Chicken Shack

Chicken Shack are a British blues band, founded in the mid-1960s by Stan Webb (guitar and vocals), Andy Silvester (bass guitar), and Alan Morley (drums), who were later joined by Christine Perfect (later McVie) (vocals and keyboards) in 1967. Chicken Shack has performed with various line-ups, Stan Webb being the only constant member.

Chicken Shack
GenresBlues, R&B
Years active1965–1974
1976–present
LabelsBlue Horizon, Deram Records, Nova, Shark, Warner Music Group, Gull, Epic Records, RCA Records, SPV (Germany), Strange Fruit Records, Mystic
Associated actsSavoy Brown, Broken Glass, Fleetwood Mac, UFO
MembersStan Webb
Gary Davies
Jim Rudge
Past membersSee Members

Career

David 'Rowdy' Yeats and Andy Silvester had formed Sounds of Blue in 1964 as a Stourbridge-based rhythm and blues band. They invited Stan Webb, who was leaving local band The Shades 5, to join them. The band also included Christine Perfect and Chris Wood (later to join Traffic) amongst others in their line up.[1] With a new line-up Chicken Shack was formed as a trio in 1965,[2] naming themselves after Jimmy Smith's Back at the Chicken Shack album. 'Chicken shacks' (open-air roadside chicken stands) had also been frequently mentioned in blues and R&B songs, as in Amos Milburn's hit, "Chicken Shack Boogie". Over the next few years the band had a residency at the Star-Club,[1] Hamburg with Morley, then Al Sykes, Hughie Flint (who was John Mayall's drummer when Eric Clapton was in the band) and later Dave Bidwell on drums.

They made their first UK appearance at the 1967 National Jazz and Blues Festival, Windsor and signed to Mike Vernon's Blue Horizon record label in the same year;[1] releasing Forty Blue Fingers, Freshly Packed and Ready to Serve in early 1968. A mainstay of the British blues boom, and a regular at UK festivals (Stan Webb's wandering through the crowd with a 200 ft extension to his guitar lead during the band's set was a regular occurrence), Chicken Shack enjoyed some commercial success, with Christine Perfect voted Best Female Vocalist in the Melody Maker polls two years running. They had two minor hits with "I'd Rather Go Blind" (c/w "Night Life"), and "Tears in the Wind",[1] after which Perfect left the band in 1969 when she married John McVie of Fleetwood Mac. She was replaced by Paul Raymond from Plastic Penny.[1]

After being dropped by Blue Horizon, pianist Paul Raymond, bassist Andy Silvester, and drummer Dave Bidwell all left in 1971 to join Savoy Brown.[1] At this point Webb reformed the band as a trio with John Glascock on bass and Paul Hancox on drums, and they recorded Imagination Lady.[1] The line-up did not last; Glascock left to join Carmen, while Webb was recruited for Savoy Brown in 1974 and recorded the album Boogie Brothers with them.[1]

Since 1977 Webb has revived the Chicken Shack name on a number of occasions, with a rotating membership of British blues musicians including, at various times, Paul Butler (ex-Jellybread, Keef Hartley Band)(guitar), Keef Hartley, ex-Ten Years After drummer Ric Lee and Miller Anderson, some of whom came and went several times. The band has remained popular as a live attraction in Europe throughout.

Webb remains as their only constant band member.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Personnel

Members

Current members
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals (1965–1974, 1976–present)
  • Gary Davies – guitar (1988–present)
  • Jim Rudge – bass (1998–present)
Former members

Lineups

1965–1968 1968 1968 1968
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Alan Morley – drums
  • Andy Silvester – bass
  • Christine Perfect – keyboards, vocals
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Andy Silvester – bass
  • Christine Perfect – keyboards, vocals
  • Al Sykes – drums
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Andy Silvester – bass
  • Christine Perfect – keyboards, vocals
  • Hughie Flint – drums
1968–1969 1969–1971 1971 1971–1972
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Andy Silvester – bass
  • Christine Perfect – keyboards, vocals
  • Dave Bidwell – drums
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Andy Silvester – bass
  • Dave Bidwell – drums
  • Paul Raymond – keyboards
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • John Glascock – bass
  • Paul Hancox – drums
1972 1972–1974 1974–1976 1976–1978
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Paul Hancox – drums
  • Bob Daisley – bass
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Rob Hull – bass
  • Alan Powell – drums
  • David Wilkinson – keyboards

