Family (band)
Encyclopedia
Family were an English
rock band that formed in late 1966 and disbanded in October 1973. Their style has been characterised as progressive rock
, although their sound often explored other genres, incorporating elements of styles like as folk
, psychedelia
, acid
, jazz fusion
and rock and roll
. The band achieved recognition in the United Kingdom
through their albums and appearing at festivals
, but were unable to attract the same level of attention in USA.
The band's rotating membership throughout its relatively short existence led to a diversity in sound throughout their different albums. Family are also often seen as an unjustly forgotten act, when compared with other bands from the same period and have been described as an "odd band loved by a small but rabid group of fans".
, England
from the remaining members of a group that was previously known as The Farinas and later The Roaring Sixties
, whose sound was grounded in R&B
. The Farinas originally consisted of John "Charlie" Whitney, Tim Kirchin, Harry Ovenall and Jim King
, forming at Leicester Art College in 1962. Ric Grech
replaced Kirchin on bass in 1965 and Roger Chapman
joined the following year on vocals. The American record producer Kim Fowley
suggested they call themselves "The Family" as they regularly wore double-breasted suits in performances, giving themselves a mafia
appearance, a look they soon abandoned in favour a more casual dress code. They played the famous Marquee Club in April 1967. Family's debut single, "Scene Through The Eye Of A Lens/Gypsy Woman", produced by Jimmy Miller and released by Liberty Records
in October 1967, was not a success. Around this time, drummer Harry Ovenall was asked to leave the band and was replaced by Rob Townsend
.
The band signed with the Reprise Records
label (the first UK band signed directly to UK and US Reprise) and their debut album Music in a Doll's House
, was recorded during early 1968. Jimmy Miller was originally slated to produce it but he was tied up with production of The Rolling Stones
' album Beggar's Banquet and he is credited as co-producer on only two tracks, "The Breeze" and "Peace Of Mind". The bulk of the album was produced by former Traffic
member Dave Mason
, and recorded at London's Olympic Studios
with engineers Eddie Kramer
and George Chkiantz
. Mason also contributed one composition to the album, "Never Like This", the only song recorded by Family not written by a band member, and the group also backed Mason on the b-side of his February 1968 single "Just For You".
Family made their London debut at the Royal Albert Hall
in July 1968, supporting Tim Hardin
. Alongside Pink Floyd
, Soft Machine
, The Move
and The Nice
, Family quickly became one of the premier attractions on the burgeoning UK psychedelic/progressive "underground" scene. Their lifestyle and exploits during this period provided some of the inspiration for the 1969 novel, Groupie, by Jenny Fabian (who lived in the group's Chelsea house for some time) and Johnny Byrne. Family featured in the book under the pseudonym, 'Relation'.
Music in a Doll's House was released in July 1968 and charted at #35 in the UK
to critical acclaim, thanks to strong support from future BBC Radio 1
's John Peel
. Now widely acknowledged as a classic of British psychedelic rock
, it showcased many of the stylistic and production features that are archetypal of the genre. The album's highly original sound was characterised by Chapman's vocals, rooted in the blues
and R&B, combined with several unusual instruments for a rock band, courtesy of the presence of multi-instrumentalists Grech and King, including saxophones, violin, cello and harmonica.
Family's 1969 follow-up, Family Entertainment
, toned down the psychedelic experimentation of their previous offering to some extent, reaching #6 in the UK Albums Chart
, and featured the single "The Weaver's Answer
", although the group reportedly had no control over the mixing and choice of tracks.
With the UK success of Family's first two albums, the band undertook a tour of the United States in April 1969, but it was beset by problems. Halfway through the tour, Grech unexpectedly left the band to join the new supergroup Blind Faith
; on the recommendation of tour manager Peter Grant, Grech was replaced by John Weider
, previously of Eric Burdon
and The Animals
. A further setback occurred during their first concert at Bill Graham's
Fillmore East
, whilst sharing the bill with Ten Years After
and The Nice
- during his stage routine, Chapman lost control of his microphone stand, which flew in Graham's direction, an act Graham took to be deliberate; Chapman performed the following shows with his hands by his sides, and by the end of the tour he had lost his voice; Family's reputation in the US never recovered and they ultimately never achieved great recognition there.
