Chris Farlowe

Chris Farlowe - Farlowe That! - 2003 - Delicious Records

Chris Farlowe (born in Essex, England, on 13/10/1940) remains one of the great underrated and underappreciated British soul & blues influenced singers. Chris' musical career started in the early '60's with the "Lonnie Donegan" style John Henry Skiffle Group. In the early 1960s, under the pseudonym Little Joe Cook, Chris released a R&B single "Stormy Monday Blues" which led people to believe he was a black singer. Around 1963 or 1964 'The Thunderbirds' were formed which included Chris Farlowe, plus the great guitarist Albert Lee, and keyboardist Dave Greenslade. The band's five singles on the UK Columbia label met with no success. When Andrew Loog Oldham, the Rolling Stones' manager established the famous Immediate label, he signed Chris Farlowe. Chris recorded many Jagger/Richards songs and some of his records were produced by Jagger. Out of 11 singles five had covers of the Jagger/Richards songs on them. The third single, "Out Of Time" made it to number one. Many people regard Chris'version of "Stormy Monday Blues (parts 1 and 2)", featuring Albert Lee on guitar, as one of the most distinguished, pre-eminent British blues recordings. Chris was also part of the great British jazz rock band, Colosseum, and the 1971 "Colosseum Live" album is a great example of early '70's British jazz rock. "Farlowe That!" , despite being a relatively recent release, is seldom heard nowadays, but is quite good. Two of Chris' other albums, "14 Things to Think About", and "Out of the Blue" are rewarding albums and really worth listening to. There is info on Chris' "Glory Bound" album @ CHFARL/GB

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 TROUBLE (Dillon/Ahlers)
2 SENDING ME ANGELS (Miller)
3 A MATTER OF TIME (Mack)
4 LET'S GET TOGETHER (Dollison)
5 I'LL LEAVE THE LIGHT ON (Marling/Smith)
6 AIN'T NO BIG DEAL (Campbell)
7 LONESOME WHISTLE (Williams)
8 AS LONG AS I CAN SEE THE LIGHT (Fogerty)
9 SITTIING ON TOP OF THE WORLD (Van Morrison)
10 LIVING IT DOWN (McClinton/Nicholson/Tench)
11 NINA (Farlowe)
12 I'LL SING THE BLUES FOR YOU (Beach)
13 BORDERLINE (Ry Cooder)
14 ONLY YOU (Blonde)

MUSICIANS

Chris Farlowe: Vocals (All Tracks)
Norman Beaker: Guitars (Track 1 Solo)
Miller Anderson: Guitar (Tracks 8 & 10 Solos, 13 all guitars), Harp (Tracks 3, 7)
Leigh Blonde: Guitar (Tracks 11, 14)
John Price: Bass
Paul Burgess: Drums (Except Track 9)
Tim Franks: Drums (Track 9)
Dave Baldwin: keyboards
Lenni: Saxophone (Tracks 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 Solo, 9, 10)
Damian Hand: Saxophone (Tracks 2 Solo, 4, 5, 6 Solo, 7, 8, 10)
Pavel Kosak: Flute (Track 14)
Van Morrison & Chris Farlowe: Vocals (Track 9)
Irene and Doreen Chanter: Backing Vocals (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 14)

FOREWORD TO ALBUM

It's always a thrill going through hundreds of songs for a new album. Listening to material from Johnny Burnett to Delbert McClinton and Doris Day to Johnny Ray, I hope you like the final choice as much as I had choosing and recording them. Many thanks to my Band, Norman, John, Paul, Lenni, Dave and Damian and special thanks to Miller Anderson, The Chanter Sisters and my friend Leigh Blonde from Holland for their contributions. Also very special thanks to Van Morrison for writing and singing with me on 'Sitting on Top of the World'. Not forgetting Adrian and Pam for all things web, Trevor for looking after the shop, Kris my manager and Kenny for the production, Ziggy for non-stop coffee, Renate Wagner for Ziggy, Fritz Lang for the beers, Judith Lanzendorf for the cheesecake, Mike Durschimdt for the tours, my fans and of course my Mum who without her, all this would not be possible…..can't wait to do the next album. - Chris Farlowe February 2003 © www.chrisfarlowe.co.uk and www.deliciousrecords.co.uk © http://www.simplyws.co.uk/chrisfarlowe/ft-details.html

