Gary Valentine

Writer and musician Gary Valentine was born Gary Lachman on December 24, 1955 in Bayonne, New Jersey. In 1975, Gary joined the original line-up for the highly popular, successful, and innovative New Wave rock band, Blondie, as a bassist and remained part of the group before leaving in 1977. Valentine co-wrote Blondie's debut single, "X Offender", and penned the group's first hit song, "(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear". In 1978, Gary formed his own band, the Know. He briefly played guitar for Iggy Pop in 1981. In 1996, Valentine decided to become a full-time writer specializing in the occult and moved to London, England. In 1997, he performed with Blondie at several major music festivals in the United Kingdom. In 1998, Gary formed the group, "Fire Escape", with violinist Ruth Jones and released one lone EP with little fanfare. Valentine's first book, "Turn Off Your Mind: The Mystic Sixties and the Dark Side of the Age of Aquarius", was published in 2001. His memoir, "New York Rocker: My Life in the Blank Generation", came out the following year. In 2003, a compilation of Gary's music called "Tomorrow Belongs to You" was released on the British label, Overground Records. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the rest of Blondie in 2006. An extremely prolific writer, Valentine has not only penned a slew of books, but also has contributed articles to such publications as "Mojo", "The Guardian", "Times Literary Supplement" and "Fortean Times". In addition, Gary lectures frequently and occasionally broadcasts on the BBC.