Ian Gomm
Encyclopedia
Ian Robert Gomm is a British
singer-songwriter
, who was the rhythm guitarist for Brinsley Schwarz
from 1970 to 1974. He was named "Best Rhythm Guitarist" by NME
in 1971.[]
After Brinsley Schwarz folded, Gomm moved to Wales
, where he built his own recording studio
and recorded
sessions by The Stranglers
, Amon Düül
, and Alexis Korner
. He also released his own solo
debut album
, Summer Holiday in 1978. The following year, Stiff
/Epic
issued the album retitled as Gomm with the Wind in the United States
. From it he scored a Top 40 hit on the U.S.
Billboard Hot 100
chart
in 1979, with the song
"Hold On" which reached #18 in the autumn of that year. This led to a gig
supporting Dire Straits
on their Sultans of Swing
tour.
Gomm also co-wrote with Nick Lowe
the song, "Cruel to Be Kind
", which reached #12 in both the US and UK for Lowe also in 1979.
"Hold On" has been featured as bumper music
on the Coast to Coast AM
radio show.
Subsequent solo albums included What a Blow, The Village Voice (which included "Louise," a song that became Phil Everly's first solo hit) and 1986's Images, his final release of the 1980s. Gomm spent the rest of the decade building a new studio, Mountain Sound, and writing more songs.
Producing and engineering work kept him busy until 1997, when he released Crazy for You. In 2000, he returned to the studio
with Jeff "Stick" Davis of the Amazing Rhythm Aces
, plus Pat McInerney of Nanci Griffith
's Blue Moon Orchestra, to record Rock 'N' Roll Heart. It was released in 2002.[]
Ian has finished a new 2010 album project “Only Time Will Tell” with American singer/songwriter Jeb Loy Nichols
for the Relaxa Records label. They have recorded 14 new tracks together at Gwyn Jones’s Bos Studio in Llanferfyl, Mid Wales. Nashville musicians Clive Gregson and Pat McInerney also dropped by to help out in between UK touring commitments. It was mixed at The Butcher Shoppe, Nashville, Tennessee, USA by David Ferguson and mastered at Foxwood Mastering, Nashville, Tennessee, USA by Dave Shipley.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, who was the rhythm guitarist for Brinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz were a 1970s English pub rock band, named after their guitarist Brinsley Schwarz. With Nick Lowe on bass and vocals, keyboardist Bob Andrews and drummer Billy Rankin, the band evolved from the 1960s pop band Kippington Lodge.-Formation:...
from 1970 to 1974. He was named "Best Rhythm Guitarist" by NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
in 1971.[]
After Brinsley Schwarz folded, Gomm moved to Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, where he built his own recording 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...
and 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...
sessions by The Stranglers
The Stranglers
The Stranglers are an English punk/rock music group.Scoring some 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are the longest-surviving and most "continuously successful" band to have originated in the UK punk scene of the mid to late 1970s...
, Amon Düül
Amon Düül
-External links:* - Extensive bio @ Perfect Sound Forever* mainly focussed on their collaboration with Robert Calvert of Hawkwind...
, and Alexis Korner
Alexis Korner
Alexis Korner was a blues musician and radio broadcaster, who has sometimes been referred to as "a Founding Father of British Blues"...
. He also released his own solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
debut 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...
, Summer Holiday in 1978. The following year, Stiff
Stiff Records
Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
/Epic
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
issued the album retitled as Gomm with the Wind in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. From it he scored a Top 40 hit on the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in 1979, with the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"Hold On" which reached #18 in the autumn of that year. This led to a gig
Concert
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...
supporting Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
on their Sultans of Swing
Sultans of Swing
"Sultans of Swing" was the first single release of the British rock band Dire Straits. First released in 1978, its 1979 re-release caused it to become a hit in both the UK and USA....
tour.
Gomm also co-wrote with Nick Lowe
Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain "Nick" Lowe , is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer.A pivotal figure in UK pub rock, punk rock and new wave, Lowe has recorded a string of well-reviewed solo albums. Along with vocals, Lowe plays guitar, bass guitar, piano and harmonica...
the song, "Cruel to Be Kind
Cruel to Be Kind
"Cruel to Be Kind" is a 1979 single by Nick Lowe, co-written by Lowe and his former Brinsley Schwarz band-mate Ian Gomm, that peaked at #12 in both the British and US charts that summer...
", which reached #12 in both the US and UK for Lowe also in 1979.
"Hold On" has been featured as bumper music
Bumper music
Bumper music, or a bump, is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to refer to short clips of signature or theme music used to buffer transitions between programming elements. Bumper music is commonly employed when a syndicated program takes a break for local station identification or...
on the Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM is a North American late-night syndicated radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics, but most frequently ones that relate to either the paranormal or conspiracy theories. It was created by Art Bell and is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks. The program currently...
radio show.
Subsequent solo albums included What a Blow, The Village Voice (which included "Louise," a song that became Phil Everly's first solo hit) and 1986's Images, his final release of the 1980s. Gomm spent the rest of the decade building a new studio, Mountain Sound, and writing more songs.
Producing and engineering work kept him busy until 1997, when he released Crazy for You. In 2000, he returned to the 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...
with Jeff "Stick" Davis of the Amazing Rhythm Aces
Amazing Rhythm Aces
The Amazing Rhythm Aces are an American country rock group. The band has characterized their music as "American Music" or "Roots Music" — rock, country, blues, R&B, folk, reggae and Latino...
, plus Pat McInerney of Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith, is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas.-Biography:...
's Blue Moon Orchestra, to record Rock 'N' Roll Heart. It was released in 2002.[]
Ian has finished a new 2010 album project “Only Time Will Tell” with American singer/songwriter Jeb Loy Nichols
Jeb Loy Nichols
Jeb Loy Nichols is an American-born singer, songwriter, musician, and artist currently living in Wales. His music combines elements of soul, country, folk, reggae and blues.-Biography:...
for the Relaxa Records label. They have recorded 14 new tracks together at Gwyn Jones’s Bos Studio in Llanferfyl, Mid Wales. Nashville musicians Clive Gregson and Pat McInerney also dropped by to help out in between UK touring commitments. It was mixed at The Butcher Shoppe, Nashville, Tennessee, USA by David Ferguson and mastered at Foxwood Mastering, Nashville, Tennessee, USA by Dave Shipley.