CHRIS PARREN info
Chris Parren
(keyboards)
Prolific and very competent keyboardist.
First band I've traced by him is Forever Amber,
back in 1969:
-
Michael Richardson (vocals)
-
Richard Lane (guitar, vocals)
-
Christopher Jones (guitar, vocals)
-
Anthony Mumford (bass, vocals)
-
John M. Hudson (keyboards)
-
Chris Parren (keyboards)
-
Barry Broad (drums)
They only released an album, The love cycle.
Hudson-Ford was a duo comprising Richard Hudson
(vocals, guitar) and John Ford (guitar, bass). They had been playing together
for years, first in Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera, later joining the fantastic
band The Strawbs. They left them to start a solo career as a duo. For their
first album, called Nickelodeon, they used some additional
musicians, such as Mickey Keen (guitar), Chris Parren (keyboards), Rick
Wakeman (keyboards). After that, they asked Keen and Parren to join them
as live band:
-
Richard Hudson (guitar, vocals)
-
John Ford (bass, vocals)
-
+
-
Mickey Keen (guitar)
-
Chris Parren (keyboards)
-
Ken Laws (drums)
Their second album was Free spirit,
and then, Mickey Keene left them.
-
Richard Hudson (guitar, vocals)
-
John Ford (bass, vocals)
-
+
-
Chris Parren (keyboards)
-
Ken Laws (drums)
It was followed by When worlds collide.
Daylight was their 4th album, and
the list of musicians includes Ray Russell (guitar),
Ian Bairnson (guitar), Dave Markee (bass), Brent Forbes (bass), Graham
Preskett (keyboards, violin), Martin Drover (trumpet). They split soon
after this album.
In 1975, Andy Mackay (from Roxy Music) was asked
to compose the music for a TV series, "Rock follies", about a female trio
(one of the singers was the marvellous Julie Covington). Andy composed
the music, but a stable band was formed to play all the music as well as
appearing in the series. When the 2nd season started (retitled Rock Follies
of 1977), Chris Parren joined the band, replacing Brian
Chatton:
Another album was released too, Rock Follies
of 77. The CD reissue has a bonus track.
Around 1978, he joins Jim Capaldi's band, named
The Contenders:
-
Jim Capaldi (vocals, guitar)
-
Phil Capaldi (vocals, percussion)
-
Peter Bonas (guitar)
-
Alan Spenner (bass)
-
Chris Parren (keyboards)
-
Ray Allen (sax, percussion,
vocals)
-
Trevor Morais (drums)
They released the albums The
Contender and 7. Chris only stayed one year in The Contenders,
but he was to appear in many later albums by Capaldi.
in 1979, Chris joined Maggie
Bell in her new band, Midnight Flyer.
-
Maggie Bell (vocals)
-
Anthony Glynn (guitar)
-
Tony
Stevens (bass)
-
John Cook (keyboards)
-
Chris Parren (keyboards)
-
Dave Dowle (drums)
One self-titled album, plus
and EP, Rock'n'roll party, before splitting in 1982.
Poor-Mouth was the band for guitarist and singer
Jack-E McAuley (Jackie McAuley, a former member of Them; he'll have someday
his own pages in my Olympus). He assembled a backing band for concerts,
Poor-Mouth, without an stable lineup, but always comprising superb musicians,
such as John Gustafson (bass),
Rod Demick (bass), Don Airey (keyboards), Chris
Parren (keyboards), Nick Payn (sax, flute), Clive Bunker (drums), Howard
Tibble (drums). The band released two albums, but I don't have them, so
I don't know if Chris Parren appears there. Help, please!
