Ed Chalpin

Ed Chaplin is a record executive and producer. He is probably remembered for his association with Curtis Knight and the Squires which caused problems for Jimi Hendrix throughout his career. But he is also responsible for the recordings from that period which exist today, some of which appear on the You Can't Use My Name: The RSVP/PPX Sessions album.

Background

Chalpin was pusher of cover-versions, mainly covers of top-40 hits. Today these would be regarded as Exploito releases.^[1][2] During the 1960s and leading up to 1966, a good deal of the records that his PPX Enterprises produced were cover versions. Around 25% of his cover recordings were overseas hits. "Memphis" by Bernd Spier was released on CBS and made it to no.1 in Germany.^[3]

As of 1980, Chalpin was the owner of Dimensional Sound and Echo Studios, a 24 track facility in New York.^[4]

Career

1960s

In 1962 Chaplin had signed contracts with RCA Mexicana and Gamma Records to push his pre-recorded tapes catalogue.^[5]

In 1964, "Summer In Sweden (Sabeline)" bw "Endless Sleep" by The Spotnicks. Chaplin was the credited producer for both tracks.^[6]In 1965, he was the credited producer on "She Can Make Me Cry" bw "I'll Be There" by Mark Richards. The PPX Studio single was released on ABC-Paramount 45-10654.^[7]

In October 1965, Jimi Hendrix was introduced to Ed Chaplin by Curtis Knight. They recorded for Chalpin and 9 days later, Chalpin had signed Hendrix to a 3 year recording contract and was given one dollar.^[8][9] During the 1960s and leading up to 1966, a good A very good amount of material was recorded and gave Hendrix his first credit on a recorded release. The act of signing the contract with Chaplin would be a cause of concern for Hendrix when he found fame as he was still actually contracted to Chalpin.^[10] In 1966, Billboard announced that Chalpin in partnership with Douglas "Jocko" Henderson from Philly radio station WHAT, was launching a new label called Chalco Records. The first release was to be "Suey" which featured Jayne Mansfield.^[11] The recording was made at Studio 76 aka Dimensional Sound, and it featured Jimi Hendrix on the instrumental backing.^[12]

1970s -

Chaplin produced the Curtis Knight solo album Down in the Village which was released in 1971 on Paramount Records PAS 5023.^[13][14] Some 47 years later Dave Segal of the Portland Mercury said that the album deserved "its own damn reissue".^[15] In 1971, Chaplin roped Chubby Checker into recording a psychedelic styled album for his production company PPX. The album was released under a variety of titles including Slow Twistin' .^[16][17] In addition to the budget labels it was released on, the 10 track LP also was released on London Records in 1971.^[18] In 2007 a CD of the album was released on the Underground Masters label. It was given the title, Chubby Checker Goes Psychedelic!!. In addition to crediting Chaplin as the producer, it included an extra track called "The Ballad of Jimi".^[19] "The Ballad of Jimi" was also a track on an earlier Chaplin production, the Jimi Hendrix & Curtis Knight album, Get That Feeling.^[20]

It was announced in the May 12, 1973 edition of Billboard that Chaplin was now the manager of singer Jimmy Cliff and had signed deals with Warner Brothers, and EMI.^[21]

References