Far Cry

Origin: New York (USA)

FAR CRY

Peter Thom - Phil Galdston

Discography:

The more things change - 1980 (with lyrics)

Notes:

- Their music has a littlebit of everything — humor, sophistication, realism, fantasy — and a lof of two things: Galdston and Thom, now “Far Cry.” PHIL GALDSTON and PETER THOM have been writing songs as diverse as their backgrounds and as intriguing as their futures. “We write eclectic music”, says Galdston as Thom nods in agreement, “we perform all kinds of songs without worrying about is fitting an image — our image is dictated by our music.”

That image started taking shape in 1975 when the two songwriters, on a whim, entered done of their songs, “Why don’t we live together”, in the American Song Festival. They came away with no less than first prize — beating out more than 60,000 other song entries and pocketing $30,500 in prize money — providing them with not only a giant boost to their joint career but also with a reinforcement of an idea that had already occurred to them that their songs were very good. This first significant taste of success also gave them the impetus to seek out a recording contract, a search which resulted in ‘American Gypsies’, on Warner Bros., produced by the renowned John Simon (best known for his production work with The Band). Galdston & Thom have had their songs recorded by Geoff Maldour, Barry Manilow, Tom Jones and The Tymes, among others.

Phil Galdston, a native New Yorker, put together his first band at the age of five, getting together with other lots in his apartment complex to perform such hot material as “Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.” Although beloved in the building, The Jackson Five they weren’t and Phil retired from the stage for the next ten years, spending his time teaching himself to play the piano and studying trumpet. In high school, he became lead singer of The Cisum Five (cisum, music, get it?), performing at dances and parties and beginning to compose for the first time. The group gained a considerable reputation and, while still in school, signed a recording contract with Epic Records. Their first single, released in 1967, was an anti-war song entitled "Medal of Honor.”

Cisum gradually fell apart and, two years later, Galdston formed a jazz-rock band called ‘Freeway’ which performed at the Bitter End and Fillmore East and even appeared on The Tonight Show. They were also the first rock-oriented act to play the posh Empire Room at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Apart from ‘Freeway’ Galdston was making inroads on many fronts; he did some arranging for Paul Anka, assisted Columbia Records producer Teo Macero on several projects, accompanied actress Diane Keaton on “The Tonight Show” and began to work with comedian Robert Klein. Through his four-year association with Klein, Galdston served both as pianist and road manager while co-producing Klein’s three albums, two of which were Grammy nominees.

Peter Thom’s background is somewhat different; born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1944, his family moved to Montreal, Canada tow years later. Similar to his future partner, Peter taught himself to play piano at age ten and song lead for various rock bands in high school. He gave up music for two years in college — where he was an engineering major — but got back into it full time after winning a televised talent contest. For the next two year, he appeared in a Canadian television show called “The New Generation,” in which he sang and talked about topics of the day. At the same time, he arranged and sang with a Montreal-based rock band, The Strangers, and co-wrote a collegiate musical comedy, his first real songwriting experience.

In 1965 he met Milt Okun, at that time Peter, Paul & Mary’s musical director, who helped him land a contract with Epic Records, where his single version of Al Kooper’s “Fly Away” was released. After moving to New York, Peter began to perform around the country, playing guitar and singing blues and folk songs. By 1971, he had garnered a sizeable following and signed a contract with United Artists that resulted in his debut album ‘Peter Thom,’ which he co-produced. After touring, he returned to New York doing freelance songwriting and back-up singing before becoming lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the Jeffrey Ballet Orchestra.

Which brings us, finally, to the summer of 1973 when Phil Galdston and Peter Thom met, with the latter joining the former’s band. Their current LP — Far Cry ‘The More Things Change’ — was produced by Elliot Scheiner for Phil Ramone’s Touchstone Records. -