Day started to learn the double bass in his late teens, the Rockabilly slap-style of playing after being influenced by the UKRock 'n' Roll and Psychobilly scene bands, especially The Meteors and their bass playerNigel Lewis. Day also revisited classic 1950s rock 'n' roll music, and as time passed he became interested in other forms of music as a natural progression, hence finding new influences to ferment his own style, e.g. jazz and blues musicians such as Carol Kaye, Willie Dixon, Red Callender and Charlie Mingus. Day learnt to play the electric bass before joining the Morrissey band.
Music career
Day originally played for Morrissey from 1990, and after rehearsals played through 1991 on the Kill Uncle tour, recording sessions followed for singles and the 1992 album Your Arsenal, and the tour promotion through 1992, but was fired in 1994. He was then re-hired in 1999 for Morrissey's Oye Esteban tour, the "You Are Quarry" album singles and tour, he remained the band's bassist until he parted ways at the end of the "Ringleader Of The Tormentors" album and tour in 2006, to spend time with his family and to work on his own material. Day did not participate in any of Morrissey's recording sessions' in 2007. He also composed music for Morrissey, including early sessions material including "Pashernate Love", "Let The Right One Slip In" and "Mexico". The Memphis Sinners became the Morrissey backing band, consisting of Spencer Cobrin, Alain Whyte and Gary Day. Throughout his career, Day has played either double or electric bass with a number of bands, including The Caravans, Frantic Flintstones, Colbert Hamilton, The Nitros, The Sharks and The Memphis Sinners. He has also played with Empress of Fur, and a personal triumph of his was playing with The New York Dolls on a one-off engagement, but could not do more shows at the time due to other work commitments. Day's own group, The Gazmen released a four-track EP entitled Rigormortis Rock in September 2000, which was a re-release of the group's 1995 12 inch vinyl EP also called Rigamortis Rock, and re-released again in 2020. Aside from working on his own projects, ie with Florence Joelle, Day is also a frequent DJ. In late 2012, Day joined the band called the Ely Plains. However, he left the band in October the next year. In early 2015, Day, after contacting Clive Franklin, vocalist and lyricist from London-based band The Poncés, he became involved with their first album, playing double and electric bass on the albumSongs For Hope About Despair, The Poncés first album release on Sub-Ver-Siv records thinking Day would be the ideal bassist for his songs, he was right! Day also lent his studio experience skills and assisted in the mixing and mastering of the album, and was released February 2016. Day joined the band as a full-time member, and proceeded to record double bass on Franklin's Latin and Jazz projects. A new Poncés album is due for release in 2021 and was part recorded and produced at Day's Rhythm Chief Studios, alongside released singles listed below and other songs in various stages of production! Day also played on a rock and roll session for Denvir Jet, a cover of Gene Vincent's Cat Man the flip to a Denvir Jet single, being the young guitar prodigies second 45 rpm release from one of Franklin's recording sessions on Prince Records Inc. Day is also the double bass player for Carlos and the Bandidos as well, and composed the single "Beautiful Suicide" released on Migraine records. With a future album release. Day continues to play bass in many genres of music and has recently played on The Sons' The Tension Of Dream Clouds, which was released in May 2015. He also plays double bass alongside drummer Spike T Smith, also an ex-Morrissey band member in Reza Uhdin's band Black Volition on occasions.
