THE TYLA GANG

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Datum: 3/10, 2010 Tid: 21:00 Plats: CC-Puben, Gävle

TYLA GANG Official Biography
Tyla Gang were born inside Sean Tylaʼs head in late 1975. Having led the legendary
pioneers of British pub-rock, Ducks Deluxe from obscurity to mini-stardom in three years,
he sought a new challenge. He craved to conceive a far more aggressive and decibel
defying outfit with which to assault the public ear. Various line-ups were tried and tested,
demos made but nothing seemed to gell. Though money was tight, Tyla turned down
offers to produce the Sex Pistolʼs studio debut and augment a fledgling Motörhead, such
was his determination to realise his goal. Almost a year after the Ducks final concert at
Londonʼs 100 Club in June 1975, the finite Tyla Gang line-up appeared. Tyla on vocals and
guitars, Canadian axe man, Bruce Irvine on Lead guitar and ex-Winkies, Michael
Desmarais on drums and Brian ʻKidʼ Turrington on Bass guitar.
After a solid year of touring both on their own and with the likes of AC/DC, Rush, Golden
Earring, Pat Travers and the Doctors Of Madness, the Gang became the first British act to
be signed by trendy US indie, Beserkley Records. After being courted by Island, Polydor
and Chrysalis and had a fleeting interlude with UK music industry usurpers, Stiff Records,
[resulting in the zany labelʼs fourth single release, ʻTexas Chainsaw Massacre Boogie/
Styrafoamʼ], the Gang finally choose the Californian-based outfit as their platform for an
assault on their ultimate prize - the US market. Their first Beserkley release, ʻYachtlessʼ in
1977, received heavy FM airplay in the US and cemented their status as a major
headlining act in Europe, rubber-stamped by their triumphant and critically acclaimed
performance at the now legendary, ground-breaking, International Punk Festival at Mont
de Marsan, France in 1977.
Unfortunately, Beserkley's US distributor ran into financial difficulties and healthy orders
stimulated by continuous radio exposure were never filled. The Gang ploughed on but
1978's 'Moonproof', produced by Beserkley CEO, Mathew King Kaufman and Joan Jett &
the Blackhearts manager and producer, Kenny Laguna failed to appear in the US as the
label's distribution problems continued. During this period, Brian Turrington left the band
for personal reasons and was replaced by ex-Help Yourself and Man bassist, Ken Whaley.
Refusing to be discouraged, Sean and the Gang continued to tour the length and breadth
of the UK and Europe throughout 1978 and indeed, recorded a third album in the
September of that year only to learn a month later that Beserkley had decided to cease
operations in the UK. Sean and Bruce had begun to mix the new album in San Francisco
but it was eventually shelved and lost. Sadly, a disillusioned Gang disbanded. Sean then
embarked on a successful solo career, based in Germany, retiring in 1985.
Sean came back onto the scene in 2007 with a reformed Ducks Deluxe and has spent the
past two years playing around the UK, Scandinavia and Europe with that band. As usual,
one project is just not enough to keep Sean happy so, in the Fall of 2009 he set about
tracking down the original members of the Tyla Gang. He got lucky. Everyone was up for
the chance to play together again and once more, this great band are getting ready to hit
the road and will tour Scandinavia and Europe in Fall 2010. As an added bonus, rough
mixes from the ʻlostʼ third TG album has been restored from a bunch of recently recovered
cassettes and will form part of a compilation to be released in conjunction with the tour. For
more news visit www.tylagang.com, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tyla-Gang/
58180921218 or www.myspace.com/tylagang. Exclusive representation: Micke Finell at
micke@rockaroundtheclock.tv