Making music in the face of MND
Gary Wight's last album Journeys Will Start… Journeys Will End is a testament to resilience and reflection
Eighteen months ago, Gary Wight - a North East musician known for his soulful voice and genre-spanning songwriting - was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND), a degenerative and ultimately terminal condition.
For many, such news might signal a quiet withdrawal. For Gary, it became a catalyst for one last creative burst: Journeys Will Start… Journeys Will End, his second solo album and undoubtedly the most personal project of his decades-long musical career.
Known previously as the frontman for ‘80s band Ill at Ease and ‘90s group Mojo Pep, Gary later explored jazz-funk with Zubi before releasing his first solo record in 2018, Welcome to the Dance of Chilli Chickenlegs.
His latest album, set for release on April 21, is a deeply collaborative effort that showcases his musical evolution and enduring spirit.
“Music has always helped me process everything - it’s the best therapy there is.”
Gary Wight
“This is the end of a long love affair,” Gary reflects. “I’ve been writing for over 50 years. Including collaborations, I must have amassed well over 500 songs - whether they were any good, I leave for others to judge.”
Recorded at Dave Brewis’. Sunderland studio, the sessions for Journeys Will Start… Journeys Will End were described by Gary as some of the best studio experiences of his life.
Although MND has now taken away his ability to play instruments, Gary still contributed vocals to the album. The space, filled with vintage gear and creative energy, felt like home. “It’s a throwback of the kind I like. These days most studios are a little antiseptic and stylised - I felt right at home,” he says.
Dave who is one half of band Field Music, co-produced and engineered the album, also lending his musical talents alongside an all-star roster of local players.
These included Gary’s twin brother Paul Wight on drums, long-time collaborator Ted Hunter on guitar, and Isaac Hirshfield-Wight of The Roxy Girls. Jude Murphy added depth with bass, double bass, and flute, while Alan Law’s piano and a full brass section - affectionately dubbed ‘the four Daves’ - brought a rich, layered sound to the project.
“There was a great atmosphere and the whole process was very smooth, with everyone bringing their A game,” adds Gary.
The album's lead single, Bound by the Beat, released on March 21, sets the tone. Lyrically, it explores themes of shared humanity and the distractions that keep us divided. It’s also a fundraiser for the MND Association, a decision Gary says grew more certain as the project developed. “It was always in the back of my mind and as the recording progressed that thought solidified.”
While Journeys Will Start… Journeys Will End isn't strictly a concept album about illness or mortality, the shadow of Gary’s diagnosis can’t help but fall across the tracks. “The main aim for me was to record my favourite tracks,” he says. “But songs have a life of their own, and I can now see that a lot of them speak to what I’m going through.”
Indeed, the album’s title comes from the track The Moon on the Ice, a haunting meditation on impermanence and change. “It’s about the impermanence of everything and musically quite different to the other songs. Thematically, I’d say that one represents the album best.”
Half the tracks are re-workings of older material that Gary felt hadn’t yet reached their full potential. The other half are new compositions, born in the knowledge that this might be his last album.
His songwriting process remained fluid - some songs started with chords, others with fully formed ideas in his head. Despite his condition, Gary continues to write lyrics for others, finding solace and therapy in the process. “Music has always helped me process everything - it’s the best therapy there is.”
Though he can no longer perform live, Gary hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a live launch — albeit with someone else performing his parts. “I think I would really like that. I’d be in the front row.”
Asked how he hopes people will receive the album, Gary says: “It was always about showing the range and diversity of what I write… it evolved into more of a jazz/blues infused sound, which I am delighted with. Whatever happens with it now, it’s out there and will be embraced by some and not by others. I just hope people give it a chance.”
Journeys Will Start… Journeys Will End is not just an album — it’s a chronicle of a life in music, a love letter to collaboration, and a message of hope from someone whose voice still sings, even when his hands cannot play.
It will be available from April 21 on all major platforms, with proceeds from Bound by the Beat (out now) supporting the MND Association. You can buy the track here.