Craig Gannon

Craig Gannon (born 30 July 1966) is an English guitar player. Previously best known for being the second guitarist in The Smiths, he is now a composer for film and television.

Career

Gannon had already achieved some fame for his work with Aztec Camera and with The Bluebells before his work with The Smiths. When bass player Andy Rourke was fired from The Smiths in early 1986, Gannon was hired to replace him. Within a fortnight, however, Rourke was reinstated and Gannon moved to rhythm guitar, playing on the "Panic" and "Ask" singles and touring the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States with the band. Gannon also played on the scrapped single "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby", which was included on the The World Won't Listen compilation album. After the tour ended in October 1986, Gannon was no longer part of the line-up. Gannon has been affectionately known thereafter as 'the Fifth Smith'.

Post-Smiths, Gannon joined Brix Smith in The Adult Net, Blue Orchids and The Cradle (US band). Gannon was also reunited with former Smiths singer Morrissey at his debut solo gig and 1989 singles "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" and "Interesting Drug". That same year saw him sue Morrissey and Johnny Marr for nonpayment of wages and over the degree of his involvement in songwriting (notably for "Ask"). The matter was settled out of court for the sum of £44,000. This amount included £30,000 for unpaid wages and £14,000 in legal costs.

Night Owl

Night Owl may refer to:

Night owl (person)

A night owl, evening person or simply owl, is a person who tends to stay up until late at night.

The opposite of a night owl is an early bird, a lark as opposed to owl, someone who tends to begin sleeping at a time that is considered early and also wakes early. In several countries, early birds are called "A-people" and night owls are called "B-people." Researchers traditionally use the terms "morningness" and "eveningness" for the two chronotypes or diurnality and nocturnality in animal behavior.

Origins of term

The term is derived from the primarily nocturnal habits of the owl. Usually, people who are night owls stay awake past midnight and extreme night owls may stay awake until just before or after dawn. Night owls tend to feel most energetic just before they go to sleep at night. Some night owls have a preference or habit for staying up late, or stay up to work the night shift. Night owls who work the day shift often have difficulties adapting to standard day-time working hours.

Night Owl (James Taylor song)

"Night Owl" is a song written by James Taylor that was originally released as a single by Taylor's band The Flying Machine, which also included Danny Kortchmar in 1966. Taylor later rerecorded a solo version of the song for his Apple Records debut album James Taylor in 1968. Subsequently the Flying Machine version was released on the album James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine. It has also been covered by such artists as Alex Taylor, Carly Simon and Anne Murray.

James Taylor versions

"Night Owl" was inspired by the Night Owl Cafe in Greenwich Village in New York City, where the Flying Machine often performed. The Flying Machine version was released as a single backed by "Brighten Your Night with My Day." Taylor and the other group members were dissatisfied with their performance on the recording, considering it "mediocre." Although it got some regional radio play in the northeast United States, the label declined to fund further recordings by the band. Author Stephen Davis described the song as "a rollicking R&B number."Tony Orlando claims to have been particularly struck by the song. Taylor later rerecorded "Night Owl," along with several other songs he wrote for the Flying Machine, such as "Knocking 'Round the Zoo," for his self-titled solo debut album on Apple Records.Allmusic critic Lindsay Planer rated it as one of the "notable inclusions" on the James Taylor album. The James Taylor album included instrumental interludes between songs, and James Taylor biographer Timothy White describes the brass instruments that were used for the interlude introducing "Night Owl" as "ungainly" and sounding like the overture to a Broadway musical. White does feel that the brass instruments were used better accompanying the song itself.