Gangway (band)

Gangway is a Danish band, active from 1982 to 1998 and re-emerging in 2017. Gangway consisted of Allan Jensen (lead singer), Henrik Balling (guitar), Torben Johansen (of Escape Artists, keyboards), and four different drummers, Jan Christensen (1982–84), Gorm Ravn-Jonsen (1984–89), Cai Bojsen-Møller (1991–94), and Jeppe Moesgaard (1996–98).

Their first three albums had a Beatles (and sometimes Smiths-esque) guitar pop sound, with a distinct new wave twist, but later on, particularly on The Quiet Boy Ate The Whole Cake, their influences were more on synthpop, such as that of the Pet Shop Boys. They are also known for their strange and subtle lyrics that are often on the verge of surrealism.

Their most well-known song, "My Girl and Me", was a big hit in Denmark and was also played on MTV. It received regular airplay on the modern rock radio station KITS in San Francisco.

The band broke up in 1998, but on 21 October 2006, guitarist/songwriter Henrik Balling and lead singer Allan Jensen finally staged an exclusive reunion show for just 125 people at a small bar in Copenhagen. Torben Johansen was present in the audience.

2017 reunion

In spring of 2017, Gangway announced new shows^[1]. October 6th and 7th 2017 they played two sold out gigs at DR Koncerthuset. The shows received great critical acclaim^[2] and was followed by two more shows in Danish cities Aarhus and Aalborg. The line-up was Henrik Balling, Allan Jensen and Torben Johansen backed by drummer Janus Nevel Ringsted (formerly in Spleen United), keyboard player René Munk Thalund (Nephew) and bass player Carl-Erik Riestra. During the shows Gorm Ravn-Jonsen made a special appearance. According to an on-stage statement from Balling the band is recording new material.

Discography

• The Twist (1984)
• Sitting in the Park (1986)
• Sitting in the Park Again (1988)
• The Quiet Boy Ate the Whole Cake (1991)
• Happy Ever After (1992)
• Optimism (1994)
• That's Life (1996)
• Compendium (1998)

References