Happy Birthday Bryan..... it's coming together.

Please send your memories and stories to bryaninfo@gmail.com

Sandy Kilpatrick

In 2000, when my time in Manchester was coming to an end (although I didn’t know it at the time) Bryan used to come and visit me while I was working in the little Waterstones in the Royal Exchange Theatre. I loved that, in the morning, no customers, a mild hangover and a mocha and a wee blether with Bryan. It was 10 years ago, so don’t expect me to go into many details, or, let me say, don’t expect me to be too rigorous with the accuracy. What I do remember is that we had some God talk at that time; he was going through a difficult time, having recently lost his father, and inherited some money. It was the first time really I was faced with that sad conundrum of having your poverty relieved by the death of a loved one. He was sad and flush at the same time, and a very touching person.

Just after I launched the first single with Sleepwalker we had a residency in the Night and Day, where we played with a few bands that we had asked to play with us. One of them was an acoustic outfit called The Rio 6, and they were led by Matt, a friend of Bryan’s. When we were backstage Bryan was with them and they seemed to have this kind of love cult thing going on, all talking in tongues and group hugs. I wasn’t sure what was going on to be honest, but I loved that kind of thing, still do, that kind of whacked out on the edge love and sentimentality - it kind of defined Bryan for me, in a way. I think it’s really apparent in my favourite song of his, ‘My Love’ – because the way he sang that line with his droll Manc drawl, he really made it his. His Love.

He was so full of love and positivity and sadness at the same time, but he also had that endearing boy-about-town kind of edge. The last time I saw him perform it was supporting David Gray in the Academy – they were good friends, and David’s star was in the ascendency, so it was a good opportunity for Bryan to play a few songs. I’ll never forget seeing him that night. But perhaps the image that stays with me best is standing outside the Night and Day one Wednesday afternoon watching him drive down Oldham Street on one of those ridiculous motorized scooters. And I don’t mean a scooter like a Vespa (although a Vespa would have suited him more I think), I mean a scooter like you had when you were nine. But motorized. He looked really comical, like he was having a laugh playing with the sense of cool, and I loved that about him too. He didn’t seem to worry too much about that shit. He had the talent to live his life the way he wanted to, and document that. Yep, he was a lovely guy that Bryan Glancy, it was privilege to have known him.

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Please send your memories and stories to bryaninfo@gmail.com

Love You Mate

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Please send your memories and stories to bryaninfo@gmail.com

The Kid who saved your life

Posted on a another blog 20th January 2010 click here to read it

This year is going to be your year, Bryan . Love you Man x

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Please send your memories and stories to bryaninfo@gmail.com

Jon Burr

I met him through Mark Kennedy and Mark Burgess, and we played some music together - I play a bit of blues harp. He was a very funny guy, and cool in a warm kind of way. I remember best the time we went out to Germany to play at a festival with Mark Burgess and ended up sharing a room together.

As a jew he was a bit nervous about the idea of going to Germany, plus a lot of the music at the festival was very dark. We went for a walk out of the festival and came across a hidden war memorial in the countryside. The gothic writing and skull imagery were certainly disturbing. One night there was a load of noise outside the hotel and Bryan got up and looked out of the window. I heard him swear and when he turned round his face was as white as a sheet. I ran over and there were a troop of men marching down the street with guns over their shoulders. It turned out that the town held a Shooting Festival (!) every year and the night time march was part of it.

There are a load of stories - I'm sure anyone who knew Bryan has plenty: like the time he felt sick before a gig, and Keni tried to calm him down by pretending to be sick first. He ended up doubled up on the floor with laughter.

It was lovely to hear Elbow's tribute - I knew who it was about the second I heard the words "Love you, mate". I'd love to hear the tribute album - is there one? Like someone else on this site, my tapes of Bryan have long since been chewed up and me and the missus would love to hear him again.

Please send your memories and stories to bryaninfo@gmail.com

Welcome to the curious

If you have just "googled" Bryan Glancy and arrived here, welcome to a site dedicated to his memory, lovingly filled with thoughts and memories from just a few of his many friends.

Down the right hand side you will see links to other web resources that give you more information about and even music from the great man.

For those with little time, but a thirst for knowledge, the most beautiful and complete summation of him was written shortly after his untimely death by his close friend Saul Brody.

Click here to read his tribute

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Please send your memories and stories to bryaninfo@gmail.com

Mercury Prize for Glancy

Last night the prestigous 2008 Mercury Music Prize was awarded to Elbow who promptly dedicated it to Bryan.

It was a fitting and totally expected gesture from 5 of his closest friends.

It has generated a good deal of emails from people keen to find out more about that "friend of ours".

BBC Manchester will shortly be posting a tribute to Bryan a link will be provided on this site.

Here is the dedciation that Guy Garvey made to Bryan on this blog back in June 2006.

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Please send your memories and stories to bryaninfo@gmail.com