Andy_Gill

Andy Gill

Andy Gill

British guitarist and record producer (1956–2020)

Andrew James Dalrymple Gill[1] (1 January 1956 – 1 February 2020)[2] was an English musician and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the rock band Gang of Four, which he co-founded in 1976. Gill was known for his angular, jagged style of guitar on albums such as Entertainment! (1979) and Solid Gold (1981) and hit singles such as "At Home He's a Tourist", "Damaged Goods", "Anthrax", "What We All Want" and "I Love a Man in a Uniform".[3]

Quick Facts Background information, Birth name ...

In addition to his work with Gang of Four, Gill was also a record producer, and produced or co-produced all of the band's albums. He also produced albums for artists such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Jesus Lizard, the Stranglers, the Futureheads, Michael Hutchence, Killing Joke, Polysics, Fight Like Apes, Therapy? and the Young Knives.[4][5]

Gill was noted for a distinctive rhythm guitar style and sound, emphasizing a treble-heavy attack likened by one critic to "metal splintering."[6] He favoured tight linkage with drums and bass, and unlike many guitarists shunned the "warmer" sound of valve amplifiers in favour of the "coldness" and "thinness" of a Fender Stratocaster through transistor amps.[7][8]

Personal life

Gill was born in Manchester, England, on 1 January 1956.[9][10] He was married to Catherine Mayer, a journalist and the co-founder of the Women's Equality Party.[11]

Gill's death was announced by Gang of Four on 1 February 2020.[12][13] He was 64. A band's spokesman told The New York Times that the cause of death was listed as multiple organ failure and pneumonia.[14] On 14 May 2020, following a hospital investigation, Mayer realised that Gill was an early victim of the COVID-19 pandemic, following a music tour to China in November 2019.[15][16]

Gill was often mistaken for the journalist and music critic Andy Gill (1953–2019), who began his career at the NME in 1977 and was chief music critic of The Independent from 1990.[17]

Discography

Gang of Four

Main article: Gang of Four (band) § Discography

Solo

  • "Dispossession" 12-inch single (1987), Survival

Production credits

References

  1. [1]
    "Songwriter/Composer: GILL ANDREW JAMES DALRYMPLE". BMI. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  2. [2]
    "Obituary: Andy Gill, musician, founder member and guitarist of influential band Gang of Four, producer". The Scotsman. 1 February 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  3. [3]
    Cartwright, Garth (10 February 2020). "Andy Gill: Gang of Four founder whose jagged guitar sound spawned many imitators". Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  4. [4]
    "producer discography". gangoffour.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 November 2009. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
  5. [5]
    "Andy Gill interview: Member of Gang of Four and record producer". blip.tv. Archived from the original on 7 August 2015.
  6. [6]
    "Remembering Gang of Four's Andy Gill, Who Ripped Punk to Shreds". Pitchfork. 4 February 2020.
  7. [7]
    "Andy Gill | Vintage Guitar® magazine". 27 February 2018.
  8. [8]
    "Gang Signs: Post-punk legends Gang of Four revisit old principles and crank up the transistor amps on Content | PATRICK SISSON".
  9. [9]
    Britton, Paul (1 February 2020). "Tributes paid to Manchester-born Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill who has died aged 64". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  10. [10]
    Sweeting, Adam (2 February 2020). "Andy Gill obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  11. [11]
    Gill, Andy (18 September 2009). "Andy Gill meets Andy Gill". The Independent. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  12. [12]
    Gang of Four (1 February 2020). "Andy Gill". Retrieved 1 February 2020 – via Twitter.
  13. [13]
    Neale, Matthew (1 February 2020). "Andy Gill, guitarist and founding member of Gang of Four, has died aged 64". NME. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  14. [14]
    Pareles, Jon (1 February 2020). "Andy Gill, Radical Guitarist With Gang of Four, Dies at 64". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  15. [15]
    Mayer, Catherine (14 May 2020). "2020 Vision, 14 May, 16:00". catherinemayer.
  16. [16]
    "Did Andy Gill Have coronavirus?". BBC. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  17. [17]
    Andy Gill (former chief music critic) obituary, The Independent, 13 June, 2019
  18. [18]
    Andy Gill credits at AllMusic. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  19. [19]
    "Queen Adreena – Djin – Limited Edition Neon Pink 2LP Vinyl / CD". viveleshop.
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