BIO

Chris Farlowe always seemed destined for great things as a singer — and based on the company he kept on-stage and the people he worked with in the mid-'60s, he did succeed, at least on that level. Born John Henry Deighton in Islington, North London, in 1940, he reached his early teens just as the skiffle boom was breaking in England, and was inspired by Lonnie Donegan to enter music. His first band was his own John Henry Skiffle Group, where he played guitar as well as sang, but he gave up playing to concentrate on his voice, as he made the switch to rock & roll. He eventually took the name Chris Farlowe, the surname appropriated from American jazz guitarist Tal Farlow, and was fronting a group called the Thunderbirds, as Chris Farlowe & the Thunderbirds. They built their reputation as a live act in England and Germany, and slowly switched from rock & roll to R&B during the early years of the '60s. Their debut single, "Air Travel," released in 1962, failed to chart, but the following year, Chris Farlowe & the Thunderbirds (whose ranks included future star guitarist Albert Lee) were signed to EMI's Columbia imprint, through which they issued a series of five singles thru 1966, all of which got enthusiastic critical receptions while generating poor sales. In 1966, with his EMI contract up, Farlowe was snatched up by Andrew Oldham, who knew a thing or two about white Britons who could sing R&B, having signed the Rolling Stones three years earlier, and put him under contract to his new Immediate Records label. Immediate's history with unestablished artists is mostly a story of talent cultivated for future success, but with Farlowe it was different — he actually became a star on the label, through the label. His luck began to change early on, as he saw a Top 40 chart placement with his introduction of the Jagger/Richards song "Think," which the Rolling Stones later released as an album track on Aftermath. That summer, he had the biggest hit of his career with his rendition of the Stones' "Out of Time," in a moody and dramatic version orchestrated by Arthur Greenslade, which reached number one on the British charts. Farlowe had enough credibility as a soul singer by then to be asked to appear on the Ready, Steady, Go broadcast of September 16, 1966, a special program featuring visiting American soul legend Otis Redding — he'd covered Redding's "Mr. Pitiful" on an Immediate EP, and now Farlowe was on stage with Otis (and Eric Burdon), and got featured in two numbers. That was to be his peak year, however. The subsequent single releases on Immediate, including his version of the Stones' "Ride on Baby," failed to match the success of the first two singles, and he last charted for Immediate with "Handbags and Gladrags," written for him by Manfred Mann's Mike d'Abo. The label, always in dire financial straits, tried repackaging his songs several different ways on LP, but after 1967 his recording career was more or less frozen until the label's demise in 1970. After that, Farlowe's story became one of awkward match-ups with certain groups, including the original Colosseum on three albums, and Atomic Rooster (post-Carl Palmer). Following a car accident that left him inactive for two years, he made an attempt at re-forming the Thunderbirds in the mid-'70s, and "Out of Time" kept turning up in various reissues, but he saw little new success. Farlowe was rescued from oblivion by his better-known contemporary (and fellow Immediate Records alumnus) Jimmy Page, appearing on the latter's Outrider album in the '80s, which heralded a BBC appearance that brought him back to center stage in the public consciousness for the first time in two decades. Farlowe followed this up with new albums and touring with various reconstituted '60s and '70s groups, and although he never saw another hit single, his reputation as a live performer was enough to sustain a career — nor did the release of his Ready, Steady, Go appearance with Otis Redding on videotape and laser disc exactly hurt his reputation; indeed, that was the first time many Americans appreciated just how serious a following he'd had in England. His recent albums, including The Voice, have gotten respectable reviews, and his Immediate Records legacy was finally getting treated properly in the 21st century, as well. Along with Manfred Mann's Mike d'Abo and Paul Jones, Farlowe remains one of those voices from 1960s England that — with good reason — hasn't faded and simply won't disappear. © Bruce Eder © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=CHRISFARLOWE&sql=11:difexqe5ldje~T1

