Three Friends (band)
Three Friends (formed 2009), are a progressive rock band, who perform the music of Gentle Giant. The band have developed a cult following, with original members Gary Green and Malcolm Mortimore, joined in the current line up by Neil Angilley, Charlotte Glasson, and Jonathan Noyce.
Band history
In 2008, a partial reunion of Gentle Giant involved the creation of a new band called Rentle Giant,[1] in order to play Gentle Giant material. This band featured the former members: guitarist Gary Green and, drummer Malcolm Mortimore. They recruited three noted jazz-fusion musicians to complete the band, with Roger Carey on bass and vocals, Andy Williams on guitar, and John Donaldson on piano and keyboards. Green contributed lead vocals to some of the songs.
In March 2009, Green and Mortimore were joined by a third Gentle Giant member in the form of Kerry Minnear and Rentle Giant consequently changed its name to Three Friends. Also at this time, the band vocalist Mick Wilson (10cc), as dedicated lead singer. After a short tour, it was announced that Minnear was leaving the band for personal reasons, and that Three Friends planned to continue as a six-piece. In due course, by 2011, Carey, Williams and Donaldson had left the band, to be replaced by Lee Pomeroy (Gary Barlow) on bass and Gary Sanctuary on keyboards. Charlotte Glasson joined in 2012, adding violin, baritone sax, alto sax and recorder, enabling the band to create a live sound closer to the original recordings. This line up toured Italy, Canada and the United States in 2012.
The current line up of the band was assembled to play at Cruise to the Edge 2014 (7-12 April 2014, Isla de Roatan, Honduras & Cozumel, Mexico)[2] and subsequently appearing at Gouveia Art Rock Festival in Portugal on 26 April 2014.[3]
In the run up to a scheduled performance at Cruise to the Edge 2015,[4] Gary Green suffered a mild heart attack and was found to be suffering from coronary heart disease. He underwent a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), which made his participation in the concerts impossible. Rather than withdraw from the concerts, the remaining members of the band performed without a lead guitarist, with Green's guitar lines shared between alto sax and keyboards. While a tour of Europe planned for Spring 2016 has been delayed, Green is expected to make a full recovery.
Members
- Current members
- Mick Wilson – vocals (2009–)
- Iain Hornal – vocals (2014–)
- Gary Green – guitars, vocals (2009–)
- Neil Angilley – keyboards (2013–)
- Charlotte Glasson – saxophones, violin, recorders (2012–)
- Jonathan Noyce – bass (2013–)
- Malcolm Mortimore – drums (2009–)
- Former members
- Kerry Minnear – keyboards, vocals (2009)
- Andy Williams – guitars (2009–2010)
- Roger Carey – bass, vocals (2009–2010)
- John Donaldson – keyboards (2009–2010)
- Gary Sanctuary – keyboards (2011-2013)
- Lee Pomeroy – bass (2011-2013)