Roger Chapman
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Chapman in 2018
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Birth name
| Roger Maxwell Chapman
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Also known as
| Chappo
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Born
| (
1942-04-08
)
8 April 1942
(age 82)
Leicester
, England
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Origin
| English
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Genres
| Rock
,
blues rock
,
art rock
,
progressive rock
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Occupation(s)
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Instrument(s)
| - Vocals
- harmonica
- saxophone
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Labels
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Musical artist
Roger Maxwell Chapman
(born 8 April 1942 in
Leicester
), also known as
Chappo
, is an English
rock
vocalist.
[1]
He is best known as a member of the
progressive rock
band
Family
, which he joined along with
Charlie Whitney
, in 1966 and also the
rock
,
R&B
band
Streetwalkers
formed in 1974. His
idiosyncratic
brand of showmanship when performing and vocal
vibrato
led him to become a
cult figure
on the British rock scene. Chapman is claimed to have said that he was trying to sing like both
Little Richard
and his idol
Ray Charles
. Since the early 1980s he has spent much of his time in Germany and has made occasional appearances there and elsewhere.
In Germany, he was awarded an
Artist of the Year
award during the 1980s, followed by a
Lifetime Achievement Award
in 2004.
[2]
History
[
edit
]
Chapman was originally the vocalist for Farinas, who released the single "You'd Better Stop" b/w "I Like It Like That" in August 1964. (However, lead vocals on that single were performed by
Jim King
.) He moved on to join
The Roaring Sixties
who were renamed
Family
in 1966. In 1967 the first single was released, "Scene Through The Eye of a Lens", something of a psychedelic classic. Chapman wrote most of Family's songs with
Charlie Whitney
and their debut album
Music in a Doll's House
was released in 1968. Their bluesy, experimental rock music gained them a reputation as a progressive
underground
band.
The release of
Family Entertainment
(1969),
A Song for Me
(1970) and
Anyway
(1970) established Family as a fast and loud rock band also capable of producing the most intense acoustic music, in the British
underground music
scene, at that time. Their single "
The Weaver's Answer
" from the
Family Entertainment
album was a hit in 1969. On 28 August 1970 they appeared at the third
Isle of Wight Festival
. Although the band was popular in UK and Europe, success in the US eluded them and in 1973 they broke up.
[3]
Chapman formed
Chapman-Whitney
with Whitney, late in 1973. They signed to the
Vertigo
label and recorded an album
Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers
(1974), with a line-up including other members of
Family
and
King Crimson
, as well as future
Iron Maiden
member
Nicko McBrain
. Chapman and Whitney morphed their band into
Streetwalkers
, who were a polished
album-oriented rock
band who used more
white soul
than
Family
had. They released
Downtown Flyers
(1975), moving on to record the
groove
heavy album
Red Card
(1976)
[4]
which was released in the UK in 1976 and remains a much respected album by music fans and the
music press
.
[5]
Two more albums followed before the band broke up in 1977, ending eleven years of the Whitney-Chapman musical partnership.
In 1979 Chapman began a solo career and recorded his first solo album
Chappo
.
[6]
His backing band became known as
The Shortlist
at this time and he toured Europe extensively.
Mike Oldfield
's song "
Shadow on the Wall
" from the album
Crises
(1983) featured Chapman on vocals and became a hit.
[7]
He appeared as a guest artist on the second
Box of Frogs
album
Strange Land
(1986) singing lead vocals on two songs. Chapman went on to record
Walking the Cat
(1989) and
Hybrid and Low Down
(1990).
Since then Chapman has released eleven albums of new and live recordings. His album
Hide Go Seek
(2009) was produced by former
Family
bassist
Jim Cregan
and released during May 2009. His appearance on Saturday 21 August 2010 at the
Rhythm Festival
was billed as: "The farewell performance from Roger Chapman & The Shortlist".
[8]
Discography
[
edit
]
Family
[
edit
]
Streetwalkers
[
edit
]
Albums
[
edit
]
- Streetwalkers
Reprise K 54017 (1974)
- Downtown Flyers
Vertigo 6360 123, Mercury LP SRM-1-1060 (US) (1975)
- Red Card
Vertigo 9102 010, Mercury SMR-1-1083 (US), Repertoire REP 47-WP (CD) (1976)
- Vicious But Fair
Vertigo 9102 012, Mercury LP SRM-1-1135 (US) (1977)
- Streetwalkers Live
Vertigo 6641-703 (1977)
- Best of Streetwalkers
CD, CA, LP Vertigo 846-661 (1990)
- BBC Radio One Live
CD Windsong (1995)
Singles
[
edit
]
- "Roxianna" b/w "The Crack" Reprise K 14357 (1974) -
released as Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers
- "Raingame" b/w "Miller" Vertigo 6059 130 (1975)
- "Daddy Rolling Stone" b/w "Hole in Your Pocket" Vertigo 6059 144 (1976)
- "Chilli Con Carne" b/w "But You're Beautiful" Vertigo 6059 169 (1977)
Solo
[
edit
]
Albums
[
edit
]
- Chappo
(1979)
- Live in Hamburg
(1979)
- Mail Order Magic
(1980)
- Hyenas Only Laugh For Fun
(1981)
- The Riffburglar Album (Funny Cider Sessions)
(1982)
- He Was... She Was... You Was... We Was...
(Double, Live) (1982)
- Swag
(as the Riffburglars) (1983)
- Mango Crazy
(1983)
- The Shadow Knows
(1984)
- Zipper
(1986)
- Techno Prisoners
(1987)
- Live in Berlin
(1989)
- Walking The Cat
(1989)
- Strong Songs ? The Best Of ...
(1990)
- Hybrid and Lowdown
(1990)
- Kick It Back
(UK compilation) (1990)
- Under No Obligation
(1992)
- King of the Shouters
(1994)
- Kiss My Soul
(1996)
- A Turn Unstoned?
(1998)
- Anthology 1979?98
(1998)
- In My Own Time
(live) (1999)
- Rollin' & Tumblin
(live) Mystic (2001)
- Chappo-The Loft Tapes, Volume 1: Manchester University 10.3.1979
Mystic (2006)
- Chappo-The Loft Tapes, Volume 2: Rostock 1983
Mystic (2006 )
- Chappo-The Loft Tapes, Volume 3: London
Dingwalls
15 April 1996 Mystic (2006)
- Chappo-The Loft Tapes, Volume 4: Live at Unca Po's Hamburg 5.3.1982
Mystic (2006)
- One More Time For Peace
Mystic (2007)
- Hide Go Seek
Hypertension Records (2009)
- First Cut: Chapman-Whitney Streetwalkers, digital rerelease
Mystic Records (2010)
- Live at Rockpalast Markthalle Hamburg 1979
(2014)
- Live at Grugahalle Essen 1981
(2014)
- Maybe the last time
(live 2012)
- Life In The Pond
(2021)
Singles
[
edit
]
- "Imbecile" (1979) Mike Batt with Roger Chapman. From the album Tarot Suite.
- "
Shadow on the Wall
" (1983) Mike Oldfield with Roger Chapman
- "How How How" (1984)
DVDs
[
edit
]
- At Rockpalast Wienerworld (2004)
- Family & Friends Angel Air (2003)
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
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Studio albums
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Live albums
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Singles
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Studio albums
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Compilations
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Singles
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Related articles
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International
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National
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Academics
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Artists
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People
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Other
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