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ABEL GANZ was formed in 1980 by keyboard player Hew Montgomery and multi-instrumentalist Hugh Carter. Although both had played in various bands over the years, it was a shared interest in progressive rock and a need for a songwriting platform that brought about the birth of Abel Ganz. The line up was completed with the addition of guitarist Malky McNiven and drummer Ken Weir.

The band played regularly in the Glasgow area and decided to recruit a vocalist as their popularity grew. Diminutive singer Alan Reed came on board from Stirling band Trance Macabre and Abel Ganz recorded their first album "Gratuitous Flash" in 1983. With regular gigs and airplay on Scottish radio, Abel Ganz were building up a solid following which was re-enforced with an appearance at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Festival which had long been the gig that launched the careers of many Scottish bands. Alan's performance that day brought him to the attention of Pallas who were searching for a replacement for the recently departed Euan Laurson. One audition later Alan was off on a free transfer to Aberdeen and Pallas - http://www.pallas.f2s.com and 20 years later he's still there!

Malky meanwhile had left to pursue his horticultural career to be replaced by Paul Kelly on guitar and vocals swiftly followed by Gordon Mackie on bass as Hugh Carter stepped down to manage the band. This line up of Abel Ganz proved to be the busiest playing gigs throughout Scotland and the north of England and recording a second album "Gullibles Travels".

A 3rd album "The Dangers of Strangers" with Denis Smith joining on drums and guest appearances from former "Ganzers" Alan Reed and Paul Kelly came in 1985. The bands popularity was now spreading to Europe thanks to a contract with French label M.S.I.

The 90's were a difficult period for the band and the writing was on the wall when co-founder Hew Montgomery, the creator of the "wall of Ganz" keyboard sound left to be replaced by Stuart Clyde. By this time the band was slipping into the murky waters of AOR rock and a 4th album "The Deafening Silence" coupled with bad management saw Hugh Carter split the band rather than let Abel Ganz turn into the monster it was threatening to become.

There then followed some years of inactivity as Hew went to ground and Hugh continued to write and record in his studio in Glasgow.

However, a chance meeting with Hew in 2001 saw Abel Ganz back on track again. With Hugh & Hew very firmly at the helm and Dangers of Strangers drummer Denis Smith back on board and joined by his long term collaborators Davie Mitchell on guitar and Steven Donnelly on bass the band now has a settled line up, which although working at a painfully methodical pace has the creativity and desire to be around for a long time to come.



Abel Ganz : Sheepish