Chas & Dave
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Chas & Dave | |
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 Chas & Dave, 2003
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| Background information | |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Pop rock |
| Years active | 1975–2009 |
| Labels | Retreat, EMI, Rockney |
| Website | Official site |
| Members | |
| Charles Hodges David Peacock Mick Burt |
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Chas & Dave (often billed as Chas 'n' Dave) were an English pop rock duo, most notable as creators and performers of a musical style labelled "rockney", which mixes "pub singalong, music-hall humour, boogie-woogie piano and pre-Beatles rock 'n' roll".[1] For a time, "Rockney" was also the name of their record label, and they achieved several British chart hits, their major breakthrough being "Gertcha" in 1979, which peaked at #20 and was the first of eight top 40 hit singles the duo played on. The act has also enjoyed no fewer than nine best-selling albums.
It was announced in September 2009 that the pair would no longer be working together as Dave Peacock planned to retire from the band following the recent death of his wife.[2][3]
Contents |
[edit] History and formation
The group consists of Charles Nicholas Hodges (piano, vocals, banjo, guitars) and David Victor Peacock (bass guitar, vocals, banjo, guitars), with Mick (Michael Arthur) Burt on drums & percussion.
In the 1970s Chas & Dave were prominent session musicians, playing for a wide range of artists; for instance - the hook used on Eminem's My Name Is is taken from a Labi Siffre tune, "I Got The". on which Chas & Dave performed.[4]
The rockney style was from the start intentional, as they felt an alternative to the way British bands copied American accents was needed. Chas has said
| “ | I was singing in an American accent. I thought, 'You're being a fraud, you should sing in your own accent', and that's when I started to work on the idea.[5] | ” |
The songs for which they are most known are partly comic, and Chas & Dave are strongly identified with London's blue collar and working class pub sing-song culture, although not necessarily Cockney. However, their 1982 number two hit, "Ain't No Pleasing You" was a more romantic record, with strings added to the usual piano, drum and bass sound.
Their single "Gertcha" was used as the music behind a notable television commercial for Courage Bitter.[6]
"Rabbit" comes from the Cockney rhyming slang "rabbit and pork" meaning "talk".[7] The song is about a relationship between a man and a woman, in which the man expresses his love for his girlfriend, but complains that she will not stop talking or, "rabbiting".
Chas and Dave were offered the chance to record the theme song for the sitcom Only Fools and Horses but turned it down as they were in Australia at the time due to the success of "Ain't No Pleasing You".[5]
They also recorded four FA Cup final singles for Tottenham Hotspur including "Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur"/"Ossie's Dream" in 1981 and "Tottenham Tottenham" in 1982. Tottenham Hotspur were victorious in both of these finals.[8][9]
They opened for Led Zeppelin at the 1979 Knebworth Festival[10] and Chas Hodges has said that one of his proudest moments was playing the Glastonbury Festival in 2005.[11]
Their work influenced The Libertines, who played their songs at rehearsals.[5]
On 6 October 2008 their autobiography, "Chas & Dave - All About Us", written by Chas, was published in the UK.[12]
[edit] Snooker Loopy
"Snooker Loopy" is a comic song about snooker. It was released as a single in May 1986 and entered the UK Singles Chart, reaching #6 and featured snooker players Steve Davis, Dennis Taylor, Willie Thorne, Terry Griffiths and Tony Meo, as backing vocalists under the name 'The Matchroom Mob' - Matchroom Sport being the company owned by promoter Barry Hearn which managed all these top snooker professionals at the time.
The lyrics are a mild satire on the style and antics of the players involved: "old Willie Thorne; his hair's all gone" for example. The verse on Steve Davis also makes light of the famous 1985 World Snooker Championship final and his missed black in the final frame.