Around 1983, Chris joins fantastic band Strawbs,
replacing the magnificent Blue Weaver:
Dave Cousins (vocals,
guitar)
Tony Hooper (guitar, vocals)
Brian Willoughby (guitar,
vocals)
John Ford (bass, vocals)
Chris Parren (keyboards)
Richard Hudson (drums, vocals)
In 1986, John Ford left, and they brought another
great musician, Rod Demick:
Dave Cousins (vocals,
guitar)
Tony Hooper (guitar, vocals)
Brian Willoughby (guitar,
vocals)
Rod Demick (bass, vocals)
Chris Parren (keyboards)
Richard Hudson (drums, vocals)
They released a studio album, Don't
say goodbye. This was followed by a live album, Greatest
hits live, recorded at a TV program in 1990 (this is why
this concert was also available on video). This lineup lasted until 1993,
when Chris Parren joined The Rocky Horrow Show band (being replaced by
Don Airey).
In August 1989, Chris Parren also played with the
great Ray Minhinnett in his band UK Busters:
Ray
Minhinnett (guitar, vocals)
Chris Parren (keyboards)
Nick Payne (sax)
Andy Beer (sax)
Stuart Blandemeer (sax)
+ others unknown to me.
Help!
In 1991, he recorded some songs with a one-off band,
called Pepsi & The Blue Spiders:
Pepsi (vocals)
Hugh Burns (guitar)
Tony Muschamp (bass)
Chris Parren (keyboards)
Charlie Morgan (drums)
Some of the Strawbs members also formed a parallel
band, to play gigs when the band was not active. They were called Turkey
Leg Johnson, and it featured:
Brian Willoughby (guitar,
vocals)
Rod Demick (bass, vocals)
Chris Parren (keyboards)
Richard Hudson (drums, vocals)
They stayed together during three years.
In 1990, Chris Parren started working on a remake
of The Rocky Horror Show cast. A 2LP was released, with these performers:
singers/performers:
Tim McInnerny
Gina Bellman
Adrian Edmonson
Eddie Tudor-Pole
Mary Maddox
Linda Davidson
Gordon Kennedy
Adam Caine
Jonathon Adams
Kate O'Sullivan
+
musicians:
Derek Griffiths (guitar)
Alan Ross (bass)
Dave Brown (keyboards, musical
director)
Chris Parren (keyboards)
Geoff Driscoll (sax)
Clem Cattini (drums)
The album was called The Rocky Horror Show (The
whole gory story). Six years later, in 1996, the show was played
again in theatres. The list of singers and actors had changed, but the
musicians remained the same:
singers/performers:
Sherry Hart
David Schmittou
Ellen Hoffman
David Nehls
Hans B. Goetzfried
Caroline Liadakis
Bob Simon
David Velarde
Ted Anderson
+
musicians:
Derek Griffiths (guitar)
Dave Brown (keyboards, musical
director)
Chris Parren (keyboards)
Geoff Driscoll (sax)
Clem Cattini (drums)
The album was called The Rocky Horror Show:
1996/1997 European tour.
In May 1997, he joined Roger Chapman & The
Shortlist for a few gigs, substituting their usual keyboardist, Ian Gibbons,
as he was not available that month:
Roger Chapman (vocals)
Steve
Simpson (guitar)
Laurie Wisefield (guitar)
Gary Twigg (bass)
Chris Parren (keyboards)
Pat Crumly (sax)
John Lingwood (drums)
Helen Hardy (backing vocals)
In 1998, some of the musicians from Rocky Horrow Show
get together in a new band, Wicked:
