# Gary Whelan (Musician)

'Gary Whelan' (born 12 February 1966), also known as 'Gaz, is a British musician. He is the drummer and a founding member of the Manchester band Happy Mondays and is currently performing with Yogi G and The Family Tree

## Early life

Gaz was born in the attic of his family home in Weaste, Salford to Ken Whelan, an electrician and Sandra, a nurse and special needs teacher.
Originally Gaz was a promising footballer and studied classical guitar until aged 11, when an accident, in which he nearly lost his arm, forced him to quit both.
He went on to learn drums and at age 15 joined Happy Mondays.

## Career
### Happy Mondays

Gaz has been an active member of the band since its inception in 1982, whilst he was still at school.
His bandmates include his best friend Paul Ryder (R.I.P.) and Paul's brother Shaun, Mark "Bez" Berry, Paul Davis, Mark Day and Rowetta.
Happy Mondays' first release was the "Forty Five EP", often called the "Delightful EP" after its first track. It was released on Factory Records in September 1985. Their first album, Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out), was released in 1987 and was produced by John Cale. This was followed by two further albums: Bummed, in 1988, produced by Martin Hannett, and Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, in 1990, produced by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne. The latter, recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, went platinum in the UK, selling more than 400,000 copies. Singles "Step On" and "Kinky Afro" from this album both reached number 5 in the UK singles chart.
By the late 1980s, the Happy Mondays were an important part of the Manchester music scene and personified rave culture. Numerous world tours meant the band had international success as well as massive success in their home country.The band headlined the Friday night at Glastonbury Festival 1990. In November of that year, Paul McCartney commented in NME: "I saw the Happy Mondays on TV, and they reminded me of the Beatles in their 'Strawberry Fields' phase."
Whelan's early years as the drummer for Happy Mondays were depicted in the 2002 British biographical comedy drama film 24 Hour Party People, a semi-fictional account of Factory Records and the Manchester music scene of the 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2007 Happy Mondays released their last studio album, Uncle Dysfunktional.

### Hippy Mafia

From 2002 to 2013 Gaz was a member of Hippy Mafia.

### Yogi G and The Family Tree

In 2019 Gaz embarked on his new project, Love and The Family Tree, later changed to Yogi G and The Family Tree (for legal reasons).
Original collaborators included, Rowetta, Mike Bee and Chris Barton.
In 2023 Gaz was joined by co writing partner and Producer Lee "Latch" Parker.

## Personal life

Gaz was introduced to his wife Venessa in The Hacienda by The Smiths Bassist Andy Rourke who was married to Maxine, Venessa's older sister.
He lives in Cheshire with his Venessa and two sons Kofi and Casey.
* ↑ Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 421–422. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
* 1 2 Toiler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 471. CN 5585.
* ↑ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 478. CN 5585.
* ↑ "Never Mind The Dysfunktional Uncle... Here's the Happy Mondays". The Salford Star. Retrieved 5 May 2012.