Chicken Shack are a British
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
band, founded in the mid-1960s by
Stan Webb (guitar and vocals),
Andy Silvester
Andrew Frederick Silvester (born 16 June 1947, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England) is a British bassist and multi-instrumentalist. Silvester has played in various bands during his career, most notably as co-founder of both Chicken Shack and ...
(bass guitar), and Alan Morley (drums), who were later joined by
Christine Perfect
Christine Anne McVie (; née Perfect; 12 July 1943 – 30 November 2022) was an English musician and songwriter. She was best known as keyboardist and one of the vocalists of the band Fleetwood Mac.
McVie was a member of several bands, nota ...
(later McVie) (vocals and keyboards) in 1967. Chicken Shack has performed with various line-ups, Stan Webb being the only constant member.
Career
David "Rowdy" Yeats and Andy Silvester had formed Sounds of Blue in 1964 as a
Stourbridge
Stourbridge is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands, England, situated on the River Stour. Historically in Worcestershire, it was the centre of British glass making during the Industrial Revolution. The 20 ...
-based rhythm and blues band. They invited Stan Webb, who was leaving local band The Shades 5, to join them. The band also included
Christine Perfect
Christine Anne McVie (; née Perfect; 12 July 1943 – 30 November 2022) was an English musician and songwriter. She was best known as keyboardist and one of the vocalists of the band Fleetwood Mac.
McVie was a member of several bands, nota ...
and
Chris Wood (later to join Traffic) amongst others in their line up.
[Larkin C., ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music'', (Muze UK Ltd, 1997), , p. 110] With a new line-up Chicken Shack was formed as a trio in 1965,
naming themselves after
Jimmy Smith's ''
Back at the Chicken Shack
''Back at the Chicken Shack'' is an album by Jimmy Smith. It was recorded in 1960 and released in 1963 on the Blue Note label. Smith recorded the album in the same session as his previous album '' Midnight Special''. Fittingly, he wears the same ...
'' album. Chicken shacks (open-air roadside chicken stands) had also been frequently mentioned in
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
and R&B songs, as in
Amos Milburn
Joseph Amos Milburn (April 1, 1927 – January 3, 1980) was an American rhythm-and-blues singer and pianist, popular in the 1940s and 1950s. He was born in Houston, Texas, and died there 52 years later. One commentator noted, "Milburn excel ...
's hit, "
Chicken Shack Boogie
"Chicken Shack Boogie" is a 1948 jump-boogie song by the West Coast blues artist Amos Milburn. It was the first of four number-one hits on the R&B chart by Milburn. It was the B-side of a 78-RPM single, the A-side of which, "It Took a Long, Lon ...
". Over the next few years the band had a residency at the
Star-Club
The Star-Club was a music club in Hamburg, Germany, that opened on Friday 13 April 1962, and was initially operated by Manfred Weissleder and Horst Fascher. In the 1960s, many of the giants of rock music played at the club. The club closed on 3 ...
,
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
with Morley, then Al Sykes, Hughie Flint (who was John Mayall's drummer when Eric Clapton was in the band) and later Dave Bidwell on drums.
''40 Blue Fingers, Freshly Packed and Ready to Serve''
Chicken Shack made their first UK appearance at the 1967 National Jazz and Blues Festival,
Windsor
Windsor may refer to:
Places Australia
* Windsor, New South Wales
** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area
* Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland
**Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...
and signed to
Mike Vernon's Blue Horizon record label in the same year.
Their first single “It's Okay With Me Baby / When My Left Eye Jumps” (BH 57-3135), was released in 1968, shortly before their first LP release ''
40 Blue Fingers, Freshly Packed and Ready to Serve'' was released later that year. Christine Perfect composed and sang on side A of the first single and Stan Webb composed and sang the flip side. Both sides of the first single were not included in the first LP release. The first single and the debut LP attracted a lot of attention and ''40 Blue Fingers…'' ended up having considerable chart success (No. 12 on the British Album Charts). While waiting to finish their second LP, the band released a second single, "Worried About My Woman / Six Nights In Seven" (BH 57-3143) in late 1968 with little fanfare. Both songs were composed and sung by Stan Webb.
''O.K. Ken?''
Their second LP, ''
O.K. Ken?'' was released in February 1969 and also garnered chart success. While it did surpass the first album by reaching No. 9, unlike the initial LP, it quickly dropped out of the charts due to the lack of an album single to support it. The band then decided to release a song from the first album (''40 Blue Fingers...''), "When The Train Comes Back” (BH 57-3146) after overdubbing a horn section to the original track. The flipside “Hey Baby” was an outtake of the ''O.K. Ken?'' album. Christine Perfect composed and provided piano and lead vocals on both tracks but the single was only mildly successful.
"I'd Rather Go Blind" single
Chicken Shack had become a mainstay of the white blues boom in the late 1960s, and they enjoyed some commercial success with their two first albums reaching the TOP 20 in UK album chart. Worried that the band's popularity would fade without a successful radio single, they decided to record a song that had been successful for Etta James in the US. The single "
I'd Rather Go Blind
"I'd Rather Go Blind" is a blues song written by Ellington Jordan and co-credited to Billy Foster and Etta James. It was first recorded by Etta James in 1967, released in 1967, and has subsequently become regarded as a blues and soul classic.
