Chou Pahrot
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article is orphaned as few or no other articles link to it. Please help introduce links in articles on related topics. (July 2006) |
Chou Pahrot was one of Scotland's most unusual rock music bands of the 1970s. Originally appearing as a 4-piece consisting of guitar, bass, drums and saxophone, the departure of the guitar player led to his replacement by violin and a change of name to Chou Pahrot.
Home base was the Paisley/Glasgow area, where posters on abandoned buildings (a plentiful phenomena of recession hit 1970s West of Scotland) advertising their next gig were a familiar site - invariably with the band's mascot, Freddie Horse (a demented looking grinning horse, sometimes with a monacle) either announcing in a giant speech bubble the next gig or simply saying that month's piece of soundbite lunacy.
The influence of Captain Beefheart was notable in their angular music, wild stage show and in their penchant for strange stage names. Other influences included Ornette Coleman's electric music with Prime Time, Frank Zappa, Wild Man Fischer, and The Broons.
Chou Pahrot were late exponents of a high-energy, in-your-face strand of early-70s long-hair music, which was overshadowed by the more bland and comfortable forms of Prog and then swamped by Punk. Their music evolved to encompass humorous lyrics with shades of Ivor Cutler sung in their natural Scottish accent, rather than the mid-Atlantic drawl that was then commonplace.
Through the late 1970s, Chou Pahrot continued to divide listeners at the bars and festivals of Scotland, with occasional incursions into Germany. They were favourites of The Rezillos, and frequently opened for them. The band eventually split, unable to gain a permanent recording contract, but their antics paved the way for Pronk bands that merged Prog with Punk, such as Cardiacs
[edit] Discography
Buzgo Tram Chorus (Klub K.E.P.101)
Chou Pahrot Live (1979 Klub LP, produced by Pete Shipton)
[edit] Musicians
Eggy Beard (Martin McKenna) - Violin
Monica Zarb (Robert Donaldson) - Bass, vocal
Mama Voot (Tony O'Neill) - Guitar, sax, vocal
Fish Feathers McTeeth (Dave Lewis) - Drums on EP
The Amphibian (John O'Neil, no relation) - Drums on LP
