Chas Chandler
Encyclopedia
Bryan James "Chas" Chandler (18 December 1938 — 17 July 1996) was an English
musician
, record producer
and manager
of several successful music acts.
Born at 35 Second Avenue, Heaton
, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, he began his career playing bass guitar
in a trio with Alan Price
. After vocalist Eric Burdon
joined them the group was renamed The Animals
and became one of the most successful R&B
bands
ever. Chandler's best knowns bass lines are the opening riffs of their 1965 hits
"We Gotta Get Out of This Place
" and "It's My Life". Chandler was also the most prominent of the group's backing vocalist
s and did occasional songwriting with Burdon.
After the group split up in late 1966, Chandler became manager
of Jimi Hendrix
, bringing him to England and recruiting other musicians to form The Jimi Hendrix Experience
. He also produced their first two albums, and was instrumental in introducing Hendrix to Eric Clapton
. It was through this introduction that Hendrix got a chance to play with Clapton and Cream
on stage.
Chandler then went on to manage and produce the English rock band
Slade
for twelve years, during which time they achieved 7 number one chart hits in the U.K. During this time, Chandler bought IBC Studios
which he renamed Portland Recording Studios, after the address of 35 Portland Place, London
and ran it for four years till he sold it to Don Arden
. Chandler also ran a series of record labels from the studios including Barn Records and Six of the Best, and formed a music publishing agency and management and production companies. In 1977 Chandler played with, and recorded, The Animals during a brief reunion, and joined them again for a further revival in 1983, at which point he sold his business interests and became a musician again.
During the early 1990s he helped develop Newcastle Arena, a ten-thousand seat sports and entertainment venue that opened in 1995.
Chandler had one son, Steffan, from his first marriage
. He later married Madeleine Stringer, the 1977 Miss United Kingdom and the sixth runner-up at Miss World 1977
, and they had a son, Alex, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Katherine, together.
Chandler died of a heart condition at Newcastle General Hospital, on 17th July 1996, days after performing his final solo show.
Chandler's former home in Heaton is to be remembered with a black plaque placed on the wall.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and manager
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
of several successful music acts.
Born at 35 Second Avenue, Heaton
Heaton, Newcastle
Heaton is a residential suburb and is split into two electoral wards located in the east end of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, about from the City Centre. It is bordered by the neighbouring areas of Benton and Cochrane Park to the north, Walker and Walkergate to the east, Byker to the south and...
, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, he began his career playing bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
in a trio with Alan Price
Alan Price
Alan Price is an English musician, best known as the original keyboardist for the English band The Animals, and for his subsequent solo work....
. After vocalist Eric Burdon
Eric Burdon
Eric Victor Burdon is an English singer-songwriter best known as a founding member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk rock band War and for his aggressive stage performance...
joined them the group was renamed The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
and became one of the most successful R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
bands
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
ever. Chandler's best knowns bass lines are the opening riffs of their 1965 hits
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
"We Gotta Get Out of This Place
We Gotta Get out of This Place
"We Gotta Get out of This Place", occasionally written "We've Gotta Get out of This Place", is a rock song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and recorded as a 1965 hit single by The Animals...
" and "It's My Life". Chandler was also the most prominent of the group's backing vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
s and did occasional songwriting with Burdon.
After the group split up in late 1966, Chandler became manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, bringing him to England and recruiting other musicians to form The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience were an English-American psychedelic rock band that formed in London in October 1966. Comprising eponymous singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix, bassist and backing vocalist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the band was active until June 1969, in which...
. He also produced their first two albums, and was instrumental in introducing Hendrix to Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
. It was through this introduction that Hendrix got a chance to play with Clapton and Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
on stage.
Chandler then went on to manage and produce the English rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Slade
Slade
Slade are an English rock band from Wolverhampton, who rose to prominence during the glam rock era of the early 1970s. With 17 consecutive Top 20 hits and six number ones, the British Hit Singles & Albums names them as the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles...
for twelve years, during which time they achieved 7 number one chart hits in the U.K. During this time, Chandler bought IBC Studios
IBC Studios
The IBC Recording Studios were recording studios in 35 Portland Place, London, England. After the Second World War it was the address of the leading independent studio in London and the British Isles...
which he renamed Portland Recording Studios, after the address of 35 Portland Place, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and ran it for four years till he sold it to Don Arden
Don Arden
Don Arden , born Harry Levy, was an English music manager, agent and businessman, best known for overseeing the careers of rock groups Small Faces, Electric Light Orchestra and Black Sabbath....
. Chandler also ran a series of record labels from the studios including Barn Records and Six of the Best, and formed a music publishing agency and management and production companies. In 1977 Chandler played with, and recorded, The Animals during a brief reunion, and joined them again for a further revival in 1983, at which point he sold his business interests and became a musician again.
During the early 1990s he helped develop Newcastle Arena, a ten-thousand seat sports and entertainment venue that opened in 1995.
Chandler had one son, Steffan, from his first marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
. He later married Madeleine Stringer, the 1977 Miss United Kingdom and the sixth runner-up at Miss World 1977
Miss World 1977
The 27th Miss World Pageant was held on November 17, 1977 in the Royal Albert Hall, London, UK. The winner was Mary Ann Catrin Stävin from Sweden...
, and they had a son, Alex, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Katherine, together.
Chandler died of a heart condition at Newcastle General Hospital, on 17th July 1996, days after performing his final solo show.
Chandler's former home in Heaton is to be remembered with a black plaque placed on the wall.