With Facebook being credited for ruining marriages the world over, for some of us it is actually something akin to an arranged marriage made in musical heaven.  This is because we ” music journos” (or fans as I’d prefer to term us here at Uber Rock) get the chance to interact with new and exciting bands plus as in this particular case speak with respected musicians from our past from all around world that we’d never otherwise never get the chance to chew the fat with.

 

Case in point, a few months back someone sent me a request to join the excellent Sheer Greed Facebook group page, this was following one of their members reading an interview I did last year with L.A Guns singer Phil Lewis, I in turn get to start some dialogue with Gerry Laffy Phil’s ex band mate in Girl who also posts in the group and “voila” – I’m suddenly in interview heaven.

 

My love affair with Girl all started when an old schoolmate of mine (Michael Barry) brought a copy of the band’s ‘Sheer Greed’ LP to school one day back in early 1980, it must have been early on in that year because by the time Girl announced a live date in May of that year at Abertillery’s then epicentre of live entertainment the Metropole Theatre I was a fully fledged uber fan, having acquired my own copy of said album and covering my school books with pictures of these five blokes who wanted to look like girls (well four of them anyway).  I was well and truly hooked folks. Sadly that gig never happened, and to this day no one really knows why, so when I got the chance to chat with Gerry Laffy recently, I just had to ask him what the hell went on with that infamous gig, you know the one that was due to bring glam rock to a South Wales backwater…. didn’t I….didn’t I?  Oh yeah I forgot to ask the question.  Doh!!!!

 

Hi Gerry, firstly many thanks for taking the time to talk to with Uber Rock it is appreciated, and as you know being something of a long-term Girl fan it’s also something of honour for yours truly.  Anyway enough of my brown nosing (laughing). Tell us a bit about what you are up to right now?  I’m lead to believe you teach guitar and have become something of an artist?

 

Hi. OK well for several years I have worked as a special educational needs art/music teacher and an SEN support worker. I work at a college, also a SEN centre for the art stuff. I do teach guitar privately and have several regular clients. I haven’t painted now for a couple of years, but yes from 2004-2009 I was a professional artist with shows and sales all over the world. It was fucking hard work, I took it quite a long way, I actually sold a piece for £4,000, several more for thousands and the high hundreds. I am MUCH happier with what I do now.

 

I notice from checking out the Sheer Greed Facebook page (which you actively post on) that there is still something of a rabid following for Girl’s music out there, why do you think that is?

 

Yes, it appears so. (laughing) I still have two Gerry Laffy and Girl pages on MySpace, but that all went tits up, and suddenly no one used it. I forgot my password so set up a Facebook personal page. I got loads of Girl requests, posts etc, and it drove me, my family, and my mates nuts so I discovered a guy Craig Bundy had a Girl tribute page and as he’s bigger than me (laughing) I transferred all my Girl stuff there and started to feed the page. There were several but he is a genuine die-hard fan of Laffy/Lewis in various combos. I also gave my entire press clippings, records etc away to another die-hard supporter Mark Brazier. I consider these two guys along with a lady going by the name of Megumi to be the keeper of all things Girl these days. Girl for some was that seminal band that you first discover for yourself, those thus affected are LOYAL. I love those people so service that demand with t-shirts and the DVD’s. Sanctuary owns the catalogue but do not see fit to go out and sell it. They could try!

 

So let’s start with something I’ve always wanted to know the answer to why the name – Girl?

 

Well we didn’t want to be called Devils Hoof, or Cockbuster Steel or whatever would have been cool back them. We liked Aerosmith, Queen, Thin Lizzy, The Rolling Stones, Zeppelin, and Japan. All that fused in androgynous look, long hair, loud guitars, flash ‘n’ tack. We thought something nice and provocative would be good. Then Philip came up with Girl, and it just stuck.

 

So how did the whole Girl thing come about? Phil (Lewis) revealed to me that you all loved Japan (the band) previously, so was it just a case of 5 guys with the same musical goal or vision coming together?

 

Ironically, we saw them (Japan) a lot, clubbing at Maunkberrys, Legends etc but never acknowledged each other. It was always a bit of a rub. Anyway a few years ago I saw David Sylvian’s book had a preface “Dreaming of Japan high places and guitar solos” one of our lyrics. He even credited us. I also fucked a stripper called Wendy RIGHT in front of them, in the audience at their Lyceum gig (laughing). Off putting. Anyhow: I met Philip via my brother Simon, who did a session for him in 1978. We got on, wrote music, developed a style and then we found Phil Collen via and ad in Melody Maker and we called the 3 piece GIRL.

 

 

 

Phil also told me a story of when you guys went to see Blue Oyster Cult with Japan supporting and they got treated badly by the audience.  Was that the same for you guys a few years later when you supported ended up supporting Kiss?

