Climax Blues Band

Climax Blues Band (originally known as the Climax Chicago Blues Band) was formed in Stafford, England in 1968. The original members were guitarists Peter Haycock and Derek Holt; keyboardist Arthur Wood; bassist Richard Jones; drummer George Newsome; and vocalist and harmonica player, Colin Cooper.^[2]

In 1970, the group shortened its name to the Climax Blues Band due to pressure from the American band, Chicago Transit Authority. The band has released at least seventeen albums and had a Top 10 hit in the UK with "Couldn't Get It Right".^[3] That song and "I Love You" were American hits as well; "Couldn't Get It Right" reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977, and "I Love You" peaked at #12 in 1981.^[4]

Biography

Led by Cooper, the former frontman of the R&B group the Hipster Image, the Climax Chicago Blues Band was one of the leading lights of the late 1960s UK blues boom.^[5] Prior to the release of 1969's Plays On, Jones left the group, prompting Holt to move to bass. In 1970 they moved to the Harvest label, at the same time shifting towards a more rock oriented sound on A Lot of Bottle.^[6] Around the release of 1971's Tightly Knit, Newsome was replaced by John Cuffley; upon Wood's exit in the wake of 1972's Rich Man, they continued on as a quartet, also dropping the "Chicago" portion of their name to avoid confusion with the American band of a similar name.^[2]

In 1974 the Climax Blues Band issued FM Live, a document of a New York radio concert. 1975's Stamp was their commercial breakthrough, and 1976's Gold Plated fared even better, spurred on by the success of the hit "Couldn't Get It Right". By the mid 1970s they were drawing crowds of up to 20,000 at U.S. concerts.^[5] However, the rise of punk rock effectively stopped the group in their tracks.^[2] By 1981 the band had left their blues roots behind and attempted to become a mainstream pop-rock band.^[5]

Haycock recorded the instrumental Guitar & Son album for ex-Climax Blues manager Miles Copeland's record label, No Speak, after parting company with the Climax Blues Band in 1984. He was later recruited by Bev Bevan as a member of Electric Light Orchestra Part II when they recorded and toured from 1990 onwards. He also started his film score career at this time by playing the lead on Hans Zimmer's score to Thelma and Louise, as well as performing on the Night Of The Guitars tours which also featured Derek Holt on bass, keys and occasional vocals. After several years of additional film score contributions, Haycock released a soundtrack CD to the Hollister Rally DVD in 2005.^[7] The CD entitled Bikers' Dozen featured John Fiddler^[8] (of Medicine Head fame). Following that, Haydock's new band, 'Pete Haycock's True Blues (featuring Glen Turner)' enjoyed touring and recording success with their latest live album, released in 2008.^[9]

Holt's penned "I Love You" was one of the Climax Blues Band's biggest hits.^[10] It can be found on the Climax Blues Band double album, 25 Years 1968-1993 which was released by the German record label Repertoire in 1993. "I Love You" still gets over 20,000 radio hits a year in the U.S. and has recently been included in Kevin Smith's 2008 film Zach and Miri. Holt released five solo albums - I Love You, After The Climax, Sunflowers, Hear and Now, Paradise Lost and Full Circle.

"Couldn't Get It Right" was covered by the Fun Lovin' Criminals on their album Mimosa.^[10] Holt revealed in an interview that the song was "about being on the road in America".^[11]

After a short period of inactivity, Climax Blues Band minus Haycock but featuring guitarist Lester Hunt recorded the album Drastic Steps and went back to touring extensively around UK, Europe and America.^[5] Derek Holt and John Cuffley eventually left this line up which soon became established with Colin Cooper, George Glover, Lester Hunt, Neil Simpson and Roy Adams in the early 1990s, releasing the live album Blues from the Attic in 1993 and Big Blues in 2004.^[2][1]

Cooper died of cancer, aged 69, in July 2008.^[5] He is survived by his wife and two children.^[10] However, the band continue to the present day.^[1]

Band members

Pete Haycock in 1974.

