COGASM is a side project of singer Robert Smith of The Cure, drummer Jason Cooper and guitarist Reeves Gabrels. The first two letters of the members' surnames were taken to form the group's name,^[1] which is properly spelled with all capital letters. The band was put together for the one-time purpose of creating a song for the soundtrack to the movie Orgazmo.

Discography[link]

The single, "A Sign From God," appeared on the Orgazmo soundtrack, 1998. The song "Wrong Number" was recorded in the same session by the same formation, but instead credited to "The Cure" and released on the band's greatest hits Galore.

References[link]

External links[link]

• A Sign From God on TheCure.com Discography
• COGASM.com - A fan site

This article on a United Kingdom band or other musical ensemble is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Reeves Gabrels (born June 4, 1956) is an American guitarist, "one of the most daring rock-guitar improvisers since Jimi Hendrix - a fact that most players learned during his dozen years collaborating with David Bowie." ^[1] Best known for his long partnership with British singer David Bowie, with whom he worked regularly from 1987 to 1999, Gabrels also built an active performing and recording career before, during and since, working both independently and in collaboration with musicians worldwide. He has lived in New York, Boston, London and Los Angeles, and since 2006 he has been based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Gabrels' songs and improvisations defy genre, ranging from "hard-hitting blues rock to 21st century electronica," to quote Guitar World's characterization of Ulysses, an album from 2000.^[2] He is recognized for virtuosity and versatility, a guitar player who can "explore sonic extremes with a great, adaptive intuition for what each song needs most." ^[3]

Early life and education[link]

Reeves Gabrels was born in Staten Island, New York in June 1956. His mother was a typist and his father worked on tugboats in New York Harbor. Gabrels started playing guitar at age 13, and the following year (1971) his father arranged for lessons with the father's friend and contemporary Turk Van Lake, who lived in the neighborhood. Van Lake (1918–2002) was a professional musician who had played with Benny Goodman and others.^[4]

After high school, Gabrels attended the Parsons School of Design and the School of Visual Arts in New York City but continued to play guitar. Through some session musician work he met noted jazz guitarist John Scofield,^[5] from whom he took a lesson or two. Gabrels moved to Boston to attend the Berklee School of Music, which he left several credits short of a degree in 1981.

Career[link]

Gabrels had an active performing career in Boston before and after his professional association with David Bowie began in the late 1980s. During the 1980s and early 1990s Gabrels was a member of such Boston bands as The Dark, Life on Earth, The Atom Said, Rubber Rodeo, The Bentmen and Modern Farmer. Modern Farmer (Gabrels, Jamie Rubin, David Hull, and Billy Beard) issued a self-titled record on Victory/Universal in 1993.

David Bowie and Reeves Gabrels met in 1987 during a Bowie tour for which Sara Terry, Gabrels' then-wife, worked as publicist. Gabrels later (1989–1993) joined forces with Bowie and the Sales brothers (drummer Hunt Sales and bass player Tony Sales) in the rock band Tin Machine. Later, Gabrels became an essential part of Bowie's nineties sound, most notably on Outside (1995), Earthling (1997), and 'hours...' (1999), the latter two of which he co-produced. "Dead Man Walking," a Bowie/Gabrels song from Earthling, was nominated for a Grammy award. Gabrels and Bowie also created the soundtrack to the computer game Omikron: The Nomad Soul in 1999 for the game's French publisher. Gabrels ended his professional association with Bowie in late 1999.

Independently, Gabrels maintained a wide-ranging career as composer/songwriter, performer/producer and musical collaborator. Recordings by Reeves Gabrels include The Sacred Squall of Now (Rounder/Upstart, 1995); Ulysses (Della Notte) (Emagine, 2000); Live, Late, Loud (Myth Music, 2003); and Rockonica (Myth Music/Favored Nations/Sony, 2005). Ulysses was nominated for a Yahoo! Internet Award in 1999 as a then-pathbreaking Internet release, before becoming available the following year on CD. Gary Oldman, David Bowie, and Frank Black appear as vocalists, the latter two with co-writing credits as well.

