One for the road (Jan 76, Island) (CD reissue: 1996,
Edsel) (live)
several lineups:
You never can tell (Jul 97, New Millenium) (2CD)
Kuschty Rye - the singles 1973 - 1980 (Aug 97, New
Millenium) (compilation)
Bill Esher & The Beacons
Meal Ticket
Code of the road (1977, EMI)
Three times a day (1978, EMI)
Takeaway (1978, Logo)
Frankie Miller Band
Falling in love (1979, EMI/Chrysalis) (CD reissue:
Repertoire, with 1 bonus track)
Hinkley's Heros
Roger Chapman & The Shortlist
several lineups:
Hyenas only laugh for fun (1981, Teldec)
He was she was you was we was (1982, Maze) (2LP, live)
Mango crazy (1983, Exposure)
The shadow knows (1984, RCA)
Techno-prisoners (1987, RCA)
Walking the cat (1989, Maze/SPV)
Hybrid and lowdown (1990, Polydor)
Under no obligation (1992, Polydor)
Kiss my soul (1996, Castle)
A turn stoned? (1998, SPV)
In my own time (live) (1999, SPV) (2CD live)
Rollin' and tumblin' (2001, Mystic) (live)
as The Shortlist:
The riffburglar album (1982, Line)
as The Riffburglars:
Swag (1983, Instant)
Chuck Farley
Chuck Farley (1983, Bona)
Heart and Soul
Sparring Partners
Steve Simpson & Micky Moody
Coyotes
Coyotes (Feb 97, Round Tower)
The Monday Blues Band
The Steve Simpson Band
Eric Bibb & Steve Simpson
Solo albums:
Alive and well (1998, Soupspoon)
A guitar virtuoso, he has been Roger Chapman's right
hand for many, many years. But he has a very interesting career, having
released with his own albums.
THE TUMBLEWEEDS
This was the first band where I've found Steve
Simpson, but I can't find info about them, except that Jack Brand played
bass on it. Help, please!
ST. JAMES GATE
The liner notes in one of the Slim Chance albums
say that Ronnie Lane formed his new lineup with the members of a band called
St. James Gate. Does anybody know info about if Steve was a member here?
RONNIE LANE & SLIM CHANCE
(different incarnations of
Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance)
After many personnel changes, Ronnie Lane calls
Steve Simpson to play in his band Slim Chance in October 1974:
Next album was the live One for the road,
recorded during Autumn 1975. But soon later, in March 1976, Ronnie Lane
dissolves the band.
You never can tell is a 2CD featuring
BBC sessions plus live tracks. Steve Simpson appears in many of these tracks.
Thirteen tracks were recorded live in 1974 (the Lane/Simpson/Belshaw/O'Lochlainn/LeFleur
lineup). Four tracks were recorded live in 1976 (the Lane/Simpson/Belshaw/Hart/Davey
lineup), and 6 more songs were recorded live also in 1976 (the same lineup
plus a very special guest, old mate Ian McLagan on keyboards). Other musicians
featured in this album are: Kevin Westlake,
Billy Livsey, Bruce Rowland, Jimmy Jewell,
Chrissy Stewart, Benny Gallagher, Graham Lyle.
The compilation Kuschty Rye - the singles
1973 - 1980 was released in 1997, and Steve Simpson is featured
in 7 tracks, along with the musicians above mentioned, plus Cal
Batchelor, Henry McCullough, Eric Clapton, Carol Grimes, Bruce Rowland,
Jimmy Jewell, Benny Gallagher, Graham
Lyle, Kevin Westlake, Billy Livsey,
Steve Bingham, Ken Slaven, Chrissy Stewart, Alun Davies. It also contains
two bonus live tracks recorded on March 1975, so I guess Steve is featured
there.
BILL ESHER & THE BEACONS
Any info would be very welcomed! Again, I only
know that Steve Simpson, brother Bruce Simpson and Jack Brand were members.
MEAL TICKET
The first lineup of the band was formed by:
Steve Simpson (guitar, vocals)
Ray Flacke (guitar, vocals)
Willy Finlayson (guitar, keyboards,
vocals)
Jack Brand (bass, vocals)
Richard Jones (keyboards, vocals)
Chris Hunt (drums)
They released Code of the road in 1977.
Their second album, Three times a day, was recorded by the
same lineup, with some guests, such as Keith Nelson (banjo), Don Weller
(sax).
Soon after, their lineup suffers multiple changes:
Steve Simpson (guitar, vocals)
Willy Finlayson (guitar, keyboards,
vocals)
Richard Jones (keyboards, vocals)
Keith Nelson (banjo)
Rod Demick (bass)
Alan Coulter (drums)
A third album is released also in 1978: Takeaway.
I don't know when they parted ways. But, even today,
it's not unusual finding some Meal Ticket one-off reunions from time to
time.