Vocalists:

• Colin Cooper (born Colin Francis Richard Cooper,^[10] 7 October 1939, Stafford, Staffordshire - died 3 July 2008^[12]) - vocalist - also played saxophone, blues harp, flute and guitar.^[13]
• Pete Haycock (born March 4 1951, Stafford) - sang and played lead, slide and bass guitar. Left in 1985 to pursue a solo career.
• Derek Holt - (born 26 January 1949, Stafford) - sang mainly backing vocals but later lead on his self penned hit "I Love You". Holt played bass, guitar and keyboards. He left in 1983 to pursue a solo career.
• Johnny Pugh (18 September 1952, Southend-on-Sea) - vocals, saxophone, harmonica - present day member.

Keyboardists and bassists:

• Arthur Wood (born 3 August 1929, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent) - was the original keyboardist until 1973, although he ceased live performances in 1971. His unsubstantiated death was reported in 2005.
• Richard Jones - original bass guitarist on the first album. Jones left for the University of Cambridge in 1971. He returned from 1975-1977 to play keyboards and sing backing vocals.
• Anton Farmer - The second keyboardist, Farmer (nickname 'Humpty') replaced Arthur Wood in 1969 when the band became fully professional, but remained for only one year, playing on A Lot of Bottle and the single "Reap What I've Sowed", sharing recording work with Arthur Wood.
• Peter Filleul - live performance keyboardist until 1980.
• Nicky Hopkins - studio keyboardist - recorded two studio albums.
• George Glover - (born 28 October 1947, Stoke-on-Trent) - keyboards/background vocalist, replaced Peter Filleul in 1980, and is the longest serving member of the band, now in his 29th year.
• Lester Hunt - (born 21 February 1956, Stretford, Manchester) - guitar and backing vocals since the band reformed in 1987.
• Dave Marquee - bass on Sample and Hold.
• Neil Simpson (6 January 1959, Stoke-on-Trent) - 1991 to present day bassist.

Drummers:

• George Newsome (born George Ewart Newsome, 19 August 1947, Stafford) - was the original drummer for the first four albums, before leaving in 1973.
• John Cuffley - replaced Newsome and was with the band from 1973 to 1983.
• Jeff Rich (born 8 June 1953, Hackney, London) - Rich left to join Status Quo after two years, along with John "Rhino" Edwards, who had become the regular replacement live bassist when Derek Holt left shortly before the Sample and Hold album.
• Henry Spinetti - played drums on the Sample and Hold album.
• Roy Adams (17 May 1952, Birmingham, England) - 1985 to present.

Discography

Albums

• The Climax Chicago Blues Band (1969)
• Plays On (1969) U.S. #197 Billboard 200 (1 week)
• A Lot of Bottle (1970)
• Tightly Knit (1971)
• Rich Man (1972) U.S. #150 Billboard 200 (10 weeks)
• FM Live (1974) U.S. #107 Billboard 200 (30 weeks)
• Sense of Direction (1974) U.S. #37 Billboard 200 (29 weeks)
• Stamp Album (1975) U.S. #69 Billboard 200 (11 weeks)
• Gold Plated (1976) U.S. #27 Billboard 200 (44 weeks), UK #56 UK Albums Chart^[3](1 week)
• Shine On (1978) U.S. #71 Billboard 200 (11 weeks)
• Real to Reel (1979) U.S. #170 Billboard 200 (6 weeks)
• Flying the Flag (1980) U.S. #75 Billboard 200 (16 weeks)
• Lucky for Some (1981)
• Sample and Hold (1983)
• Drastic Steps (1988)
• Blues from the Attic (1993)
• Big Blues (2004)

^[14]

Singles

• "Using The Power" (1975) U.S. #110 Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles(1 week)
• "Couldn't Get It Right" (1976) U.S. #3 Billboard Hot 100 (22 weeks), UK #10 UK Singles Chart^[3](9 weeks)
• "Makin' Love" (1978) U.S. #91 Billboard Hot 100 (4 weeks)
• "Gotta Have More Love" (1980) U.S. #47 Billboard Hot 100 (12 weeks)
• "I Love You" (1980) U.S. #12 Billboard Hot 100 (27 weeks)

^[4]

References

• The New Musical Express Book of Rock, 1975, Star Books, ISBN 0 352 300744

External links

• Climax Blues Band official website
• Biography and discography at Allmusic
• Pete Haycock official website
• Derek Holt official website
• Derek Holt on Myspace