Disbanded

1978–1979 1979–1980 1980 1980–1981
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Robbie Blunt – guitar
  • Ed Spivock – drums
  • Dave Winthrop – saxophone
  • Steve York – bass
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Paul Butler – guitar
  • Bob Daisley – bass
  • Keef Hartley – drums
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Paul Butler – guitar
  • Ric Lee – drums
  • Alan Scott – bass
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Paul Butler – guitar
  • Ric Lee – drums
  • Andy Pyle – bass
1981 1981–1983 1983–1986 1986–1987
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Paul Butler – guitars
  • Ric Lee – drums
  • Andy Pyle – bass
  • Tony Ashton – keyboards
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Andy Pyle – bass
  • Russ Alder – drums
  • Miller Anderson – guitar
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Andy Pyle – bass
  • Miller Anderson – guitar
  • John Gunsell – drums
  • Roger Saunders – guitar
  • Andy Scott – bass
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • John Gunsell – drums
  • Jan Connolly – bass
  • David Wilkinson – keyboards
  • Dave Winthrop – saxophone
1987 1987–1988 1988–1991 1991–1993
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • David Wilkinson – keyboards
  • Bev Smith – drums
  • Wayne Terry – bass
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • David Wilkinson – keyboards
  • Bev Smith – drums
  • David Wintour – bass
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • David Wilkinson – keyboards
  • Bev Smith – drums
  • David Wintour – bass
  • Gary Davies – guitar
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • David Wilkinson – keyboards
  • Bev Smith – drums
  • Gary Davies – guitar
  • James Morgan – bass
1993–1998 1998–2002 2002–2008 2008–2010
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Bev Smith – drums
  • Gary Davies – guitar
  • James Morgan – bass
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Bev Smith – drums
  • Gary Davies – guitar
  • Jim Rudge – bass
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Gary Davies – guitar
  • Jim Rudge – bass
  • Mick Jones – drums
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Gary Davies – guitar
  • Jim Rudge – bass
  • Mick Jones – drums
  • Dave Winthrop – saxophone
2010–2012 2012–2013 2013–present
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Gary Davies – guitar
  • Jim Rudge – bass
  • Dave Winthrop – saxophone
  • Chris Williams – drums
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Gary Davies – guitar
  • Jim Rudge – bass
  • Romek Parol – drums
  • Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
  • Gary Davies – guitar
  • Jim Rudge – bass

Timeline

Discography

Albums

  • 40 Blue Fingers, Freshly Packed and Ready to Serve (1968), Blue HorizonUK Albums Chart No. 12
  • O.K. Ken? (1969), Blue Horizon – Number 9
  • 100 Ton Chicken (1969), Blue Horizon
  • Accept (1970), Blue Horizon
  • Imagination Lady (1972), Deram
  • Unlucky Boy (1973), Deram
  • Goodbye Chicken Shack (Live) (1974), Deram
  • Double ("Unlucky Boy & Goodbye Chicken Shack) (1977), Deram
  • Stan the Man (Live) (1977), Nova
  • That's the Way We Are (1978), Shark
  • The Creeper (1978), WEA
  • Chicken Shack (1979), Gull
  • In the Can (1980), Epic Records
  • Roadies Concerto (Live) (1981), RCA Records
  • Simply Live (Live) (1989), SPV (Germany)
  • On Air (BBC sessions) (1998), Strange Fruit Records
  • Black Night (1999), (as Stan Webb's Chicken Shack)
  • Webb (2001)
  • Stan The Man (2002), compilation album
  • Still Live After All These Years (2004), Mystic
  • Stan Webb (2004)
  • Going Up, Going Down-Anthology (2004)
  • The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions (2006)[9]
  • Poor Boy/the Deram Years (2006), (as Stan Webb's Chicken Shack)
  • Strange Situations/The Indigo (2006), (as Stan Webb's Chicken Shack)
  • Reflections (Plucking Good & Changes (Expanded Ed.)) (2008), (as Stan Webb with Chicken Sha{ck)

Singles

Year Name UK[10]
1968 "It's Okay With Me Baby / When My Left Eye Jumps" (BH 57-3135) -
1968 "Worried About My Woman / Six Nights In Seven" (BH 57-3143) -
1968 "When The Train Comes Back / Hey Baby" (BH 57-3146) -
1969 "I'd Rather Go Blind / Night Life" (BH 57-3153) 14
1969 "Tears In The Wind / The Things You Put Me Through" (BH 57-3160) 29
1970 "Maudie / Andalucian Blues" (BH 57-3168) -
1970 "Sad Clown / Tired Eyes" (BH 57-3176) -

References

  1. Larkin C 'Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music' (Muze UK Ltd, 1997) ISBN 0-7535-0149-X p110
  2. "Stan Webb's Chickenshack – Beginnings". Stanwebb.co.uk. 3 February 1946. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  3. "Stan Webb's Chickenshack – 1970s". Stanwebb.co.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  4. "Stan Webb's Chickenshack – 1980s". Stanwebb.co.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  5. "Stan Webb's Chickenshack – 1990s". Stanwebb.co.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  6. "Stan Webb's Chickenshack – 2000s". Stanwebb.co.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  7. "Stan Webb's Chickenshack – Personnel". Stanwebb.co.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  8. "BEV SMITH - A TRIBUTE". Sharkattack.tripod.com. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  9. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 110. ISBN 9780857125958.
  10. Roberts, David (2007). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-904994-10-7.

Further reading

  • The New Musical Express Book of Rock, 1975, Star Books, ISBN 0-352-30074-4
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.