Gary and his twin brother Glenn (who were once referred to by a UK music journalist as "the Joe Strummer and Mick Jones of Folk Music") formed The Whisky Priests in August 1985, aged Eighteen.
The fledgling band played its debut gig at Fowlers Yard Youth & Community Centre, Durham on 4th October 1985.
In January 1986, The Whisky Priests' debut studio recording 'Danny's Hard Life' was released as the opening track on 'Twelve Go Mad in Durham', a compilation album of local Durham-based bands.
In January 1987, the band performed on one of the very last editions of legendary TV programme 'The Tube', and later that year released their debut single 'The Colliery'.
In 1988, Gary and Glenn launched their own independent label, Whippet Records, with the release of two Whisky Priests 12" EPs, 'No Chance' ("Accordions on acid... compulsive dementia", Joint Single of the week, Sounds, UK) and 'Grandfatha's Fatha' ("Raw, raucous and 100% folk-thrash fun", Dirty Linen, USA), each supported by a full UK Tour.
Whisky Priests Co-Founder, Lead Singer, Guitarist & Songwriter Gary Miller
Whisky Priests Co-Founder & Accordionist Glenn Miller
Whisky Priests Co-founders & Band Leaders - Gary Miller (Left) and Glenn Miller (Right)
In 1989, the band released its seminal debut album 'Nee Gud Luck' ("The contemporary folk masterpiece", Rock 'N' Reel, UK / "A cracker of a debut", Folk Roots, UK) and undertook their debut non-UK tour, a groundbreaking 7-date sell-out trip to Germany, quickly followed by further tours throughout Europe.
Hailed as “the stars of the weekend” by Colin Irwin (The Guardian), The Whisky Priests "show-stealing" performance at Cambridge Folk Festival in 1990, set up a great demand for the band on the European festival circuit, leading to over 100 festival appearances, including a headlining performance to 20,000 people at the Rockspektakel, Hamburg in 1992.
"A Whisky Priests show is the sort of stuff to make your hair curl; honest, earthy, loud, raucous and tremendously uplifting" (Folk Roots, UK).
"They are as unique as a band who are truly unique can be - you'll never see another live band to touch them" (Manchester Evening News, UK).
"Live the band is in great form: energetic, full of atmosphere and inspired" (Oor Pop Encyclopedia, the Netherlands).
Between 1992 and 1996, The Whisky Priests released 5 albums, reaching the Top 5 of several independent charts throughout Europe with 'Bloody Well Live!' ("A great document of one of the UK's most enjoyable acts at their sweaty best", Outlook, UK), recorded in front of a capacity crowd at the Markthalle, Hamburg on New Years Eve 1992; and played over 600 concerts in 16 different countries, including the 'Bloody Well Live!' Tour which took in a massive 72 dates in a mere 12 weeks in Spring 1993.
In 1998, The Whisky Priests released what would become their final studio album 'Think Positive!'...
"Their most assured and confident album to date" (Rock 'N' Reel, UK).
"The most considered Priests album to date" (Folk Roots, UK).
"The band's finest moment to date" (Taplas, UK).
"Heavy doses of wit and a spot of wisdom" (Time Out, UK).
"Powerfully energetic and totally committed - their masterwork" (J'OR, Eire)
"The most considered Priests album to date" (Folk Roots, UK).
"The band's finest moment to date" (Taplas, UK).
"Heavy doses of wit and a spot of wisdom" (Time Out, UK).
"Powerfully energetic and totally committed - their masterwork" (J'OR, Eire)
This was quickly followed in 1999 by a second and final live album '"Here Come the Ranting Lads" - Live!', also recorded at the Markthalle in Hamburg, but this time accompanied by a live video release...
"If the acid test for a live album is whether or not it makes the listener feel they missed a real event, then this succeeds due to one track alone. 'Mother, Waiting' lasts more than 12 minutes, double the length it should be, with the audience singing the chorus way after the official end and forcing the band to reprise it not once but twice - one of those magic moments that actually does transcend the limits of audio. Well worth checking out." (The Big Issue In The North, UK).
"Close on 70 minutes of wonderfully sodden, ranting in-yer-face folk-punk-rock from arguably its finest practitioners. A glorious celebration of many of the Priests golden anthems... Essential." (David Kidman, Tykes News).
"16 tracks of total commitment... it's wild and great fun... however all this mayhem hides some serious talent. The playing is tight and precise. The whole performance has a refreshing sense of integrity about it. There are no space fillers and make weights here... it's music with guts and conviction." (Folktalk, UK).
"If only all live albums were like this." (Independent Catalogue, UK).
In 2000, to celebrate The Whisky Priests 15th anniversary, a special expanded double CD edition of the band's landmark 'Bloody Well Live!' album was released, featuring the concert in its entirety.
The Whisky Priests final studio recording was the song ‘Full Circle’, written by Gary specially for various artists compilation album 'A Full Head of Steam', released in 2000 to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Railways.
The band continued touring until Gary and Glenn decided to take an unannounced and indefinite break in 2002, to pursue other goals. There was no official announcement or "Farewell" Tour.
In 2018, ex-members of The Whisky Priests briefly reunited for a 10-date ‘Bloody Well Back!’ European Reunion Tour and Whippet Records released ‘Bloody Well Everything! (The Complete Works 1985-2000)’, a limited edition 12-disc CD Box Set ("An exceptional body of work from a great band that has been much missed", Ian Croft, RnR Magazine).
"The Miller brothers found a way to succeed and endure, thus paving the way for a multitude of folk-punk and folk rock bands to emerge in the years following" (Dave Sleger, All Music, USA).
"They deserve to be heard by millions" (Brian Greenlee, B-Side, USA).
For more information including audio files, lyrics, merchandise, downloads, reviews, etc., CLICK HERE.