Or ...
" (c/w "Night Life") ended up becoming very successful with Christine Perfect singing lead vocals. The single was successful enough that it garnered Perfect the Top Female Singer on the Melody Maker’s Reader’s Poll in 1969.
Christine Perfect's departure
The single "I'd Rather Go Blind" had been recorded after the release of the first two LPs and Perfect had already decided to leave the band and retire from the music business before the single had become successful. By this time, she had already quietly married bass player from
John McVie
John Graham McVie (born 26 November 1945) is a British bass guitarist. He is best known as a member of the rock bands John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers from 1964 to 1967 and Fleetwood Mac since 1967. His surname, combined with that of Mick Fleet ...
from the blues band
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...
and did not wish to be touring in a separate band. Because of the success of the single, the band’s record label, Blue Horizon, convinced her to release a solo album before considering retirement. The exact single recording by Chicken Shack of “I’d Rather Go Blind” was included on Perfect’s eponymous album “Christine Perfect” released on the same label, Blue Horizon. After Perfect’s departure from the band in 1969, she was quickly replaced by Paul Raymond from
Plastic Penny
Plastic Penny were a British 1960s pop band, formed in November 1967 before splitting up in August 1969. The group had one hit single early in 1968: the song "Everything I Am". Most of the members went on to greater fame with other bands or in s ...
. Chicken Shack continued recording and performing live, releasing a few more albums and having some success with the single "Tears in the Wind" (c/w "The Things You Put Me Through").
After being dropped by Blue Horizon, pianist
Paul Raymond, bassist
Andy Silvester
Andrew Frederick Silvester (born 16 June 1947, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England) is a British bassist and multi-instrumentalist. Silvester has played in various bands during his career, most notably as co-founder of both Chicken Shack and ...
, and drummer Dave Bidwell all left in 1971 to join
Savoy Brown
Savoy Brown (originally Savoy Brown Blues Band) were an English blues rock band formed in Battersea, south west London, in 1965. Part of the late 1960s blues rock movement, Savoy Brown primarily achieved success in the United States, where t ...
.
At this point Webb reformed the band as a trio with
John Glascock
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
on bass and Paul Hancox on drums, and they recorded ''
Imagination Lady''.
The line-up did not last; Glascock left to join
Carmen
''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the Carmen (novella), novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first perfo ...
, while Webb was recruited for Savoy Brown in 1974 and recorded the album ''Boogie Brothers'' with them.
Since 1977, Webb has revived the Chicken Shack name on a number of occasions, with a rotating membership of British blues musicians including, at various times, Paul Butler (ex-Jellybread, Keef Hartley Band)(guitar),
Keef Hartley
Keith "Keef" Hartley (8 April 1944 – 26 November 2011)
was an English drummer and bandleader. He fronted his own band ...
, ex-
Ten Years After
Ten Years After are a British rock group, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1968 and 1973, the band had eight consecutive Top 40 albums on the UK Albums Chart. In addition, they had twelve albums enter the US ''Billboar ...
drummer Ric Lee and
Miller Anderson, some of whom came and went several times. The band has remained popular as a live attraction in Europe throughout.
Webb remains as their only constant band member.
Personnel
Members
;Current
*
Stan Webb – guitar, vocals
(1965–1974, 1976–present)
*Gary Davies – guitar
(1988–present)
*Jim Rudge – bass
(1998–present)
;Former
*
Andy Silvester
Andrew Frederick Silvester (born 16 June 1947, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England) is a British bassist and multi-instrumentalist. Silvester has played in various bands during his career, most notably as co-founder of both Chicken Shack and ...
– bass
(1965–1971)
*Alan Morley – drums
(1965–1968)
*
Christine Perfect
Christine Anne McVie (; née Perfect; 12 July 1943 – 30 November 2022) was an English musician and songwriter. She was best known as keyboardist and one of the vocalists of the band Fleetwood Mac.
McVie was a member of several bands, nota ...
– keyboards, vocals
(1968–1969; died 2022)
*Al Sykes – drums
(1968)
*
Hughie Flint
Hughie Flint (born 15 March 1940, Manchester, Lancashire) is an English drummer, known for his stint in John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, for his group McGuinness Flint in the early 1970s and for his subsequent association with The Blues Ba ...
– drums
(1968)
*Dave Bidwell – drums, percussion
(1968–1971; died 1977)
*
Paul Raymond – keyboards, vocals
(1969–1971; died 2019)
*
John Glascock
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
– bass
(1971–1972; died 1979)
*
Pip Pyle
Phillip "Pip" Pyle (4 April 1950 – 28 August 2006) was an English-born drummer from Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, who later resided in France. He is best known for his work in the progressive rock Canterbury scene bands Gong, Hatfield an ...
