GAV KING

Gav first sang in public as a choirboy 65 years ago, and has been in and out of bands since the age of 18. Private Dicks – named after the American slang for a private detective – formed in 1979, appeared on renowned Bristol punk/New Wave compilation album Avon Calling, were played on Radio One and built up a live following. They split not long after turning down a management contract from Mark Dean, who would go on to manage Wham!, after legal advice that it was the “worst contract ever”. Following the split Gavin continued to perform in bands but, after becoming a father in the late 80s, ended up in a full-time job managing a dental practice. Private Dicks reformed in 2005 when Simon Edwards, whose company Heartbeat Records released Avon Calling, reissued the album on CD and asked Gav to “get the boys back together again” for the launch party. Since then they have played in the UK and abroad. One of the musicians to gig with them, before and after the split, is Robbie Williams’ long-time guitarist Neil Taylor, who also played on Tears for Fears’ smash hit Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Nearly half a century after Gav King made his mark in Bristol, he’s made a surprising solo debut with his new album, ‘Skeletons,’ released through Heartbeat Records and Bristol Archive Records.



by the courtesy of CJC PROMOTIONS