• NEWS
  • REVIEWS
  • INTERVIEWS
  • EVENTS
  • VIDEOS

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

The Surprising Real Names of 30 Famous Blues Artists

July 1, 2022

Canadian Roots Blues Duo Blue Moon Marquee Are Ready to ‘Scream, Holler & Howl’

July 1, 2022

Tommy Castro and the Painkillers Live at 16 TONELADAS Rock Club in Valencia, Spain

June 30, 2022

The King and I: A Review of the Elvis Film

June 30, 2022
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Facebook Twitter Instagram Vimeo
American Blues SceneAmerican Blues Scene
  • NEWS
  • REVIEWS
  • INTERVIEWS
  • EVENTS
  • VIDEOS
American Blues SceneAmerican Blues Scene
Home»Featured»World Premiere Track: Roger Chapman’s Rootsy ‘Dark Side Of The Stairs’
Featured

World Premiere Track: Roger Chapman’s Rootsy ‘Dark Side Of The Stairs’

American Blues Scene StaffBy American Blues Scene StaffMay 26, 2021No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email VKontakte WhatsApp
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

British singer-songwriter Roger Chapman emerged as the voice of his generation with the seminal Family band. Through every twist of his four-decade solo career, Chappo’s output has defied music industry protocol, challenged genre, and held up a mirror to the times. Releasing on June 25th on Ruf Records and Chappo Music, Life In The Pond draws a line under a period in which the 79-year-old had been absent from the studio but privately prolific.

Album cover courtesy of Pati DeVries/Devious Planet

A 24-year-old Chapman joined The Farinas in 1966 and forged a dynamic writing partnership with lead guitarist Charlie Whitney. But the critical juncture came when the band renamed themselves, Family, moved down to London, and dreamt up a distinctive sound that swirled jazz, blues, folk, prog, and psychedelia into their classic 1968 debut album, Music In A Doll’s House. 

At the heart of it all was Chapman’s extraordinary vocal. As a young singer, he had started out tipping a hat to those US pioneers. Cherished by transatlantic fans, championed by DJ John Peel, and hitting UK#13 with the “Burlesque” single from 1972’s acclaimed Bandstand, Family released seven albums before disbanding in 1973. Chappo didn’t miss a beat, partnering with Whitney in Streetwalkers: a tougher Americana-influenced vehicle whose albums included 1976’s hit, Red Card. 

By 1979, this inventive singer-songwriter was ready to strike out solo with the Chappo album, and over four decades later, Life In The Pond ties all the threads together. Writing alongside Palmer – with stunning guest guitar from long-term collaborator Geoff Whitehorn – this latest album finds Chapman’s voice in vintage form and his musical radar more receptive than ever. As for the music, Life In The Pond connects the dots between Chapman’s founding influences such as British R & B from the ’60s, The Stones, folk, blues, Motown, Stax, Blue Note jazz, classical, Americana, and country. 

The world has turned a few times since he got his start in ’66, but Chapman still has something to say – and with Life In The Pond, his voice as an artist is more vital than ever.

Premiering exclusively today is the track “Dark Side Of The Stairs.” Of Life In The Pond’s rootsy, groovy opener, Chapman tells ABS:

It’s not about any one person; I thought just a figment of my imagination when writing it but reading back it’s probably an amalgamation of people and situations I’ve known through the years. 

 One thought is that it could be about when Family moved from Leicester into a house in Lots road Chelsea (see “Naughty Child”) where we all had a room each (as I’ve never lived in a tenement or block of flats) and would visit each other’s rooms for one reason or another. 

 Just had a funny thought! It could be about certain female authors who used to share rooms with various members of the band. If you’ll excuse the pun! 

 Anyway that’s the best explanation I can come up with at the moment. Ask me again in ten years, and I may have another.

 

Ruf Records · Dark Side Of The Stairs

Pre-order Life In The Pond

 

*Feature image credit: Graham Trott

Blues Chappo Music Dark Side Of The Stairs Devious Planet folk Roger Chapman Roots Ruf Records World Premiere Track
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email WhatsApp
Previous ArticleBlues Belter Lauren Anderson to Release ‘Love on the Rocks’ August 6
Next Article Delta Roots Music Festival 2021 – Tribute To Levon Helm Set For September 25
American Blues Scene Staff

Related Posts

The Surprising Real Names of 30 Famous Blues Artists

July 1, 2022

Tommy Castro and the Painkillers Live at 16 TONELADAS Rock Club in Valencia, Spain

June 30, 2022

The King and I: A Review of the Elvis Film

June 30, 2022

Windy City Wednesday – ‘Hawk Squat’ by JB Hutto and His Hawks

June 29, 2022

Comments are closed.

Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Events
  • Videos
  • About

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.