CHRIS PARREN info

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)

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)

Richard Hudson (guitar, vocals)
John Ford (bass, vocals)
+
Chris Parren (keyboards)
Ken Laws (drums)

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:

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)

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)

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:

In August 1989, Chris Parren also played with the great Ray Minhinnett in his band UK Busters:

In 1990, Chris Parren started working on a remake of The Rocky Horror Show cast. A 2LP was released, with these performers:

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:

Albums with Forever Amber:

• The love cycle (1969) (CD reissues: 1990, 1992)

• 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)

• Rock Follies of 77 (Aug 77) (CD reissue: 2000, with 1 bonus track) (with Ray Russell, Tony Stevens, Peter Van Hooke)

• Ready or not (1977) (with Ray Russell, Mo Foster, Tony Hymas, Tony Roberts, Martin Drover, Malcolm Griffiths, Simon Phillips, Pete Van Hooke)

• 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)

• 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)

• 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)

• 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)

• Fretwork (Jan 97) (with John Gustafson, Clive Bunker, Rod Demick, Richard Simmons, Steve Dixon, Melanie Harrold)

• 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)

Thanks to: ...

If you can contribute (with additions, corrections, opinions, etc.), please, send me an e-mail message at mterol@myrealbox.com

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