Elkie Brooks
This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (December 2009) |
Elkie Brooks | |
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File:ElkieBrooks06.JPG | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Elaine Bookbinder |
Born | 25 February 1945 |
Origin | Broughton, Lancashire, England, UK |
Genres | Pop/Rock/Jazz/Blues |
Occupation(s) | Singer |
Instrument(s) | Vocals |
Years active | 1960–present |
Website | http://www.elkiebrooks.net/ |
Elkie Brooks (born 25 February 1945, Broughton, Salford) is an English , Rock, Blues, Jazz singer, formerly a vocalist with Vinegar Joe, and later a solo artist. She is known for her powerful husky voice. Elkie Brooks is a patron of International Animal Rescue.
Life and career
This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (April 2011) |
Brooks was born in 1945 as Elaine Bookbinder to a Jewish father and Catholic mother in Broughton, Salford and raised in Prestwich. She attended North Salford Secondary Modern School.
According to Brooks, her unofficial debut was a gig at a club called the "Laronde" on Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester when she was thirteen. A professional singer since she was fifteen, Brooks' debut, a cover of Etta James's "Something's Got A Hold On Me", was released on Decca in 1964. She spent most of the 1960s on Britain's cabaret scene, a period of her life that she did not particularly enjoy.[1] In the early 1960s Brooks supported The Beatles in their Christmas show in London, then, as an established act, helped the Small Faces in their early career by introducing them at several venues. She went on to tour the United States with several bands including the Animals.
After she met Pete Gage, whom she would marry, she joined the short-lived fusioneers Dada before forming Vinegar Joe with Gage and Robert Palmer. Elkie gained the reputation as the wild woman of "Rock n Roll" due to her wild stage performances. After three albums, they split up in 1974, and Brooks and Palmer both went solo. After a time as backing singer with the American southern boogie band Wet Willie, she returned to England. Her first solo album on A&M records was Rich Man's Woman (1975).Released to critical acclaim Elkie was given a hard time due to the album's cover, which was considered outrageous for the time.
It came before a run of sixteen UK hit albums in twenty-five years, starting with Two Days Away, produced by the legendary duo Leiber & Stoller, who had also worked with Elvis Presley and many others (1977). Brooks wrote some tracks with Leiber and Stoller. The hits "Pearl's a Singer", "Sunshine After the Rain" came from this album. "Lilac Wine", Don't Cry Out Loud, came later. The albums Shooting Star (1978), Live and Learn (1979), Pearls (at the time, the largest selling album by a British female artist) (1981), "Fool (If You Think It's Over)" was a hit for Brooks taken from this album, written by Chris Rea. Pearls II (1982), Minutes (1984) and Screen Gems, the first album to be produced on CD in the UK (1984), were all UK chart successes.
In 1986 No More the Fool gave her biggest hit single to date while the parent album reached the top 5. The haunting video featured a young Leah Harounoff founder of the Inside of Out Theatre Group who in 2011 perfomed Titus Andronicus at the Barons Court Theatre to critical acclaim. Following chart success ensued with the albums The Very Best of (1986), Bookbinders Kid On Bookbinders Kid, she covered "What's The Matter Baby" previously recorded by Timi Yuro (1988), Yuro impressed with Elkie's version contacted Brooks to tell her so. The two remained friends. Inspiration (1981), Round Midnight (1993), Nothin' But the Blues (1994), Amazing (1996) and The Very Best of (1997). In 1980 Brooks performed at the Knebworth Festival with The Beach Boys, Santana and Mike Oldfield.[2]
Brooks' success landed her in the Guinness Book of Records as the most charted British female album artist of the last 30 years.[citation needed]
In March 2003 she participated in the ITV music talent show Reborn in the USA, alongside musicians such as Peter Cox (Go West Singer), Tony Hadley and Leee John. The Electric Lady album (2005) saw a return to her blues and rock roots, featuring self-penned tracks alongside re-workings of numbers by The Doors, Bob Dylan, Paul Rodgers and Tony Joe White. The following year saw the release of her first official DVD, titled Elkie Brooks & Friends: Pearls featuring an array of guest musicians.
Brooks has toured almost every year during her solo career. Her 1982 UK concert tour was seen by more than 140,000 people in just three months. She has performed at every major UK theatre including sell out runs at the London Palladium, Dominion Theatre, Hammersmith Apollo, Ronnie Scott's, Royal Albert Hall and Wembley Arena. Brooks was offered "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina" but turned it down. It was then recorded by Julie Covington, and by others. Brooks also turned down the song " The Flame " it was then recorded by the band " Cheap Trick " it reached no. 1 in the U.S. and no. 1 in Australia.
Brooks' 20th studio album - Powerless was released in 2010 , featuring songs such as Prince's "Purple Rain" and Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love".
Family
In 1978 she married sound engineer Trevor Jordan; they have two sons. Trevor Jordan has been Brooks's sound engineer since 1977.
