Ray Gillen
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Ray Gillen | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Raymond Arthur Gillen |
Born | New York City, U.S. | May 12, 1959
Origin | Cliffside Park, New Jersey, U.S. |
Died | December 1, 1993 New York City, U.S. | (aged 34)
Genres | Hard rock, blues rock, heavy metal |
Occupation(s) | Singer |
Years active | 1978–1993 |
Raymond Arthur Gillen (May 12, 1959 – December 1, 1993) was an American rock singer. He is best known for his work with
Early life
Gillen was born on May 12, 1959, in New York, but was raised in Cliffside Park, New Jersey.[1] He was an only child and started singing while in high school. He played the New Jersey club circuit with various bands, including club bands Quest (1978–80), the punk rock influenced F-66 (1980–81), Savage, and, most notably, Vendetta and Harlette. In 1985, he joined Bobby Rondinelli's band, Rondinelli.
Career
In 1986,
During the time of the Seventh Star tour, Gillen was asked by project director and co-producer Wilfried F. Rimensberger to join Mel Galley's Phenomena for the recording of the album Dream Runner, which features vocals from Glenn Hughes, John Wetton and Max Bacon. He recorded 4 tracks. Gillen is also featured in Phenomena's 'Did it all for Love' music video although he was not involved in the actual recording of that song.
After the Phenomena recordings, Gillen joined
Gillen then contacted
Following his split from Badlands, Gillen stayed in L.A. and was involved with two projects. He joined forces with drummer Randy Castillo and Iggy Pop band members Whitey Kirst and Craig Pike under the name Cockfight.[5] He also joined the band Terriff, led by guitarist Joe Holmes, fresh off his stint with David Lee Roth on the A Little Ain't Enough tour. Gillen rehearsed with the group for several months before moving back to his native New York. He also went to form the band Sun Red Sun with old friends.
Illness and death
In 1993, Wilfried F. Rimensberger was planning a remake of his first Metal Hammer Loreley Festival but this time specifically to stage Phenomena's first ever live performance, with Gillen on vocals. It was going to be the launch event for a series of concerts across Europe in 1994. Gillen called from New York and told Rimensberger in Munich that he had to bow out because he was too ill to perform.
Gillen died from an AIDS-related disease in a New York hospital on December 1, 1993. He first showed symptoms of the disease around 1990, and according to his Badlands bandmate
Gillen was survived by a daughter, Ashley (born July 1984). He is buried at
He was ranked at 100 on Hit Parader's Top 100 Metal Vocalists.[citation needed]
Discography
Year | Band | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1980 | F-66 | "Give It a Try" b/w "It Doesn't Matter"
|
7' single |
1986 | Black Sabbath | Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, 2nd June 1986 | Seventh Star 2010 deluxe edition disc 2 |
1987 | Black Sabbath | The Eternal Idol | Sinister laugh on "Nightmare" & 2010 deluxe edition disc 2 |
1987 | Phenomena | Dream Runner | Vocals on "Stop", "No Retreat – No Surrender", "Move – You Lose" & "Emotion Mama" |
1987 | Savatage | Hall of the Mountain King | Backing vocals on "Strange Wings" |
1988 | Blue Murder | It's Too Late (demo) | |
1989 | Raging Slab | Raging Slab | Backing vocals on "Shiny Mama" |
1989 | Badlands
|
Badlands | |
1991 | Badlands | Voodoo Highway | |
1993 | George Lynch | Sacred Groove | Vocal on "Flesh and Blood" |
1993 | Atsushi Yokozeki Project | Raid | Vocal on "Heartbreak" |
1995 | Sun Red Sun | Sun Red Sun
|
|
1996 | Rondinelli | Wardance | Recorded circa 1985 |
1998 | Badlands | Dusk | Recorded in 1992–1993 |
1998 | Ray Gillen | 5th Anniversary Memorial Tribute | Studio outtakes from the 1993 Sun Red Sun sessions |
References
- The Record, August 14, 1991. Accessed March 2, 2011. "Ray Gillen remembers those late-Seventies afternoons as if they were yesterday. 'I'd get home from school, turn on the stereo or radio, and sing along', says the former Cliffside Park resident."
- ^ a b "JAKE E. LEE: RAY GILLEN 'Never Told Me' He Had AIDS". Blabbermouth.net. January 23, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
- ^ a b "Oldschool Sunday: BADLANDS – Riff Relevant". riffrelevant.com. May 13, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ "Ray Gillen and Badlands: When Rock Bands Split Up In Front Of An Audience". everyrecordtellsastory.com. December 1, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ "Ray Gillen, Whitey Kirst, Randy Castillo, Kreg Pike – cockfight – cant get enough.avi". YouTube. August 29, 1990. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2014.