Streetwalkers

Streetwalkers
Background information
Origin	England
Genres	Blues-rock, hard rock, melodic rock
Years active	1974 - 1977
Labels	Mercury, Reprise, Vertigo, BGO, Swansong
Associated acts	Family, Roger Chapman, Charlie Whitney, Iron Maiden
Members
Roger Chapman, Charlie Whitney, Nicko McBrain, Bobby Tench, Jon Plotel

Streetwalkers were an English rock band formed in late 1973 by two former members of Family, vocalist Roger Chapman and guitarist John "Charlie" Whitney.

The band was managed by Michael Alphandary and Harvey Goldsmith^[1] and were best known for their live performances and Red Card. By 1977 their potential to become more important in UK rock history was diminished by changing musical taste, due to the growing influence of Punk rock and New Wave music on European culture.

Reprise and Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers

They signed to the Reprise label and recorded Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers with a lineup including other members of Family and King Crimson. Patrick Little from Allmusic wrote:

"The mixture of rockers and ballads was not Family; yet there was added depth to the music, stemming from the evolved songwriting and from the involvement of so many musicians. "Roxianna" and "Showbiz Joe" were part New Orleans jazz, continuing the Americana feel of Family's last album. "Systematic Stealth" a lovely textured ballad, and the slunky "Creature Feature" demonstrate the range of Roger Chapman's unusual voice, from gravelly crooning to just plain gravel. The album's most stunning moments, "Parisienne High Heels" and "Hangman", are brooding and hair-raising in their energy and dark themes.^[2]

Other musicians including the keyboard player Blue Weaver, joined Chapman and Whitney at live appearances such as the Reading Festival in the summer of 1974.^[3]

Mercury and Streetwalkers

After Chapman-Whitney released the album Streetwalkers (1974), often referred to as "Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers" they morphed into Streetwalkers during 1975. Bobby Tench from The Jeff Beck Group and Hummingbird, who was already included in the fluid and informal line up and touring band, joined them and they signed to the Phonogram Records group in 1975. Appearing alongside the new "Streetwalkers" were Nicko McBrain, who later played drums with Iron Maiden and bassist Jon Plotel. Tench, McBrain and Plotel had originally appeared on European broadcast of the the German TV show Rockpalast^[4] earlier in 1975, alongside Roger Chapman and Charley Whitney, billed as "The Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers" just before the band name was shortened. At this performance they played "Burn it down" from the album Downtown flyers, which is featured on YouTube: link^[5]

USA and Red Card

Downtown Flyers was released in USA on the Mercury label during 1975. The groove heavy album Red Card followed in 1976 and reached #16^[6] in UK album charts and remains a much respected album.^[7] In his brief biography for Allmusic John Dougan wrote of Red Card: "From the groove-heavy Roll up, Roll Up to the ferocious Run for Cover, this is the first and last great gasp from this band"^[8]. A version of "Run for Cover", performed by Streetwalkers on Rockpalast on April 19 1977, can be seen on YouTube: link.^[9] Later in 1977 Vertigo released Vicious but Fair and Live Streetwalkers.^[10]

Who put the boot in

The band also appeared at Who put the boot in^[11]. This was a series of three concerts held at UK Football stadiums. Charlton Athletic FC, the Valley, Greenwich^[12],Celtic FC Glasgow ^[13]and Swansea City FC, Swansea^[14]. The lineup for these concerts included The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Little Feat, Outlaws, Widowmaker and Streetwalkers appearing before the The Who performed. The Streetwalkers lineup was the same as on Red Card.

After Red Card

Vicious but fair was released in 1977 and The Streetwalkers appeared on Rockpalast,^[4] for a final time in April 1977, with a line up which included Roger Chapman, Charlie Whitney, Bobby Tench, Brian Johnstone, David Dowle and Mickey Feat. At this performance they played "Run for cover" from the Red Card album, which is featured on YouTube: Link ^[15]. By now Vertigo had shifted their commercial emphasis to the musical trends of Punk rock and New Wave music. The euphoria surrounding Streetwalkers began to diminish and the potential of becoming more established in Europe evaporated. Live Streetwalkers followed in 1977, but was a rough and ready compilation of poorly recorded live tracks, probably released to comply with contractual obligations. John Dougan from Allmusic wrote of Live Streetwalkers: "The sound quality is awful, and the vinyl pressing frequently fuzzes into a ball of distortion when the band plays in unison. Chapman tears off a few soulful moments, and when the band doesn't sound like a bunch of prog-rock hacks, it can rock"^[16]

John Peel Sessions

Streetwalkers appeared twice on the BBC John Peel Sessions^[17]

Line up

• Roger Chapman (Vocals)
• Charlie Whitney (Guitar)
• Bobby Tench (Guitar)
• John Plotel (Bass)
• Nicko McBrain (Drums)

Track listing

8 June 1976

^[17]

1. Daddy Rolling Stone
2. Run For Cover
3. Me Horse And Me Rum

14 March 1977

^[17]

1. Charade
2. Mama Was Mad
3. Chilli Con Carnie

Band members

Roger Chapman, 1974

Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers 1973-1974

• Roger Chapman-Harmonica, Percussion and vocals
• Charlie Whitney-Guitar and Steel Guitar
• Max Middleton-Keyboards
• Michael Giles -Drums
• Ian Wallace-Drums
• Rick Grech-Bass
• John Wetton-Bass and Vocals
• Blue Weaver-Keyboards
• Tim Hinkley-Keyboards and vocals
• Neil Hubbard-Guitar
• Boz Burrell-Vocals
• Jim Cregan-Vocals
• Linda Lewis-Vocals (bckgr)
• Godfrey McLean-Percussion
• Poli Palmer-Vibraphone and vocals (bckgr)

Streetwalkers 1975-1977

• Roger Chapman-Harmonica, Percussion and Vocals
• Charlie Whitney-Guitar, Keyboards, Slide Guitar
• Bob Tench-Guitar, Vocals, Percussion, Keyboards,
• Nicko McBrain-Percussion and Drums
• Jon Plotel-Bass and vocals (bckgr)

Album discography

• Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers Vertigo (1974)
• Downtown Flyers Reprise 6360123 (1975) (US release)
• Red Card Vertigo 9102010 (1976)-#16 in UK album chart^[18]
• In concert BBC (1975)
• Vicious But Fair Vertigo 9102012 (1976)
• Live Streetwakers Vertigo 6641703 (1977)
• Best of Streetwalkers (1990)

Re-issues

• Red Card Repertoire (2002)
• Downtown Flyers BGO (2002)
• Streetwalkers live BGO (2004)
• Viscious but fair See for Miles (1994)
• Live at the BBC Windsong 61 (1994)

Compilations

• Red Card/Vicious but fair BGO(2005)

Singles discography

• Roxianna/Crack Reprise (1974)
• Raingame"/Miller Vertigo (1975)
• Daddy Rolling Stone/Hole In Your Pocket Vertigo (1976)
• Chilli Con Carne/But You're Beautiful Vertigo (1977)

Notes

References

• Joynson, Vernon. The Tapestry of Delights - The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and Progressive Eras 1963-1976. Borderline (2006). Reprinted (2008). ISBN 1899855157
• Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 536. ISBN 1904994105.

External links

• Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers and Streetwalkers at Rockpalast WDR Studio-L Köln 1975 and 1977
• Streetwalkersdiscography at Allmusic
• Streetwalkers Crawfish. Live at Rockpalast March 25 1975 at NME.com