Garry Christian shared the gesture in an exclusive interview with the ECHO
Sting has invited The Christians to the final show on his UK tour(Image: Getty Images)
The Christians heaped praise on Sting as they revealed the singer’s moving gesture. The Liverpool band were supporting the former Police frontman on the final day of the On The Waterfront festival in June.
However, The Christians set went wrong in a way they never could have imagined when drummer Lionel Duke suffered a heart attack on stage. Frontman Garry Christian spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview about that day, as he said: “It was horrible. The first part of the day was so exciting to be playing in front of 14,000 Scousers. That’s a great big thing. What happened is we started the show and we did Forgotten Town and we went into Born Again.
“In the intro of the next song, I was thinking this doesn’t sound right. I’m facing the audience, so I don’t know what’s going on behind me. I look around and I saw Lionel hunched over his kit.
“I thought, ‘What’s he doing fixing his pedal now?’ I realised he wasn’t moving and I dashed over there. I had to crouch down. I looked at his face and his eyes were just fixed. Then it all went crazy.”
Garry immediately shouted for medics and is forever grateful for their fast work, as the drummer’s life was saved after he was taken to hospital and underwent emergency surgery.
Garry praised Sting as he said the Fields of Gold singer was willing to cancel the show out of respect for Lionel if this was needed. Garry explained: “Sting was very gracious. [After Lionel’s heart attack] he wasn’t going to do his gig but our manager Emma insisted that he did. Lionel had been rushed to hospital, his heart was going and everything seemed like it was going to be fine.
“There were 14,000 people there waiting to see [Sting]. He dedicated his last song [to Lionel], Fragile, and it was so emotional.” Lionel has thankfully now recovered and has even be able to return to play with the group on their tour with the Blow Monkeys, which comes to the Liverpool Philharmonic on October 16.
Garry revealed Sting has invited them to be his guests on the last day of his tour later that month as he praised the musician, whose real name is Gordon Sumner, for the gesture.
He said: “He was asking about Lionel and he’s invited us to his last gig of his tour in London on October 28. It’s a great gesture, so hats off to him.”
Garry Christian and Lionel Duke after the drummer underwent surgery following a cardiac arrest(Image: The Christians)
Garry was confident Lionel would be able to recover in the matter that he has said people from Liverpool have the strength to overcome the most insurmountable obstacles. He laughed: “It’s like what Paddy the Baddy says, ‘We’re Scousers, we don’t get knocked out’.”
Garry, who grew up in Tuebrook and now lives in Speke, remains proud of his roots in the city, as he explained how the traits he inherited from his upbringing has shaped him to be the success he is today. He said: “[In Liverpool] we don’t let people get at us. We either get around it through humour, or some other way. We won’t be had. That’s in all Scousers. We won’t be had by anybody.”
The band are now looking forward to the future and continuing to perform, as they hope to mark the upcoming 40th anniversary since their self titled debut album in 1987 with a new album and tour. Garry said his passion for music is the key to his longevity as he he said: “I would play to three people, 300 or 3,000, it’s the way I am.
“I love performing and it’s all I can do. If I stopped, I could tend to my tomatoes in my garden, but I’m sure I’ve got a few more years in me to crack on and to do this.”
They also can’t wait for the gig with The Blow Monkeys next month, and will make sure to savour the occasion after “it all went haywire” during their gig in the summer. Garry said: “It’s always great to play Liverpool.”
He added: “They’re extra special gigs. I’m sure all the people that were at the Sting gig will be at this gig [at the Philharmonic Hall] as well, I suppose. It will be a good chance for them to see Lionel and to see how he is. I’ll have a laugh about that as well.
“I’ll say why couldn’t you make it Monday, instead of a Sunday. It’s good to have a laugh about these things.” However, Garry also admitted something so traumatic inevitably changes a person – and it has made him address his outlook on life.
He said: “Something so serious like that does throw you. [You should] enjoy every day, stop arguing with each other, get on with life and be happy. I’ve tried to do that most of the time.”
The Christians and The Blow Monkeys are playing The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on October 16. You can find further information on how to get tickets here.