Blind Allez

Infobox musical artist
Name = Blind Allez
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Glasgow, Scotland
Genre = rock
Years_active = 1983 - present
Label = unsigned
Associated_acts = El Presidente
Gun.
Five past midnight
Current_members =Giuliano 'Jools' Gizzi (guitar)
Cami Morlotti (Bass guitar)
Ian Murray (guitar)
Peter Scallan (vocals)
Alan Thornton (drums)
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Blind Allez are a rock band from Glasgow, Scotland, most well known as the nucleus for the 90's rock band Gun.

Biography

Blind allez were formed in the 1983 by Guiliano 'Jools' Gizzi. He joined up with vocalist Peter Scallan and recruited bassist Cami Morlotti.

The band started writing and rehearsing acoustically in a bedroom just off Abercromby Street, Calton, Glasgow before auditioning for new members.

After answering an advert in a local newspaper, Alan Thornton auditioned for the job of drummer and was promptly asked to join the band.

The boys rehearsed with this line-up for a short while before they realised another guitarist was needed to complete the overall sound. Ian Murray was recruited from local band Cannes to complete the line up.

After rehearsing in a dingy, damp studio under a railway arch in the West End of Glasgow, the band started to gig. They played places such as The Venue-Glasgow, The Preservation Halls-Edinburgh, The Heathery Bar-Wishaw, The Ponda Rosa-Linwood, The Doon Castle-Glasgow, Dundee and ultimately, in May 1985, the band secured a spot at the Radio Clyde Kelvingrove Rock Festival with such acts as Lion Rampant, Able Ganz, Zero Zero and Glasgow.

Ironically the Kelvingrove appearance was to be the last time Blind Allez were to play together for 21 years, as both Peter and Ian parted company with the band and went to other projects. Ian went on to form local rock outfit 'Five Past Midnight', while Peter left to join East Kilbride band, 'Passion Play'.

Passion Play's line-up also included David Aitken (who later joined Phobia), Jim "Jazzer" Rae on drums and Billy Hepburn on bass. 'Passion Play' later split up when Peter Scallan left to join Alloa Prog Rockers, 'Chasar'. After 'Chasar' Peter Scallan then went on to work with the late Paul Samson as vocalist with traditional heavy rock act, 'Samson'.

When Peter Scallan left to join Passion Play, Blind Allez went on to recruit Mark Rankin to take over on vocal duties. After changing the name of the band to Phobia they also recruited the services of David Aitken on lead guitar as 'Passion Play' never really recovered after Scallan's departure for 'Chasar'.

Phobia continued to write new material and play live until, in 1986, they secured a management contract and eventually, in 1987, a recording contract with A&M Records. The band then changed their name to Gun. Gun split in 1997 but the original Blind Allez line up have recently got back together to play some more gigs in 2006.

Recent gigs

Blind Allez have played several gigs since reforming on August 18, 2006, all at Rockers, Midland Street, Glasgow, Scotland. Their last live performance was on May 9 2008, also at Rockers in Glasgow. The gig was held in aid of Yorkhill Children's Hospital.

Trivia

* Mark Rankin, the second vocalist with Blind Allez after Peter Scallan, was due to sing a few GUN songs with the band at their gig on December 22 2006, but due to unforeseen circumstances had to pull out at the last minute.

*'Jools' Gizzi co-wrote the debut El Presidente album with his brother Dante who fronts the modern 'glam' rock band.

*Ian Murray also plays with another Glasgow band called Five past Midnight.

*Alan Thornton sessioned on drums for the debut El Presidente album.

Discography

* "Can't get any lower" (single - 1984)

References

"http://www.blindallez.co.uk/History/tabid/381906/Default.aspx"

Text adapted for use on Wikipedia from the above site, with kind permission from the site owner and editor Alan Thornton and is available under GNU Free Documentation Licence as stated on the above page - "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GFDL".

External links

* [http://www.blindallez.co.uk/ Blind allez - official site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/blindallez Official Blind allez - Myspace site]
* [http://www.gunrgallus.fsnet.co.uk/ Gun - Welcome to the Real World - Fan site]