 

No, when we went to Hammersmith, Japan came on, with everyone sitting, talking; we both walked right down to the very front, right in front of David Sylvian. And loved it all, we stayed right to the end, the ONLY people standing in the place apart from the band. They finished we left. (laughing) With Kiss we (as in Girl) were stuck in a 6 foot space between our back line and the die hardest of die-hard Kiss fans. The last thing they wanted was a bunch of southern pooftahs playing Kiss covers to them, we did our version of ‘Do You Love Me’! (laughing) We were spat on from people standing a few feet away. It was disgusting. We walked off the last show at Wembley we didn’t need that shit. Who would?

 

What was the full story behind you guys getting kicked off those UK shows then?

 

We didn’t get kicked we walked. The band were cool, Ace gave me a huge bag of his picks, I used them to taunt the spitters and deriders, showing them the pick, then dropping them just out of reach. It was the Kiss crew that treated us like shit. They had this joke of getting the backline closer and closer to the spitting, the last show it was so evident what they were doing so we just said “fuck you”, we ain’t going on, and we all got in a car a fucked off.

 

A direct contrast I guess from having toured with a band like say UFO? Who were (as I see it) the perfect fit for you guys?

 

Yeah we were such newbies back in December 1979. The first UFO tour we used their crew too. Totally showed us the ropes. But they punked us too. (laughing) The last show of the European tour we were at a big sportshalles, the house lights went down, and we walked on stage. It’s pitch black, and side stage this roadie (as we called them then) said to me “it’s been a pleasure working with you” thrusting out his Swarfega drenched hand, which I naively grabbed. The first song started, I tried to play, flicking/wiping the Swarfega off best I could…But I’m covered in it. First song finished, I quickly grabbed my spare guitar… and it had been totally been detuned…strings falling off the lot. Dave (Gaynor) our drummer, they tied string to his seat, and pulled him off the kit as he tried to play…the crew and UFO pissing themselves as we struggled through the show. All great fun, and some great memories.

 

Of the albums you made with Girl which one are you most pleased with and why?

 

Well it’s fairly evident that the debut (‘Sheer Greed’) worked out the best for us. The 2^nd album (‘Wasted Youth’) was a bit of a mare, the 3^rd (‘Killing Time’) never got to be completed. I really like where the 3^rd album was going, ‘Naughty Boyz’, ‘Killing Time’ etc, but the business side of the band had already killed us off by then. No label, no publisher to speak of, no producer, negative press. I had met Russell Mulcahy, Phil Collen had met Mutt Lange. It was a matter of time before implosion.

 

What are the best memories you have of your time in Girl?

 

The time after we met Phil, until the end of 1980 was the most fun. ALL of that was fun. The first Japanese tour was incredible. From signing on to selling out Hammersmith sized venues for three shows. Screaming fans, cute groupies, booze. It was crazy. Wonderful even.

 

And if you could change one thing about what you guys did back then what would it be and why?

 

I think we should have had NOTHING to do with managers Peter Maddock, Daniel Secunda and co. We should have totally done what Don Arden wanted us to do. He wanted our management. He had our recording and publishing, but we figured if he managed us we’d never see a dime. In hindsight, I think we were mistaken. He would for sure have broken us in USA…Then we could have renegotiated or signed with CBS (who wanted to poach us off Jet). Still it happened they way it was meant to. I don’t believe in regrets, I just try not to repeat the mistakes.

 

What eventually lead to your demise of Girl as a band? I mean it was not exactly the right time for such and influential glam band to give up the ghost; right on the cusp of what were the beginnings of the hair metal explosion.

 

That was all still a few years away really. Girl’s last show was December 1982 in Hong Kong. The Poison’s etc were a long way off, and as I said. I had met Russell Mulcahy; Phil Collen had met Mutt Lange. MTV beckoned us both. Girl just couldn’t compete with that.

 

After the whole Girl thing you went on to set up Sheer Greed (with Simon and Pete) after working with London Cowboys, What was that whole era like for you as a guitarist/recording artist?

 

Well a long time after chronologically speaking. Girl split in 1982. I was already managing Russell. In 1985 he shot ‘Highlander’, while he shot that I toured and recorded with the London Cowboys. I played guitar on some almost finished tracks up in a studio in Leeds. We played in the UK, France, Holland (we did a live album at the Milkweg in Amsterdam), Germany, Finland and Japan. It was about 6 weeks in all. I got back to New York the day of Live Aid as I recall. We had two weeks left to shoot there before post production with Queen.

 

It was a very memorable time, 6 weeks of hanging out with Freddie and seeing the band at work too. Brilliant. Several years later I sent Brian the Sheer Greed ‘Sublime To The Ridiculous’ tapes, to see if he could help me polish it a little. Bless him he sent me back 2 pages of constructive criticism. So sweet, who else would bother to do that? Sheer Greed really was a second solo album that turned into a band. As it was made up of Girl’s alumni we called it Sheer Greed. A studio album was done in 1992, we gigged and did a live album in London in 1993. It sold about 11 copies, so thank god I got an advance enough to virtually pay the recording costs. I felt sorry for Zero Corp. I kind of creamed them on that deal…I got a four album deal with them and a serious advance. He wanted Girl reformed, what he got wasn’t. (laughing)

 

Did your involvement with London Cowboys help bring together the Filthy Lucre album in any way for Phil all those years later?

