GARY "GUITAR" LAMMIN

PATTI PALLADIN one time girlfriend and musical collaborator of JOHNNY THUNDERS recently spoke to GARY LAMMIN on the telephone. Patti had heard THE BERMONDSEY JOYRIDERS Johnny Thunders tribute track "PART OF MY PROBLEM" and Patti told Gary that PART OF MY PROBLEM was one of the best if not "THE" best tribute songs that she had heard for Johnny Thunders and THE NEW YORK DOLLS. Adding that THE BERMONDSEY JOYRIDERS had refreshingly captured The True Spirit of Johnny and The Dolls without having to resort to the usual crass statements and references regarding drugs.
Patti also told Gary that she would play PART OF MY PROBLEM to as many people as she could.
Thank You Patti.
Perhaps maybe that was why when Malcolm Mclaren was still trying to turn THE SEX PISTOLS into another New York Dolls that Malcolm would try on more than one occasion to poach Lammin from his band of that time to audition as second guitarist for The Pistols. Maybe also thats why Lammin recently found himself playing guitar for legendary MC5 manager JOHN SINCLAIR.
In 1976 Malcolm McLaren would often come and see me play guitar down The East End. Malcolm would always buy me lots of drinks and say "Hey Gary you should come and audition as second guitarist for the band Im managing".. and would push another drink my way. I used to say "Look Malcolm thats very kind of you but I just cant leave one band and join another" to which Malcolm would always say "I admire your loyalty...and your stupidity..have another drink" Over the years Malcolm and me have continued to have a few drinks in various locations..the last being at his home in Paris and then at some right posh Gaff down The Champs Elysee where me and Malcolm managed to quaff down four bottles of top notch Champagne which once again Malcolm picked up the tab for...Dispite popular belief Malcolm McLaren is a most generous drinking partner..as long as he likes you of course.. Cheers Malcolm... Thanks and God Bless You mate.. till the next time ole boy.
Anyway my fellow Droogies back to the year 1976, and Gary Lammin is playing guitar for the scorching, no holds barred boot boy punk band........Cock Sparrer.
Lammin along with bass player Steve Burgess begins to co-write what is now considered among many Cock Sparrer fans as the 9 crucial songs from those glorious years of 1976/1977.
Songs that were and still are seared in the cosmos forever.
"Running Riot", "Chip On my Shoulder", "Again And Again", "Sister Suzie", "Taken for A Ride", "Sunday Stripper", "I Need A Witness", "Teenage Heart" and "Platinum Blonde".
At the time of these sessions at Decca Recording Studios in Hampstead, Lammin hit on the idea of covering the Rolling Stones spaced out drug dirge "We Love You". However, Lammin has a vision of "We Love You" played in the style of the New York Dolls "Jet Boy" via Slades "Mamma We're All Crazy Now".
Lammin enthusiastically sets out to convince everyone that seeing as the Stones were once on Decca, as were now Cock Sparrer, and the Stones were the original anti-establishment band, that to turn "We Love You" into a loud, raucous football terrace rocker would be a dramatic and paradoxical artistic statement........
Was Lammin right?
Well, put it this way, on its release, Melody Maker made "We Love You" record of the week. 'Nuff said!
The Little Roosters
were the next opportunity for Lammin to make a nuisance of himself... and he did....
!
Now spending much of his time either in the suburbs of Paris, or along the south coast near Montpellier, and choosing to dress in clobber reminiscent of a sixteenth century Renaissance sculptor or poet........
The French national newspaper "Liberation" described Lammin and his Little Roosters as..... "That exiled troupe of circus clowns on acid. The Village of the Damned no doubt being lined up to be their next conquest........" Lammin explains..."I wanted to create this kind of Dudley Moore meets Bertand Russell sort of atmosphere... you know.... beautifully absurd and on the verge of discovering some mind blowing revelations... it was all too mad really I suppose."
The Little Roosters released one album in France, which featured Alison Moyet on guest vocals... It also featured Joe Strummer on piano who also produced the album.
Perhaps the French newspaper "Liberation" was right all along about the Little Roosters... circus clowns on acid indeed......
Next came Lammin's venture into the world of film acting when the celebrated film director Ken Loach offered him a part in the film award winning film...
"Riff Raff"
That part led to several other parts and now with numerous film and television credits added to his C.V. and a film script that Gary has written being geared up for production. Lammin has at long last returned to the guitar... He has recorded several songs with legendary Sex Pistols producer Dave Goodman and now goes out playing solo, having crafted out a ferocious and raucous slide guitar style.
LAMMIN?
ENOUGH SAID!