Born on 10 May: Gary Daly, China Crisis' poignant voice

He was born in 1962 in Kirkby, Merseyside, a few miles from Liverpool.

With his partner, guitarist Eddie Lundon, he founded China Crisis in 1979 during the rise of new wave. Contrary to the simplistic melodies of the time, set against repetitive drum machines, the band has always preferred sophisticated atmospheric sounds that draw as much from pop as from jazz. The titles of their early albums, "Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms, Some People Think It’s Fun To Entertain" (1982) or "Working With Fire And Steel - Possible Pop Songs Volume Two" (1983), could almost serve as subjects for an English literature essay!

Gentle and often melancholic, Gary’s voice, also the group's lyricist, certainly adds to the uniqueness of their demanding yet accessible music. Never overly sweet but sometimes slightly subversive, their songs even managed to reach a wide audience in the mid-80s with hits such as "Christian" (1982), "Wishful Thinking" (1983) and "Black Man Ray", from their third album "Flaunt The Imperfection" (1985). A title that perfectly sums up their artistic intent: to set the bar as high as possible, all the while knowing that they may not quite reach it. Or not completely...

With only seven albums in four decades, China Crisis has eventually left some time for Gary to pursue a few personal projects. When he gave me "Gone From Here" (2019), he first asked me what I thought of the cover he designed himself, and especially about the bizarre-shaped stickers he was so proud of. Classic Gary!

(MH with Stéphane Soupart - Photo: © Etienne Tordoir)

Photo: Gary Daly (centre) with China Crisis wandering in Josaphat Park, Brussels (Belgium) in April 1985