Billy Miller (vocals)
Kate O'Sullivan (vocals)
Derek Griffiths (guitar)
Jim Rodford (bass)
Chris Parren (keyboards)
Steve Rodford (drums)
Albums with Forever Amber:
-
The love cycle (1969)
(CD reissues: 1990, 1992)
Albums with Hudson-Ford:
-
Nickelodeon (1973,
with Rick Wakeman, Gerry Conway)
-
Free spirit (1974,
Richard Hudson, John Ford, Mickey Keene,
Ken Laws)
-
When worlds collide
(1975, with Richard Hudson, John Ford, Ken Laws, Dick Morrisey, John Mealing,
Tom Allom)
-
Daylight (1977,
with Richard Hudson, John Ford, Ken Laws, Ray Russell,
Ian Bairnson, Dave Markee, Graham Preskett, Martin Drover)
Albums with Rock Follies:
-
Rock Follies of 77
(Aug 77) (CD reissue: 2000, with 1 bonus track) (with Ray
Russell, Tony Stevens, Peter Van Hooke)
Albums with Ray Russell:
-
Ready or not (1977)
(with Ray Russell, Mo Foster, Tony Hymas, Tony Roberts, Martin Drover,
Malcolm Griffiths, Simon Phillips, Pete Van Hooke)
Albums with Midnight Flyer:
-
Midnight flyer (1979, with Maggie Bell,
Dave Dowle, Tony Stevens,
Anthony Glynne)
-
Rock'n'roll party (1979, with Maggie
Bell, Tony Stevens,
Dave Dowle, Anthony Glynne) (EP)
Albums with Jim Capaldi:
-
The contender
(1978, with Alan Spenner, Trevor Morais, Jackie McAuley, Paul Kossoff,
Chuck Rainey, Barry Beckett, Roger Hawkins, David Hood, Jimmy Johnson,
Dean Parks)
-
Electric nights
(1979, with Alan Spenner, Trevor Morais, Simon Kirke, Rosko Gee)
-
The sweet smell of success
(1980, with Mel Collins, Alan Spenner, Micky Feat)
-
Let the thunder cry
(1981, with Steve Winwood, Simon Kirke, Mel Collins, Rebop, Andy Newmark,
Vicki Brown, Martin Drover)
-
Fierce heart (May
83, with Steve Winwood, Van Morrison, John Mizzarolli, Peter Bonas, Mel
Collins, Geoff Driscoll, Martin Drover, Bryson Graham,
Stevie Lange, Jim Leverton)
-
One man mission
(1984, with Steve Winwood, Steve Marriott, Carlos Santana, Snowy White,
Peter Bonas, Colin Pincott, John Giblin, Bryson Graham,
Neil Hubbard, Simon Kirke, Stevie Lange,
Jim Leverton, Alan Spenner, Godfrey Wang)
-
Some come running
(Dec 88, with Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Mick Ralphs,
Mel Collins, Rosko Gee, Mike Hehir)
Albums with Strawbs:
-
Don't say goodbye
(May 87, with Rod Demick) (CD reissue: 1987) (CD reissue: 1998, as a twofer
with Ringing down the years)
-
Greatest hits live
(1993, with Rod Demick) (live)
Albums with Rocky Horror Show:
-
The Rocky Horror Show
(the whole gory story) (1990) (2LP, 1CD) (with Clem Cattini, Derek
Griffiths)
-
The Rocky Horror Show:
1996/1997 European tour (1996) (with Clem Cattini, Derek Griffiths)
Albums with Jackie McAuley:
-
Fretwork (Jan
97) (with John Gustafson,
Clive Bunker, Rod Demick, Richard Simmons, Steve Dixon, Melanie Harrold)
Sessions:
-
J.J. Jackson (J.J. Jackson's dilemma,
1970, with Terry Smith, Dick Morrisey, Dave Quincy, Larry Steele, Ian Hague)
-
Jack McDuff (To seek a new home, 1970,
with Martin Drover, Dick Morrisey, Bud Parkes, Larry Steele, Terry Smith)
-
Locust (Alpha waves, 1976) (CHECK
IF CHRIS WAS A MEMBER OF THE BAND!)
