Off Topic Eric Gales

[nobozos]

I was listening to an L.A. Blues Authority CD called "Cream of the Crop", which is a tribute to the music of Cream. Anyway, I was really digging the guitar solo on the song "Sleepy Time Time", and looked up the artist. The guy is Eric Gales out of Memphis. He's a real tasty player, and it's worth looking up some of his stuff.

 

[GWDavis28]

I saw Eric last year when he was doing the Jimi Hendrix thing, he is an awesome player, really laid back too!!!!

Glenn |B)

 

[Tung]

Eric was great in 1991, when his debut album came out. if you think the stuff he's doing now is cool, you should hear how he sounded back then. i literally rushed out and bought the album immediately after hearing their first video. It was the most soulful Hendrix but with tons of fire. When he goes for those big bends and emphasized it with the wah, it's the most beautiful phrasing. And get this, he was 16 at the time. He even did a full Guitar World article shortly after.
I have to say his current playing is no where near the way he used to play. Eric also went through a lot of tough times recently. he actually did time ( I think for drug possession, can't recall right now). There's actually some Youtube vid where they actually interviewed him in jail.
I was a fan of his younger years. saw him play on their very first tour. that was one of the most memorable shows I've seen. Hope Eric is doing well and keeps playing.

 

[jamie_au]

Eric is awesome. I found out about him because he plays the same amps as me (Two Rock)...and dude is tasty. There's a great version of him doing Little Wing on youtube somewhere...

 

[straycat113]

Wow Tung I still have that GW issue with him.I was wondering sometime ago what the hell happened to him as he was too talented to have just fallen of the planet.He played like Albert King lefthanded with a righthanded guitar flipped over with the high E on top. Well it is good that he is back out their playing. The same thing happened with Kenny Wayne Sheppard who I thought was a brilliant player and who all of a sudden seemed to fall off the face of the planet. Then I read he had taken a 3 year hiatus for a serious heroin problem, and now is also back out there on the comeback trail. Well I guess they both bolstered there blues credentials.

 

[Tung]

Wow Tung I still have that GW issue with him.I was wondering sometime ago what the hell happened to him as he was too talented to have just fallen of the planet.He played like Albert King lefthanded with a righthanded guitar flipped over with the high E on top. . Well I guess they both bolstered there blues credentials.

Yeah, man. i loved Eric Gales' playing when he first hit in 1991. watching him in a bar with his trio back then was like seeing a young Hendrix with a 90s vibe, he had serious soul going on back then.
I was almost in tears when I watched that Youtube video of him in jail. They actually let him have a guitar and he was playing for the inmates.
Speaking of Albert King, Eric's older brother is Little Jimmy King. He got this alias after Albert King himself adopted him, he got praised from Albert as the one to carry on the torch. That's where Eric got the idea of playing left hand and upside down.
Sadly, Little Jimmy King died tragically at 34 years old. The Gales brother certainly had their share blues credentials for sure . they made one album together called "Left Hand Brand", where Eric did this amazing cover of The Romantics "Talking In Your Sleep", r&b style.

 

[JasonT]

That first album, The Eric Gales Band, is a must have. One of the few albums you can listen to from track 1 to the end. Nothing he did after that album measured up for me, but there's no doubt he's got mad talent.

 

[Neances]

Not just Eric,his brothers are awesome too. Eugene Gales wrote most of the songs wher they play together.

The Gales Bros "Left Hand" is a great Blues Rock cd.

 

[glockaxis]

I have their first two cds and I love them too.

 

[metalmarty]

Great player, got to know him when his name popped up on the Two Rock website. Would love to get my hands on that signature amps of his. Has the features most usefull for me in their line-up.