Guy Chambers

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Guy Chambers
Birth nameGuy Antony Chambers
Born (1963-01-12) 12 January 1963 (age 61)
Hammersmith, London, England, United Kingdom
Occupation(s)Musician, record producer, songwriter
WebsiteOfficial website

Guy Antony Chambers[1] (born 12 January 1963 in Hammersmith, London) is an English songwriter, musician and record producer, best known for his work with Robbie Williams, although he has written songs with other artists including Rufus Wainwright, Katy B, Tom Jones, Beverley Knight, Marlon Roudette, INXS, Jamie Cullum, Miles Kane, Will Young, Mark Ronson, Tom Jones, Diana Ross, Kylie Minogue, Example, The Wanted, Busted, Skin, James Blunt, John Grant, Caro Emerald, Natasha Bedingfield, Andrea Bocelli, Carole King, Melanie C, Scissor Sisters, Jewel, Texas, Eros Ramazzotti, Kerli, Tokio Hotel, Katie Melua, Tina Turner, Zak Abel, Delta Goodrem, Brian McFadden and many others.

Biography

Chambers wrote music from an early age and had his string quartet performed when he was just 11 years old. When he was 15, he composed and performed in a rock opera for King David High School in Liverpool, where he took O level and CSE examinations.

Chambers attended Quarry Bank Comprehensive School sixth form in Liverpool, the same school at which John Lennon had been educated. From 18, he studied composition and piano at the Guildhall School of Music, London, winning the composition prize in 1985.

At 16 his first band, Hambi and The Dance, were signed to Virgin Records.

While at the Guildhall, Chambers started to record his own songs and formed his own band called 'The Burmoe Brothers', releasing a single, featuring Marc Almond - "Skin", on Some Bizarre Records in 1984.

After graduating in 1985 he toured as a keyboard player with, among others, Julian Cope and The Waterboys before joining World Party in 1986. He co-wrote 'Love Street' with Karl Wallinger on the band's most successful album: Bang!. He appeared on The Mission's 'Top Ten album 'Carved in Sand, providing the orchestral arrangement and piano for the song "Grapes of Wrath", and was producer for the short-lived group Stress with their eponymous debut album.

In 1992 Chambers formed his own band The Lemon Trees and wrote, produced and performed with them until they disbanded in 1995. The band only released one album 'Open Book' - which had been critically well-received, and all of its five singles had entered the UK Top 100. A second album was completed but not released, but Chambers has recently re-recorded the best songs from the first and second album due for release this year. They completed two UK tours, once supporting Suzanne Vega and the other supporting Jellyfish. Following the end of The Lemon Trees, Chambers spent time writing successfully with Cathy Dennis on her album 'Am I That Kind Of Girl' and many others until a meeting facilitated by music industry veteran, Paul Curran, with Robbie Williams in January 1997. “Guy was the first person in the business who ever took me seriously” says Williams. “The first person who could see the artist that I knew I could become”.

Their first work together, ‘Life Through A Lens’ was released in September 1997, which at first sold slowly until the release of ‘Angels’ and ‘Let Me Entertain You’, which propelled it to the UK Number 1 spot six months later. The album remained on the UK chart for a total of 218 weeks and sold strongly throughout much of Europe and Latin America.

In the course of the next five years they would go on to write and record a further four hit albums: ‘I’ve Been Expecting You’; ‘Sing When You’re Winning’; Swing When You’re Winning and ‘Escapology’. All topped the UK album chart and each variously scored number one spots in Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand. Following 2002’s smash Escapology, both Williams and Chambers went on to collaborate with other writers and artists for the next ten years, eventually reuniting for 2013’s ‘Swings Both Ways’, 2017's The Heavy Entertainment Show and 2019's The Christmas Present.

