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History - Gregor Stevens


Youngest of three brothers to the 3 years old Gregor Stevens (b. Gregor Larry Stevens, November 3, 1977, Northampton, UK) moved with the family to Welwyn Garden City. Impassioned by music and soccer choiced by first way due to his insignificant ability with the ball. Starting from then Gregor was devoted to the acoustic guitar developing quickly in this instrument.

Meetings

Gregor also participated of a gang, a common fact among WGC's boys. In an meeting with a rival gang, he knew Cliff Morgan largest friend and musical partner. The friendship was facilitated by fact of they be neighboring and study in the same school. As Cliff write poetries and Gregor already played guitar they produced some poetries with music. Almost at the same time Gregor knows Mike Gradas through the friend Mark Palmer. In spite of the partnership with Cliff is with Mike that Stevens begin to think in the creation of a band after Palmer to ask to both that prepared a music for a video-clip. Although the video-clip has not summed up, the couple does 'We Must Dream for Getting a Better Life' that is the first song of The Gardeners's history in a certain way.

The first lineups

After first incentive, the musical sessions at Stevens house become more frequent. Besides them it sometimes attends the neighbor of Gregor, Nick Willys. With the moving from Gradas to Welwyn Garden City the band is configured with Stevens and Gradas in the acoustic guitars (that later would pass for guitar and bass respectively) and Willys in the vocals. Soon after Cliff enters in the group at the keyboards and with Willys exit he assumes the vocals.

With a little help from father

On those times of amateurism, the Stevens father was fundamental to get some presentations in fairs, rural and political events but with passing of the time Gregor himself started to exercise that function seeking owners of bars and boates besides professional musicians that could give an equipment at that time in that Pat Rudford still haven�t drums. Ever since the guitarist started to occupy a leadership position among the companions. With the largest participation in amateur festivals the group started to play more own compositions than covers. Practically all the songs were made by Stevens (music) and Morgan (letters) with prominence for 'Words in the Wind', one of the first two singles of The Gardeners.

Drinking it all

Already with Chris Bodan as manager, The Gardeners goes for the recording of their first CD. Gregor tries not to take a risk and opts for songs that were part of the repertoire and from simple solutions. The result of The Gardeners Grow Up is a close disc of the pop in that the Stevens guitar appears timidly. Soon after Gregor and his partners taking home in London where they go by the phase of larger productivity and the relationship of the gardener with the promoter Suzie Brandom it contributes to that. Migraine Boy album brings a heavier sound reminding influences of the hard-rock and punk-rock. To take the same load from disc to the stage, Gregor invites the friend guitarist Crackdown�s Brian Stanley to accompany The Gardeners. Stevens, Stanley and Morgan together pass by a phase of excessive consumption of drugs and alcohol. In spite of the good season accomplished by band the largest memory from Migraine Boy Tour it is the flagrant of Brian for illegal freight of cocaine and heroin in New Zealand. In the summer tour by United Kingdom, Stevens invites bass-player John Cuccini to participate in the shows.

Playing in eleven positions

The drugs end up influencing the cult The Human Obiciclity is same to Transciding of the Nestery in that the musical experimentations reign and Gregor possesses great participation. The lonely compositions and in partnership with Cliff demonstrate this posture. In 'Harpha Gregorius', Gregor Stevens takes vocals, too. He also plays banbolin, co-signs the arrangements of 'Singin' Stopless' and he counts with his brother Brad Stevens playing bass in 4 tracks. A little before the beginning of The Human Obiciclity's Tour, he marries with Suzie in a secret ceremony starting a tour marked by several polemics culminating with a show interrupted by violence in Berlin. In a work of improvement of the image, Gregor and Cliff associate with Children in the War, an organization that aids children. The group also participates of a beneficent show for the war victims in Iraq where Morgan is attacked by Irish priest Cornelius Horan. During the time in that The Gardeners was without recording Gregor does a parallel project with Hammer Sharks that it would last up to 2011. In it the guitarist follows a heavier line but also incorporating elements from surf music.

