Tony Connor (musician)

Last updated
Tony Connor
Birth nameAnthony John Connor
Also known asTony Connor
Born (1947-04-06) 6 April 1947 (age 77)
Romford, England, UK
Genres
  • Art rock
  • pop
  • funk
  • soul
  • disco
Instrument(s)Drums
Years active1969–present
Member of Hot Chocolate
Formerly of Audience

Anthony John Connor (born 6 April 1947 [1] ) is a British drummer. He was the drummer for art rock band Audience throughout its first tenure from 1969 to 1972 (but didn't reappear for their 2004 to 2013 run due to his Hot Chocolate commitments) and has been the drummer for soul group Hot Chocolate since 1970.

Contents

Career

Early career

Connor was born in Romford, Greater London in 1947. He was a founding member of the art rock band Audience in 1969. In 1970, the group provided music for the soundtrack to the film Bronco Bullfrog. [2] In Audience, Connor played on all four of their studio albums: "Audience" (1969), "Friend's Friend's Friend" (1970), "The House on the Hill" (1971), and "Lunch" (1972). [3] Connor played drums as a session player on "Ragamuffins Fool", a 1972 studio album by Jackson Heights, a spinoff from the 60s progressive rock band The Nice.

Hot Chocolate

In 1970, Connor replaced Ian King in the soul band Hot Chocolate. [4] The group had at least one hit song every year on the UK Singles Chart from 1970 to 1984. [5] With the help of record producer Mickie Most, began releasing tracks that became hits, such as "Love Is Life", "Emma", "You Could Have Been a Lady" (a US and Canadian hit for April Wine). Due to his commitments to Hot Chocolate, he left Audience in 1972, although the band dissolved later that year.

Hot Chocolate's biggest selling hits include "You Sexy Thing", a UK number two which also made the top 10 in three decades and reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100—the song also featured in the popular British comedy film The Full Monty (1997)—"So You Win Again", topped the UK Charts, "Every 1's a Winner", reached number six in the US, "It Started with a Kiss", UK top five, and "Emma", charted at number three in the UK and number 8 in the US. The band became the only group, and one of just three acts, that had a hit in every year of the 1970s in the UK charts (the other two being Elvis Presley and Diana Ross). [6] [7]

Connor, Patrick Olive, and Harvey Hinsley all wrote the song "A Warm Smile" for the bands second studio album "Hot Chocolate" (1975). After a six-year hiatus, Connor, Olive, and Hinsley reformed the band in 1992. Connor still tours in Hot Chocolate as of 2024. Connor was the only of the four members of Audience that did not tour in the reformed band from 2004 to 2013, the reason being due to his Hot Chocolate commitments.

Discography

Selected Audience releases

(See full discography at Audience)

Selected Hot Chocolate songs

(See full discography at Hot Chocolate discography)

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References

  1. ↑ "Hot Chocolate's Tony Connor". MTV. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  2. ↑ Bronco Bullfrog - Original Soundtrack | Album | AllMusic , retrieved 2024-05-18
  3. ↑ "Tony Connor | 60s/70s英国ロック・データベース" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  4. ↑ "B". web.archive.org. 2019-10-19. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  5. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 259/260. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  6. ↑ Roberts, David (2001). British Hit Singles (14th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 47. ISBN   0-85156-156-X.
  7. ↑ Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 184. ISBN   0-85112-250-7.
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