GALLOWS CROOK
BIOGRAPHY:
Gallows
Crook were Ian Johnston (drums), Gordon McKay (bass) and Dave Roberts (guitar
/ vocals). The young three piece band originated in Bo'ness and their musical
influences swayed towards Cream, Hendrix, Mayall and various American blues
artists.
The
band were 'signed up' by the International Club in Edinburgh as their resident
band on their second only live performance in 1970, and worked the Edinburgh
club scene very succesfully for around a year. They were quoted by a number
of prominent musicians at the time as a band that were destined for bigger things.
Sadly that was not to be. Their management was taken over by an influential
Edinburgh agent / promoter who decided to re-mould the band completely. Dave
Valentine (of the Hipple People) was drafted in as front man and Stuart Caplan
recruited on keyboards. The bands musical direction changed to become more commercially
viable and the uniqe magic that was 'Gallows Crook' had gone. The band were
renamed Platform. The writing was
on the wall and the band split after a year of gigging around Scotland.