Returning to the UK, the band performed at The Rolling Stones' Hyde Park
gig and the Isle of Wight Festival
that summer. In late 1969, Jim King was asked to leave Family due to "erratic behaviour" and was replaced by multi-instrumentalist John "Poli" Palmer.
. In early 1970, Family released their third studio album, A Song for Me
; produced by the band, it became the highest charting album the band released, reaching #4 on the UK Albums Chart. The album itself was a blend of hard rock
and folk rock
. Family's new lineup played at major rock festivals that summer, including the Kralingen Festival in the Netherlands
and the Isle of Wight Festival for the second year in a row. The band appeared in the documentary film
Message to Love
about the latter festival.
Family's follow up album Anyway
, released in late 1970, had its first half consist of new material recorded live at Fairfield Hall in Croydon
, England, with the second half a set of new songs recorded in the studio, and reached #7 on the UK chart. In March 1971 the compilation album
, Old Songs New Songs
, was released, but in June Weider left Family to join Stud
. He was replaced by former Mogul Thrash
bassist John Wetton
, who had just declined an invitation from Robert Fripp to join King Crimson
.
As with Grech in Family's original lineup, Wetton also shared vocal duties with Chapman, and this line-up soon released Family's highest-charting single "In My Own Time/Seasons" which reached #4, and the album Fearless
in October 1971, which charted in both the UK and the US. In 1972, another album, Bandstand
was released, which leaned more towards hard rock than art rock, featuring the singles "Burlesque" in late 1972, and "My Friend the Sun", which was released in early 1973.
In mid-1972, John Wetton left Family to join a new lineup of King Crimson
and was replaced by bassist Jim Cregan
, and at the end of that year John "Poli" Palmer also left the band and was replaced by keyboardist Tony Ashton
, previously of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke
. After Wetton's departure (but before Palmer's exit) Family toured the United States and Canada as the support act for Elton John
, but their performances were often greeted with silence and Poli Palmer later recalled that "the only clapping in this huge stadium would be the guys doing the PA".
In 1973, Family released the largely ignored It's Only a Movie
(and on their own label, Raft, distributed by Warner/Reprise), which would be their last studio album, followed by another tour.
Family gave their final concert at Leicester Polytechnic on October 13, 1973. The band never reformed, but instead many of its members went onto different musical projects; Roger Chapman and John "Charlie" Whitney formed the band Streetwalkers
; John Wetton played with King Crimson eventually became the lead singer of the band Asia
. Rob Townsend was a member of Medicine Head
between 1973 and 1975. Ric Grech died of kidney and liver failure in 1990 at the age of 43, as a result of alcoholism
. Tony Ashton died in 2001 at the age of 55 of cancer.
singers Little Richard
and Ray Charles
, with some reviewers noting however that Chapman's voice could be grating and irritating occasionally. John "Charlie" Whitney was an accomplished and innovative guitarist, and Family's often complex song arrangements were made possible through having multi-instrumentalists like Ric Grech and Jim King in the band and access to electronic keyboards such as the Hammond organ
and the new Mellotron
. The band's sound has been variously described as progressive rock
, psychedelic rock
, acid rock
, folk rock
, jazz fusion
, not to mention "British art rock," and hard rock
.
Family were particularly known for their live performances; one reviewer describing the band as "as one of the wildest, most innovative groups of the underground rock scene", noting that they produced "some of the rawest, most intense performances on stage in rock history" and "that the Jimi Hendrix Experience were afraid to follow them at festivals".
Family was an influence on Jethro Tull
, with Ian Anderson
noting that the band were particularly underrated. Both in his vocal sound and style and his dramatic stage presentation, Chapman was also a strong early influence on Peter Gabriel
.