He has hosted The Orgasmatron, presented TV shows and gives his time to charities, including Save the Children. In 2012 he produced The Justice Collective’s cover of The Hollies hit ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ to raise funds for the Hillsborough families’ campaign for justice. This went on to become the UK Christmas No 1. In 2019 he co-produced the BBC Children in Need official album ‘Got it Covered’ featuring stars such as Olivia Colman, David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker and Helena Bonham Carter and reached Number 1 in the UK Charts and achieved gold status.

In 2016 Guy and Robbie Williams teamed up with Chris Heath to compose the music and lyrics for the Royal Shakespeare Company's musical adaptation of David Walliams’ best-selling book ‘The Boy in the Dress’, which opened in 2019-20 to five-star reviews at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon.

In 2018 - Guy wrote a children’s folk opera based on the Oscar Wilde short story ‘The Selfish Giant’ - which he dedicated to his late mother, Pat. The show was produced by the Classic Spring Theatre Company and premiered at The Vaudeville Theatre as part of their Oscar Wilde Season in London’s West End. Guy released his debut solo piano album Go Gentle Into the Light, on 3 May 2019 via BMG. The album features a host of Robbie Williams and Chambers' songs played as piano instrumentals by Guy. It reached number 49 on the UK Albums Chart.[2] with the single ‘The Road To Mandalay’ reaching over 6.2 million streams.

Collaboration with Robbie Williams

Chambers collaborated as songwriter, producer and musical director on Robbie Williams' first five solo albums - Life Thru a Lens, I've Been Expecting You, Sing When You're Winning, Swing When You're Winning and Escapology, all of which reached number 1 in the United Kingdom album chart. After a 10-year-hiatus they came back together and wrote Williams' 2013 album Swings Both Ways, which became the 1000th number 1 album in the UK, and Williams' eleventh number 1 album, equalling Elvis Presley.[citation needed]. They went on to write the UK number 1 albums - The Heavy Entertainment Show and The Christmas Present.

Chambers co-wrote a variety of Williams' best known tracks, including "Rock DJ", "Feel", "Millennium", "Let Me Entertain You", "Angels", "Supreme", "No Regrets" and "Eternity", Strong, Party Like A Russian', Hot Fudge, Let Love Be Your Energy, Better Man, The Road to Mandalay, I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen, Sexed Up, Go Gentle and Time For Change.

For his work with Williams, Chambers won three BRITS, three Ivor Novello awards, a Q classic Songwriter award, and an MMF best produced record award for I've Been Expecting You.

In November 2012, Chambers and Williams were reunited onstage for the latter's sell-out shows at the O2 Arena.

The release of Swings Both Ways was announced by Williams in September 2013. It was released in the UK by Island Records on 18 November. The album featured cover versions of well known songs, as well as six new tracks written by Williams and Guy Chambers, who also produced the album. Swings Both Ways also featured duets between Williams and Lily Allen, Michael Bublé, Kelly Clarkson, Olly Murs and Rufus Wainwright.[3] In 2014 Chambers & Williams toured Swings Both Ways, covering Europe, Asia and Australia.

In 2015 Chambers joined Robbie Williams on the road for the Let Me Entertain You Tour. The tour began in Spain and travelled through Europe and Asia, reaching Australia in October. They also played at various festivals throughout the summer.

In 2016 Robbie & Guy collaborated on The Heavy Entertainment Show which preceded The Heavy Entertainment Show Tour and in 2019 they collaborated once again on The Christmas Present. Every album they have collaborated on has reached Number 1 in the UK.

Chambers co-wrote and produced tracks off Under the Radar Volume 1, 2 and 3 comprising of demos, B-sides and rarities.

Chambers and Williams continue to write, record and perform together and Guy continues to be music director on all tours.

Together they have sold over 80 million records.

Other collaborations & projects

In 2002 Guy wrote "Staring Into Space' for BB Mak's second album which entered the Top 30 in the US. In 2003 he co wrote "Melt" with Melanie C on the Top Ten Uk album "Reason", which he co-produced along with long-time collaborator, Richard Flack.