 

No not really. We knew Steve Dior, and Barry Jones. I joined them as they had an emergency, a tour booked and no guitarist. I had time so I did it. With Philip I think they just hung out, after the demise of Girl. Phil was looking for something to do. I bet he was thinking more of an LA Guns than a Filthy Lucre. I think it was a stop gap.

 

You then ended up playing with John Taylor (of Duran Duran fame) in a variety of his solo projects, and I guess the harder rocking Terroristen could be said to have given John a flavour of what would eventually become Neurotic Outsiders. What was it like working with him?

 

It was actually the other way around. John was always a rocker. He teamed with Steve, Duff and Matt before he left Duran Duran in ’96 to do Neurotic Outsiders. He called me just after he’d left Duran in 1997. He said, “Laffy, how do you fancy being the Ronson to my Bowie?”…Initially it was for one gig in Germany but that grew to three years rocking out. Mainly in USA and Japan. I loved working with John. We respected each other musically, and were mates for 20 years. He needed a foil after working in a band for so long. We got on so he chose me. Terroristen was a good band, and John and (his wife) Gela looked after me very well, but ultimately he deserved to be playing huge halls. Duran Duran was his baby after all. I’d say he’s made a lot of money since Terroristen, not to mention Gela selling Juicy Couture for $50 million or something.  I’ve barely heard from John since.

 

Moving back to the here and now then Gerry and as a guitarist/musician who do you admire out there right now and why?

 

Well I’m sure there are a lot of guys I don’t know how good they are. I usually refer backwards to be honest. I still like Beck, Ronson, Vai, Satriani, Van Halen. But my Ipod choices often have no guitar at all, say classical. I really like one element of teaching, which is that you get to play stuff that you’d never play. I’m not a guitarist who’s ever learned other people’s songs, honestly. But even just last week I had to learn and play Coldplay, Bryan Adams, Michael Buble, Van Halen, and even a Lithuanian folk song. (laughing)

A lot of things influence me though, not just players. My son is a great photographer http://www.facebook.com/ConorCarrollPhotography he inspires my playing often.

 

And the million dollar question that every Girl fan I guess would like to ask would you guys ever think of reforming?

 

No, it will never happen. It was talked about back in 2010. A Japanese promoter wanted us to do six shows in Japan, two in UK and record a record. We said $100,000 for 1 month to do the album and dates, a buy out and 60% of the gross ticket sales. They baulked, we walked. We’d all have got an even split. Laffy, Lewis, Collen, Laffy, Barnacle. Phil probably earns $50,000-$100,000 a night gigging with his band though, so why the fuck should he do a month free of charge? None of us wanted to do it gratis.

 

 

Well I’m really sorry to hear that as a long time fan obviously, but I have to bring this to close now Gerry, so I suppose that was a good a last question as I’ll ever get the chance to ask you (Laughing) I’d just like to say thanks for speaking with Uber Rock Gerry and if you do have any final things to say to your fans worldwide here is your chance.

 

You are very welcome Johnny. I would like to say a big “Thank You” to all the Girl supporters who have stayed loyal and helped me spread the word of our legacy. It’s really cool that so many people really liked what we did, especially the ‘Sheer Greed’ album. It’s apparently been an influence on a lot more people that the initial releases would have suggested. Part of that is due of course to the 30-year plus careers of the two Phils. As I said, I gave all my tour/press/records stuff away as Girl now feels like it belongs to someone else. To all the guys who really love it, the guys I mentioned earlier and many many more, right across the world yourself included, and many thanks for your interesting questions.

All the best to all you guys out there.

 

For anyone looking to find out more about what Gerry refers to as Girl’s “rich legacy” here are some links to check out some other related sites from Myspace, including Gerry’s band stuff, Manraze, and his art etc.

 

http://www.facebook.com/gerry.laffy (Girl merchandise available here)

http://www.facebook.com/groups/326604937359889/ (Sheer Greed Fan Group, all my photos etc now on there, T shirts and Girl masters DVD available)

http://www.gerrylaffyart.com/ (Gerry’s art, obviously)

http://www.myspace.com/gerrylaffy (which has lot’s of John Taylor Terroristen LIVE videos and photos)

http://www.myspace.com/girlsheergreedofficial (all things Girl but not recently updated, we’d recommend Sheer Greed on Facebook for that)

http://www.manraze.com/ (Phil, Simon from Girl are joined by Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook)

http://laguns.net/ (Phil Lewis and the boys. Playing at a town near you soon)

 

I still have my copies of ‘Sheer Greed’ and ‘Wasted Youth’ on LP from back in the early 80’s and just as Gerry says right at the beginning of this very interview once Girl are discovered they stick with you forever, that’s why I never parted with them when I moved my collection over to CD.  Oh and why I’ve just purchased two T Shirts off him.

 

Now if only that Girl show that was due to happen in the Abertillery Metropole back in May 1980 had happened eh? Now that really would have been been something to ask  Gerry Laffy about eh? Doh!

 

The current photos of Gerry are by Conor Carroll http://www.facebook.com/ConorCarrollPhotography, – thanks for letting us use them Conor.