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...
rock band that formed in late 1966 and disbanded in October 1973. Their style has been characterised as progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, although their sound often explored other genres, incorporating elements of styles like as folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, psychedelia
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
, acid
Acid rock
Acid rock is a form of psychedelic rock, which is characterized with long instrumental solos, few lyrics and musical improvisation. Tom Wolfe describes the LSD-influenced music of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Iron Butterfly, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Cream,...
, jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
and rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
. The band achieved recognition in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
through their albums and appearing at festivals
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
, but were unable to attract the same level of attention in USA.
The band's rotating membership throughout its relatively short existence led to a diversity in sound throughout their different albums. Family are also often seen as an unjustly forgotten act, when compared with other bands from the same period and have been described as an "odd band loved by a small but rabid group of fans".
Early years (1966–1969)
Family formed in Late 1966 in LeicesterLeicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, England
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...
from the remaining members of a group that was previously known as The Farinas and later The Roaring Sixties
The Roaring Sixties
The Roaring Sixties were a UK band, an early incarnation of Family. Their members included Ric Grech, Jim King, Roger Chapman and John "Charlie" Whitney, who all joined Family, plus Harry Ovenall on drums. They split up in 1966, becoming Family the next year with Whitney, Chapman, King and Grech...
, whose sound was grounded in 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...
. The Farinas originally consisted of John "Charlie" Whitney, Tim Kirchin, Harry Ovenall and Jim King
Jim King (saxophonist)
Jim King was an original member of the British rock band, Family. He played saxophone and harmonica, and sang occasional lead vocals on the band's first two albums, Music in a Doll's House and Family Entertainment. King also sang the entire lead vocal on "Observations From a Hill", a song on the...
, forming at Leicester Art College in 1962. Ric Grech
Ric Grech
Richard Roman Grech was a British rock musician.-Career:Grech originally gained notice in the United Kingdom as the bass guitar player for the progressive rock group Family. He joined the band when it was a largely blues-based live act in Leicester known as the Farinas; he became their bassist in...
replaced Kirchin on bass in 1965 and Roger Chapman
Roger Chapman
Roger Chapman , also known as Roger "Chappo" Chapman and Chappo, is an English rock vocalist. He is best known as a member of the Progressive rock band Family, which he joined along with Charlie Whitney, in 1967 and also the rock, R&B band Streetwalkers formed in 1974...
joined the following year on vocals. The American record producer Kim Fowley
Kim Fowley
Kim Vincent Fowley is an American record producer, impresario, songwriter, musician, film maker, and radio actor. He is best known for his role behind a string of novelty and cult rock pop singles in the 1960s, and for managing The Runaways in the 1970s...
suggested they call themselves "The Family" as they regularly wore double-breasted suits in performances, giving themselves a mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
appearance, a look they soon abandoned in favour a more casual dress code. They played the famous Marquee Club in April 1967. Family's debut single, "Scene Through The Eye Of A Lens/Gypsy Woman", produced by Jimmy Miller and released by Liberty Records
Liberty Records
Liberty Records was a United States-based record label. It was started by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revivals.-1950s:...
in October 1967, was not a success. Around this time, drummer Harry Ovenall was asked to leave the band and was replaced by Rob Townsend
Rob Townsend
Rob Townsend is a British rock and blues drummer. He was influenced by jazz greats such as Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa and is best known for being the drummer for progressive rock band Family and later The Blues Band....
.
The band signed with the Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
label (the first UK band signed directly to UK and US Reprise) and their debut album Music in a Doll's House
Music in a Doll's House
-Side two:- Personnel :* Roger Chapman – lead vocals, harmonica, tenor saxophone* John "Charlie" Whitney – lead guitar, steel guitar* Jim King – tenor and soprano saxophone, harmonica, vocals* Ric Grech – bass guitar, violin, cello, vocals...