MORE ABOUT CHRIS FARLOWE

Chris Farlowe was born John Henry Deighton in Islington, North London on October 13 1940, amidst the rationing, gas masks and bombing raids of WWII. In common with many of the great British stars who emerged from the sixties, Chris's earliest hero was Lonnie Donegan and whilst still a teenager, Chris formed his own skiffle band - the modestly named 'John Henry Skiffle Group! By the late fifties Chris had gravitated more towards Rock and Roll and left off guitar to concentrate on singing. The group evolved into Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds; the Farlowe coming from guitarist Tal Farlowe and Thunderbirds from the American car of the same name. By the early sixties, Chris and The Thunderbirds were established favourites on the London and Hamburg club scene and had a growing band of enthusiastic and loyal followers. Their musical direction was also changing - becoming more R&B than R&R. November 1962 saw the first vinyl release, the intriguingly named 'Air Travel', unfortunately it didn't chart but it did bring Chris to the attention of the Columbia record label who signed him the following year; releasing five singles over the next couple of years. Apart from dance floor hit, 'The Blue Beat', commercial success was limited though critical acclaim (as always) was widespread. It wasn't until Chris signed to Andrew Loog Oldham's new Immediate label that things finally started to happen. 1966 seeing the release of Immediate's show case EP where Chris covered 'In the Midnight Hour', Mr Pitiful, Satisfaction and 'Who Can I Turn To?'. This was followed by the single release 'Think' which charted and the first Album, '14 Things to Think About'. The summer of 66 saw England winning the Football World Cup (honestly!), the USA fighting in Vietnam and the release of 'Out of Time', affectionately referred to as 'OOT'. To say it was a huge hit would be an understatement. It was a phenomenon and struck a cord with young and old alike. One of those rare records that just hit the right spot in a nation's consciousness at the right time. Against Chris's wishes, EMI followed up with the release of 'Just a Dream' and then the much better 'Ride on Baby' both of which received a luke warm reception. 'OOT' was such a tough act to follow. The latter part of the sixties saw a number of releases, none of which had any major chart success with the exception of the classic 'Handbags and Gladrags' a song penned especially for Chris by buddy Mike D'arbo of Manfred Mann fame and recently covered by Welsh rockers, the Stereophonics in 2003. Incredibly, this was to be Chris's last chart success, not counting the re-release of 'OOT' in the mid seventies. By the end of the sixties, Chris didn't have a record deal and looked set to fade into obscurity. But wait... it's 1970 and who's this in the afghan coat with long hair and fashionably flared trousers? Yep, it is our very own Chris, now playing with progressive rockers, Colosseum (hands up those who remember progressive rock?). Two albums followed before Chris moved on to Atomic Rooster (Don't ask. I don't know, remember people used a lot of drugs in the early seventies!). Not a happy time for Chris and after completing two albums, 'Made in England' and 'Nice N Greasy' the relationship was terminated. It was a bleak time; Chris was involved in a serious road accident that kept him away from recording and performing for two, long years. In 1975 Chris emerged out of the doldrums, hitting the road again with a new Thunderbirds lineup and chart success coming with the re-release of 'Out of Time' in 1975. But, it wasn't to be. Management hassles and the punk explosion (hands up who remembers punk!) saw Chris sidelined once more. The 80's saw Chris's re-emergence from semi-retirement, guesting on Jimmy Page's highly acclaimed 'Outrider' album and bringing the house down at a Radio one live show with his rendition of 'Stormy Weather'. The very worthy albums 'Out of the Blue' and 'Born Again' were released during this artistically rich and productive time. In the nineties Chris just went from strength to strength. Recording and gigging relentlessly. Tours with the newly reformed Colosseum, the Manfreds and solo dates, reawakened interest throughout the old fan base and brought a whole new generation of fans on board (me included). Colosseum and solo albums were ecstatically reviewed but didn't translate to chart success (the general public have no taste you know)! The new century is proving to be a productive time, for Chris who shows no signs of slowing down. Despite reaching 65 years of age, he continues a punishing schedule of recording and touring and runs a successful antiques business into the bargain. He has become the favoured special guest for 'Van Morrison's' live shows as well as completing annual UK and European Tours in his own right with the Norman Beaker Band. The last three albums have all been mini classics; 'The Voice', produced by Clem Clempson, saw Chris' in a contemplative and mellow mood and was followed by 'Glory Bound', a beautifully crafted collection of songs with spot on production by Norman Beaker. A solid, quality effort, typically mold breaking and denying those who would try to pigeonhole Chris as purely a 'blues' singer. 2003 saw the release of 'Farlowe That', a much more rock orientated album, which resembled more closely, the feel of a live set from Chris. The single, 'I'll Leave the Light on', from this album was released in Summer 2003. Unfortunately, despite a show stopping performance on 'Top of The Pops' and the inexhaustible efforts of Kris Gray, Chris' long standing and dedicated manager, it didn't chart. 2004, continues the Farlowe tradition of touring and record releases. The beginning of the year, saw Chris reunited with the original Colosseum line up for a short European and UK Tour. This was followed by an extensive UK Tour, with the 'Hit Makers'; Dave Dee, Chip Hawkes and Cliff Bennett. Following on from this, Chris toured the UK and Europe with the Norman Beaker Band. The year also saw the release of a 46 track anthology 'Rock n' Roll Soldier' which contains a connoisseurs selection of his work from 1970 to the present and includes nine previously unreleased tracks. And just to show the modern 'beat generation' a thing or two, he has covered 'Paul Wellers', 'Changing Man', on 'Delicious Records' 2004 compilation, 'Back To the Future' Perhaps the highlight for 2005 has been the release of a long awaited live CD, 'Hungary for the Blues'. And. once again Chris has been busy in Europe, touring in his own right and also with Colosseum. The future... Chris gives no indication of stopping; 'The Voice' is as strong as ever. A UK tour is planned for 2006 and hopefully a new studio album will be cut. For Farlowe fanatics everywhere, he is the consummate rocker, the living embodiment of the star who's seen it all and done most of it, but remains as fresh and enthusiastic as when he started out, an incredible 50 years ago. We can count ourselves fortunate to be witnesses to this living legend, and privileged to call him a friend. With a live act honed to perfection, many of today's so called superstars could learn a lot from him. Whenever we see him, wherever we see him, the audience is spellbound, gripped by every gesture, and each note in every song; the hardest act to follow I have ever seen. © 2008 iPlugYou