Chas & Dave continued to perform the song at their live shows with the original lyrics, even though most of the players mentioned were long since retired from the game, although some are still known as part of the BBC commentary team.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
| Date[14] | Title | UK chart position | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1975 | "Old Dog and Me" / "Scruffy Old Cow" |
- | Retreat RTS 262 |
| 7 November 1975 | "I Am a Rocker" / "Lazy Cow" |
- | Retreat RTS 267 |
| February 1976 | "Old Time Song" / "Dry Party" |
- | Retreat RTS 269 |
| 1978 | "Massage Parlour" / "Pay Up" |
- | EMI 2902 |
| 11 November 1978 | "Strummin'" / "I'm in Trouble" |
52 | EMI 2874[15] |
| 26 May 1979 | "Gertcha" / "The Banging in Your Head" |
20 | EMI 2947 |
| 1 September 1979 | "The Sideboard Song (Got My Beer In the Sideboard Here)" / "Sunday" |
55 | EMI 2986 |
| 1979 | "What a Miserable Saturday Night" / "It's Only the B Side" |
- | EMI 5002 |
| 29 November 1980 | "Rabbit" / "Sideboard Song" |
8 | Rockney 9 |
| 1981 | "Poor Old Mr Woogie" / "Uneasy Feeling" |
- | Rockney 10 |
| 1981 | "Turn That Noise Down" / "Flying" |
- | Rockney KOR 11 |
| 12 December 1981 | "Stars Over 45" / "Harem" |
21 | Rockney KOR 12 |
| 13 March 1982 | "Ain't No Pleasing You" / "Give It Some Stick, Mick!" |
2 | Rockney KOR 14 |
| 17 July 1982 | "Margate" / "Give It Gavotte" |
46 | Rockney KOR 15 |
| 1982 | "Wish I Could Write a Love Song" / "That's What I Like" |
- | Rockney KOR 16 |
| 19 March 1983 | "London Girls" / "Eine Kleine Kneesupmusik" |
63 | Rockney KOR 17 |
| 1983 | "Beer Belly Banjos (Roll Out the Barrels)" / "Beer Belly Banjos" |
- | Rockney KOR 19 |
| 3 December 1983 | "My Melancholy Baby" / "Knees Up Medley" |
51 | Rockney KOR 21 |
| 28 July 1984 | "There in Your Eyes" / "One of Them Days" |
91 | Rockney KOR 22 |
| 1984 | "I Wonder in Whose Arms..." / "I Miss Ya Girl" |
- | Rockney KOR 23 |
| 1984 | "Harry Was a Champion" / "Ain't No Pleasing You"(Reissue) |
- | Rockney KOR 24 |
| 1985 | "Rock 'n' Roll Jamboree" / "Bangin' in Your Head"(live) |
- | Rockney KOR 25 |
| 28 September 1985 | "In Sickness and in Health" / "Encore Medley" |
95 | BBC Records and Tapes RESL 176 |
| 1986 | "You're Just in Love" / "That's What I Like!"(Reissue) |
- | Rockney KOR 26 |
| 1986 | "Halley's Comet" / "Brother-In-Law"(live) |
- | Rockney KOR 28 |
| 3 May 1986 | "Snooker Loopy" / "Wallop (Snookered)!" |
6 | Rockney POT 147[16] |
| 1986 | "Long Long Ago" / "Silent Night" |
- | Hodgecock HOD 9 |
| 1987 | "Romford Rap" / "The 'Crackerjack' Theme Song" |
- | Rainbow Records RBR 15 |
| 1987 | "Flying" / "Exhibition Rag" |
- | Bunce Records 7 BUN 1 |
| 1987 | "The Diddlum Song (Diddle-Ummaday)" / "Bangin' in Your Head" / "Ain't No Pleasin' You" (live in Sun Studios Memphis, Tennessee) |
- | Bunce Records 7 BUN 2 |
| 1989 | "I Can Get Along Without You" / "Bangers & Mash" |
- | A1 Records A1 316 |
| 1991 | "When Days Were Long (But Far Too Short)" / "Yesterday's News" |
- | Essential Records ESS 2006 |
| 2001 | "Snooker Loopy" (Remix) / "BBC Snooker" (Crucible Theme) / "The Romford Rap" (Hareward the Wake Mix) / "Snooker Loopy" |
- | V/VM Records VVMT 147 |
In addition, Chas & Dave are credited as featuring their vocal and instrumental talents on the following hit singles by Tottenham Hotspur F.A. Cup Final Squad:[17]
| Date[14] | Title | UK chart position | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 May 1981 | "Ossie's Dream (Spurs Are On Their Way To Wembley)/"Glory Glory, Tottenham Hotspur" | 5 | Rockney SHELF 1 |
