S C R A P B O O K
Gryphon Portfolio
(Transatlantic Records booklet, 1974)
Members Profile
RICHARD ALLEN HARVEY (Keyboards/Woodwinds)
Richard was born in Enfield, Middlesex 25/9/53. He took up the recorder at the age of five, and developed an appetite for constantly learning new instruments. In addition to those listed elsewhere, he can play with ease, clarinet, oboe, bouzouki, guitar, bass, saxophone and many others. He was educated at Tiffins Grammar School, Kingston, until he was 16, when he went to The Royal College of Music. He graduated in two years on a three year course, and gave up orchestral ambitions to form Gryphon. His musical taste ranges from The Beatles and Yes to Ravel and Bach.
BRIAN DOUGLAS GULLAND (Woodwinds)
Brian was born in Maidstone, Kent 30/4/51. From the age of seven he was educated at the Canterbury Choir School, where he first learnt the bassoon. At thirteen he won a scholar-ship to a public school, Cranleigh in Surrey, which later took him to the Royal College of Music. His musical taste has encompassed church music, The Beatles, blues, classical and folk music. Richard introduced him to early music and encouraged him to learn the krumhorn and join Musica Reservata. Brian, in turn, interested Richard in the possibilities of modern rock music as a medium for classically trained musicians.
DAVID MALCOLM OBERLE (Percussion)
David was born in Famborough, Kent 9/1/53. His mother was a concert pianist and he was brought up with a great appreciation of classical music. Through his teens, he developed his taste for hard rock music, and played a large drum kit. He obtained three A' levels, and had just left college, when he met Richard. The challenge of dispensing with 70% of his drum kit and still make exciting percussion, intrigued him, and he rapidly became an integral part of Gryphon. Now he has a much larger, but still unique, set-up and is developing a very individual style.

GRAEME DAVID TAYLOR (Guitars)
Born in Stockwell London 2/2/54. Graeme was at school with Richard at Tiffins Grammar. After early interest in the piano, Graeme took up guitar, at first emulating Jansch, Renbourn and Davey Graham. He formed a liking for unusual tunings and chord structures and has developed his style with classical, ragtime and jazz influences all contributing. He formed a folk/rock group while at school, which gave him valuable ensemble-playing experience. On leaving school, he took up a variety of jobs until Gryphon was formed. He now includes electric guitar in his Gryphon playing, and was in fact selected to play electric guitar for recording a new work by avant-garde composer, David Bedford.

PHILIP JAMES NESTOR (Bass Guitar)
Philip was born in Epsom 2/9/52. Schooled in Banstead. He was an early friend of David and played in several rock bands with him. He took up the guitar when he was 7, and the bass guitar at 10. He formed an affection for the more inventive rock bands of the last few years, playing syncopated and more complicated music, styles which he has tried to devel-op. His musical taste is, like the others, broad, and stretches from The Who to Benjamin Britten.
He had known the other four members of Gryphon socially for quite a while and has fitted in easily since he joined them in January.


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