B.B.Gabor with his single "Metropolitan Life" from the 1980 self titled album "B.B.Gabor"
Born: 1948 as Gabor Hegedus
The singer/songwriter, guitarist, producer was originally from Hungary and his family had to flee their homeland in 1956 as the Soviets took control of the nation and created a police state. They moved to England where Gabor did everything under the sun to make ends meet including driving taxis, radio work, and brokeraging on the London Metal Exchange. Music didn't really enter into his world until he moved to Canada at age 23. Gabor played the Toronto suburban pub scene before his Instaband was discovered at Queen Street circuit establishment Grossman's (which would later be famous in spawning Jeff Healey as well).
His self-titled debut was released on Anthem in 1980 and was co-produced by Terry Brown. With two well played radio singles, "Soviet Jewellery" and "Metropolitan Life", Gabor crossed Canada twice with touring, garnered a Juno Award nomination, won a CFNY U-know Award, and was voted as best new artist in Music Express magazine's readers poll. His instant fame led him to begin working with others including production of Jimi Bertucci's solo material in 1980.
The second album, 1981's 'Girls Of The Future' was co-produced with Eugene Martynec and featured the single "Jealous Girls", a cover version of The Extras' classic from the same year.
After being let go by Anthem in the mid-80's, Gabor saw his career flounder in fits and starts including The Extras returning the favour for the "Jealous Girls" exposure by getting Gabor and Paul DeVilliers to produce "Fever Fire" on their 'The Watcher' EP.
Gabor then re-located to British Columbia from Toronto in 1984 to be closer to his son. In 1986 he worked on sessions with Todd Rundgren featuring Ken Bassman (guitar), Ted Quinlan (guitar), Mike Lent (bass), Don Powery (drums) and Andre Grigoriev (percussion).
In 1987 he assembled a new band: keyboardist Phil Dwyer (VEJI), keyboardist David Stone (Richie Blackmore's Rainbow), drummer Tony Toly, guitarist Kim Keyser, bassist Tom Christianson and an Afghanistan percussionist known simply as Mr. X (an alias for Grigoriev).
He also reactivated his publishing company Equalised Music and continued producing other acts like Toronto's Ron Hedland.
On January 17, 1990 Gabor's body was found by police at his Toronto apartment where coroners ruled the cause of death as a suicide.
Tags: 1980's pop new wave
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