Chris Farlowe

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Chris Farlowe
2010-11-01 Chris Farlowe IMG 6567.jpg
Farlowe in 2010
Background information
Birth nameJohn Henry Deighton
Also known asLittle Joe Cook
Born (1940-10-13) 13 October 1940 (age 83)
Islington, North London, England
Origin Finchley, North London, England
Genres
Instrument(s) Vocals
Years active1957–present
Labels Columbia, Immediate, Stateside; Sue (pseudonymously)

Chris Farlowe (born John Henry Deighton, 13 October 1940) [1] is an English rock, blues and soul singer. He is best known for his hit single "Out of Time" written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, which rose to No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1966, [2] and his association with bands Atomic Rooster, the Thunderbirds and Colosseum. Outside his music career, Farlowe collects war memorabilia. [3]

Contents

Career

Farlowe was born in Islington, North London. His musical career began with a skiffle group, the John Henry Skiffle Group, in 1957, [4] before he joined the Johnny Burns Rhythm and Blues Quartet in 1958. He met guitarist Bob Taylor in 1959 and, through Taylor, joined the Thunderbirds, who went on to record five singles for the Columbia label. On Island's Sue label, he released a version of "Stormy Monday Blues" under the pseudonym Little Joe Cook (a name also used by an American singer), which perpetuated the myth that he was a black singer. [5]

Farlowe moved to Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate label and recorded eleven singles, five of which were cover versions of Rolling Stones songs including "Paint It Black", "Think", "Ride On, Baby", "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", and "Out of Time", which reached No. 1 (1966) in the UK Singles Chart. [2] He recorded four more singles, the best known of which are Mike d'Abo's "Handbags and Gladrags", [4] and "My Way of Giving", a cover of a Small Faces album track written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane.

He began an association with the jazz rock group Colosseum in September 1970, recording a live album and two studio albums including Daughter of Time (1970). After Colosseum's reunion in 1994 he appeared on all their albums. [4]

In February 1972 he joined Atomic Rooster, [6] and is featured on the albums Made in England (1972) and Nice 'n' Greasy (1973).

In 1978 Farlowe collaborated on two BBC Birmingham productions for which his former Colosseum bandmate Dave Greenslade wrote the theme music. First, in the second series of Gangsters , Farlowe sang the theme song. Farlowe and Greenslade then provided the music and Farlowe played the part of Benny opposite Sonja Kristina in the rock opera Curriculee Curricula. [7] The production was first shown on BBC Two and shot in its entirety on video at the University of Birmingham campus, with Magnus Magnusson as the narrator. [8]

Farlowe sang on two tracks from Jimmy Page's Death Wish II soundtrack (1982), as well as the tracks "Hummingbird", "Prison Blues" and "Blues Anthem" on Page's album Outrider (1988). [4]

He toured for a long time with Hamburg Blues Band, mainly in Germany.[ citation needed ] Since 1999, Farlowe has appeared on stage a number of times alongside Van Morrison. [9] [10]

Farlow (middle) performing with Chris Matthews and the Hamburg Blues Band in 2021. Chris Farlowe, Chris Matthews, Hamburg Blues Band.jpg
Farlow (middle) performing with Chris Matthews and the Hamburg Blues Band in 2021.

In 2009, Farlowe toured as a featured artist with Maggie Bell and Bobby Tench as part of the "Maximum Rhythm and Blues" tour of 32 UK theatres. [11]

On 30 July 2016, Farlowe appeared at Wembley Arena, performing his 1966 hit "Out of Time" as part of a show marking the 50th anniversary of the England football team's victory in the 1966 FIFA World Cup Final. [12]

Discography

Albums

DVDs

Singles

Singles (1962–65)

Singles and EPs on Immediate Records (1965–70)

Singles and EPs on Island and its Sue subsidiary

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References

  1. Adrian and Pamela Griffiths. (13 October 1940). "Biography". Chrisfarlowe.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 195. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  3. "30 years on – and chart topper Chris Farlowe is still surrounded by". Independent.co.uk . 23 October 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Eder, Bruce. "Chris Farlowe". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
  5. "Chris Farlowe Biography". NME. Archived from the original on 27 February 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  6. Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 235. CN 5585.
  7. "Curriculee Curricula". IMDb. 22 May 1978. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  8. "Curriculee Curricula". IMDb. 22 May 1978. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  9. "Chris Farlowe joins Van on stage to sing Born to Sing, Van Morrison – Up on Cyprus Avenue – BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  10. "BBC iPlayer – Watch BBC Two live" . Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  11. "Maximum Rhythm and Blues Tour 2009". Flyingmusic.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  12. "1966 World Cup: Special event marks 50 years since England's football win". BBC News. 30 July 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  13. "Vinylnet Record Label Discographies". Vinylnet.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2017.