In 2004, Chambers worked with Beverley Knight, co-writing the songs "Affirmation" (also the title track of the album), "No-One Ever Loves in Vain", "Under the Same Sun" and the top ten single "Come As You Are". He reunited with Knight on the 2009 Top 20 album "100%" and co-wrote the title track "Soul Survivor" that Knight duetted on with Chaka Khan. That same year he co-wrote "Shine" with Kara DiGuardia for Hilary Duff. This was on her self-titled album that went to No 2 in the US chart, and No 1 in Canada. "Shine" was also featured in the feature film "Raise Your Voice". He also co-wrote and co produced "Silent Movie" with Natasha Bedingfield for her UK No 1 triple platinum selling album "Unwritten". In the same year he co-produced American singer-songwriter Aslyn"s debut album "Lemon Love", and co-wrote the song "Here", and co-wrote 7 songs on Brian McFadden's debut album - including the No 1 UK single "Real to Me", and the follow up singles "Irish Son" and "Demons".

In 2007 he co wrote four songs on Anastacia's fourth album "Heavy Rotation". He teamed up with Christophe Willem on his second record Cafeine, co-wrote with Matt Hales from Aqualung on the single "Heartbox" and with Cathy Dennis on "Sensitized", a duet with Kylie Minogue, for Cathy's solo record, released in 2009. Additional work that year involved new work with British artists Julian Perretta, Katie Melua, Random Impulse, Marlon Roudette and Taio Cruz.

In 2010 Chambers began working on the single "World Behind My Wall" released by pop/rock band Tokio Hotel, that year's winners of MTV Best Group and NRJ Best International Band Awards. Chambers also co-wrote Tokio Hotel's track, "Pain of Love" which featured on their album, Humanoid. Katie Melua's album The House, released 24 May 2010, included five co-written songs for her new album produced by William Orbit, including "I'd Like to Kill You", "The Flood" (first single), "A Happy Place", "A Moment of Madness" and "Tiny Alien". Chambers also worked on the track "Virtual Friend", co-written with Armin van Buuren for his new album, Mirage.

In 2011 Chambers worked on new material with English singer-songwriters Katy B and Charlene Soraia. He also teamed up with Example, co-writing the song "Microphone" which featured on Example's number 1 album, Playing in the Shadows. In the same year, Chambers worked with Marlon Roudette, producing and co-writing her single "New Age". The track was initially released in Germany for radio airplay in July 2011 and then officially released the next month. It went on to become #1 in the German singles charts the week of its release and remained at the top of the charts for 8 consecutive weeks. The single was certified Platinum in Germany and Switzerland, and Gold in Austria.

A track Chambers had written with Julian Lennon entitled "Never Let You Go" was released on Lennon's album Everything Changes.

Chambers collaborated with BBC2 for two three-part programmes: Goldie's Band: By Royal Appointment airing in April and Secrets of a Pop Song which aired throughout July. Goldie's Band saw Chambers acting as a musical mentor to a group of disadvantaged young musicians, put together by Goldie, and ultimately leading the group to a performance in Buckingham Palace. Several of the artists discovered on this program that have gone on to have wider success include singer-songwriters Kwabs and Natalie Duncan and harmonica-virtuoso Will Pound. The series Secrets of a Pop Song explored the process of successful songwriting, collaborating with artists to write a new song each week – a ballad, an anthem and a breakthrough single – with a variety of musical contributors giving them advice on the music industry along the way. Through the series, Chambers worked alongside Mark Ronson to create a breakthrough single, acclaimed singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright to create a ballad, and British band Noisettes to compose an anthem. Guy & Rufus' "World War III" features on the digital version of Rufus' album Out of the Game.

Chambers has collaborated twice with Sophie Hunter on two studio albums: the French-language The Isis Project (2005) and the English-language Songs for a Boy (2011).

