Gal Go Grey

Photo by Andriana Oborocean

Name, where are you from?
Tom Grey: Tom, London.
Galgo: Ignacio, Buenos Aires.

Describe your style in three words?
T: From charity shops.
G: Tending to comfort.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
T: There are so many and they all inform each other as experiences and memories I hold dear… one that sticks out was a jazz night at Hot Club in Lisbon where me and my mum had befriended a drummer and were allowed to stick around after the night had officially ended. A saxophonist and a drummer played to an empty room with us in the corner around 5am. I never found out their names, our new friend told us they were two of the best musicians in the world at the time. They played 'Giant Steps' and it was really, really good. Also, Powerdove were insane.
G: I was about 15 going to all these hardcore punk gigs in Buenos Aires, losing my keys and stuff in mosh pits, jumping on and off stage and coming back home with a new injury from each gig, by the time a friend invited me to this Los Natas gig at Niceto (I remember pretending we were over 18 to get in). It was something different, heavy downtempo loooong tunes, everything tuned a couple of tones down with the bass resonating from the tip of my toes to the end of my thoughts. We got stoned from all the weed smoked around us and the sonic trance. I don’t think it was the best but one that changed my path in music for sure.

If you could be on the line up with any two artists in history?
T: Daniel Johnston and Bill Evans, so I’d be able to see them play, and hopefully, they would play a song together.
G: Charles Mingus with Eric Dolphy and Broadcast.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
T: I’m not sure subcultures really exist in the same not-yet-recuperated way at the moment as they have done in the past... I probably read too much Mark Fisher. But the music scene around SE London with monthly nights like Steeze and later Spread The Jam was very formative for me, and London independent gigs, in general, have shaped my life for a long time... me and Ignacio first got together after a Good Sad Happy Bad gig at The Windmill.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
G: It would be great to spend some time talking and listening to Violeta Parra and her guitar.

Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
T: One of them is definitely Unit 31. They’ve shut down now unfortunately but I heard some amazing music there and it's also where Gal Go Grey had its first gig. Also, The Constitution in Camden was a pub that had a live music space in the cellar. There was this Afro-Cuban jazz/ska/reggae night there every Wednesday that was utterly beautiful and I put on my first ever gig there, they were the cheapest venue in Camden (in early 2020 it was sold to Young’s Brewery, they shut it down and fired all the staff). To not leave this as such a depressing answer I’ll also say The Windmill has been and is incredible and Sister Midnight have a very hopeful project in the works, opening a new community-owned pub/venue in Lewisham.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
T: Oona, the landlord at my local pub when I was very young, put on great music twice or three times a week and so facilitated me being able to drink pineapple juice and dance to Pogues covers many times, and for that, she’s defo a heroine.

Gal Go Grey released their self-titled debut album in March 2021 via Good Question. Listen, stream or purchase it via galgogrey.bandcamp.com.