, was recorded during early 1968. Jimmy Miller was originally slated to produce it but he was tied up with production of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' album Beggar's Banquet and he is credited as co-producer on only two tracks, "The Breeze" and "Peace Of Mind". The bulk of the album was produced by former Traffic
Traffic (band)
Traffic were an English rock band whose members came from the West Midlands. The group formed in April 1967 by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason...
member Dave Mason
Dave Mason
David Thomas "Dave" Mason is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Worcester, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic...
, and recorded at London's Olympic Studios
Olympic Studios
Olympic Studios was a renowned independent commercial recording studio located at 117 Church Road, Barnes, South West London, England. The studio is best known for the huge number of famous rock and pop recordings made there from the late 1960s onward....
with engineers Eddie Kramer
Eddie Kramer
Edwin H. Kramer is an audio engineer and producer who has worked with, among others, Led Zeppelin, Triumph, Kiss , Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Spooky Tooth, Peter Frampton, Curtis Mayfield, Santana, Anthrax, Carly Simon, Loudness, and Robin Trower.-1960s:Eddie...
and George Chkiantz
George Chkiantz
George Chkiantz is a recording engineer based in London who has been responsible for the engineering on a number of well-known albums, many of which are considered classics, owing in part to the high quality of the recordings....
. Mason also contributed one composition to the album, "Never Like This", the only song recorded by Family not written by a band member, and the group also backed Mason on the b-side of his February 1968 single "Just For You".
Family made their London debut at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in July 1968, supporting Tim Hardin
Tim Hardin
James Timothy "Tim" Hardin was an American folk musician and composer. He wrote the Top 40 hits "If I Were a Carpenter", covered by, among others, Joan Baez, Bobby Darin, Johnny Cash, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, and Robert Plant, and "Reason to Believe", covered by many, including Rod Stewart, as well...
. Alongside Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
, The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
and The Nice
The Nice
The Nice were an English progressive rock band from the 1960s, known for their blend of rock, jazz and classical music. Their debut album, The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack was released in 1967 to immediate acclaim. It is often considered the first progressive rock album...
, Family quickly became one of the premier attractions on the burgeoning UK psychedelic/progressive "underground" scene. Their lifestyle and exploits during this period provided some of the inspiration for the 1969 novel, Groupie, by Jenny Fabian (who lived in the group's Chelsea house for some time) and Johnny Byrne. Family featured in the book under the pseudonym, 'Relation'.
Music in a Doll's House was released in July 1968 and charted at #35 in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to critical acclaim, thanks to strong support from future BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
. Now widely acknowledged as a classic of British psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
, it showcased many of the stylistic and production features that are archetypal of the genre. The album's highly original sound was characterised by Chapman's vocals, rooted in the blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and R&B, combined with several unusual instruments for a rock band, courtesy of the presence of multi-instrumentalists Grech and King, including saxophones, violin, cello and harmonica.
Family's 1969 follow-up, Family Entertainment
Family Entertainment (Family album)
-Side two:- Personnel :*Roger Chapman: vocals and percussion*John "Charlie" Whitney: guitars, organ*Jim King: vocals, saxophone, piano*Ric Grech: bass, vocals, violin*Rob Townsend: drums and percussion*Nicky Hopkins: piano-Chart positions:...
, toned down the psychedelic experimentation of their previous offering to some extent, reaching #6 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, and featured the single "The Weaver's Answer
The Weaver's Answer
"The Weaver's Answer" is a song by the British progressive rock band Family that is the first track on their 1969 album Family Entertainment.-History:...
", although the group reportedly had no control over the mixing and choice of tracks.
With the UK success of Family's first two albums, the band undertook a tour of the United States in April 1969, but it was beset by problems. Halfway through the tour, Grech unexpectedly left the band to join the new supergroup Blind Faith
Blind Faith
Blind Faith were an English blues-rock band that consisted of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood and Ric Grech. The band, which was one of the first "super-groups", released their only album, Blind Faith, in August 1969...
