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| GARY FARR & THE T-BONES-Give All She's Got/Don't Stop And Stare US Epic 5-9832 1965 |
Poor Giorgio Gomelsky. The Georgian (the one that was formerly a part of the USSR) born impresario/manager/film maker lost the Stones to A.L.O. when he flew back to Switzerland to bury a parent, and then lost The Yardbirds to Simon Napier Bell. But then there was Gary Farr & The T-Bones, fronted by son of famous boxer Tommy Farr, who stuck with Giorgio through the Sixties. They were treading the boards in London earning a reputation as "Musician's musicians" who faithfully gigged at all the legendary U.K. 60's r&b haunts and much like The Action (who were coincidentally managed by Farr's brother Rikki) and like The Action were regulars at London's Marquee Club (logging in an astounding 96 performances there between '64-'66!). Farr (with backing by The T-Bones , NOT to be confused with the American band of the same name) produced three singles and a rare as hell 7" E.P. in the U.K. on Columbia between '64-'65, including today's subject, "Give All She's Got", which was his final U.K. 45 for Columbia (DB 7608 June 1965).
It was also his only 45 released in the States with The T-Bones issued a month later than the U.K. (American's also got a glimpse of the band in action bludgeoning "Wooly Bully" on the ABC-TV special "Shindig Goes To London", filmed at the Richmond Jazz & Blues festival).
"Give All She's Got" is more of a ballad of sorts, though it's down trodden tempo and dirge like delivery reminds me of Them in one of their more sentimental moments or a track from The Moody Blue's debut LP (especially the piano, backing vocals and that held note at the very end!). Farr belts it out but it's just not a great number that requires repeated listening.
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| Gary and the boys on "Ready! Steady! Go! June 11, 1965 |
Since Gomelsky played fast and loose with licensing, Gary Farr & The T-Bone's material has been issued in a host of places and formats, most of which are shoddy and dodgy (much like The Yardbirds material he controlled) so these tracks pop up on a variety of suspect collections.
As an aside, when Gomelsky started his Marmalade label Farr released two singles on it as well as his excellent 1969 debut solo LP "Take Something With You" (with help from former members of The Action providing backing and their former led singer Reggie King handling production).
Hear "Give All She's Got":
Hear "Don't Stop And Stare":
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