Galliano

Rob Gallagher was Finchley's answer to the Last Poets. Originally Gilles Peterson’s DJ roadie, Rob was an integral part of the '85/86 jazz dance scene. A dancer with attitude, his career started when he picked up the mic at the WAG and threw out jazz-poetry over Peterson’s tunes... When Piller and Peterson launched the label, Rob, who by now had adopted the moniker Galliano, was the obvious choice to record the first single. Frederic Lies Still was a paean to how mid 80's London jazz kids imagined New York and the emancipation of flare-wearing brothers who might otherwise be on the slide.The single was released as a pretend US import 7" with a large dink in the centre. 500 were made and they sold out in a week through Marc Lessner’s Soul Trader van service and Acid Jazz was born. It harnessed the zeitgeist of aacciidd! but without the house four-on-the-floor style and before long the Frederic Lies Still 12" had shifted 10,000 and made Piller and Peterson sit up and take notice.

This was now a serious record company. Gallagher then released a track with Chris Bangs under the Quiet Boys moniker and began recording his debut album for Acid Jazz. Fate then leant a hand. Peterson left the label to set up Talkin' Loud and wanted to take Galliano with him. A deal was done with Phonogram and Galliano switched labels. Rob built up a sterling live band that featured the likes of Ernie McCone (from early Acid Jazz funk band Push) on bass, Spry on percussion and Mick Talbot (the Style Council) and they became a major international draw. Rob Gallagher quit Galliano when they were at their absolute peak and re-christened himself Earl Zinger. Without him, Acid Jazz would never have started.

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