The Gass

After forming in the early 1960s as The Senators then becoming the Creators they became known as The Gass in 1965{{Cite news| first = | last = | author-link =| author = | title = Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush Gazette and Post| url = | format = | work = | publisher = | pages = | page =7| date =2 June 1966| access-date = | language = | quote = }} with the original line up of Robert Tench as bass player and lead vocalist, percussionist Errol McLean with his brother drummer and vocalist Godfrey McLean.{{Cite news| first = | last = | author-link =| author = | title = The Gass, Westminster and Pimlico News| url = | format = | work = | publisher = | pages = | page =7| date =12 August 1966| access-date = | language = | quote = }} Saxophonist Humphrey Oka and guitarist Alan Roskams were also added to the lineup. Tench soon became began contributing guitar and keyboard parts as well.{{cite book| author=Joynson, Vernon| title=The Tapestry of Delights – The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and Progressive Eras|publisher=Borderline|page=325}}{{cite book|author=Leslie Fran|title=Interview with Bobby Tench|publisher=Blues In Britain|pages=18, 19, 20 Vol 1 issue 94|date=2009-01-28}} As their music progressed the line up changed and between 1965 and 1967 they released singles on the Parlophone and CBS labels.{{cite web| url=http://www.45cat.com/artist/the-gass|title=The Gass discography| publisher=45cat.com| accessdate=2015-01-30}}

The band played at clubs and venues throughout the UK and at fashionable music venues in London's Soho{{cite web| url=https://thestrangebrew.co.uk/articles/mike-piggott|title=British rock music from the mid 60s onwards. Mike Pigott/Gass| author=Warburton, Nick| publisher= thestrangebrew.co.uk| accessdate=2018-11-23}} such as The Ad Lib club,{{cite web| url=https://www.timeout.com/london/music/features/1772/Ad_Lib_club-It_happened_here.html#articleAfterMpu|title=It Happened Here| author=Cramp Nathaniel| publisher=timeout.com| accessdate=2009-01-28}} The Flamingo and the Bag O'Nails. Eric Burdon sang with them at The Scotch of St James where they were employed as the house band and Jimi Hendrix jammed with them. During 1968 they were supporting bands such as Led Zeppelin.{{cite web| url=http://personal.ph.surrey.ac.uk/~phs1wc/brianmay/LedZepSurrey.html|title=The University of Surrey was where Led Zeppelin first played...on 25 October 1968| publisher=personal.ph.surrey.ac.uk| accessdate=2014-01-13}} In 1969 they became the house band for the rock musical Catch My Soul-Rock Othello produced by Jack Good{{cite web| url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/574989/index.html|title=Jack Good|author=Vahimagi, Tise| publisher=screenonline.org.uk| accessdate=2009-04-18}} and their participation was billed as 'music interpreted by Gass'.{{cite web| url=https://50.roundhouse.org.uk/content-items/catch-soul-pictures|title=The Roundhouse in pictures celebrating 50yrs-Catch my Soul|author=Kerr, Emily| publisher=50.roundhouse.org.uk| accessdate=2019-05-01}}

By this period the band were known simply as Gass{{cite book|author=Hjort, Christopher|publisher=Jawbone Press, 2007|title=Strange Brew: Eric Clapton & the British Blues Boom, 1965-1970|page=[https://archive.org/details/strangebrewericc00hjor/page/315 315]|isbn=9781906002008|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/strangebrewericc00hjor/page/315}} and they released their first album Juju (1970){{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/artists/gass|title=Gass album Juju|publisher=nme.com|accessdate=2009-01-22}} which featured guitarist Peter Green.{{cite web|url=http://www.fmlegacy.com/Bios/biopeter.html|author1=Freedland, Jan|author2=Fitzgerald, John|name-list-style=amp|title=Peter Green|publisher=fmlegacy.com|accessdate=2009-01-22|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428011827/http://www.fmlegacy.com/Bios/biopeter.html|archivedate=28 April 2009|df=dmy-all}} In the same year Godfrey McLean appeared on Peter Green's End of the Game (1970). Gass were also featured on the album Catch My Soul (1971),{{cite web| url=http://home.online.no/~frodebye/dana_gillespie/lp_catch_my_soul.htm| title=Jack Good's Rock Othello-Catch My Soul| publisher=homeonline.com| accessdate=2009-01-22| url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208231031/http://home.online.no/~frodebye/dana_gillespie/lp_catch_my_soul.htm| archivedate=8 December 2011| df=dmy-all}} which was recorded with the original cast of the UK stage production of Catch My Soul-Rock Othello.

