Family-Roger Chapman

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1407768152' post='2523763']
Chapman's voice is always going to be something of an 'acquired taste' but they did some good stuff in the 70's
[/quote]
.....and even better stuff in the 60s.

[KevB]

Yes I'd forgotten the first albums were actually late 60's. Used to work with a guy who was Living in Leicester in the late 60's and I think he and his wife knew a few of the band, Whitney perhaps.

[basscell]

Just listened to Family Entertainment for the first time, the second album they did. The flutes on Hung Up Down!
Artistically, a bad move for Ric Grech to join Blind Faith. Commercially, of course it made sense.

[Panamonte]

Passed me by back in the 70s. Just listened to Bandstand for the very first time and really liked what I heard. Many thanks for the belated introduction.

[basscell]

I wonder what bass John Wetton plays there, on Bandstand. Whatever it is it sounds great. But that would probably be him, not the instrument:-)

Edited August 12, 2014 by basscell

[basscell]

I guess its a Precision, with something added.

[basscell]

Listening to Fearless ; catching up on some of their albums I;ve never heard before. Also heard Anyway ( Compass!). So the only album I haven;t heard is It;s Only A Movie.

Saw an interview with Chappo where he states: ˝People fail to consider our age, I'm 70, and Charlie ( Whitney) did not join the reunion because he lives elsewhere and doesn't want to travel.

And I thought it only gets better with age. Lazy bastards:)

[Count Bassy]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1407538536' post='2521714']
Bandstand was a return to form after a few hit and miss albums but with only Chapman and Whitney left from the line-up of that great debut LP of four years previous.
[/quote]


Errr, and Rob Townsend !!!!

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1408752241' post='2533296']
Errr, and Rob Townsend !!!!
[/quote]
Correct but my point was without Jim King and Ric Grech a major part of the group's sound had gone. Bandstand is a decent LP but sadly Family never got close to those first two LPs.

[basscell]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1408777528' post='2533343']
Correct but my point was without Jim King and Ric Grech a major part of the group's sound had gone. Bandstand is a decent LP but sadly Family never got close to those first two LPs.
[/quote]

Disagree . Dolls House was very special, but Bandstand is at least as good, and the musicianship is superior. More conventional musically, but still very poetic and sincere.

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='basscell' timestamp='1408786215' post='2533419']
Disagree . Dolls House was very special, but Bandstand is at least as good, and the musicianship is superior. More conventional musically, but still very poetic and sincere.
[/quote]
Maybe it's because i first listened to all of these albums the week of their original release. After the first album a lot was expected from Family who for a lot of people (me included) never quite bettered those first two albums. The loss of Grech and King changed the band for the worse in my opinion.

[Paultrader]

Thanks for bringing Family back into my mind. I saw them at Fairfield Halls in Croydon in the early 70s - brilliant; chaotic, loud and memorable. [size=4]And Bandstand - Burlesque is a total original![/size]

[size=4]And now I've spent the morning trying to play 'My Friend the Sun' on my acoustic...[/size]

[basscell]

Nice!
Its very simple, if you play it in the original key you need a capodaster, and mostly just change the bass note with either pinkie or first finger.
But the arrangement is brilliant, the vocals, accordion, strings, that's great work. Simple and brilliant. No Giant steps, but a beautifully arranged song, poetry.

[basscell]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pvL-_oMJTw

Broken Nose?

[Count Bassy]

Went to see RC and the Shortlist at the the Robin 2 last night.

Now, I know that I am biased, but I've still got to say that, even by his standards, the gig was absolutely brilliant.

Was anyone else there?

[basscell]

.

Edited September 29, 2014 by basscell