Gregor Simpson

Due to strategic decisions of conquest of the North American market, Gregor and Cliff move involuntarily to California. In the participation that The Gardeners does in an episode of serie The Simpsons the guitarist's supposed likeness with the character Bart Simpson it is taken advantage in a part of the ephisody. He also composes with Cliff and the former-keyboarder of The Doors, Ray Manzarek, a song for the commemorative album of the rock�n roll 50 years besides the theme-music to the James Bond�s movie Virtual Conspiracy.

Jumping the fence so high

The disc The Man of Yellow Cover makes huge success in USA and Europe showing to the world the apex of pair Morgan/Stevens and the guitarist's presence in the co-production of this disc. The only track exclusive from Stevens is 'My Dear' dedicated to the first son Karan that was born one year earlier. Contrasting with the growing professional success, Gregor begins to have problems with Suzie Brandom because from his extra-married slipped away and when he is more followed by paparazzi suffers an automobile accident in Mulholland Drive escaping miraclely but not avoiding a fine for driving intoxicated and in excess speed limit. In spite of these setbacks Yellow Cover Tour moves successful forward until Salt Lake City. There Gregor and Cliff are took in an exam anti-doping and impeded of making show. The critics of Cliff to America soon after generated disagreements among the couple provoking a division in the group that lasted until Brian Stanley's sudden death by overdose of drugs. In spite of these setbacks the tour is finished in great style with two mega-concerts in Wembley Stadium.

Absences and obstacles

Mike Gradas's exit and Chris Bodan's fall after the tour end more the relationship of Cliff with Yanna Mason turned creating a rivalry personal among the leaderships of the band that it was accentuated with Nick Willys's indication (that was not the favorite of none of the two) to substitute Gradas. Distant of the production and release of The Gardeners Still Live, Stevens come back to Great-Britain in 2007 and participates in two tracks of singer Beck's work but but he suffers a hard backstroke when having to sign the divorce with Suzie Brandom and to pay a pension of US$ 22 million.

The breakup of marriage

The following year although with notable differences personal between him and Cliff, The Gardeners record The Time's Over almost produced entirely by Stevens. For other side he is directed by Morgan in some video-clips. The situation of permanent tension and disagreement almost that total on the directions to take in the band made Gregor to verify that no longer there was more compatibility among the members and after the end of The Time's Over Tour the breakup of TheGardeners was declared between mutual accusations of Gregor and Cliff. For Gregor the vocalist went away from more him and of the band projects due to strong influence exercised by Yanna Mason. Cliff affirmed everything didn't pass of a maneuver of the former-partner to get more power in the group.

Leaving mud

Unsatisfied with the music the former-gardener passed a period accompanying his girlfriend, the model Lanya Carmeson besides composing a council of illustrious fans that tried to rescue the Crystal Palace football team from english second division. The release of The Gardeners Unplugged motivates him join with vocalist Tommy 'Boo' Edwards, the bassist Richard Cooper and the drummer Jesse White and to form Alcoholic Blues Band. One year later the ABB premiere with Through the Door, disc with poor reception on the part of critic and public. In spite of the new band the press insisted on creating a competition climate among ABB of Gregor and Morgan solo career. Cliff Morgan's death relighted the memories mainly on the former-band when the widow Yanna Mason decided release unpublished material of the group under allegation that was belonging Morgan. The accusations of the guitarist's infidelity done by the new companion actress Vanessa Maasteert also came back. Later on, Stevens would assume the case with the singer folk Dialia Wershopper. With such problems, the second album of ABB, On the Fields, passes almost unperceived though Gregor inviting Pat Rudford to participate in a track.

Following career

After three years of battles in the tribunals The Gardeners catalog is explored finally without victory of none of the parts. With the stopping for uncertain time of the works in his band and the end of the romance and of the musical duets with Dialia, Gregor Stevens with Yanna Mason, Mike Gradas and Pat Rudford reaches an agreement and in the 2017 end they release The Gardeners Anthology, collection of past recordings of the band that includes the unpublished composition of Morgan/Stevens 'For You Come Back'. After the Anthology project, Gregor Stevens takes courage and in 2019 starts a solo career with an album of same name.

 

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