FRANKIE MILLER BAND
Steve joins Frankie Miller for a tour in September
1978. Miller always had superb musicians in his band:
This band recorded Falling in love,
with help of other great musicians, such as Tim
Renwick (guitar), Terry Britten (guitar), Ron Aspery (sax), Dave Wintour
(bass), Chris Hall (keyboards), Chris Slade (drums), Barrie Guard (percussion),
Linda Taylor (vocals), and from Ace: Paul
Carrack (keyboards, backing vocals). Arrangements by Frankie Miller
and David Mackay. Orchestra conducted by Barrie Guard. It contains several
versions; for example, Bob Marley's 'Is this love', or John Hiatt's
'If I can love somebody'. The album was released in the States under
another title: A perfect fit.
The CD release includes one bonus track: 'Something
about you'.
CHUCK FARLEY
Note, this is a band, not a guy. Formed by Steve
Simpson, this is a sort of superband, including great guests for gigs.
They didn't have a stable lineup, as in the vein of, let's say, Hinkley's
Heroes (see below). The original lineup, in 1980, consisted of:
Soon after, Tim Hinkley asks Steve to play in a similar
outfit, called Hinkley's Heros that he had formed a few years before. This
led to a mutual swapping of musicians between both bands.
HINKLEY'S HEROS
In July 1976 Tim Hinkley formed Hinkley's Heroes
comprising friends and band mates. However they reformed from time to time
with different line ups such as:
The band was often complimented by others with fine
musical pedigree, such as Brian Robertson, Jimmy
McCulloch, Joe Cocker, Roger Chapman, Charlie Whitney, Mick Ralphs,
Poli Palmer, John Halsey, etc. For example, this was the lineup in December
1979:
Mitch Mitchell (drums)
John Halsey (drums)
Duncan Kinnel (percussion)
ROGER CHAPMAN & THE SHORTLIST
(Roger Chapman & Steve Simpson,
1998)
In 1981, Steve joins Roger Chapman in a very fruitful
ensemble, up to this day.
I haven't been able to find accurate data about
the live lineups, so I'll be detailing just the lineups for the albums.
Please, anyone who can give me more details, please write to me!!
First Chapman album where Steve appears is Hyenas
only laugh for fun. Recorded in 1981 with Geoff
Whitehorn (guitar), Steve Simpson (guitar), Jerome Rimson (bass), John
Wetton (bass), Tim Hinkley (keyboards), Poli
Palmer (keyboards), Nick Pentelow (sax),
Stretch (drums), Alan
Coulter (drums).
A new double live album is released with this lineup.
Called He was she was you was we was, it includes a cover
of Jimi Hendrix's 'Stone free'.
The album from 1983 is called Mango crazy.
The lineup is: Geoff Whitehorn (guitar), Steve
Simpson (guitar), Boz Burrell (bass), Ronnie Leahy (keyboards), Duncan
Mackay (keyboards), J. Cook (keyboards), Nick
Pentelow (sax), Alan Coulter (drums).
In 1984, Roger Chapman releases The shadow
knows. Musicians list is: Geoff Whitehorn
(guitar), Steve Simpson (guitar), Tony Stevens
(bass), Brian Johnston (keyboards),
Nick Pentelow (sax), Sam Kelly (drums)
and John Lingwood (drums).
Techno-prisoners was released in
1986, and Steve is playing again with Roger (he missed the album Zipper).
Recorded with Geoff Whitehorn (guitar), Boz Burrell
(bass), Tim Hinkley (keyboards), Nick
Pentelow (sax), Poli Palmer (keyboards), Henry Spinetti (drums), guest
appearance by Alvin Lee (guitar, from Ten Years After), and Rob & Ferdi
Bolland (also acting as producers), Jan Hollestelle (bass), Shell Schellekens
(drums), Gerbarand Westveen (sax).
Walking the cat was released in 1989,
and it features Steve Simpson (guitar), Micky Moody (guitar), Bobby
Tench (guitar, vocals), Tim Hinkley (keyboards),
Mick Rogers (guitar, from Aviator, Manfred Mann Earth Band and Greenslade),
Alvin Lee (guitar, from Ten Years After), Mark Feltham (harmonica, from
Nine Below Zero and Box of Frogs), Nick Pentelow
(sax), Jeff Seopardie (drums). The album contains a song written by Steve,
the fantastic 'Jivin''.
Bobby
Tench also appears in Chapman's next album, Hybrid and lowdown.
Again, full of good musicians: Micky Moody, Steve Simpson (guitar), Nicky
Hopkins, Tim Hinkley, plus Phil Spalding (bass,
from Original Mirrors, Mike Oldfield band and GTR), Peter Stroud (bass,
currently with Peter Green), Nick Pentelow
(sax), and John Lingwood (drums, from Brian Auger band, lately in Company
of Snakes and still with Roger Chapman).
After four years out of Roger Chapman's band, Geoff
Whitehorn played with them again in Under no obligation:
Geoff Whitehorn (guitar), Steve Simpson (guitar),
Laurie Wisefield (guitar), Alvin Lee (guitar), Peter Stroud (bass), Andy
Bown (bass), Mick Weaver
(keyboards), Pete Wingfield (keyboards), Ian Gibbons (keyboards), Mike
Paice (sax), Bob Jenkins (drums). Produced by Mike Vernon.
