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12 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, February 16, 1988 Gord Girvan is doing just fine On the brink of stardom Gordon Girvan. Remember that name. Teenagers aren't exactly screaming it out loud, yet, but 'they might be soon. Very soon, as a matter of fact. The tall, lanky 28 year old Scugog Island keyboard player is moving closer to fame and for- tune in the music business and his position with one of Canada's top up and coming bands, Jeffrey Hatcher and the Big Beat seems secure. The band's first album, on the New York label Upside Records, is getting some solid airplay both in Canada and the United States. The first single, 99 Years, is on heavy rotation at two Toronto radio stations, Q107 and CFNY, along with 15 other stations across the country. It entered the Power Trax charts at number 49, and is show- ing no signs of slowing down. With one video under its belt, e band is already making plans for video number two, to promote the next single, Deliver Me. And so far, the reviews have been nothing but good. "Soulful and twangy enough to be dangerous,' is the way American writer Dave Marsh describes the straight-ahead rock and roll sound of Jeffrey Hatcher and the Big Beat. And it was Dave Marsh who reviewed the band in the March issue of Playboy magazine, a coup in itself. ~ Billboard magazine has written about Jeffrey Hatcher, as have a whole slew of newspapers and periodicals, but so far, the most prestigious has been Playboy, a magazine read the world over. Dave Marsh, by the way, also happens to be Bruce Springs- teen's biographer. And then there was last week, a big week all round for Gord and the other boys in the band. First there was their headlining act at the The Diamond, one of Toronto's biggest nightclubs. Then there was a live appearance on Global Television's news at noon last Wednesday. And to top it all off, Jeffrey Hatcher and the Big Beat headlined at the world famous El Mocambo on Thursday night. No doubt about it, Jeffrey Hat- cher and the Big Beat is on its way up, and Gord Girvan is going along for the ride. But even if, somehow, you've missed hearing or seeing the ~ band, you may well recognize 'Gord, especially if you've ever been to dinner at Emiel's Place Restaurant on a Friday or Satur- day night. Gord's the soft-spoken English fellow at the front of the dining room, tinkling the ivories and singing classic lounge songs. He does it all on his own -- there's no Jeffrey Hatcher or Big Beat as far as the eye can see. And with his shirt and tie and clean-cut appearance, it's dif- ficult to imagine Gord in a rock band, period. | It must be even more difficult for the students Gord teaches piano lessons to during the week. Here's this polite, patient piano teacher on one hand, and a rock 'n roller on the verge of success on the other. : . Although the contrast appears great, Gord slips into either role with ease. He says he likes everything he's doing, whether it's teaching a child how to play basic Christmas carols, playing quiet dinner music at Emiel's, or banging out some rock 'n roll with Jeffrey Hatcher and the Big Beat. yoy for as it's 'real' music, Gord is happy. "I like real music, real jazz, real country, real rock and roll. As long as it's real," he says with a grin. "'I want to be comfortable. I want to play what I want to play." Not that he's always been able to do that. Gord was forced into piano lessons when he was seven or eight years old. His mother thought he should take piano, and his father, a saxophone player, "wanted me to have an apprecia- tion for music." § At the time, the Girvans were living in Gloucestershire England, and as Gord grew older, he developed an honest apprecia- tion for music, fueled partly by his lessons, and partly by the in- fluence of British pop stars like Elton John. By the age of 15, he already had his own band. "I'd just put together my first band with friends, no big deal really. We were just playing in my mother's dining room." Still, it was a start, and when the family moved to Whitby, On- tario in 1974, he became involved with other bands in high school. After that, he headed to McMaster University in Hamilton, where he spent four years working on his Bachelor of Music, and doing lounge acts to pay the bills. Graduation day came and went, and Gord continued to take lounge jobs, and worked with two or three different bands along the way. It wasn't until August 1986 that he happened to pick up a copy of NOW, Toronto's leftist music and pop culture newspaper, and spot- ted a humorous ad