-
Albert Hammond (My Spanish album, 1976,
with Madeline Bell, Simon Phillips, B.J. Cole, Hugh Burns, Gerry Conway,
Mike Moran, Pat Donaldson, Helen Chappelle,
Tristan Fry, Barry St. John, Liza Strike)
-
Wilding / Bonus (Pleasure signals, 1978,
with Phil Chen, John Goodsall, Rebop, Phil Collins, Todd Cochran, Andy
Clark, Preston Heyman, Phil Todd, John Giblin, Robin Lumley, Mike Shrieve,
Morris Pert)
-
Ian Gomm (Summer holiday, aka Gomm
with the wind, 1978, with Herbie Flowers, Barry De Souza)
-
Andy Mackay (Resolving
contradictions, Oct 78, with Ray Russell,
Mo Foster, Tony Stevens, Peter Van Hooke,
Paul Thompson) (CD reissue: 1999, with 4 bonus tracks)
-
Deke Leonard (Before
your very eyes, 1979, with Chris
Mercer, Terry Williams, Ron Aspery, Martin Drover, Doreen Chanter)
(CD reissue with 2 bonus tracks)
-
Judy Tzuke (Welcome to
the cruise, aka Stay with me 'till dawn, 1979, with
Ray Russell, Mo Foster, Roy Babbington, Ray Warleigh, Simon Phillips, Pete
Van Hooke, Barry De Souza, Morris Pert)
(CD reissue: 2000)
-
Mike Batt (Waves,
1980, with Ray Russell, Jim Cregan, Nigel Jenkins, B.J. Cole, Mel Collins,
Frank Ricotti, Trevor Morais)
-
Exiled (Exiled,
1980) (CD reissue: 1991) (with Jack Lancaster,
Tommy Eyre, Ray
Russell, Colin Blunstone, Lesley Duncan, Joe Jammer, Laurence Juber,
Paul Keogh, Mitch Dalton, John Giblin, Delisle Harper, Andy Pask, Dave
Lawson, Robin Lumley, Craig Pruess, John Earle, Stuart Elliott, Paul Thompson)
-
Ian Gomm (What a blow,
1980, with B.J. Cole, Herbie Flowers, Rod Demick, Nick Glennie-Smith, Raf
Ravenscroft, Alan Coulter, Barry De
Souza)
-
The Monks (Suspended animation,
1981 with John Ford, Richard Hudson, Brian Willoughby, Huw Gower) (CD reissue:
Aug 1999, with 6 bonus tracks)
-
Yellow Dog (Strangers
in paradise, 1981, with Herbie Armstrong, Rod Demick, Nick Glennie-Smith,
Phil Palmer, Peter Van Hooke)
-
John Mizzarolli (Message
from the 5th stone, 1982, with Ginger Baker, Don
Airey, Stevie Lange, Joy Yates, Vicki
Brown, Sam Brown, Noel McCalla)
-
Charlie (Charlie,
1983, with Terry Slesser-Thomas, Terry Thomas, Robert Henrit, Andy Clark,
Richard Cottle, Adrian Lee, Nick Payne, Felix Krish)
-
Dave Davies (Chosen people,
1983, with Dave Wintour, Bob Henrit)
-
Zen Attack (Zen attack,
1983, with Rebop, Rosko Gee, Bryson Graham) (CHECK
IF CHRIS WAS A MEMBER OF THE BAND!)
-
Jim Diamond (Double crossed,
1985, with Colin Pincott, Wix, Simon Kirke, Martin Ditcham, Dick Morrissey,
Earl Slick, Graham Lyle, Pip Williams, Zoot Money)
-
Jackie McAuley (Fretwork,
Jan 97, with John Gustafson,
Clive Bunker, Rod Demick, Richard Simmons, Steve Dixon, Melanie Harrold,
Kevin McAlea)
-
Ian Gomm (Come on,
1997, with Herbie Flowers, Rod Demick, Nick Glennie-Smith, Alan
Coulter, Barry De Souza) (compilation)
-
Jim Diamond (Jim Diamond,
May 2001, with Benny Gallagher, Graham Lyle, Phil Palmer) (compilation)
-
Chris Farlowe
-
Doris Troy
-
Labi Siffre
-
Bobby Womack
-
The Three Degrees
-
George Michael (Careless whisper)
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Page created
by Miguel Terol on: 03/September/2001. Last modified on: 17/September/2001.