Chris Hewitt
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Contents |
[edit] About Chris
Chris Hewitt is best known for his contributions to the music industry, his close links with John Peel, and in particular the North West and Rochdale music scenes as documented in the October 2004 ITV documentary Truly, Madly, Deeply Vale, the exhibition about Rochdale Pop Music- "Rockin Rochdale" at the Touchstones Centre Rochdale in 2005,and the feature on Chris,John Peel,Rochdale and Tractor on BBC TV Inside Out in January 2007
Chris is currently researching two books on pop music, the counterculture and music festivals in the North West the first of which should be published in late 2007.
[edit] Early Life
Chris lived in Rochdale from aged 12 until around age 36 with one twelve month break whilst he lived in London in 1975. Chris attended Hulme Grammar School in Oldham (Andy Kershaw went there too) but Chris was asked to leave for a more liberal establishment owing to his radical interest in rock music and his long hair.
[edit] College
In 1971 he went to Rochdale College to study A levels and became the Social Secretary of the Students Union. He first got involved in music festivals whilst at Rochdale College, helping out at and selling tickets for the legendary 1972 Bickershaw Festival, Chris also helped Rochdale Council stage manage its 1972 Music Festival an event he would convince the council to reconvene for several years in the 1980's.. Whilst at College Chris started Rochdale Community Benefit Concerts and then North West Community Music [ along with Malcolm Heyhoe who became a music writer for a short while and John and Jean Clegg of Beautiful Stranger Bookshop] promoting bands like Mr Fox, Medium Theatre, EasyStreet, Bridget St John, Quintessence, Brinsley Schwarz, Skin Alley and the Pink Fairies. Chris co-promoted concerts with legendary rock promoter Roger Eagle. During 1972 Chris took a job with Tractor (who were just about to release their second album on John Peel's Dandelion Records ) as their production manager something he still does to this day.
[edit] Tractor
In 1973 Chris along with other members of the band Tractor built his first of four recording studios he has built or been involved in - Tractor Sound Studios in an attic of a building in Dawson Street / Market Street, Heywood with finance being partially provided by John Peel. Chris mixed sound for East of Eden, Carol Grimes Band and Ian Dury / Kilburn and the High Roads, and Sheer Elegance whilst working in London in 1975. In 1976 along with people from a commune living in Oldham Road, Rochdale and various other students and hippie types from Rochdale, Heywood and Bury, Chris and Tractor - Jim Milne, Steve Clayton and Dave Addison, helped start the Deeply Vale Festivals on the Rochdale / Heywood / Bury borders - this legendary music festival grew from 300 people in 1976 to 20,000 people in 1978 and 1979.
Tractor Music [PA Hire, staging company and music shop] and Cargo Recording Studios [later to become Suite Sixteen Studios] occupied from 1977 buildings on Kenion St Rochdale which would become the focal point for musical activities for Rochdale and the North West for many years. Chris still releases music on CD by musicians with links to Rochdale and is heavily involved in the Ozit Morpheus Records label-Chris and his Ozit Morpheus record label maintained strong links with John Peel right up until John's untimely death and John always played tracks from tractor and the Ozit morpheus label on his show.
Chris Hewitt has had multi page features about his lifestyle and record label in Cheshire Life, Manchester Evening News, and Record Buyer.
