Climax Blues Band
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The Climax Chicago Blues Band based in Stafford, England was formed in late 1968. The original members were guitarists Derek Holt and Peter Haycock, keyboardist Arthur Wood, bassist Richard Jones and drummer George Newsome. Colin Cooper on vocals and saxophone made up the sextet. In 1970, the band shortened its name to the Climax Blues Band. The band has released eighteen albums and has had Top 40 hits in 1976 in the UK with "Couldn't Get It Right"; and in 1981 in the U.S. with "I Love You".
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[edit] Band members
- Vocals
- Guitar
- Lester Hunt - born 21 February 1956 in Stretford, Manchester, UK. Also plays bass-guitar, keyboards and vocals.
- Derek Holt - born 26 January 1949, in Stafford, UK. Also backing vocals.
- Peter John Haycock - Guitarist 1968-1984 born 4 April 1951 in Stafford, UK.
- Bass Guitar
- Neil Simpson - born 6 January 1959 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK. Also plays seven-string bass-guitar and midi bass-synthesizer.
- John "Rhino" Victor Edwards - born 9 May 1953, in Chiswick, West London. Left to join Dexy's Midnight Runners.
- Derek Holt - moved from rhythm guitar but left in 1982 to form the band Grand Alliance.
- Richard Jones - original bass guitarist on the first two albums. Left for Cambridge University in 1971. Returned from 1975-1977 to keyboards.
- Keyboards
- George Glover - born 28 October 1947, Stoke-on-Trent, UK. Also back-up vocalist.
- Nicky Hopkins - studio keyboardist replaced Filleul and was in Climax for two albums.
- Peter Filleul - live performance keyboardist until 1980.
- Anton Farmer - Second keyboardist 1973 and shared recording work with Wood.
- Arthur Wood - original keyboardist late 1968-1973 though he stopped live performances in 1971 - born 3 August 1929, in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent.
- Drums
- Roy Adams - born 17 May 1952, in Birmingham, UK. Also does backing vocals.
- Neil McCallum - fills in when needed.
- Jeff Rich - born 8 June 1953, in Hackney, London. Left to join Status Quo after two years.
- John Cuffley - replaced Newsome and was with Climax from 1973-1983.
- George Ewart Newsome - original drummer for the first four albums. Left Climax in 1973 - born 19 August 1947, in Stafford, UK.
[edit] Trivia
- Both former band members, 'Rhino' Edwards and Jeff Rich, were recruited to join Status Quo in 1986.
- Peter Haycock was a member of Electric Light Orchestra Part II when they recorded and toured their first album in 1991.
- Although Holt's penned "I Love You" was one of their biggest hits (peaking at #12 in the Billboard Hot 100, and staying in the charts for over a year), the rest of the band hated the song, and refused to play it on tour, or to include it in compilations.[citation needed]
[edit] Album discography
- 1969 The Climax Chicago Blues Band
- 1969 Plays On
- 1970 A Lot Of Bottle
- 1971 Tightly Knit
- 1972 Rich Man
- 197? Climax Blues Band 1969-72
- 1973 FM Live
- 1974 Sense Of Direction
- 1975 Stamp Album
- 1976 Gold Plated
- 1977 Shine On
- 1979 Real To Reel
- 1980 Flying The Flag
- 1981 Lucky For Some
- 1983 Sample And Hold
- 1988 Drastic Steps
- 1993 Blues From The Attic
- 1994 25 Years (1968-1993)
- 2003 Big Blues (The Songs Of Willie Dixon)
[edit] Major hits
[edit] Singles
[edit] Album
- Gold Plated - (1976) - # 56 UK.
