Gary Farr -

Gary Farr (Oct. 19, 1944 — July 29, 1994) was an English singer/songwriter who first emerged in the mid-1960s R&B/beat combo The T-Bones, which also included the nucleus of The Nice. In 1969, he released the album Take Something With You on Marmalade, followed by Strange Fruit on CBS in 1970. His final solo album, Addressed to the Censors of Love, appeared on Atco in 1973. He briefly reemerged as the frontman of L.A.-based hard-rockers Lion, which issued the album Running All Night on A&M in 1980.

Background

Born in Worthing, Sussex, Farr was the youngest of three children of Muriel Montgomery Germon and Tommy Farr—known as “The Tonypandy Terror”—a celebrated Welsh heavyweight boxer and British Empire champion famed for his 1937 title bout against Joe Louis. His elder brother, Thomas “Rikki” Germon, later rose to prominence as a rock concert promoter. Surrounded by fame and performance from an early age, Gary developed an early passion for folk and blues music that would shape his later career as a singer and songwriter.

Farr formed The T-Bones in 1963 during the initial wave of British rhythm and blues, aligning the group with the rising club scene around Sussex and greater London. They earned a notable break when they replaced The Yardbirds on Friday nights at the Marquee Club, quickly becoming fixtures at venues like the Crawdaddy Club. Their style fused Chicago blues with Merseybeat energy, led by Farr’s earnest vocals and stage presence.

In early 1965, the group released their first single, “Won’t You Give Him (One More Chance)” backed with “Hamish’s Express Relief” (Columbia DB 7489, issued February 26, 1965). This was followed by the EP Dem Bones – Dem Bones – Dem T-Bones (Columbia SEG 8414, May 1965), which featured the tracks “Get the Money,” “Deed and Deed I Do,” “I’m Louisiana Red,” and “Jumpback.” A third Columbia single, “Give All She’s Got” backed with “Don’t Stop and Stare” (DB 7608), appeared in June 1965.

Though none of the group’s records charted, they attracted enough attention to appear on Shindig Goes to London in August 1965, performing “Wooly Bully” alongside The Animals and The Moody Blues. Following that high point, lineup changes destabilized the band. Drummer Brian “Legs” Walkley brought in organist Keith Emerson, whose flashy style soon transformed the sound of the group. They recorded one single together, “Together Forever,” which was never released. Despite Emerson’s presence, The T-Bones disbanded in 1967.

Farr resurfaced two years later with a reinvented sound and new solo material, launching a singer/songwriter career.

Take Something With You

Gary Farr released his debut solo album, Take Something With You, in December 1969 on Marmalade.

The album marked Farr’s transition from rhythm and blues frontman to introspective singer-songwriter, trading the amplified urgency of The T-Bones for acoustic textures and more nuanced arrangements. He recorded Take Something with members of Mighty Baby and Blossom Toes, lending the record a pastoral, folk-rock undercurrent with sporadic jazz and psychedelic elements.

Guitarist Mike Stevens appears on most tracks alongside Martin Stone, who contributes lead guitar to one number. Bass duties rotate between Brian Belshaw, Michael Evans, and Andy Leigh, who also plays mandolin on one track. Drummer Roger Powell appears on the majority of the album, with percussionist Nick Jones adding congas and tambourine. Keyboardist Ian Whitman plays piano, flute, and saxophone, shaping the arrangements around Farr’s vocals and acoustic guitar.

A1. “Don’t Know Why You Bother Child”
A2. “The Vicar and the Pope”
A3. “Green”
A4. “Two Separate Paths Together”
A5. “Take Something With You”

B1. “Dustbin”
B2. “Time Machine”
B3. “Why Not”
B4. “Curtain of Sleep”
B5. “Goodbye”

Farr recorded the album at various sessions engineered by Carlos Olms and Eddy Offord. Reggie King produced the tracks under executive producer Giorgio Gomelsky for the short-lived Marmalade label, a Polydor affiliate. Paragon Publicity handled the cover design and Eric Hayes contributed photography.

Marmalade issued the single “Hey Daddy” backed with “The Vicar and the Pope” on September 5, 1969 (598017). Farr gained live exposure that summer with a performance at the August 1969 Isle of Wight Festival. Take Something With You marked the start of a new phase in Farr’s career as a self-penned acoustic artist, diverging from his mid-’60s blues foundation.

Strange Fruit

Gary Farr released his second solo album, Strange Fruit, in 1970 on CBS.

The album continued Farr’s shift toward introspective songwriting, combining folk-rock structures with elements of blues and poetic lyricism. Most of the tracks build around piano and acoustic guitar, with occasional use of flute and strings.