In 2013, Chambers collaborated with Maverick Sabre in his new West London studio on new material for the artist, as well as working on new material with Rufus Wainwright, and co-writing "Out of Control" with Miles Kane, a track from Kane's second studio album Don't Forget Who You Are. In 2014 Chambers wrote "Crying for No Reason" with Katy B, which charted at #5 in the UK Singles Chart. In 2016 Chambers collaborated again with Kylie Minogue, Marlon Roudette, and Rufus Wainwright, and wrote and recorded with John Newman.

In 2012 Chambers started writing a children's folk opera which was to be an adaptation of the Oscar Wilde children's story The Selfish Giant. He completed this in 2017 and in 2018 Dominic Dromgoole's company Classic Spring included it as part of their Oscar Wilde season at the Vaudeville Theatre in London. It was also staged at the Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton.

In 2019 Guy collaborated with Robbie Williams on the music and lyrics for RSC stage show The Boy in the Dress, the stage adaptation of David Walliams' book of the same name. It was staged in Stratford-Upon-Avon for 3 months and hopes to transfer to the West End this year.

The Orgasmatron

In 2010 Chambers created a monthly live music experience, 'The Orgasmatron', at Favela Chic in east London and The Monarch in Camden. It was a punk-cabaret evening that celebrated live acts from different musical genres picked by Chambers himself, and has included big names, rising stars, DJs and dancers including Mark Ronson, Paloma Faith, Beverley Knight, Example, Goldie, William Orbit, Gary Kemp and the Noisettes.

Advocacy and charity work

On 25 October 2012, Guy Chambers, Steve Rotheram MP and Kenny Dalglish called a press conference in the Houses of Parliament to announce the release of the charity single "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" – a cover of the Hollies track which was aiming to raise funds and awareness for the campaign for justice for the Hillsborough families who lost 96 loved ones in the football disaster of 1989. Artists featured on the single included: Paul McCartney, Mick Jones, Robbie Williams, Paloma Faith, Beverley Knight, Pete Wylie, Holly Johnson, Dave McCabe, Ren Harvieu, Paul Heaton, Hollie Cook, Jon McClure, John Power, Gerry Marsden, Rebecca Ferguson, Paul Heaton, Shane MacGowan, Melanie C as well as many others.

The single was released on 17 December 2012 and went on to take the Christmas number one position for 2012 on the UK Singles Chart.[4]

At the press conference in October 2012 Chambers said: "I am deeply honoured to be asked to produce this record for the 96. If we can help to raise money to support the families' legal battle so that they finally get their time in court then our job will be done. I spent my teenage years in Liverpool and feel a deep affection for both its musical heritage and the unique solidarity of its people."

Chambers and Mick Jones went on to be presented with Honorary Scouser awards by Liverpool Lord Mayor Cllr Sharon Sullivan.

As well as working on the Justice Collective single, Chambers is a supporter of many charities including:

In August 2014, Chambers was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.[5]

Discography

Solo albums

  • Go Gentle Into the Light (2019)[6] No. 49 UK[2]
  • Songs for a Boy EP (2011)
  • The Isis Project EP (2009)

The Lemon Trees albums

  • Open Book (1993, Oxygen Records/MCA Records)

Production work

Chambers has contributed as a musician, producer and/or writer to the following:

Albums

Singles

Films

Orchestral arrangements

References

  1. ^ "Songwriter/Composer: CHAMBERS GUY ANTONY". Repertoire.bmi.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Guy Chambers | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  3. ^ Corner, Lewis (12 September 2013). "Robbie Williams announces new album 'Swings Both Ways' – video". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  4. ^ "Hillsborough single is Christmas number one". Daily Telegraph UK. 23 November 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  5. ^ "Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories | Politics". Theguardian.com. 7 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  6. ^ Garner, George (19 March 2019). "Guy Chambers partners with BMG to release debut solo album, Go Gentle Into The Light, in May | Talent". Musicweek.com. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  7. ^ Roberts, David. Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums. Guinness World Records Ltd 18th edition (May 2005), p. 608 ISBN 1-904994-00-8

External links

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