Gary Barden

{{Short description|British rock singer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Use British English|date=September 2016}} {{BLP sources|date=February 2025}} {{infobox musical artist | background = solo_singer | name = Gary Barden | birth_name = Gary John Barden | image = Guitare en Scène 2019 – Michael Schenker Fest (48282073987) (cropped).jpg | caption = Barden performing with [[Michael Schenker]] in 2019 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1955|8|27}} | birth_place = [[Royal Tunbridge Wells]], [[Kent]], England | alias = | origin = | occupation = Singer | genre = {{Hlist|[[Hard rock]]|[[heavy metal music|heavy metal]]|[[pop rock]]}} | years_active = 1979–present | past_member_of = [[Michael Schenker Group]], [[Praying Mantis (band)|Praying Mantis]], [[The Company of Snakes]], Michael Schenker Fest, Statetrooper, Silver | label = | website = }}

'''Gary John Barden''' (born 27 August 1955) is an English [[Rock music|rock]] singer, best known for his work with the [[Michael Schenker Group]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Strong|first1=Martin Charles|last2=Peel|first2=John|title=The Great Rock Discography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_WoRAPJQ58sC&dq=%22Gary+Barden%22&pg=PA1329|year=2004|publisher=Canongate U.S.|isbn= 9781841956152|page=1329}}</ref>

== Career == [[File:GaryBarden2.jpg|thumb|Barden (right) performing alongside [[Paul Raymond (musician)|Paul Raymond]]]] Barden was discovered by [[Michael Schenker|Schenker]] upon the guitarist's hearing a demo of Barden's previous band, Fraser Nash. Barden proceeded to appear on ''[[The Michael Schenker Group (album)|The Michael Schenker Group]]'' (1980), ''[[MSG (Michael Schenker Group album)|MSG]]'' (1981) and ''[[One Night at Budokan]]'' (1981) albums. He was asked to leave the group and was replaced briefly by former [[Rainbow (English band)|Rainbow]] frontman [[Graham Bonnet]]. In the interim, Barden worked with [[Gary Moore]] on the demos of what would later become Moore's ''[[Corridors of Power (album)|Corridors of Power]]'' album and joined MSG again to conclude the band's tour after Bonnet's departure and recorded the next album ''[[Built to Destroy (Michael Schenker Group album)|Built to Destroy]]'' (1983), and the live album ''[[Rock Will Never Die]]'' (1984). After his stint in MSG, he went on to form Statetrooper with brothers Steve and Paul Johnson, as well as record an album and tour as lead singer with [[Praying Mantis (band)|Praying Mantis]].

In 2007, Barden was fronting Silver and Statetrooper, and maintaining a solo career. He recorded an album with [[Michael Schenker Group]] called ''[[In the Midst of Beauty]]'' which was released in April 2008, followed by a world tour. In 2010, Barden, Schenker, Simon Philips, Neil Murray and Wayne Findlay embarked on an extensive tour of Japan, recording a new DVD to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of their debut album. After that, Barden left the band amicably to focus on his solo career. He rejoined Michael Schenker to record an album entitled Michael Schenker Fest, which was a collection of MSG's former singers to record new songs. Following the album's release, he and the rest of the group embarked on a world tour.

== Personal life == Barden currently resides in [[Bangkok]], Thailand with his wife Suchi. They have a daughter Chimara (born 2000), who is a model.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Browne |first=Patrick |date=10 August 2002 |title=Interview with Gary Barden (Michael Schenker Group) |url=https://metallian.com/interviewbarden.htm |access-date=15 May 2024 |website=Metallian}}</ref> Barden and his family used to live in his hometown of [[Kent]], England before moving to his wife's native [[Ratchaburi province]] in Thailand to support her health problems as her doctor was from there.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 5, 2024 |title=Hot girl of the month: Gigi Chimara - Half-English Beauty with Enchanting Eyes That Captivate |url=https://mansionsportsnews.com/en/hot-girl/hot-girl-of-the-month-gigi-chimara-half-english-beauty-with-enchanting-eyes-that-captivate/ |access-date=August 29, 2024 |website=Mansion Sports News}}</ref>

==Discography==

===with The Michael Schenker Group (MSG)=== * ''[[The Michael Schenker Group (album)|The Michael Schenker Group]]'' (1980) * ''[[MSG (Michael Schenker Group album)|MSG]]'' (1981) * ''[[One Night at Budokan]]'' (1982) * ''[[Built to Destroy (Michael Schenker Group album)|Built to Destroy]]'' (1983) * ''[[Rock Will Never Die]]'' (1984) * ''[[Heavy Hitters]]'' (2005) (only one song) * ''[[Tales of Rock'n'Roll|Tales of Rock'n'Roll - Twenty-Five Years Celebration]]'' (2006) (only one song) * ''[[In the Midst of Beauty]]'' (2008) * ''[[The 30th Anniversary Concert - Live in Tokyo]]'' (2010) * ''Immortal'' (2021) (guest singer only in one song) * ''Universal'' (2022) (guest singer only in one song, in a duet with [[Ronnie Romero]])

===with Schenker Barden Acoustic Project (MSG)=== * ''Gipsy Lady'' (2009)

===with Michael Schenker Fest (MSG)=== * ''Tokyo International Forum Hall A - Live'' (2017) * ''Resurrection'' (2018) * ''Revelation'' (2019)

===with Praying Mantis=== * ''To the Power of Ten'' (1995) * ''Captured Alive in Tokyo City'' (1996)

===with Statetrooper=== * ''Statetrooper'' (1986) * ''The Calling'' (2004)

===with Silver=== * ''Silver'' (2001) * ''Dream Machines'' (2002) * ''Intruder'' (2003) * ''Addiction'' (2004) * ''Gold'' (2005)

===Solo as Gary John Barden=== * ''Past & Present (MSG remixed)'' (2004) * ''Agony & The Xtasy'' (2006) * ''Love and War '' (2007) * ''Rock 'n Roll My Soul '' (2010) * ''Eleventh Hour '' (2011)

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barden, Gary}} [[Category:1955 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:English rock singers]] [[Category:English heavy metal singers]] [[Category:English rock guitarists]] [[Category:English male singer-songwriters]] [[Category:English singer-songwriters]] [[Category:Michael Schenker Group members]] [[Category:The Gary Moore Band members]] [[Category:People from Royal Tunbridge Wells]] [[Category:Musicians from Royal Tunbridge Wells]] [[Category:Musicians from Kent]] [[Category:English male guitarists]] [[Category:The Company of Snakes members]]