Kiss my soul was released in 1996,
with Steve Simpson (guitar), Jay Stapley (guitar), Joe Chemay, Ingo Reidl,
Geoff Dugmore, Juliette Roberts, Carol Thompson. It includes three songs
co-written by Steve, plus songs by John Wetton, Micky Moody, Russ Ballard
or Jim Cregan.
The lineup in 1997-1998 consisted of:
Roger Chapman (vocals)
Steve Simpson (guitar, violin)
Laurie Wisefield (guitar)
Gary Twigg (bass)
Ian Gibbons (keyboards)
Pat Crumly (sax)
John Lingwood (drums)
Helen
Hardy (backing vocals)
This lineup recorded A turn unstoned?,
with help from Mark Feltham (harmonica), Keith Airey (guitar, brother of
Don Airey), Melvin Duffy (pedal steel guitar),
Paul Weimar (sax), Steve Hamilton (sax), Steve Stroud (bass), Graham Broad
(drums), and from the Brian May Band: Jamie Moses (guitar), Spike Edney
(keyboards), Susie Webb & Zoe Nicholas (backing vocals). There are
3 songs co-written by Steve Simpson, plus songs by Jim
Cregan and Ric Ocasek (from The Cars).
In 1999, it has been released a double live album
by Roger Chapman. This is the lineup featured there:
John Lingwood (drums)
Helen
Hardy (backing vocals)
Chapman's new live album is Rollin' and tumblin',
recorded in 2000, with this lineup:
Roger Chapman (vocals)
Steve Simpson (guitar, violin,
mandolin, vocals)
Gary Twigg (bass)
Ian Gibbons (keyboards)
Mark Feltham (harmonica)
Geoff Dunn (drums)
Apart from all these albums, there is another a couple
of albums, where the whole band appears under pseudonym. The first album,
credited to The Shortlist, is called The riffburglar album,
and Steve is credited as Suede Soupspoon (funnily, this was the name used
for the label of his solo album). The second album, credited to The Riffburglars,
is called Swag, but I don't know if Steve appears there.
CHUCK FARLEY (again)
After playing with Hinkley's Heros, some of those
guys started playing with Chuck Farley too: Geoff
Whitehorn, Roger Chapman, Poli Palmer, Bobby
Tench, Mick Clewes, Marty David, etc.
In the early nineties, Steve formed this band for
gigs, formed mostly with mates from The Shortlist different lineups:
Steve Simpson (guitar, vocals)
Peter Stroud (bass)
Ian Gibbons (keyboards)
John Lingwood (drums)
In 1993, Peter Stroud leaves, and Gary Twigg arrives:
Steve Simpson (guitar, vocals)
Gary Twigg (bass)
Ian Gibbons (keyboards)
John Lingwood (drums)
STEVE SIMPSON & MICKY MOODY
What can I say? Two great maestros, side by side.
They know each other very well, after having played together in Roger Chapman
& The Shortlist. From time to time, they perform some tours as a duo
(for example, in 1995). I just wish I was there!!
This is a band commanded by Errol Walsh, containing
great drummer, veteran John 'Willie' Wilson. The original lineup included
Steve Simpson, along with other superb musicians:
Errol Walsh (guitar, vocals)
Ed Deane (guitar, vocals)
Steve Simpson (guitar, vocals)
Dave Luke (guitar, bass)
Malcolm Hoskins (bass)
Andy Cooper (keyboards)
John 'Willie' Wilson (drums)
Although Steve didn't stay in the band for too long,
he appears in their first album, Coyotes. Errol Walsh &
Steve Simpson also play as a duo from time to time.
THE MONDAY BLUES BAND
Again, a loose association by Steve and some of
his friends. Sometimes the lineup is:
Steve Simpson (guitar, vocals)
Papa George (guitar)
Peter Stroud (bass)
Sam Kelly (drums)
Some other times, they have appeared with Peter Rees
(from Bobby Tench Band):
Steve Simpson (guitar, vocals)
Papa George (guitar)
Peter Rees (bass)
Sam Kelly (drums)
THE STEVE SIMPSON BAND
Steve Simpson has released a solo album, a live
concert from 1998, entitled Alive and well. This is the lineup:
Steve Simpson (guitar, vocals,
fiddle)
Malcolm Hoskins (bass)
Andy Cooper (keyboards)
Mick Clewes (drums)
But Steve can be often be found playing with different
lineups. Another usual lineup is:
Steve Simpson (guitar, vocals,
fiddle)
Nigel Portman-Smith (bass)
Andy Cooper (keyboards)
Mick Clewes (drums)
Or:
Steve Simpson (guitar, vocals,
fiddle)
Malcolm Hoskins (bass)
Andy Cooper (keyboards)
Toby Baron (drums)
Steve gigs are hard to trace. He's always playing,
the surprise can be his partner(s). Last months, he has been playing gigs
with old mate Willy Finlayson, alone with Malcolm Hoskins, or with Errol
Walsh, etc.
ERIC BIBB & STEVE SIMPSON
Steve Simpson has been touring recently with Eric
Bibb: