- Climax Blues Band
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Climax Blues Band 
The band in 1974.Background information Origin Stafford, England Genres Blues rock Years active 1968–present Labels Harvest
Warner
various othersWebsite Official website Members George Glover
Roy Adams
Lester Hunt
Neil Simpson
Johnny PughPast members Colin Cooper
Pete Haycock
Derek Holt
George Newsome
Arthur Wood
Richard Jones
Anton Farmer
Peter Filleul
John Cuffley
Nicky Hopkins
Henry Spinetti
Dave Marquee
Jeff Rich
John "Rhino" EdwardsClimax Blues Band (originally known as the Climax Chicago Blues Band) was formed in Stafford, England in 1968. The original members were guitarists Peter Haycock and Derek Holt; keyboardist Arthur Wood; bassist Richard Jones; drummer George Newsome; and vocalist and harmonica player, Colin Cooper.[1]
In 1970, the group shortened its name to the Climax Blues Band due to pressure from the American band, Chicago Transit Authority. The band has released at least seventeen albums and had a Top 10 hit in the UK with "Couldn't Get It Right".[2] That song and "I Love You" were American hits as well; "Couldn't Get It Right" reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977, and "I Love You" peaked at #12 in 1981.[3]
Contents
Biography
Led by Cooper, the former frontman of the R&B group the Hipster Image, the Climax Chicago Blues Band was one of the leading lights of the late 1960s UK blues boom.[4] Prior to the release of 1969's Plays On, Jones left the group, prompting Holt to move to bass. In 1970 they moved to the Harvest label, at the same time shifting towards a more rock oriented sound on A Lot of Bottle.[5] Around the release of 1971's Tightly Knit, Newsome was replaced by John Cuffley; upon Wood's exit in the wake of 1972's Rich Man, they continued on as a quartet, also dropping the "Chicago" portion of their name to avoid confusion with the American band of a similar name.[1]
In 1974 the Climax Blues Band issued FM Live, a document of a New York radio concert. 1975's Stamp Album was their commercial breakthrough, and 1976's Gold Plated fared even better, spurred on by the success of the hit "Couldn't Get It Right". By the mid 1970s they were drawing crowds of up to 20,000 at U.S. concerts.[4] However, the rise of punk rock effectively stopped the group in their tracks.[1] By 1981 the band had left their blues roots behind and attempted to become a mainstream pop-rock band.[4] Derek Holt and John Cuffley left in 1983.
Haycock recorded the instrumental Guitar & Son album for ex-Climax Blues manager Miles Copeland's record label, No Speak, after parting company with the Climax Blues Band in 1985. He was later recruited by Bev Bevan as a member of Electric Light Orchestra Part II when they recorded and toured from 1990 onwards. He also started his film score career at this time by playing the lead on Hans Zimmer's score to Thelma and Louise, as well as performing on the Night Of The Guitars tours which also featured Derek Holt on bass, keys and occasional vocals. After several years of additional film score contributions, Haycock released a soundtrack CD to the Hollister Rally DVD in 2005.[6] The CD entitled Bikers' Dozen featured John Fiddler[7] (of Medicine Head fame). Following that, Haycock's new band, 'Pete Haycock's True Blues (featuring Glen Turner)' enjoyed touring and recording success with a live album, released in 2008.[8]
Holt's penned "I Love You" was one of the Climax Blues Band's biggest hits.[9] It can be found on the Climax Blues Band double album, 25 Years 1968-1993 which was released by the German record label Repertoire in 1993. "I Love You" still gets over 20,000 radio hits a year in the U.S. and has recently been included in Kevin Smith's 2008 film Zach and Miri Make a Porno. Holt released five solo albums - I Love You, After The Climax, Sunflowers, Hear and Now, Paradise Lost and Full Circle.
"Couldn't Get It Right" was covered by the Fun Lovin' Criminals on their album Mimosa.[9] Holt revealed in an interview that the song was "about being on the road in America".[10]
After a short period of inactivity, Climax Blues Band minus Haycock but featuring guitarist Lester Hunt recorded the album Drastic Steps and went back to touring extensively around UK, Europe and America.[4] The new lineup soon became established with Colin Cooper, George Glover, Lester Hunt, Neil Simpson and Roy Adams in the early 1990s, releasing the live album Blues from the Attic in 1993 and Big Blues in 2004.[11][1]
Cooper died of cancer, aged 69, in July 2008.[4] He is survived by his wife and two children.[9] However, the band continues to the present day.[11]
Band members
(Founding members listed in bold.)
Pete Haycock in 1974.
