Glossary entry for
Belfast Gypsies
From the Delerium Archives (formerly at http://www.delerium.co.uk/archive/uk6070s/b7.html):
Personnel:
Jackie McAuley: vocals
Pat McAuley
Ken McCleod
Mark Scott: bass guitarist
Album:
Belfast Gypsies
Formed by Pat and Jackie McAuley after they left Them in 1965. Under
the guidance of producer Kim Fowley they recorded an album, which
was only released in Sweden, prior to its reissue in 1977. The album
was somewhat bizarre. Totally over-the-top and fueled by Jackie
McAuley's gutbucket vocals they played a weird brand of punk, folk,
rock and blues, which didn't really catch on. Their philosophy on
the album was captured on tracks like "People Let's Freak Out".
After this Pat McAuley dropped out of the music business and later
tragically drowned in Donegal in 1984. Jackie was later in Trader
Horne, recorded a solo album and was in an outfit called Poor Mouth.
Compilation appearances have included "The Gorilla" (taken from a
French EP on Vogue) on The Sound Of The Sixties, Incredible Sound
Show Stories Vol.1, and Psychedelic Archives Vol.7, and both sides
of a US-only single ("People Let's Freak Out/Portland Town") on the
Garage Zone Vol.1. "The Gorilla" is a good mod/R number with fuzz
guitar and distorted organ.
They also recorded a 45 as Freaks Of Nature, which was released as
by The Belfast Gypsies in the US. Its flip side ("The Shadow
Chasers") was simply the 'B' side of the first single ("Secret
Police") under a different name.
This note August 31, 2002 from Chris Cutchey of the UK:
My brother, Peter, was the bass guitarist [for the Belfast Gypsies] on the Scandinavian
records and gigs. Peter's stage name was Mark Scott.
For your information Peter, who
had played a lot of session bass for people like Joe Meek and backed sundry artists like Adam Faith
(Terry Nelhams, I think?) remained in music for a while after Them / Belfast Gypsies but then
became embroiled in the design and manufacture of psychedelic lighting effects - at first with Henry
Weill (of Burns Weill guitar fame) then on his own account supplying clubs, discos etc.
18 years ago Peter moved to the States and worked for a couple of specialist music/lighting
related companies - Peavey in Meridian Mississippi, and more recently, High-End Systems in Austin Texas.
As a result of being made redundant Peter set up Buckingham Music in Austin importing Indian musical
instruments for sale on the internet (www.buckinghammusic.com).
This site is still up-and-running although Peter unfortunately passed away on 1st July, 2002.
More information available at:
Part of the van-the-man.info unofficial website
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