Michael Chapman was born on this day in 1941, in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. His website says "I had an art college education and on a rainy night in 1966 I went into a pub in Cornwall, but I couldn't afford to pay to go in. So I said, I'll tell you what, I don't want to stay outside in the rain, I'll play guitar for half an hour for you. They offered me a job for the rest of the summer and I've been at it ever since." http://www.michaelchapman.co.uk/
I listened to his most lauded album (he’s released an astonishing 50) Fully Qualified Survivor, recorded in 1970, and now I understand the acclaim! Another crib from his site – not sure who said this – it’s already in quotation marks - "Michael Chapman was never just a singer-songwriter - his gritty brand of guitar-based songs span folk, ragtime, jazz and blues ... it's on the tracks which feature Chapman's magnificently bleary vocals that this album really scores. “Hell To Pay” and “Only Pretend” are outstanding tracks, that world-weary voice singing words of bitter experience. This man is so laid back that he makes JJ Cale sound like he's on helium." Lol! This refers to his album True North (I think) that was released in 2019 – listened to this one too and concur with whoever made that fabulous comment, except “Only Pretend” is not on that album which is a bit odd!
Another surprise was finding that Andrew Latimer appeared on one of his records – that man might possibly challenge the ubiquity of MK! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA4aaY7Ybxk
He’s hardly a folk singer (which he’s referred to) – far more blues oriented and much darker than the regular folkies. Difficult to categorise – he’s a one off, IMHO. Pretty sure he’s always been his own person and has taken direction from absolutely no-one – interesting character. I might investigate some more of his back catalogue. He certainly manages to commandeer some serious talent to contribute to his offerings – Paul Buckmaster’s strings on the lead track from Fully Qualified Survivor and the bassists I’ve heard so far are excellent too. Several other noteworthy collaborators, including Mick Ronson.
From True North - “Youth is Wasted on the Young” – ain’t that the truth! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYiZc-B697A
The epic “Aviator” from Fully Qualified Survivor” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeHr1hRIz_A – somewhat ahead of its time I’d say – gorgeous strings and great bass – aaah – that makes sense – it’s Rick Kemp from Steeleye Span.
A shorter track, also from FQS – “Kodak Ghosts” …
I listened to his most lauded album (he’s released an astonishing 50) Fully Qualified Survivor, recorded in 1970, and now I understand the acclaim! Another crib from his site – not sure who said this – it’s already in quotation marks - "Michael Chapman was never just a singer-songwriter - his gritty brand of guitar-based songs span folk, ragtime, jazz and blues ... it's on the tracks which feature Chapman's magnificently bleary vocals that this album really scores. “Hell To Pay” and “Only Pretend” are outstanding tracks, that world-weary voice singing words of bitter experience. This man is so laid back that he makes JJ Cale sound like he's on helium." Lol! This refers to his album True North (I think) that was released in 2019 – listened to this one too and concur with whoever made that fabulous comment, except “Only Pretend” is not on that album which is a bit odd!
Another surprise was finding that Andrew Latimer appeared on one of his records – that man might possibly challenge the ubiquity of MK! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA4aaY7Ybxk
He’s hardly a folk singer (which he’s referred to) – far more blues oriented and much darker than the regular folkies. Difficult to categorise – he’s a one off, IMHO. Pretty sure he’s always been his own person and has taken direction from absolutely no-one – interesting character. I might investigate some more of his back catalogue. He certainly manages to commandeer some serious talent to contribute to his offerings – Paul Buckmaster’s strings on the lead track from Fully Qualified Survivor and the bassists I’ve heard so far are excellent too. Several other noteworthy collaborators, including Mick Ronson.
From True North - “Youth is Wasted on the Young” – ain’t that the truth! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYiZc-B697A
The epic “Aviator” from Fully Qualified Survivor” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeHr1hRIz_A – somewhat ahead of its time I’d say – gorgeous strings and great bass – aaah – that makes sense – it’s Rick Kemp from Steeleye Span.
A shorter track, also from FQS – “Kodak Ghosts” …
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson