they had stored and left the stuff they didn’t want so I could haul it away and they just never spoke to me again..."
Duncan walked away from the music industry for the next few years until 2004, when he began releasing music from his Quicksilver band in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2006 Duncan reunited with Freiberg and began touring again as the Quicksilver Messenger Service. They still perform today.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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....
, once guitarist
Guitarist
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...
with The Brogues
The Brogues
The Brogues was a Merced, California band formed in 1964 by Eddie Rodrigues , Rick Campbell , Greg Elmore and Bill Whittington...
, then most notably with Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in San Francisco.-Introduction:Quicksilver Messenger Service gained wide popularity in the Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe and several of their albums ranked...
, where the complex interplay between himself and fellow-guitarist John Cipollina
John Cipollina
John Cipollina was a guitarist best known for his role as a founder and the lead guitarist of the prominent San Francisco rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service...
did much to define the unique sound of that San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
based band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
.
Early life and musical career
It was in 1964 when (as Gary Cole) he joined The Brogues and met future Quicksilver Messenger Service drummer Greg ElmoreGreg Elmore
Greg Elmore is an American drummer, formerly with The Brogues and the San Francisco rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service....
. It was with The Brogues that he adopted the stage name Gary Duncan. He stayed with them until they broke up in 1965.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
In late 1965 Duncan received a call from John Cippolina offering an audition for himself and fellow Brogues member Greg Elmore to join Quicksilver Messenger Service. The group played its first gigConcert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
in December 1965 at The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
. The complex guitar interplay between Duncan and John Cippolina had a big influence on the sound of psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
. In early 1969, after recording
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...
two 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...
s, Duncan left Quicksilver and as he describes it, "I left for a year and rode motorcycles and lived in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and just kind of went crazy for about a year."
By the beginning of 1970 Duncan rejoined Quicksilver Messenger Service along with singer/guitarist Dino Valenti which pushed the group toward a more folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
sound. By 1971 the original group had splintered with Cippolina, David Freiberg
David Freiberg
David Freiberg is an American musician. He was vocalist and/or bass guitar player with Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.-Career:...
and Nicky Hopkins
Nicky Hopkins
Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
all leaving Duncan, Elmore and Valenti to perform as Quicksilver Messenger Service until the end of the 1970s.
After Quicksilver
In the mid-1980s Duncan revived the Quicksilver name and began touring with his own band even releasing an album, Peace by Piece. He released a few more albums into the 1990s with the Quicksilver name but he is the only original member in the group (except David Freiberg who guested on some tracks). He began touring with a four piece band up until 2001 when the World Trade CenterWorld Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
was attacked. After that Duncan recalls there were no more shows to play and he tore down his home studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
for financial reasons. He says: "I tore the Studio apart by myself... no help from any of my friends... in fact not even a word... they all came and got the stuff they had stored and left the stuff they didn’t want so I could haul it away and they just never spoke to me again..."
Duncan walked away from the music industry for the next few years until 2004, when he began releasing music from his Quicksilver band in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2006 Duncan reunited with Freiberg and began touring again as the Quicksilver Messenger Service. They still perform today.
with Quicksilver Messenger Service
- Quicksilver Messenger ServiceQuicksilver Messenger Service (album)Quicksilver Messenger Service is the debut album of Quicksilver Messenger Service, released in 1968.-History:This was Quicksilver Messenger Service's first album, although they had already produced two songs for the soundtrack of the 1968 movie Revolution...
(1968) - Happy TrailsHappy Trails (album)Happy Trails is the second album of the American band Quicksilver Messenger Service.Happy Trails consists mainly of a performance cover of Bo Diddley's - aka Ellas McDaniel - "Who Do You Love?" spread out over 25 minutes...
(1969) - Shady Grove (1970)
- Just for Love (1970)
- What About Me (1970)
- QuicksilverQuicksilver (album)Quicksilver is the sixth album by American psychedelic rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service. Released in November 1971, it was the first album without original members John Cipollina and David Freiberg. Nicky Hopkins had also left at this point to continue his successful journeyman career. Only...
(1971) - Comin' Thru (1972)
- Solid Silver (1975)
with Gary Duncan's Quicksilver
- Peace by PiecePeace By PiecePeace by Piece is the ninth album by American psychedelic rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service and the first to be released with guitarist Gary Duncan at the sole command...
(1986) - Shape Shifter (1996)
- Live at Field Stone (1997)