Gabrels has written soundtracks for films including David Sutherland's The Farmer's Wife (premiered on PBS September, 1998)^[6] and for PBS productions, and collaborated with Public Enemy on the song "Go Cat Go" for the Spike Lee film He Got Game (soundtrack, Def Jam, 1998). He wrote the "club music" portions of the soundtrack for the video game Deus Ex.^[7]

Slide guitarist David Tronzo and Reeves Gabrels made a virtuoso-duo instrumental album, Night in Amnesia, issued by Rounder Records in 1995. Gabrels also worked with Robert Smith of The Cure during the 1990s, collaborating on The Cure's track "Wrong Number" and "A Sign From God" (as COGASM) as well as co-writing the song "Yesterday's Gone" which Smith sings on Gabrels' album Ulysses.

Gabrels performs periodically with Club D'Elf, a Boston-based underground dub/jazz/Moroccan/trance/electronica group led by bassist Mike Rivard, and appears on Now I Understand, (Accurate Records, 2006), their first studio recording; the album also features John Medeski & Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin & Wood), DJ Logic, Mat Maneri, Duke Levine, Alain Mallet, Mister Rourke, and more. In 2008 German label AFM released New Universal Order by X-World/5, a Heavy metal supergroup made up of guitarists Gabrels and Andy LaRocque, vocalist Nils K. Rue, bass player Magnus Rosén, and Los Angeles-based drummer Big Swede. In 2009, Gabrels recorded and toured with New York-based punk band Jeebus.

Since 2006, Gabrels has called Nashville, Tennessee home. He plays often at local venues, especially The Family Wash, a popular East Nashville club/restaurant owned by longtime collaborator Jamie Rubin. Several recordings have resulted. "The Magnificent Others" features Rubin's songs and lead vocals, with Gabrels on lead guitar.^[8] "Sonic Mining Company," a Ropeadope Records 2012 release, is made up of improvisations by Reeves Gabrels (guitar), Frank Swart (bass) and Adam Abrashoff (drums). "REEVES GABRELS & HiS iMAGiNARY FR13NDS," planned for independent release in 2012, combines unusual blues interpretations with new songs by Gabrels. Recording personnel include Reeves Gabrels (guitar, vocals), Kevin Hornback (bass) and Jeff Brown (drums).

On the 26th of May 2012, Gabrels joined The Cure on stage for their set at the Pinkpop Festival, Netherlands. Although no official announcement has been made, it is rumoured that he will play with the band during the entirety of their Summer festival dates.

Gear[link]

Guitars: Gabrels has used different guitars at varied phases in his musical career, selecting instruments to suit the music. He has favored Steinberger guitars, the Parker Fly, and Fernandes Guitars, but also plays Gibson Guitars such as the Les Paul and the Flying V, as well as Fender's Stratocaster.

He has often chosen innovative, less well known makers, explaining in interviews that he prefers a guitar without a set history and with which he is free to create sounds of his own imagination.^[9]

In 2008, Gabrels began playing Reverend guitars, made by Reverend Musical Instruments of Warren, Michigan. Gabrels and Reverend have collaborated to develop a Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature Model guitar.^[10] There are now several versions, the first featured at the winter 2010 NAMM Show in Los Angeles and the most recent to be released at NAMM in Nashville in 2012. ^[11]

Discography[link]

Tin Machine

• Tin Machine (1989)
• Tin Machine II (1991)
• Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby (1992)

David Bowie

• Outside (1995)
• Earthling (1997)
• 'hours...' (1999)

Reeves Gabrels

• The Sacred Squall of Now (1995)
• Ulysses (Della Notte) (2000)
• Rockonica (2005)

References[link]

External links[link]

• reevesgabrels.net The Official Website.
• Official My Space page.
• Reevz.net A fan site.
• [1] Reeves on lead guitar
• [2] Reeves on lead guitar

