Gary Clail (born 1959) is an English singer and record producer, and the founder of the Gary Clail Sound System.[1] He was part of On-U Sound Records (and also the On-U Sound System) and led Gary Clail's Tackhead Sound System. They had a big hit in clubs with the 1991 song "Human Nature".
Gary Clail | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1959 |
| Genres | Electronic dance music |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Labels | Perfecto RCA |
Biography
Clail worked originally as a roofer,[2] but during the mid- to late 1980s, based in Bristol, he became a warm-up act for On-U gigs.[3] Clail first released a record in 1985.[2] Several 12" singles were issued between 1985 and 1987, before Clail's first LP for Nettwerk, Tackhead Tape Time, a split effort between Clail and Tackhead.[3] "Television: The Drug of the Nation" by The Beatnigs was remixed by Clail, Adrian Sherwood and Mark Stewart, on the Alternative Tentacles record label in 1988.[4]
In 1989, Clail, billed as Gary Clail & On-U Sound System, released an album on the label On-U Sound, marking his entrance to the electronic underground scene in Bristol, eventually leading him to work with RCA a couple of years later. This output incorporated several singles and EPs, as well as the Emotional Hooligan album (1991).[3]
Clail released a further album on Yelen Records, entitled Keep the Faith (1996).[3]
In 2013 Clail formed the Gary Clail Sound System and began work on the album 'Nail It To The Mast'.[1] It was released on 15 December 2014.[5]
In 2022, Clail released Violence https://garyclailsoundsystemviolence.bandcamp.com/album/violence-2
Discography
Singles
- Gary Clail - "Half Cut for Confidence" (1985)
- Gary Clail and Tackhead - "Hard Left" (1986)
- Tackhead / Gary Clail - "Reality" (1989)
- Gary Clail On-U Sound System featuring Bim Sherman - "Beef" (1990) – UK #64[6]
- Gary Clail On-U Sound System - "Human Nature" (1991) – UK #10,[6] AUS #38,[7] IRE #27,[8] NED #69[9]
- Gary Clail On-U Sound System - "Escape" (1991) – UK #44,[6] AUS #117[7]
- Gary Clail On-U Sound System - "The Emotional Hooligan" (1991)
- Gary Clail On-U Sound System - "Who Pays The Piper?" (1992) – UK #31,[6] AUS #177[7]
- Gary Clail On-U Sound System - "These Things Are Worth Fighting For" (1993) – UK #45,[6] AUS #157[7]
- Gary Clail On-U Sound System - "Speak No Evil" (1993) (promotional release only)
- Gary Clail - "Another Hard Man" (1995) – UK #86[10]
Studio albums
- Gary Clail On-U Sound System - End Of The Century Party (1989)
- Gary Clail On-U Sound System - Emotional Hooligan (1991) – UK #35,[6] AUS #95[7]
- Gary Clail On-U Sound System - Dreamstealers (1993) – AUS #180,[7] NZ #38[11]
- Gary Clail - Keep The Faith (1995)
- Gary Clail Soundsystem - Nail it to the Mast (2014)
- Gary Clail SoundSystem - Violence (Aug 2022)
Compilation albums
- Gary Clail - Human Nature: The Very Best of Gary Clail (1997)