; on the recommendation of tour manager Peter Grant, Grech was replaced by John Weider
John Weider
John Weider is a rock musician who plays guitar, bass, and violin. He is best known as the bass player for the British band, Family from 1969 to 1971.-Biography:...
, previously of 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...
and 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...
. A further setback occurred during their first concert at Bill Graham's
Bill Graham (promoter)
Bill Graham was an American impresario and rock concert promoter from the 1960s until his death.-Early life:...
Fillmore East
Fillmore East
The Fillmore East was rock promoter Bill Graham's rock venue on Second Avenue near East 6th Street in the East Village neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York City. It was open from 1968 to 1971, and featured some of the biggest acts in rock music at the time...
, whilst sharing the bill with Ten Years After
Ten Years After
Ten Years After is an English blues-rock band, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1968 and 1973, Ten Years After scored eight Top 40 albums on the UK Albums Chart...
and The Nice
The Nice
The Nice were an English progressive rock band from the 1960s, known for their blend of rock, jazz and classical music. Their debut album, The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack was released in 1967 to immediate acclaim. It is often considered the first progressive rock album...
- during his stage routine, Chapman lost control of his microphone stand, which flew in Graham's direction, an act Graham took to be deliberate; Chapman performed the following shows with his hands by his sides, and by the end of the tour he had lost his voice; Family's reputation in the US never recovered and they ultimately never achieved great recognition there.
Returning to the UK, the band performed at The Rolling Stones' Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
gig and the Isle of Wight Festival
Isle of Wight Festival
The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...
that summer. In late 1969, Jim King was asked to leave Family due to "erratic behaviour" and was replaced by multi-instrumentalist John "Poli" Palmer.
Later years (1970–1973)
In 1970, Family played a few more gigs in the United States, appearing in San Francisco and BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. In early 1970, Family released their third studio album, A Song for Me
A Song for Me
-Side two:- Additional Tracks on the February 2007 Re-release :# "No Mules Fool"# "Good Friend Of Mine"# "Drowned In Wine" # "Cat And The Rat" # "Wheels" # "Song For Me" -Personnel:*Roger Chapman – vocals, percussion...
; produced by the band, it became the highest charting album the band released, reaching #4 on the UK Albums Chart. The album itself was a blend of hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
and folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
. Family's new lineup played at major rock festivals that summer, including the Kralingen Festival in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and the Isle of Wight Festival for the second year in a row. The band appeared in the documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
Message to Love
Message to Love
Message to Love is a feature documentary film of the Isle of Wight Festival 1970. The film unsparingly, often comically depicts the myriad problems associated with the famously chaotic festival—the main program of which was held on August 26–30, 1970—including gate-crashing, numerous crowd...
about the latter festival.
Family's follow up album Anyway
Anyway
-Side Two:Family's single "In My Own Time" was added to the American edition of Anyway when it was released by United Artists Records in 1971.-Personnel:Side One: Fairfield Halls, Croydon*Roger Chapman - vocals and percussion...
, released in late 1970, had its first half consist of new material recorded live at Fairfield Hall in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, England, with the second half a set of new songs recorded in the studio, and reached #7 on the UK chart. In March 1971 the compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Old Songs New Songs
Old Songs New Songs
-Side two:-Personnel:*John Weider - bass, violin*John Whitney - guitar*Poli Palmer - keyboards*Rob Townsend - drums, percussion*Roger Chapman - vocals*Ric Grech - bass and/or cello where indicated by +...
, was released, but in June Weider left Family to join Stud
Stud (band)
Stud is a British rock band from the early 1970s, that featured two members of Taste - bassist Charlie McCracken and drummer John Wilson - along with two members of Family - former bass guitarist John Weider and future bass player, Jim Cregan.Never a very...
. He was replaced by former Mogul Thrash
Mogul Thrash
Mogul Thrash was a progressive rock band from the United Kingdom active in the early 1970s.-Biography:British jazz-rock band Mogul Thrash evolved from James Litherland's Brotherhood, which in addition to guitarist Litherland also featured guitarist/reedist Michael Rosen , drummer Bill Harrison and...
bassist John Wetton
John Wetton
John Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...
