Brett Garsed
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Birth name Brett Edward Garsed
Also known as Rambo (nickname)
Born 20 April 1963
Victoria, Australia
Genres Hard rock, pop rock, glam metal, jazz fusion, instrumental rock, progressive rock, progressive metal
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter
Instruments Guitar
Brett Edward Garsed (born 20 April 1963) is an Australian musician and songwriter, best known for his work as a guitarist with John Farnham and T. J. Helmerich, as well as being a former member of the American band Nelson. Garsed was featured on Derek Sherinian’s solo records Planet X (1999) and Planet X’s Quantum (2007), and more recently Sherinian’s Molecular Heinosity (2010).
In July 1985, Brett was featured in Guitar Player magazine’s “Spotlight” column, which was devoted to exposing new talent to the rest of the world. This encouraged Brett to give up his job as a licensed plumber and pursue a career as a professional musician, prompting him to send demo tapes to as many record companies and management companies as he could find. “I wasn’t looking for a record deal. I just wanted to get into a good band.” One of the tapes was heard by Ross Fraser of the Wheatley Organization, which led to an audition for a short tour by Australian superstar John Farnham. Farnham, at this time still a member of the Little River Band, was planning a solo album and invited him to be a part of the project. The resulting album, Whispering Jack, went on to become the biggest selling album in Australian history, followed by sellout tours of Australia and Europe.
Garsed continued to tour and record with Farnham until early 1989, when he was invited to the US to audition for Nelson, a band led by Gunnar and Matthew, sons of the late Ricky Nelson. The audition was a success and the resulting album, After the Rain, went on to sell in excess of three million copies and yielded a national No. 1 (‘Love and Affection’) as well as two Top Ten follow-up singles. In early 1990 Brett also recorded Centrifugal Funk for Mike Varney’s label Legato Records, an intense guitar album featuring Frank Gambale and Shawn Lane.
For most of 1991 Garsed toured the US with Nelson, and spent ‘92 recording Quid Pro Quo with Chicago-born guitarist T J Helmerich after the duo decided to sign to Varney’s label. With Nelson on a seemingly permanent hiatus, Brett and TJ pursued their career promoting Quid Pro Quo, which featured Bobby Rock on drums, Gary Willis on bass and Paul Mirkovich on keys. Greeted with critical acclaim worldwide, the pair recorded the follow-up album Exempt in 1993. In 1996 Bobby Rock released Out Of Body, a progressive rock album featuring Brett on guitar.
In 1994 Garsed also filmed an instructional video for REH/Warner titled Rock Fusion which covers, in detail, his unique approach to guitar improvisation.
Garsed’s most recent recording projects include the Uncle Moe’s Space Ranch album featuring TJ Helmerich, Gary Willis, Dennis Chambers and Scott Kinsey, the Tapestry album which was released under the band name Mojo and features Ric Fierabracci on bass and Kofi Baker, son of Ginger Baker on drums, and more recently his debut solo album Big Sky with Fierabracci returning for bass and production duties and Toss Panos behind the drums.
His early influences were Ritchie Blackmore, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, David Gilmour and Jimi Hendrix. This later expanded to more diverse styles such as Leo Kottke, Allan Holdsworth, Rory Gallagher, Scott Henderson, and Edward Van Halen.
Discography
Solo
Big Sky (2002)
Dark Matter (2011)
Adrian’s Wall
“Caught In The Web”
John Farnham
Whispering Jack
Age of Reason
Chain Reaction
Full House
Romeo’s Heart
Nelson
After the Rain
Because They Can
Imaginator
Perfect Storm – After The Rain World Tour 1991
Garsed/Helmerich
Quid Pro Quo
Exempt
Under the Lash of Gravity
Uncle Moe’s Space Ranch
Uncle Moe’s Space Ranch, Moe’s Town
Inedits
Derek Sherinian/Planet X
Planet X
Quantum
Molecular Heinosity
The Mark Varney Project
Centrifugal Funk
Other Appearances
The Alchemists (various artists),2002, Liquid Note Records
Richard Hallebeek Project, with Shawn Lane, 2004, Liquid Note Records
The World’s Greatest Fusion Guitarists, with Shawn Lane, 2009, Tone Centre
Bobby Rock
Out Of Body