– drums
(1971; died 2006)
*Paul Hancox – drums, percussion
(1971–1972)
*
Bob Daisley
Robert John Daisley (born 13 February 1950) is a retired Australian bass guitarist. He has collaborated on several occasions with Ozzy Osbourne, for whom he contributed bass, backing vocals, co-production and songwriting. He has also worked wi ...
– bass
(1972, 1979–1980)
*David Wilkinson – keyboards
(1972–1974, 1986–1993)
*Rob Hull – bass
(1972–1974)
*
Alan Powell – drums
(1972–1974)
*Dave Winthrop – saxophone
(1976–1979, 1986–1987, 2008–2012)
*
Robbie Blunt
Robert William Blunt (born 4 March 1951) is a rock guitarist who has worked with a variety of bands, most notably with Robert Plant's solo band in the 1980s. Since leaving Plant's band in the mid 1980s, Blunt has provided session work for a nu ...
– guitar
(1976–1979)
*Ed Spivock – drums
(1976–1979)
*
Paul Martinez
Paul Frank Martinez (born 6 October 1947, Leicester, Leicestershire, England) is a British session musician and songwriter, best known for his work with Robert Plant, Cat Stevens, Jackie Edwards, Dave Edmunds, George Harrison, Maggie Bell, Vas ...
– bass
(1976–1978)
*Steve York – bass
(1978–1979)
*Paul Butler – guitar
(1979–1981)
*
Keef Hartley
Keith "Keef" Hartley (8 April 1944 – 26 November 2011)
was an English drummer and bandleader. He fronted his own band ...
– drums
(1979–1980; died 2011)
*
Ric Lee
Richard "Ric" Lee (born 20 October 1945) is an English drummer of the blues rock band Ten Years After.
Biography
Lee was born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England. Was a founding member of his first band, The Falcons. He was also a drumme ...
– drums
(1980–1981)
*Alan Scott – bass
(1980)
*
Andy Pyle – bass
(1980–1986)
*
Tony Ashton
Edward Anthony Ashton (1 March 1946 – 28 May 2001) was an English rock pianist, keyboardist, singer, composer, producer and artist.
Biography
Born in Blackburn, Lancashire, Ashton spent his formative years in the seaside town of Blackpool whe ...
– keyboards
(1981; died 2001)
*
Miller Anderson – guitar
(1981–1986)
*Russ Alder – drums
(1981–1983)
*John Gunsell – drums
(1983–1987)
*Roger Saunders – guitar
(1983–1986)
*Andy Scott – bass
(1983–1986)
*Jan Connolly – bass
(1986–1987)
*Bev Smith – drums
(1987–2002; died 2007 )
*Wayne Terry – bass
(1987)
*
David Wintour – bass
(1987–1991; died 2022)
*James Morgan – bass
(1991–1998)
*Mick Jones – drums
(2002–2010)
*Chris Williams – drums
(2010–2012)
*Romek Parol – drums
(2012–2013)
Lineups
Timeline
Discography
Albums
* ''
40 Blue Fingers, Freshly Packed and Ready to Serve'' (1968),
Blue Horizon –
UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
No. 12
* ''
O.K. Ken?'' (1969), Blue Horizon – UK Albums Chart No. 9
* ''
100 Ton Chicken'' (1969), Blue Horizon
* ''
Accept
Accept may refer to:
* Acceptance, a person's assent to the reality of a situation etc.
* Accept (band), a German heavy metal band
** ''Accept'' (Accept album), their debut album from 1979
* ''Accept'' (Chicken Shack album), 1970
* ACCEPT (or ...
'' (1970), Blue Horizon
* ''
Imagination Lady'' (1972),
Deram
* ''
Unlucky Boy'' (1973), Deram
* ''Goodbye Chicken Shack'' (
Live
Live may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film
* ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film
*'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD)
Music
*Live (band), American alternative rock band
* List of albums ...
) (1974), Nova; London
* ''That's the Way We Are'' (1978), Shark
s Stan Webb's Chicken Shack* ''The Creeper'' (1978),
WEA
The Wea were a Miami-Illinois-speaking Native American tribe originally located in western Indiana. Historically, they were described as either being closely related to the Miami Tribe or a sub-tribe of Miami.
Today, the descendants of the ...
s Stan Webb's Chicken Shack* ''Chicken Shack'' (1979), Gull
* ''Roadies Concerto'' (Live) (1981),
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
s Stan Webb's Chicken Shack* ''39 Bars'' (1981), Bellaphon
s Stan Webb's Chicken Shack* ''Simply Live'' (Live) (1989), SPV (Germany)
s Stan Webb's Chicken Shack* ''On Air (
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
* ''Webb'' (2001)
* ''Still Live After All These Years'' (2004), Mystic
* ''Stan Webb'' (2004)
* ''Double ("Unlucky Boy" + "Goodbye Chicken Shack")'' (1977), Deram
* ''Stan the Man'' (Live) (1977), Nova
* ''In the Can'' (1980),
* ''Stan The Man'' (2002), Decca
* ''Going Up, Going Down - The Anthology'' (2004), Castle Music
* ''The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions'' (2006)
* ''Reflections ("Plucking Good" + "Changes (Expanded Edition)")'' (2008), Secret Records