James Rays Gangwar

about

James Ray formed James Ray’s Gangwar with Damon Vingoe (bass/keyboards) Travis Earl (guitars) John Bainbridge (guitars). Gangwar are a very strong team, which shares the writing, producing and performing duties. Beginning to gig in late 1989, Melody Maker described hearing them live as “like discovering sex for the first time”. The band created sounds that cross the decades, consistently offering something new and exciting. From Dios Esta De Nuestro Lado in 1992, and Third Generation 1993, Gangwar reached a peak with the truly outstanding Psychodalek album in 1996, characterised by steady, up-tempo dance rhythms and an infectious subterranean structure to the music. The relentless beats arrest the senses and grab the attention with guitars riff that assault as they ride, and aggressive, unsettling vocals. The lyrics reflect Ray’s concerns with social and political matters and regularly involve Christian iconography, samples, Americana kitsch and European social decay. The result is a crazy worldview, capturing stills of life on the verge of a new millennium. The gothic heritage is visible and its convergence with synth-based eighties sounds and nineties techno and trance forms a complex, intoxicating sound that has been described as “technogoth”, “electrogoth” and “new age techno”. Whilst working in Gangwar, James Ray has also produced two solo albums under the name MK Ultra. This is This and Beluga Pop, both on Merciful Release Records. He has written novels and screenplay

top songs

albums

Merciful Releases 1989-1992

Dios Esta De Nuestro Lado

Without Conscience / Destination Assassination

Third Generation

Psychodalek

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Before And After The Storm

Dios Está De Nuestro Lado

Fuel

Without Conscience

Another Million Dollars

Destination Assassination: The Merciful Release Recordings 1989-1992

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Rev Rev Lowrider

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