In 1971 the band recorded the single "Something's Got To Change Your Ways" which was released the Polydor label. Pete Masden mentions in his book Funk guitar and Bass, that during this period Godfrey McLean and Tench performed at regular jam sessions with other musicians at Ronnie Scott's club. These sessions led to an embryonic line up for the fusion band Gonzalez.{{cite book|author=Masden, Pete|title=Funk Guitar And Bass|page=55}}

In May 1971 Tench joined The Jeff Beck Group and Gass finally disbanded.{{cite book|author1=Hjort, Chris |author2=Hinman, Doug |name-list-style=amp |title=Jeff's book: A Chronology of Jeff Beck's Career 1965-1980|page=111}} Godfrey McLean recorded with Brian Auger and The Oblivion Express.{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p104484|pure_url=yes}} |title=Godfrey McLean|publisher=allmusic.com| accessdate=2009-01-22}} Delisle Harper who was the band's bass player in a later lineup appeared with Tench on Freddie King's Burglar (1974) also Larger than Life (1975).{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p84406|pure_url=yes}}| title=DeLisle Harper| publisher=allmusic.com| access-date=2009-01-22}} Roskams moved on to work with Herbie Goins.{{cite book|title=The Gass|publisher=Melody Maker|issue=26 August 1967|date=2009-01-28}}

1969-1971

• Robert Tench-bass, guitar, organ and vocals
• Godfrey McLean-drums, congas, vocals and percussion
• Delisle Harper-bass and percussion
• Derek Austin-organ, piano, flute and percussion
• Michael Piggott-violin and guitar

1965-1969

• Robert Tench-bass, guitar, organ and vocals
• Godfrey McLean-drums, congas, vocals and percussion
• Alan Roskams-lead guitar (left in 1967)
• Stuart Cowell-lead guitar (left in 1967)
• Frank Clark-Organ
• Humphrey Okan-Saxophone
• Errol McLean-Congas

Albums

• Supergroups Vol. 2 (1970) (track 1: "Black Velvet" featuring Peter Green).
• Juju featuring Peter Green Polydor 2485 003 (1970). Re-released as Gass in the same year with the same personnel, track listing and catalogue number.
• Catch My Soul Polydor 2383 035 (1971)

Singles

as The Gass

• "One Of These Days"/"I Don't Know Why" Parlophone R 5344 (1965)
• "The New Breed"/"In The City" Parlophone R 5456 (1966)
• "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)"/"Jitterbug Sid"{{cite book|title=Names and faces|author=Jones, Peter| publisher=Record Mirror|issue=15 April 1967|date=2009-01-28}} CBS 2647 (1967)
• "Something's Got To Change Your Ways"/"Mr. Banana" Polydor 2058 147 (1971)

{{reflist}}

• Celmins, Martin. Peter Green Founder of Fleetwood Mac, foreword by BB King. Sanctuary Publishing, (1998) 2nd edition. {{ISBN|1-86074-233-5}}
• Hjort, Chris and Hinman, Doug. Jeff's book : A Chronology of Jeff Beck's Career 1965-1980 : from the Yardbirds to Jazz-Rock. Rock 'n' Roll Research Press, (2000). {{ISBN|0-9641005-3-3}}
• Joynson, Vernon. The Tapestry of Delights - The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and Progressive Eras 1963-1976. Borderline (2006). Reprinted (2008). {{ISBN|1-899855-15-7}}
• Larkin, Colin. The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Guinness (1992). Item notes: v.2. Digitized (19 Jun 2007). {{ISBN|978-1-882267-02-6}}
• Madsen, Pete. Funk Guitar and Bass: Know the Players, Play the Music. Backbeat (2007). {{ISBN|978-0-87930-894-0}}

• [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/574989/index.html Jack Good]
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=-Q8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA52&dq=Tench+Gass&lr= New Vitality on London Management Scene. Billboard 13 November 1971]
• [https://www.timeout.com/london/music/features/1772/Ad_Lib_club-It_happened_here.html Nathaniel Ab Lib Club: It happened here. Time Out]
• {{discogs artist|The Gass}}
• {{IMDb name|10870343}}

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Category:British rock music groups

Category:Musical groups established in 1965

Category:British funk musical groups

Category:British soul musical groups

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1971