| 1 May 1982 | "Tottenham Tottenham" | 19 | Rockney SHELF 2 |
| 9 May 1987 | "Hot Shot Tottenham!" | 18 | Rainbow RBR 16 |
| 11 May 1991 | "When the Year Ends in 1" | 44 | A1 Records A1 324 |
| 1991 | "The Victory Song" / "The Victory Song" (Capital Mix) / "It's a Grand Ol' Team" / "Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur" |
- | Glory Records 12 GLORY 1 |
[edit] Albums
| Date[14] | Title | UK chart position | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | One Fing 'n' Anuvver | - | Retreat RTL 6004 |
| 1977 | Rockney | - | EMI EMC 3288 |
| 1979 | Don't Give a Monkeys... | - | EMI EMC 3303 |
| 1981 | Live At Abbey Road | - | EMI EMS 1001 |
| 5 December 1981 | Chas And Dave's Christmas Jamboree Bag | 25 | Warwick WW5116 |
| 17 April 1982 | Mustn't Grumble | 35 | Rockney ROC 909 |
| 8 January 1983 | Job Lot | 59 | Rockney ROC 910 |
| 1983 | Gertcha | - | MFP 5632 |
| 15 October 1983 | Chas and Dave's Knees Up - Jamboree Bag Number 2 | 7 | Rockney ROC 911 |
| 11 August 1984 | Well Pleased | 27 | Rockney ROC 912 |
| 17 November 1984 | Chas and Dave's Greatest Hits | 16 | Rockney ROC 913 |
| 9 November 1985 | Chas and Dave's Jamboree Bag Number 3 | 15 | Rockney ROC 914 |
| 13 December 1986 | Chas and Dave's Christmas Carol Album | 37 | Telstar STAR 2293 |
| 1987 | Flying | - | Bunce Records BUN LP 1 |
| 29 April 1995 | Street Party | 3 | Telstar TCD 2765 |
[edit] References
- ^ "Rockney geezers: A knees-up with Chas & Dave". 19 December 2007. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/rockney-geezers-a-kneesup-with-chas--dave-765966.html. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
- ^ "Pop veterans Chas and Dave split". BBC News. 2009-09-22. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8269057.stm. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
- ^ http://www.nme.com/news/chas-and-dave/47445
- ^ "We're Jammin'". Guardian Newspaper. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2005/oct/28/werejammin. Retrieved 2005-10-28.
- ^ a b c "The original rockney geezers". Lancashire Evening Post. 13 June 2008. http://www.lep.co.uk/wow/The-original-rockney-geezers.4184731.jp. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
- ^ "Obituary: John Webster". The Guardian. January 17, 2006. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/jan/17/guardianobituaries.advertising. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
- ^ "Rabbit and Pork". Cockney Rhyming Slang. http://www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk/slang/rabbit_and_pork. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1322001.stm
- ^ http://www.sportingchronicle.com/FACUP/1982.html
- ^ "The 1979 Knebworth Concerts". http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/79-Knebworth-festival.html. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
- ^ Jeffery, Nikki (24 July 2008). "INTERVIEW: Chas (& Dave) heads for Worthing". Worthing Herald. http://www.worthingherald.co.uk/leisure/INTERVIEW-Chas-40amp-Dave41-heads.4319772.jp. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
- ^ "Latest News". 8 September 2008. http://www.chasndave.com/news.html. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
- ^ towerbell records 1981 - breaker breaker / b side foxy lady
- ^ a b c date on which entered UK chart
- ^ credited to "Chas and Dave with Rockney"
- ^ credited to "Matchroom Mob with Chas and Dave"
- ^ Rice, Tim; Paul Gambaccini, Jo Rice. British Hit Singles. Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Publishing Ltd.. p. 314. ISBN 0-85112-633-2.
