Quarantine - Latest Witness News

Gerard will see his first full debut release this summer, when 'Potions' hits the shops worldwide on the 4th July. The album can currently be pre ordered through Amazon or Gerard's website at www.gerardstarkie.co.uk

For anyone on Facebook, please search for and 'like' Gerards official page for up to date information on the album and tour.

Gerard and Ray will play another gig in Hong Kong this Saturday at the Fringe venue. They are also scheduled to do some recording before Gerard returns back to the UK.

Rob Partridge of Coalition, former manager of Witness and more recently, of Gerard's solo career died recently after a long battle with cancer. Rob was always a great help to me and this website, those of you that have been around since the beginning will remember the interview he did for the site and his regular posts on the messageboard. He'll be greatly missed by all that knew him. For a full obituary go to the Guardian site here.

Gerard and Ray are to reunite to play a special one off gig in Hong Kong next month. They play the Grappas Cellar Bar on the 13th September. Gerard will also be playing a solo gig in Hong Kong a few days later.

Gerards long awaited debut solo album, titled Drawbridge is finally available. As a thankyou to the fans for supporting him all thius time, Gerard has put the album up for free download. It can be downloaded on his Myspace site at www.myspace.com/gerardstarkie

Meanwhile a brand new track is being recorded for limited release at the end of October and a solo tour will follow on the first week of November.

Gerards debut solo album is now been completed and mastered. It will consist of the following tracks: Mountain Of Pigs, The Script, Hideout. Get A Load Of This, Potions, One Is What One Is, The Recovery, Wrong Song, The Wisest Man Underground, Sign Off.

The title of the album and artwork are currently being finalised. Details of the availability and release date of the album will be announced soon

In the meantime you can see Gerard support Marah at the Barfly in Camden on the 28th September. Tickets £10.

The following review appeared in the Bristol Evening Post (Keith Clarke), reviewing the support slot with Sara Lee Guthrie last month:

"...Supporting was Gerard Starkie, accompanied by Dylan Keeton - in other words one half of the Wigan band Witness. Starkie, who these days lives in Redland , has a stunning voice with a nice vibrato, writes well and is a compelling performer of his often death - obssesed songs."

Gerard is to play 2 gigs in Bristol (see tour page) during April whilst returning to the studio to add the finishing touches to his solo album.

A UK tour is currently in the pipeline and dates will appear here as soon as they are confirmed. The tour will coincide with the release of Gerard's solo album which will be released independently and be available to buy at all the gigs.

The album is to comprise of a mixture of solo acoustic tracks and full band tracks, taking in material from old Witness demos to brand new stuff.

Gerard plays his first major solo gig on March 1st supporting Sarah Lee Guthrie (grandaughter of Woodie). Gerard will be playing with Dylan Keeton. The gig is at St Bonaventures in Bristol. More details to come soon. Fans of Witness are urged to go along to support Gerard in his new venture and get the chance to hear his new material.