BIO (Wikipedia)

Chris Farlowe (born John Henry Deighton, 13 October 1940, Islington, North London, England) is a successful English pop, R&B and soul singer. Farlowe's musical career began with a skiffle group, The John Henry Skiffle Group in 1957, then The Johnny Burns Rhythm and Blues Quartet in 1958. He met lead guitarist Bob Taylor (born Robert Taylor, 6 June 1942, London) in 1959 and he joined the band Taylor was in (The Thunderbirds), recording five singles for the Columbia label, without much success. He then moved to Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate label and recorded another eleven singles, five of them cover versions of Rolling Stones songs; ("Paint It, Black", "Think", "Ride On, Baby", "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", "Out of Time"). His most successful was "Out of Time" which was number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1966. His next four singles were also well received. The most famous was "Handbags and Gladrags" (which was written by Mike d'Abo), later covered by Rod Stewart and more recently by the Stereophonics). As an English R&B star of the early 1960s, Farlowe released one single, "Stormy Monday Blues", under the pseudonym, 'Little Joe Cook', which helped perpetrate the myth that he was black. His association with jazz rock group Colosseum began in the 1970s, recording a live album and three studio albums Daughter of Time, Bread and Circuses and Tomorrow's Blues (2006). Farlowe continues to tour extensively throughout the UK and Europe with band Colosseum, and also with his own band. Farlowe also deals in antiques and has a showroom in Islington. In 1972 he joined Atomic Rooster and is featured on the albums Made in England and Nice and Greasy. He also sang on three tracks of Jimmy Page's Death Wish II soundtrack 1982 and Outrider album in 1988. In the beginning, Farlowe was backed by the band 'The Thunderbirds', which featured guitarist Albert Lee and Dave Greenslade, (later with him again in Colosseum), Bugs Waddell (bass), Ian Hague (drums) Bernie Greenwood (sax) and Jerry Temple (percussion).