Discography
Studio albums
Year | Album | UK #[3] | Label |
---|---|---|---|
1975 | Rich Man's Woman | - | A&M |
1977 | Two Days Away | 16 | A&M |
1978 | Shooting Star | 20 | A&M |
1979 | Live and Learn | 34 | A&M |
1981 | Pearls | 2 | A&M |
1982 | Pearls II | 5 | A&M |
1984 | Minutes | 35 | A&M |
1984 | Screen Gems | 35 | A&M |
1986 | No More the Fool | 5 | Legend |
1988 | Bookbinder's Kid | 57 | Legend |
1989 | Inspiration | 58 | Telstar |
1991 | Pearls III (Close to the Edge) | - | Freestyle |
1993 | Round Midnight | 27 | Castle |
1994 | Nothin' But the Blues | 58 | Castle |
1995 | Circles | - | Permanent |
1996 | Amazing | 49 | Carlton Classics |
2003 | Shangri-La | - | Classic Pictures |
2003 | Trouble in Mind (with Humphrey Lyttelton) | - | Classic Pictures |
2005 | Electric Lady | - | Swing Cafe |
2010 | Powerless | - | Eventful Music Productions |
Live albums
Year | Album | Label |
---|---|---|
1997 | The Pearls Concert | Artful |
2000 | Live at the Palladium | JAM Records |
2000 | Live 2000 | JAM Records |
2005 | Don't Cry Out Loud | Recall |
2007 | Live With Friends | EMP |
Compilations
Year | Album | UK #[3] | Label |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | The Very Best of Elkie Brooks (Telstar) | 10 | Telstar |
1993 | The last teardrop | Pilz | |
1997 | The Very Best of Elkie Brooks (Polygram) | 23 | Polygram |
Singles
Year | Song | UK #[3] | Album | Label |
---|---|---|---|---|
1964 | "Something's Got a Hold on Me" | - | - | Decca |
1964 | "Nothing Left to Do but Cry" | - | - | Decca |
1965 | "The Way You Do the Things You Do" | - | - | Decca |
1965 | "He's Gotta Love Me" | - | - | HMV |
1965 | "All of My Life" | - | - | HMV |
1966 | "Baby Let Me Love You" | - | - | HMV |
1969 | "Come September" | - | - | NEMS |
1974 | "Rescue Me" | - | - | Island |
1975 | "Where Do We Go From Here" | - | Rich Man's Woman | A&M |
1975 | "He's a Rebel" | - | Rich Man's Woman | A&M |
1977 | "Pearl's a Singer" | 8 | Two Days Away | A&M |
1977 | "Saved" | - | Two Days Away | A&M |
1977 | "Sunshine After the Rain" | 10 | Two Days Away | A&M |
1977 | "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" | - | Two Days Away | A&M |
1978 | "Lilac Wine" | 16 | Pearls | A&M |
1978 | "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" | 43 | Shooting Star | A&M |
1978 | "Since You Went Away" | - | Shooting Star | A&M |
1978 | "Stay with Me" (Netherlands only) | - | Shooting Star | A&M |
1979 | "Don't Cry Out Loud" | 12 | Pearls | A&M |
1979 | "The Runaway" | 50 | - | A&M |
1979 | "He Could Have Been an Army" | - | Live and Learn | A&M |
1979 | "Falling Star" | - | Live and Learn | A&M |
1980 | "Why Don't You Say It" | - | - | A&M |
1980 | "Paint Your Pretty Picture" | - | Pearls | A&M |
1980 | "Dance Away" | - | Pearls | A&M |
1981 | "Warm and Tender Love" | - | Pearls | A&M |
1981 | "Fool (If You Think It's Over)" (Chris Rea cover) |
17 | Pearls | A&M |
1982 | "Our Love" | 43 | Pearls II | A&M |
1982 | "Nights in White Satin" | 33 | Pearls II | A&M |
1982 | "Will You Write Me a Song" | - | Pearls II | A&M |
1983 | "Gasoline Alley" | 52 | Pearls II | A&M |
1983 | "I Just Can't Go On" | - | Pearls II | A&M |
1984 | "Minutes" | - | Minutes | A&M |
1984 | "Driftin'" | - | Minutes | A&M |
1984 | "Once in a While" | - | Screen Gems | A&M/EMI |
1986 | "No More the Fool" | 5 | No More the Fool | Legend |
1987 | "Break the Chain" | 55 | No More the Fool | Legend |
1987 | "We've Got Tonight" | 69 | No More the Fool | Legend |
1988 | "Sail On" | - | Bookbinders Kid | Legend |
1989 | "Shame" | - | Inspiration | Telstar |
1989 | "You're the Inspiration" (Belgium only) | - | Inspiration | Telstar/Disky |
1990 | "I'll Never Love This Way Again" | - | Inspiration | Telstar |
1990 | "For the World" (withdrawn before release) | - | - | European Artists |
1991 | "The Last Teardrop" | - | Pearls III (Close to the Edge) | Freestyle |
1991 | "One of a Kind (Belgium only)" | - | Pearls III (Close to the Edge) | Freestyle/Dureco |
1999 | "Too Much To Lose" | 127 | Unfinished Business (Unreleased) | BMG |
2005 | "Out of the Rain" | - | Electric Lady | Swing Cafe |
2010 | "Powerless" | - | Powerless | Eventful Music Productions |
References
- ^ Interview on Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4, Wednesday 31 March 2010
- ^ http://www.knebworthhouse.com/rock/rockconcerts.htm
- ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 79. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
External links
- Official website of Elkie Brooks
- "Elkie Brooks, Cabot Hall, London", The Guardian, September 9, 2005, by Robin Denselow