Tim Gaze

Tim Gaze (born 8 August 1953) is an Australian rock and blues guitarist, songwriter, singer, and producer. He was a member of several Australian groups from the 1960s to 1990s including Tamam Shud (1969–1970, 1970–1972, 1993–1995), Kahvas Jute, Ariel (1973–1974) and Rose Tattoo (1985–1987). He also had a solo music career and released the albums, Band on the Run (film soundtrack, 1979), Rough Trade (1992), Blue Sierra (1996) and Blues Remedy (1998). In April 2008 he issued a retrospective compilation covering both his group and solo work, Reckless Love: the Tim Gaze Anthology.

Biography

Tim Gaze, at the age of 14, was a member of Stonehenge from 1968 replacing Ray Ferguson on guitar and vocals, alongside Nigel Macara on drums, Ross Ward on guitar and vocals, and Warren Ward on bass guitar. Other members were Peter Barron on bass guitar, Lindsay Bjerre on vocals and guitar, and Dannie Davidson on drums.

Gaze and Davidson then formed another progressive rock band, Kahvas Jute, in mid-1970 with Bob Daisley on bass guitar, and Dennis Wilson on lead guitar and vocals.

Soon after its recording Gaze rejoined Tamam Shud, remaining with them until the band broke up in August 1972. Also in the line up was former Stonehenge bandmate, Macara on drums.

In late 1972, after Tamam Shud disbanded, Gaze and Macara formed Miss Universe with George Limbidis on bass guitar and Phillip Pritchard on guitar.

Gaze and Macara were founding members of Ariel, another progressive rock group, which formed in 1973, alongside John Mills on keyboards, Bill Putt on bass guitar, and Mike Rudd on guitar and vocals (all ex-Spectrum). Aside from guitar and vocals, Gaze co-wrote tracks for the group's debut album, A Strange Fantastic Dream (December 1973), including their first single, "Jamaican Farewell" (September).

In 1985 Gaze, on slide guitar, became a member of hard rockers, Rose Tattoo, alongside Angry Anderson on lead vocals, Andy Cichon on bass guitar, keyboards and piano, Scott Johnston on drums and John Meyer on lead guitar. The line-up released a cover version of Steppenwolf's "Born to be Wild".

Gaze established his own recording studio and performed in several different bands from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. In the following year Tim Gaze Trio issued an album, Rough Trade.

In March 1993 Tamam Shud reformed with the line-up of Gaze, Barron, Bjerre and Macara. Conway joined the group on harmonica. They released a self-titled debut album in that year, which Hector of Undercover News described as "a 39 minute party animal. Like Paul Christie did with the Party Boys in the 80s, Daisley and crew have produced an equally loose and fun record in their self titled debut. It combines some blues classics with some very credible new music written by Daisley, Gaze and Grosser." On 14 April 2008 Gaze issued a 2× CD compilation album of both his group and solo work, Reckless Love: the Tim Gaze Anthology. As of 2025, Gaze is currently headlining a Dire Straits/Eric Clapton tribute show, Slowhand Sultans, which performs regularly in the Brisbane area. Other members of the band include Mick Melit, Ian Lock and Tom De Voss.