in the classifieds, from a band looking for a keyboard player. The band turned out to be Jef- frey Hatcher and the Big Beat. Leader Jeffrey Hatcher, a guy who looks and sounds a little like Bruce Springsteen and a lot like John Cougar Mellancamp, is a singer/songwriter/guitarist whose original compelling sound is drawn from the roots of rhythm and blues, rock and country music. For the last decade he has been active as a bandleader and songwriter, and has gained significant exposure nationally and internationally. With his first band, The Fuse, Jeffrey Hatcher (collaborating with singer/song- | writer David Briggs) toured On- tario and Western Canada building a loyal following through appearances on live radio broad- casts, TV, and club action. Originally from Winnipeg, he settled in Toronto in 1982 and reformed the group as The Six, working with his brothers Paul (drums) and Don (guitar/sax), both active in the band for the last seven years. They produced an in- dependent album and began a series of show in New York City clubs. As Jeffrey Hatcher and the Big Beat, the band attracted the at- tention of RCA, CBS, Warner Brothers and Upside Records -- all of whom suggested the band needed a keyboard player, along with all sorts of other advice. Although much of that advice was discarded, Jeffrey Hatcher decided a keyboard player would help, and an ad was placed in NOW magazine. Gord read it in August, and by September, he was a full-fledged member of the-band, and took part in the recording of the band's first album for Upside Records, Cross Our Hearts. Not that Cross Our Hearts was Gord's first experience in a recor- ding studio. He'd done studio work before (including country - demo tapes, and some jingles, among them a promotion for downtown Oshawa), but it was his first time involved with such a major project. And it looks like the work is go- ing to pay off. ~ Known as the best band out of Winnipeg since the Guess Who, Jeffrey Hatcher and the Big Beat is on the verge of success. Upcom- ing plans include another album and opening spots this summer on a North American tour. For now, though, Gord admits, "We're still a bar band. We're a semi-successful bar band, but we're still a bar band." But he suspects that may change in the near future. "I like playing this stuff, I like them (the guys in the band), and there's so much potential there," he says. "It is exciting, you don't know what's going to happen. But we're getting more done now because they're calling from the States." Fortunately, or unfortunately, that's a sure sign of success for a Canadian band. And it's pretty heady stuff for a guy from Scugog Island. Serving the Community's Greatest Needs PROCLAMATION tario on February 20, 1920. anniversary on February 20, 1988. WHEREAS The Association of Kinsmen Clubs has been a vibrant responsi- ble, all-Canadian association of service clubs devoted to the concept of ser- ving its communities throughout Canada since its founding in Hamilton, On- AND WHEREAS, The Association of Kinsmen Clubs has been dedicated to meeting the needs of our community and has diligently sought the develop- ment and completion of timely relevant programs to meet the needs and challenges of our constantly changing society. AND WHEREAS, The Association of Ki THEREFORE, |, D. Jerome Taylor, Mayor of/the that each citizen would welcome the opportunity to p pride on the rich heritage of accomplishment throughout the more than 65 years Kinsmen clubs have been in existence in Canada. And with the ex- press idea of honouring our local club, | DO DECLARE February 20, 1988 KINSMEN DAY and declare the week of February 15 - 21, 1988 KINSMEN WEEK and urge all citizens to salute their local Kinsmen club. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, | have here unto set my hand and caused the seal of the Township of Scugog to be affixed this 28th day of January 1988. en Clubs is celebrating its 68th wnship of Scugog, feel se and reflect with SIGNED: D. Jerome Taylor It's pretty easy for keyboard player Gord Girvan to muster up a smile these days. As a member of one of Canada's top up and coming bands, Jeffrey Hatcher and the Big Beat, a successful album, and rave reviews, Gord's doing okay. See story for details. SUNDANCE Glass Studio * Stained Glass Supplies * Stained Glass Windows, Lamps, Gift Items * Classes starting -- OPEN DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY -- 110 BROCK ST. N. WHITBY 430-1727 1 - 1 TD -- --S - 1 oN 1 ~ ) "The Airport Specialists" AIRPORT SERVICE EASTERN Oshawa 436-3045 Direct Door to Door Service Economical Rates