History
Gary John Barden, born August 27, 1955, in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England, is a singer-songwriter recognized for his significant contributions to the Michael Schenker Group (MSG).
Early Career and Michael Schenker Group
Barden's musical journey with guitarist Michael Schenker began when Schenker discovered him after hearing a demo from Barden's prior band, Fraser Nash. This led to Barden's involvement in several key Michael Schenker Group releases, including the self-titled album The Michael Schenker Group (1980), MSG (1981), and the live album One Night at Budokan (1981). Following his initial tenure with MSG, Barden was succeeded by Graham Bonnet. During this period, Barden also collaborated with Gary Moore, contributing to demos that would later form Moore's album Corridors of Power.
Return to MSG and Subsequent Projects
In 1983, Barden rejoined Michael Schenker for the album Built to Destroy (1983) and the subsequent live album Rock Will Never Die (1984). After his second period with MSG, Barden formed the band Statetrooper with brothers Steve and Paul Johnson. He also served as the lead singer for Praying Mantis, recording an album and undertaking a tour with them.
Later Career and Solo Work
By 2007, Barden was actively involved with Silver and Statetrooper, while also pursuing a solo career. He reunited with Michael Schenker once more to record the album In the Midst of Beauty, released in April 2008, which was followed by a worldwide tour.
