Chas Chandler

Bryan James "Chas" Chandler (18 December 1938 – 17 July 1996) was an English musician, record producer and manager of several successful music acts.

Background

Chas Chandler was born at 35 or 37 Second Avenue, Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland. After leaving school, he worked as a turner in the Tyneside shipyards. He learned to play the guitar but became the bass player when he joined the Alan Price Trio in 1962.

With the Animals

After vocalist Eric Burdon joined them, the group was renamed the Animals. Chandler's best known bass lines are the opening riffs of their 1965 hits "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" and "It's My Life". Chandler was also the most prominent of the group's backing vocalists and did occasional songwriting with Burdon.

As manager

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

After the group split up in late-1966, Chandler turned to becoming a talent scout, artist manager, and record producer. It was during his final tour with the Animals in 1966 that Chandler saw a then unknown guitarist play in a New York nightclub. That guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, was at the time using the moniker Jimmy James. In September of that year, Chandler convinced James to go with him to Britain, which was made possible with the help of Michael Jeffery who suggested that he revert to using his actual name, Jimi Hendrix, and later suggested naming the band The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

In Britain, Chandler recruited bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell. Together with Hendrix, the trio formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Chandler became the band's manager and produced their first two albums. He was also instrumental in introducing Hendrix to Eric Clapton. It was through this introduction that Hendrix got the opportunity to play with Clapton and Cream on stage.^[1]

Slade

Chandler then went on to manage and produce the British rock band Slade^[2] for twelve years, during which time they achieved 6 number one chart hits in the UK. During this time, Chandler bought IBC Studios which he renamed Portland Recording Studios, after the address of 35 Portland Place, London and ran it for four years till he sold it to Don Arden. Chandler also ran a series of record labels from the studios including Barn Records^[2] and Six of the Best, and formed a music publishing agency and management and production companies.^[2]

Later life

In 1977, Chandler played with and recorded the Animals during a brief reunion, and he joined them again for a further revival in 1983, at which point he sold his business interests and became a musician again.^[2]

During the early 1990s, he helped develop Newcastle Arena, a ten-thousand seat sports and entertainment venue that opened in 1995. ^{[citation needed]}

Chandler had one son, Steffan, from his first marriage. He later married Madeleine Stringer, the 1977 Miss United Kingdom and the sixth runner-up at Miss World 1977, and together they had a son, Alex, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Katherine.^{[citation needed]}

Death

Chandler died of an aortic aneurysm at Newcastle General Hospital, on 17 July 1996, only days after performing his final solo show.

Chandler's former home at 35 Second Avenue, Heaton is remembered with a black plaque placed on the wall by Newcastle City Council, which reads: Chas Chandler 1938-1996. Founder member of the 'Animals'. Manager of Jimi Hendrix & Slade. Co-founder of Newcastle Arena. Lived in this house 1938-1964.

References

• http://www.ericburdonalbums.com/Chas%20Chandler%20-%20Obituary.htm
• http://ericburdon.ning.com/profiles/blogs/chas-chandler-bio
• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=14490946

External links