| Roger Chapman | |
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Roger Chapman (2011) |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Roger Maxwell Chapman |
| Also known as | Roger "Chappo" Chapman, Chappo |
| Born | 8 April 1942 Leicester, United Kingdom |
| Origin | English |
| Genres | Rock, Blues-rock, Art rock |
| Occupations | Musician, Singer, Guitarist |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Labels | Liberty, Vertigo, Reprise, Windsong, Mystic Records (UK), Castle |
| Associated acts | Family, Streetwalkers, Charlie Whitney, Bobby Tench, Jim Cregan |
| Notable instruments | |
| Vocals | |
Roger Chapman (born Roger Maxwell Chapman on 8 April 1942 in Leicester), also known as Roger "Chappo" Chapman and 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 1967 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. He has an Artist of the Year award and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
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Chapman was originally the vocalist for Farinas, who released the single "You'd Better Stop" in August 1964. He moved on to join The Roaring Sixties and were later re-named 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 A Song For Me (1970) and Anyway (1971) 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. On 28 August in 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.[2]
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 Nicko McBrain, now with Iron Maiden. 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)[3] which was released in the UK in 1976 and remains a much respected album by music fans and the music press.[4] 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.[5] His backing band became known as The Shortlist at this time and he toured Europe extensively, during this period. Chapman's song "Shadow On The Wall" was recorded by Mike Oldfield, who used Chapman's vocals and was included it on his album Crises (1983).[6] 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 August 21, 2010 at the Rhythm Festival was billed as: "The farewell performance from Roger Chapman & The Shortlist". [7]
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