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2009)

Simon Gallup
Gallup performing in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Simon Jonathon Gallup
Born	(1960-06-01) 1 June 1960 (age 52)
Origin	Surrey, England
Genres	Punk rock, Post-punk, Gothic rock, Alternative rock
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Bass guitar, Keyboard, Vocals, Guitar
Years active	1977-present
Associated acts	Lockjaw (1976-1978) The Magazine Spies (1978-1979) The Cure (1979-1982), (1985-present) Fools Dance (1983-1984)
Website	http://www.thecure.com/
Notable instruments
Gibson Thunderbird Fender Precision Bass Fender Jazz Bass Epiphone Jack Casady Bass

Simon Jonathon Gallup (born 1 June 1960 in Duxhurst, Surrey) is an English musician and bassist of the post-punk band The Cure.

Early years[link]

Simon is the youngest of six children born to Bob and Peg Gallup. His siblings are Stuart, David, Duncan, Monica, and Ric. After moving to Horley, Surrey in 1961 he attended Horley Infants and Junior Schools between 1961 and 1975, followed by Horley Balcombe Road Comprehensive from 1971-1976. Between 1976 and 1978 he worked in a plastics factory and became the bass player for local punk band Lockjaw, who later evolved into The Magazine Spies (1979-1980), also known as The Mag/Spys. ^[1] Lockjaw and The Mag/Spys played regular live shows with Easy Cure and later The Cure between 1977 and 1979, and after collaborating in the studio on the Cult Hero recording sessions in October 1979, both Gallup and keyboardist Matthieu Hartley left The Mag/Spys to join The Cure.^[2] Former Mag/Spys Gallup, Hartley and Stuart Curran later performed together under the name of The Cry and later Fools Dance during Gallup’s hiatus from The Cure between 1982 and 1984.

The Cure[link]

Gallup first joined The Cure in 1979, replacing Michael Dempsey on bass guitar. He also has been credited for occasionally playing the keyboard, particularly after Matthieu Hartley's departure in 1980; he took over keyboard lines for many of the songs that Hartley played. Examples of songs he played keyboard on live include "At Night", "A Forest", "A Strange Day" and "Pornography". During "Cold" he multi-tasked playing bass guitar and bass pedals. On the Swing Tour in 1996, he played acoustic 12-string guitar on "This is a Lie". On the Dream Tour in 2000 he played a Fender Bass VI on "There Is No If". He is also credited with singing lead vocals for a demo for "Violin Song." Gallup first performed on the Cure albums that make up "The Dark Trilogy": Seventeen Seconds, Faith, and Pornography.

During the Pornography Tour in 1982, a series of incidents prompted Gallup to leave The Cure, including an incident when he got into a fist fight with Robert Smith at a nightclub reportedly over a bar-tab. Gallup left the band and started The Cry with Gary Biddles and Matthieu Hartley. Their first gig was at the Covent Garden Rock Garden on 19 April 1983. They later changed their name to Fools Dance, which released two EPs - Fools Dance and They'll Never Know. Biddles sang most of the songs that were released by this band, Gallup sang on one called "The Ring". When asked why he left The Cure, he said, "It's just basically that Robert and I are both really arrogant bastards, and it got to such an extreme. I suppose you just can't have two egocentrics in a band, and Robert was sort of 'the main man.'"^[3]

In 1984, Smith asked Gallup to return to The Cure, an offer which he accepted. Since then, the two of them have remained on good terms. Gallup also served as best man at Smith's wedding in 1988.^[4]

In late 1992, Gallup again took a brief break from the band during the Wish Tour after he had to be transported to hospital, suffering from pleurisy after being ill for several months. During this time, he was replaced on bass by former Associates and Shelleyan Orphan member Roberto Soave.^[5]

Gallup is the second longest serving member of The Cure, which has led to him being referred to as Robert Smith's right-hand man. He performed on every album except Three Imaginary Boys/Boys Don't Cry, Japanese Whispers, The Top, and Concert.