Farr handled the majority of the songwriting, aside from one cover, and assembled a backing group drawn from the British underground, including guitarist Richard Thompson and members of Mighty Baby. Lead guitar duties fell to Thompson, with Mick Evans on bass and Roger Powell on drums. Ian Whiteman contributed piano and flute parts, while Mike Batt arranged the string sections.

A1. “In the Mud” (3:36)
A2. “Old Man Boulder” (4:44)
A3. “Strange Fruit” (4:07)
A4. “Margie” (4:09)
A5. “Revolution of the Season” (4:55)

B1. “About This Time of the Year” (4:44)
B2. “Down Among the Dead Men” (4:07)
B3. “Proverbs of Heaven and Hell” (3:28)
B4. “Old Man Moses” (3:09)
B5. “Sweet Angelina” (4:39)

Fritz Fryer produced the album with engineering by Martin Birch. CBS issued the LP in a standard non-gatefold sleeve printed by Shorewood Packaging, with front cover photography by Eric Hayes and a back photo by Daniel Leone. Farr’s brother Rikki Farr contributed the liner notes. Sessions took place in London during mid-to-late 1970 and drew heavily from Farr’s association with the CBS folk-rock circuit.

CBS released “Revolution of the Season” backed with “Old Man Boulder” as a UK single on March 12, 1971 (CBS S 5430). The single received limited airplay and did not chart. Strange Fruit failed to reach national listings and went largely unnoticed on release. Farr made a promotional appearance at the August 1970 Isle of Wight Festival but did not tour widely behind the album. It remained his only full-length release for CBS before his move to the U.S. to record his third album.

Addressed to the Censors of Love

Gary Farr released his third solo album, Addressed to the Censors of Love, in 1973 on ATCO.

The album introduced a harder-edged soul-rock sound shaped around American session players and Southern studio production. Farr shifted from British folk and blues influences toward tightly arranged rhythm tracks with horns, electric guitars, and layered percussion.

Guitarists Jimmy Johnson and Pete Carr appear alongside lead guitarist George Terry. Bassist David Hood plays on the bulk of the album, with Jerry Masters covering one track. Roger Hawkins handles drums and percussion throughout. Barry Beckett contributes keyboards and vibraphone, while the horn section includes saxophonist Ronnie Eads (baritone), trombonist Charles Rose, trumpeters Ben Cauley and Harrison Calloway, and reedists Harvey Thompson and Mike Lewis.

A1. “Breakfast Boo-Ga-Loo” (3:13)
A2. “Wailing Wall” (4:41)
A3. “Muggsy the Lard” (3:57)
A4. “General’s Daughter” (3:32)
A5. “Mexican Sun” (2:39)
A6. “White Bird” (3:22)

B1. “Faith What a Face” (3:13)
B2. “I’ll Be Your Rocket” (3:05)
B3. “Certain Lady” (3:00)
B4. “John Birch Blues” (2:42)
B5. “Rhythm King” (4:57)
B6. “I’m a King Bee” (3:56)

Sessions took place at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama with Jerry Wexler and Jim Delehant producing. Recording engineers Jerry Masters and Steve Melton tracked the album, which was later remixed by Albhy Galutin and Karl Richardson at Criteria Studios in Miami. Cotillion Music and Excellorec handled publishing. Presswell manufactured the LP for Atlantic Recording Corporation, with design by Haig Adishian and photography by Corinthia West.

ATCO issued “Mexican Sun” as a promotional single in 1973, pairing stereo and mono versions. The single did not chart, and the album received no follow-up. Addressed to the Censors of Love marked Farr’s final studio release and the conclusion of his recording career.

Unearthed Tracks

The 2008 Sunbeam reissue of Take Something With You includes a bonus second disc of demos, alternate versions, and non-album singles recorded between 1967 and 1970.

C1. “A Little Piece of Her” (1967 Demo)
C2. “Victorian Dreams”
C3. “Two People” (1967 Demo)
C4. “Concerto for Men in the Country” (1967 Demo)
C5. “Images of Passing Clouds” (1967 Demo)
C6. “I See You” (1967 Demo)
C7. “Pondering Too Long” (1967 Demo)
C8. “Everyday” (Non-LP 45) – Gary Farr, Kevin Westlake
C9. “Hey Daddy” (1968 Demo)
C10. “Hey, Daddy” (Non-LP 45)

D1. “Green” (1968 Demo) – Gary Farr, Kevin Westlake
D2. “Green” (45 Version) – Gary Farr, Kevin Westlake
D3. “Don’t Know Why You Bother Child” (1968 Demo)
D4. “Two Separate Paths Together” (1968 Demo)
D5. “Time Machine” (1968 Demo)
D6. “Why Not?” (1968 Demo)
D7. “Goodbye” (1968 Demo)
D8. “In the Mud” (1970 Demo)

Discography: