Graham Reid | | <1 min read
Name of the Father
We have previously expressed our considerable admiration for blues-rocker Gary Harvey who is one of the great journeymen in local music. He's been in bands since the 1960s and has never stopped working.
Now living in Tauranga, he did there what he'd done in Auckland for decades: found like-minded musicians, got gigs and started recording his original songs while also doing the artwork and videos.
He's also got a very professional website.
The man is an eternally optimistic, energetic septuagenerian who sings of life on the open highways, Native Americans, bars, old timers and hard times. And he plays ferocious guitar.
You might put him along the axis of Chris Whitley, James McMurtry and Southern outlaw rock bands.
He may be a rebellious spirit but he's also a romantic and sentimentalist at heart (25 Years here about a long marriage) and isn't afraid to mix things up: the horns of Name of the Father and the chugging title track; the pop hook of Paparazzi Kid; the narrative of El Bandito . . .
Rock radio would be spoiled for choice here from the brooding ballad Sonny's Cafe for late night play to the Springsteen-influenced Old Highway for drivetime.
Whether an audience catches on, there's no sign the long distance runner that is Gary Harvey is showing any sign of slowing down.
Or turning it down.
.
You can hear this album at Spotify here
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