Gear[link]

• Simon's favourite bass is his Gibson Thunderbird.^[6] In 2004 Gibson created a special red Thunderbird bass for Simon Gallup, to celebrate his 25th year as the bassist for The Cure.^[6]
• He has also played Fender Precision, Fender Jazz, Rickenbacker 4001, MusicMan Stingray, Washburn AB10 acoustic, Kramer Acoustic, custom Dick Knight, Epiphone Jack Casady and Eccleshall 335 basses live.^[6]
• Simon uses the following Boss guitar effect pedals: BF-2 Flanger, CE-5 Chorus Ensemble, MT-2 Distortion, DD-3 Digital Delay and NS-2 Noise Suppressor.^[6]
• Simon Gallup is a supporter of Reading Football Club and draped a team flag over his amp while playing in Sydney Australia during the band's 2007 tour. He also draped a Reading F.C flag over his amp at Coachella 2009 and during the set at Bestival 2011, Isle of Wight.

Discography[link]

Lockjaw

• Radio Call Sign, The Young Ones (1977), - 7" Single
• Journalist Jive, A Doong A Doong A, I'm A Virgin (1978), - 7" Single

The Mag/Spys

• Life Blood, Bombs (1980), - Split 7" single with The Obtainers

The Cure

• Seventeen Seconds (1980)
• Faith (1981)
• Pornography (1982)
• The Head on the Door (1985)
• Standing on a Beach (1986)
• Staring at the Sea (1986), VHS
• The Cure In Orange (1986), VHS
• Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987)
• Disintegration (1989)
• Mixed Up (1990)
• Entreat (1991)
• Picture Show (1991), VHS
• The Cure Play Out (1992), VHS
• Wish (1992)
• Paris (1993)
• Show (1993)
• Wild Mood Swings (1996)
• Galore (1997)
• Bloodflowers (2000)
• Greatest Hits (2001)
• Trilogy (2003), DVD
• Join the Dots: B-Sides & Rarities 1978–2001 (The Fiction Years) (2004)
• The Cure (2004)
• Festival 2005 (2005), DVD
• 4:13 Dream (2008)

Fools Dance

→ See Fools Dance discography

Family Life[link]

Simon’s older brother David Gallup was the manager for Lockjaw, while Ric Gallup was responsible for the promotional artwork of Lockjaw, The Mag/Spys, and (following Porl Thompson’s departure from the original Easy Cure line-up) early art and design for The Cure, including the ‘drop C’ logo used on the band’s early posters and record covers. Ric also founded the Dance Fools Dance label, which released The Mag/Spys’ only split-single release in 1980 (from the earlier Cult Hero sessions), and produced the animated short film Carnage Visors, which featured a soundtrack by The Cure and was screened in place of an opening band during The Cure’s Picture Tour in 1981. Ric also designed promotional materials for Fools Dance, and was responsible for the band’s lighting on tour. Since the mid 1980s he has also been the regular lighting designer/director for And Also The Trees.

Simon Gallup’s first marriage was to Carol Thompson, a former secretary who had also contributed backing vocals to the Mag/Spys recordings in 1979. They had two children together, Eden (born 18 March 1990) and Lily (born 7 September 1992), before they divorced. Simon married his second wife Sarah in December 1997, and they have at least one child together, named Evangeline ‘Evie’ Gallup. According to The Cure’s Chain of Flowers Newsletter, the title to The Mission’s 2001 single Evangeline was dedicated by Wayne Hussey to Evie Gallup, although the lyrics were “about someone else altogether”. ^[7] Gallup’s eldest son Eden, who also goes by the name Ed Vendetta, is the frontman and lead guitarist for rock band Violet Vendetta, formed in 2004. Citing The Cure and Guns N’ Roses as influences, since 2006 Violet Vendetta have released one EP and two full-length albums.^[8]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Simon at Pictures of You