- Current members
- George Glover - (born 28 October 1947, Stoke-on-Trent) - keyboards, backing vocals (1980-present)
- Roy Adams (17 May 1952, Birmingham, England) - drums (1985-present)
- Lester Hunt - (born 21 February 1956, Stretford, Manchester) - guitar, backing vocals (1985-present)
- Neil Simpson (6 January 1959, Stoke-on-Trent) - bass (1991-present)
- Johnny Pugh (18 September 1952, Southend-on-Sea) - vocals, saxophone, harmonica (2008-present)
- Former members
- Colin Cooper (born Colin Francis Richard Cooper,[9] 7 October 1939, Stafford, Staffordshire - died 3 July 2008[12]) - vocals, saxophone, harmonica, guitar (1968-2008)[13]
- Pete Haycock - vocals, guitar, bass (1968-1985)
- Derek Holt (born 26 January 1949, Stafford) - bass, guitar, keyboards (1968-1983)
- George Newsome (born George Ewart Newsome, 19 August 1947, Stafford) - drums (1968-1973)
- Arthur Wood (born 3 August 1929, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent - died 2005) - keyboards (1968-1973)
- Richard Jones - bass, keyboards (1968-1969, 1975-1977)
- Anton Farmer - keyboards (1969-1970)
- Peter Filleul - keyboards (1970-1975, 1977-1980)
- John Cuffley - drums (1973-1983)
- Nicky Hopkins - keyboards (1978-1979)
- Henry Spinetti - drums (1983)
- Dave Marquee - bass (1983)
- Jeff Rich - drums (1983-1985)
- John "Rhino" Edwards - bass (1983-1985)
Discography
Albums
- The Climax Chicago Blues Band (1969)
- Plays On (1969) U.S. #197 Billboard 200 (1 week)
- A Lot of Bottle (1970)
- Tightly Knit (1971) U.S. #211 Billboard 200 (5 week)
- Rich Man (1972) U.S. #150 Billboard 200 (10 weeks)
- FM Live (1973) U.S. #107 Billboard 200 (30 weeks)
- Sense of Direction (1974) U.S. #37 Billboard 200 (29 weeks)
- Stamp Album (1975) U.S. #69 Billboard 200 (11 weeks)
- Gold Plated (1976) U.S. #27 Billboard 200 (44 weeks), UK #56 UK Albums Chart[2](1 week)
- Shine On (1978) U.S. #71 Billboard 200 (11 weeks)
- Real to Reel (1979) U.S. #170 Billboard 200 (6 weeks)
- Flying the Flag (1980) U.S. #75 Billboard 200 (16 weeks)
- Lucky for Some (1981)
- Sample and Hold (1983)
- Drastic Steps (1988)
- Blues from the Attic (1993)
- 25 Years (1968-1993) (1994)
- Big Blues (2004)
Albums (guesting)
- Three's a Crowd - Tarney-Spencer Band (1978)
Singles
- "Using The Power" (1975) U.S. #110 Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles(1 week)
- "Couldn't Get It Right" (1976) U.S. #3 Billboard Hot 100 (22 weeks), UK #10 UK Singles Chart[2](9 weeks)
- "Makin' Love" (1978) U.S. #91 Billboard Hot 100 (4 weeks)
- "Gotta Have More Love" (1980) U.S. #47 Billboard Hot 100 (12 weeks)
- "I Love You" (1980) U.S. #12 Billboard Hot 100 (27 weeks)
References
- ^ a b c d "Biography by Jason Ankeny". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p16545/biography. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
- ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 110. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ a b "Allmusic ((( Climax Blues Band > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p16545/charts-awards/billboard-singles.
- ^ a b c d e "Obituary by Garth Cartwright". London: Guardian.co.uk. 7 August 2008. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/aug/07/popandrock.jazz. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
- ^ "NME biography". NME.com. http://www.nme.com/artists/climax-blues-band. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
- ^ Pelicamproductions.com
- ^ Johnfiddler.com
- ^ Petehaycock.com
- ^ a b c d "Obituary in The Times". London: Timesonline.co.uk. 28 July 2008. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article4411661.ece. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
- ^ "Couldn't Get It Right". Songfacts.com. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=6307. Retrieved 3 March 2009.
- ^ a b "Official website biography". Climaxbluesband.com. http://climaxbluesband.com/band-members-lester.php. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
- ^ Thedeadrockstarsclub.com - Retrieved August 2009
- ^ "Colin Cooper: British musician who formed the Climax Blues Band". London: The Times. 28 July 2008. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article4411661.ece. Retrieved 28 July 2008.
- ^ "Allmusic ((( Climax Blues Band > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p16545/charts-awards/billboard-albums.
- The New Musical Express Book of Rock, 1975, Star Books, ISBN 0 352 300744
External links
Categories:- Blues rock groups
- Musical groups established in 1968
- British blues music groups
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