EMAIL:gray@farsongs.co.uk
All pictures, text and music on this site copyright French and Regal ©2000
Born when the world was a tad greener, the sky a little less holy and a few more species than since then discovered had not yet been pushed towards extinction, a happy, latch-keyless childhood in a non-nuclear, military family with mischievous cousins resulted in an Art School drop out who laboured pointlessly to that point where creativity becomes the only mode of expression that can express anything worth, um - expressing.
With a Paisley-Collar survival instinct peppered and salted with Lyrical Melody & Melodical Lyrics, Gray has Sung & Tongued through this Hum-Strum life, gained the Love of a Beautiful wife and child and a Fifty-50 relationship with co-writer Steve French, who, it must be mentioned, mentored said drop out. So, with no complaints and the way ahead all around him Gray continues as far as his pounding chest will take him.
Peace & Love
STEVE FRENCH
Steve French has led and written songs for his own bands from the age of 14 in his native Bournemouth. Seduced by the lure of the road, he left school at 17 to tour US bases in Germany with the wonderfully titled Stella Mack and Take Four. The band - now called Howzat (minus Stella) - then moved to London, playing any gigs going with all the band members working in the same office!
Having been ripped off by a publisher and dropped by a record company, Steve moved to Norwich where he formed and composed for Private Language, a rock and jazz band which included Phil Smith and Marc Fox - later to become part of Haircut 100. When the band broke up, he returned to the Smoke, pursuing a solo career playing piano and keyboards in pubs, restaurants and wine bars.
Once again, the lure of the road led to work with a series of bands, playing in the UK, Israel and the USA with Haircut 100, on the Thompson Twins' "Into The Gap" tour with Savage Progress and UK tours with the Roy White Band, once being spat off the stage on the Spear of Destiny "Home Service" tour. He then spent a very enjoyable two years with the Tom Robinson Band, performing on a number of UK, Italian and Japanese tours, as well as three weeks as a trio at the Edinburgh Festival.
As well as writing songs with Gray, Steve has written for films, TV, radio and exhibitions. He lives in Peckham and runs the 16-track studio the partnership owns.