McCoy, John & Gareth Amway

John Matthew McCoy (born March 9, 1950, in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England), is an English bass guitarist, who is best known for his work with Ian Gillan and Mammoth as well as countless other bands and sessions since the late 1960s. 

He presently performs in British rock trio Guy McCoy Tormé with former Gillan/Ozzy guitarist Bernie Tormé and Bruce Dickinson/Sack Trick drummer Robin Guy. He is also a skilled guitar, percussion, trumpet, cello, and double bass player. 

Nearly as well known as his music is his appearance: he is always seen wearing sunglasses, with the startling contrast of bald head and strong chin beard. 

Along with guitarist Vic Elmes and ZZebra colleague Liam Genockey on drums, McCoy may also be heard playing in the start and end titles theme of the 1970s classic TV series Space: 1999.

Early career

In the 1960s, at 13, while still at school, McCoy began performing with a working beat group, The Drovers, as a lead guitarist. 

In 1966, he responded to a Yorkshire Post newspaper post seeking a guitarist to join a band named Mamas Little Children who were due to start touring Germany. 

McCoy went to audition only to find that they had offered someone else the post, but they still needed a bass player. He auditioned on a spare bass there, given the job. 

In 1968, he was compelled to resign since he worked illegally underage. He went back to Britain, where he got work as a studio musician with former Drifters member Clyde McPhatter touring the UK.

McCoy played with London-based band Scrapyard in 1974, recruiting Irish-born lead guitarist Bernie Tormé. Although Tormé eventually quit to establish his own punk rock band, the two later joined the band of former Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan.

John McCoy performed at the Swindon Wiltshire Furnace on 18 July 2009. Performing with Bernie Tormé (former guitar legend with Gillan, and Ozzy Osbourne) 

Robin Guy (former drummer with Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson and Faith No More). Recently, John played with the Tyla Gang on a live CD recorded in Sweden. 

Career with Gillan

Jazz-rock fusion Ian Gillan Band changed course in July 1978 under the influence of keyboard player Colin Towns in a return to Ian Gillan's hard rock beginnings. 

Towns began writing new songs, and Gillan assigned him the duty to recruit the new line-up. Towns recruited session drummer Liam Genockey, McCoy and guitarist Richard Brampton, replaced by Steve Byrd, a former ZZebra McCoy's comrade, almost immediately. 

Within a month the band recorded their first album, Gillan, and made their live debut at the Reading Festival on August 16, 1978. They were initially identified as the Ian Gillan Band but renamed the band, Gillan, in a move away from the jazz-rock overtones.

Gillan underwent another three line-up changes, although McCoy remained a bass player until the band acrimoniously split in 1982.

Mammoth

Post-Gillan, McCoy recruited Vinnie "Tubby" Reed, guitarist "Big" Mac Baker and vocalist Nicky Moore to form a band initially called Dinosaur. 

A Californian band used the moniker, so McCoy renamed his new band Mammoth. The name also referred to the band's massive size: 

McCoy weighed 120 kg (19 st) or 265 pounds, Reed 140 kg (22 st) or 309 pounds, Baker 152 kg (23.9 st) or 355 pounds, and Moore 127 kg (20.0 st) or 280 pounds.

The band toured with Whitesnake and Marillion, favourably appreciated by fans. Three singles were issued, "Fatman," 

"All The Days" and "Can't Take The Hurt," and two albums, Mammoth and Larger And Live. In 1988, the whole band appeared in Just Ask For Diamond, playing henchmen. Musically, however, commercial success eluded them, and the band eventually disbanded in 1989, becoming an independent producer.

Equipment

McCoy normally utilises a standard four-string Fender Precision bass and mostly Marshall amplifier in different configurations. 

While using Trace Elliot, he regarded it as "...a bit clean to my particular liking..." He currently utilises an integrated Marshall 200w amp driving a 2x15 cab and a Marshall 100w driving 4x12 cab.

His play technique uses both pick and fingers, although he typically plays with picks, choosing especially heavy triangles "...for better precision and attack."

List of bands and artists worked with

• The Drovers
• Mamas Little Children
• Clyde McPhatter
• Welcome
• Curtiss Maldoon
• Julie Felix
• V.H.F.
• Scrapyard
• Samson
• John Du Cann
• Riblja Čorba
• Francis Rossi
• Andy Bown
• Pete Kircher
• Neo
• Mike Hugg
• ZZebra
• McCoy
• Quadrant
• The Coolies
• Curved Air
• Atomic Rooster
• Bernie Tormé
• Gillan
• Colin Towns
• Sledgehammer
• U.K. Subs
• Mammoth
• Sun Red Sun
• Joey Belladonna
• Rafi Weinstock
• The Split Knee Loons
• Skintight Jaguars
• G.M.T.
• Twin Dragons
• Tyla Gang

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