Gary Thain
| Gary Thain | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Gary Mervin Thain |
| Born | 15 May 1948 Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Norwood Green, London |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass, guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1963-1975 |
| Associated acts | Uriah Heep, Keef Hartley Band |
Gary Mervin Thain (15 May 1948 – 8 December 1975) was a rock bassist, best known for his work with British band, Uriah Heep.
Contents
Biography
Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Thain was part of the rock trio The New Nadir, and with the drummer Peter Dawkins, he travelled from New Zealand to London, and once jammed with Jimi Hendrix before the trio split in 1969.
Thain joined the Keef Hartley Band and, in 1971, they toured with Uriah Heep; they asked him to join them (replacing Mark Clarke) in February 1972, and he stayed in the band until February 1975. He played on four studio albums: Demons & Wizards, The Magician's Birthday, Sweet Freedom and Wonderworld as well as their live album, titled Uriah Heep Live.
During his last tour with Uriah Heep, Thain suffered an electric shock at the Moody Coliseum in Dallas, Texas on 15 September 1974, and was seriously injured.[1] Due to his drug addiction he was not able to perform properly, and was fired by the band in early 1975 and replaced by former King Crimson bassist/vocalist, John Wetton. Thain died of respiratory failure due to a heroin overdose, on 8 December 1975, aged 27,[2] at his flat in Norwood Green in London.
Albums discography
Champion Jack Dupree
- Scoobydoobydoo (1969)
Martha Velez
- Fiends and Angels (1970)
Keef Hartley Band
- Halfbreed (1969)
- The Battle of North West Six (1969)
- The Time is Near (1970)
- Little Big Band Live at The Marquee 1971 (1971)
- Overdog (1971)
- Seventy-Second Brave (1972)
Miller Anderson
- Bright City (1971)
Pete York Percussion Band
- The Pete York Percussion Band (1972)
Uriah Heep
- Demons and Wizards (1972)
- The Magician's Birthday (1972)
- Uriah Heep Live (1973)
- Sweet Freedom (1973)
- Wonderworld (1974)
- Live at Shepperton '74 (1986)
Ken Hensley
- Proud Words on a Dusty Shelf (1973)
Me And The Others / The New Nadir
- Uncovered (2009)
Singles discography
The Strangers
- 1963:
- A Side: "My Blue Heaven" - B Side: "The Dark at the Top of The Stairs"
- 1964:
- A Side: "Pretend" - B Side: "Alright"
- 1965:
- A Side: "Can't Help Forgiving You" - B Side: "I'll Never Be Blue"
The Secrets
- 1965:
- A Side: "It's You" - B Side: "You're Wrong"
- 1966
- A Side: "Me and the Others" - B Side: "Love Is Not a Game"
Champion Jack Dupree
- 1969
- A Side: "Ba La Fouche" (MT/Jack Dupree) - B Side: "Kansas City" (Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller)
Martha Velez
- 1969
- A Side: "Tell Mama" - B Side: "Swamp Man"
Keef Hartley Band
- 1969
- A Side: "Don't Be Afraid" - B Side: "Hickory"
- 1969
- A Side: "Halfbread" - B Side: "Waiting Around"
- 1969
- A Side: "Just to Cry" - B Side: "Leave It 'Til The Morning"
- 1969
- A Side: "Plain Talkin'" - B Side: "We Are All the Same"
- 1970:
- A Side: "Roundabout" - B Side: "Roundabout pt 2"
- 1973:
- A Side: "Dance to the Music" - B Side: "You and Me"
