Sean Tyla

Sean Tyla (born John Michael Kenneth Tyler, 3 August 1946 – 17 May 2020) was an English rock guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and songwriter, sometimes known as the "Godfather of Boogie".

Best known for his work with Ducks Deluxe and Tyla Gang, he also played with Help Yourself, Joan Jett, and Deke Leonard, and appeared solo.

In 1971, Tyla became a roadie with Help Yourself, who based their psychedelic instrumental number "All Electric Fur Trapper" on a fantasy tale Tyla was writing, part of which appeared in the sleeve of their Strange Affair album.

He played on Help Yourself's Sounds of the Seventies broadcast and co-wrote "American Mother" on their Beware the Shadow album.

In February 1972, Tyla formed Ducks Deluxe, initially with Help Yourself's bassist, the late Ken Whaley, guitarist Martin Belmont and percussionist Michael Cousins.

Cousins was replaced by drummer Tim Roper and Nick Garvey also joined.

Ducks Deluxe were one of the founding acts of the Pub rock circuit, with more up-tempo, energetic performances than many other pub rock acts.

They recorded three albums, made one appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test and recorded two Peel Sessions.

He initially toured with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band, but made his first record "Miracles" with a band called Third World (not the reggae band Third World formed in 1973) which was released on CBS in 1970, He also recorded an unreleased album with Maynard Ferguson.

He also recorded part of their fifth album, recorded in 1973, but the album was shelved until it was finally completed and released as 5 in 2004.

Ducks Deluxe split in 1975.

Following the break-up of Ducks Deluxe, Sean Tyla formed Tyla Gang in late autumn of 1975 with his brother Gary, Phil Nedin (drums) and Peter O'Sullivan (bass) from Welsh band Jack Straw.

In the spring of 1976, Richard Treece from Help Yourself joined the band.

Within a few months Gary Tyler and Treece left the band and Welshman Tweke Lewis, formerly of Man, became the new guitarist.

They went into Pebble Beach studio in Worthing, and under the guidance of producer Tony Platt recorded 6 tracks including "Suicide jockey" and "Cannons of the Boogie Night" as well as "Styrofoam" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre Boogie".

These latter two tracks were released as the "double B-side" 4th single on the legendary Stiff Records label.

Tyla also produced Stiff's eighth single Plummet Airlines' "Silver Shirt" / "This Is The World".

In April 1977, two further tracks from that session were released ("Cannons of the Boogie Night" and "Suicide Jockey") on Skydog Records.

In 1977 the second Tyla Gang band were formed consisting of guitarist Bruce Irvine, bassist Brian "Kid" Turrington and drummer Mike Desmarais; Turrington and Desmarais having played together in The Winkies.

Although unsigned, the Gang attracted critical attention and played two Peel Sessions in 1977 (30 May and 4 October).

They eventually signed a contract with the California-based Beserkley label in 1977 and released their first album, Yachtless in 1978.

Part way through recording their next album Moonproof, Turrington left and Whaley joined to finish the album; this line-up recorded a Peel Session on 9 August 1978.

Richard Treece also rejoined but Beserkley's UK operation went bankrupt in 1979, and Tyla disbanded the Gang shortly after.

Just Popped Out included Tyla's first US hit single, "Breakfast in Marin", which also became a top ten single in Germany in 1980, but the single had to be withdrawn after Tyla was sued "for supposedly plagiarising the title from a play."

Tyla guested on Joan Jett's eponymous 1980 album, re-released as Bad Reputation in 1981, and I Love Rock 'n' Roll in 1981.

Reviewing the LP in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau wrote: "Punk has not been good for former Duck Deluxe Sean T. because it's meant urbanization. I have nothing against the slick, hooky power chords his pub-rock has evolved into, not in theory. But when his charming if overly mythic tales of fireballs and West Texas running boards evolve into 'The Young Lords' (give me a break, Bruce Springsteen) and 'On the Street' (give me a break, Bob Geldof), I begin to crave recognizable human detail."

Tyla's second solo album, Redneck in Babylon (1981), was critically less acclaimed than the first, and used a smaller band comprising Tyla, Paul Simmons, Gerald Moffett, Micky Groome, John Earle, Carlene Carter and Rebop Kwaku Baah, whilst his third album, Rhythm of the Swing, was released in 1983.

In 1981, in addition to recording his solo albums, and guesting with Joan Jett, Tyla and Man guitarist Deke Leonard formed The Force, together with Micky Groome (bass) and Paul Simmons (drums).

After extensive touring, they recorded an eponymous album, The Force, recorded and released in Germany, and the single "Close to a Headline".

In 1982, Tyla suffered severe stage fright at Dingwalls in Camden "in the middle of the set Sean shuffled up to me and whispered in my ear, 'I'm just going off'... When we got backstage Sean was a real mess, said he couldn't face it any more."

Tyla stopped performing live and The Force mutated into another Deke Leonard's Iceberg.

Tyla retired from the music business in 1985, and became a web-designer, and briefly worked as a salesman at a Renault dealership in Hammersmith, before, according to his autobiography, a spell as a pig farmer and later becoming a professional cricket coach.

In 2007, Tyla resumed public performances with a new Gang comprising Vaughan Lonsdale and Mick Yarre (guitars), Dave Rickaby (bass) and Ken Ward (drums).

In 2010, the Tyla Gang reformed in their original line-up, touring Sweden during the fall.

In 2013, they added John McCoy of Gillan and Mammoth fame to replace original member, Brian Turrington who had taken a leave of absence for personal reasons.

The Gang have released two albums since their reformation, 2010's "Rewired", a compilation of lost studio and live recordings and as of 18 March 2013, a new studio album, Stereo Tactics.

In 2015 The Tyla Gang released a live set, Live In Stockholm recorded at the Akkurat Bar in Stockholm, Sweden in 2013 on Angel Air Records and will be releasing a 3-CD anthology, Pool Hall Punks through Cherry Red Records in May 2016 to coincide with Sean's 70th Birthday Tour.

Tyla embarked on a solo career, encouraged by Roger Daltrey who allowed him use of The Who's Ramport Studio.

He recorded in California with Mike Nesmith and signed a five-album deal with Polydor, although he only released three albums.

The first album, Just Popped Out, was recorded with assistance from many musicians, including several former bandmates such as Nick Garvey, Micky Groome, Malcolm Morley, Tim Roper and Pete Thomas.