B. B. Gabor
Encyclopedia
Gabor Hegedus known by the stage name B. B. Gabor, was a Hungarian
-born Canadian
pop
singer. Gabor is best known for his 1980 single "Soviet Jewellery (Nyet, Nyet Soviet)", and had other minor hits with "Metropolitan Life", "Consumer" and "Jealous Girls".
in 1956 after the Soviet invasion of Hungary. He subsequently moved to Canada at age 23, launching his musical career in Toronto
's Queen Street West
scene.
He released his self-titled debut album in 1980 on Anthem Records
, with the singles "Soviet Jewellery", "Metropolitan Life" and "Consumer". He toured across Canada, appeared at the Heatwave
festival in August, was nominated for a Juno Award
, and won the U-Know
for best male vocalist. He released a followup, Girls of the Future, in 1981, although that album was not as successful.
After a few years without a new album, Anthem dropped Gabor from its roster. He subsequently moved to Vancouver (estranging himself from his wife and son in the process), where he attempted to revive his career by working with producer Todd Rundgren
, at Rundgren's compound in Woodstock, New York in 1985. These sessions, however, did not result in a new album, and he eventually moved back to Toronto.
On January 17, 1990, Gabor's body was found by police at his Toronto apartment. His death was ruled a suicide
.
Both of his Anthem albums were re-released on a single CD by the Canadian record label Pacemaker Entertainment in 2001. While Ralph Alfonso was helping Pacemaker with the CD, he asked Gabor's widow if she knew what had happened with the Rundgren sessions, and she brought out some cassettes which were only marked "Produced by Todd Rundgren." Alfonso mastered the instrumental "Celtic Cross" directly from one of these cassettes and included it on the 2002 compilation CD Driving in the Rain:3 AM - Songs to Get Lost With on his Bongo Beat label. In the liner notes, he notes that the song might not actually be a Rundgren production.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
-born Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer. Gabor is best known for his 1980 single "Soviet Jewellery (Nyet, Nyet Soviet)", and had other minor hits with "Metropolitan Life", "Consumer" and "Jealous Girls".
History
Gabor fled with his parents to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1956 after the Soviet invasion of Hungary. He subsequently moved to Canada at age 23, launching his musical career in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's Queen Street West
Queen Street West
Queen Street West describes both the western branch of Queen Street, a major east-west thoroughfare, and a series of neighbourhoods or commercial districts, situated west of Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Queen Street begins in the west at the intersection of King Street, The...
scene.
He released his self-titled debut album in 1980 on Anthem Records
Anthem Records
Anthem Records is an independent record label based in Toronto, Ontario. The company was formed in May 1977 by Ray Danniels and Vic Wilson with initial recording artists Rush, Max Webster, Liverpool and A Foot in Coldwater. The three members of Rush, Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson became...
, with the singles "Soviet Jewellery", "Metropolitan Life" and "Consumer". He toured across Canada, appeared at the Heatwave
Heatwave (festival)
Heatwave was a rock festival August 23, 1980, outside of Toronto at Mosport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario. The slogans used to promote the show were variously the "Punk Woodstock", the "New Wave Woodstock", or "The 1980s Big Beat Rock and Roll Party"....
festival in August, was nominated for a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
, and won the U-Know
U-Know
Jung Yunho , better known by his stage names, U-Know, U-Know Yunho and , is a Korean singer and occasional actor. He is the leader of the South Korean boyband and now duo TVXQ.-Early life:...
for best male vocalist. He released a followup, Girls of the Future, in 1981, although that album was not as successful.
After a few years without a new album, Anthem dropped Gabor from its roster. He subsequently moved to Vancouver (estranging himself from his wife and son in the process), where he attempted to revive his career by working with producer Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
, at Rundgren's compound in Woodstock, New York in 1985. These sessions, however, did not result in a new album, and he eventually moved back to Toronto.
On January 17, 1990, Gabor's body was found by police at his Toronto apartment. His death was ruled a suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
Both of his Anthem albums were re-released on a single CD by the Canadian record label Pacemaker Entertainment in 2001. While Ralph Alfonso was helping Pacemaker with the CD, he asked Gabor's widow if she knew what had happened with the Rundgren sessions, and she brought out some cassettes which were only marked "Produced by Todd Rundgren." Alfonso mastered the instrumental "Celtic Cross" directly from one of these cassettes and included it on the 2002 compilation CD Driving in the Rain:3 AM - Songs to Get Lost With on his Bongo Beat label. In the liner notes, he notes that the song might not actually be a Rundgren production.