, who had just declined an invitation from Robert Fripp to join King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
.
As with Grech in Family's original lineup, Wetton also shared vocal duties with Chapman, and this line-up soon released Family's highest-charting single "In My Own Time/Seasons" which reached #4, and the album Fearless
Fearless (Family album)
Fearless was the fifth album from the British rock band Family, which was released in October 1971. It was known for its innovative layered-page album headshots of the band's members melding into a single blur.-Reception:...
in October 1971, which charted in both the UK and the US. In 1972, another album, Bandstand
Bandstand (album)
-Side two:The CD release on Mystic Records also contains the following bonus tracks:* "The Rockin Rs" - original B side of "Burlesque"* "No Mule's Fool" * "Good News - Bad News" * "Weavers Answer" -Personnel:...
was released, which leaned more towards hard rock than art rock, featuring the singles "Burlesque" in late 1972, and "My Friend the Sun", which was released in early 1973.
In mid-1972, John Wetton left Family to join a new lineup of King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
and was replaced by bassist Jim Cregan
Jim Cregan
Jim Cregan, born James Cregan, 9 March 1946, Yeovil, Somerset, England is an English rock guitarist and bassist who best known for his associations with Family, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel and Rod Stewart. Cregan is a former husband of the singer Linda Lewis and worked with her as a record producer...
, and at the end of that year John "Poli" Palmer also left the band and was replaced by keyboardist Tony Ashton
Tony Ashton
Tony Ashton was an English rock pianist, keyboardist, singer, composer, producer and artist.-Biography:...
, previously of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke
Ashton, Gardner and Dyke
Ashton, Gardner and Dyke were a power rock trio, most popular in the early 1970s. They are best remembered for their song, "Resurrection Shuffle", a transatlantic Top 40 success in 1971...
. After Wetton's departure (but before Palmer's exit) Family toured the United States and Canada as the support act for Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, but their performances were often greeted with silence and Poli Palmer later recalled that "the only clapping in this huge stadium would be the guys doing the PA".
In 1973, Family released the largely ignored It's Only a Movie
It's Only a Movie
-Side two:Details taken from cover of vinyl release of 1973.The CD release on Mystic Records also contains the following bonus tracks:All of the above by Whitney/Chapman.*Hometown*Holding the Compass *The Weaver's Answer *Dim...
(and on their own label, Raft, distributed by Warner/Reprise), which would be their last studio album, followed by another tour.
Family gave their final concert at Leicester Polytechnic on October 13, 1973. The band never reformed, but instead many of its members went onto different musical projects; Roger Chapman and John "Charlie" Whitney formed the band Streetwalkers
Streetwalkers
Streetwalkers were an English rock band formed in late 1973 by two former members of Family, vocalist Roger Chapman and guitarist John "Charlie" Whitney...
; John Wetton played with King Crimson eventually became the lead singer of the band Asia
Asia (band)
Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a supergroup as it included former members of several veteran progressive rock bands, namely John Wetton , Geoff Downes , Steve Howe and Carl Palmer Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a...
. Rob Townsend was a member of Medicine Head
Medicine Head
Medicine Head were a British blues rock band, active in the 1970s. Their biggest single success was in 1973, with "One and One is One", a Number 3 hit in the UK Singles Chart.-Main personnel:The group worked as a duo for most of its career, consisting of...
between 1973 and 1975. Ric Grech died of kidney and liver failure in 1990 at the age of 43, as a result of alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
. Tony Ashton died in 2001 at the age of 55 of cancer.
Music
Family's sound was distinguished by several factors. The vocals of Roger Chapman, described as a "bleating vibrato" and an "electric goat", were considered unique, although Chapman was trying to emulate the voices of R&B and soulSoul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singers Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
and Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, with some reviewers noting however that Chapman's voice could be grating and irritating occasionally. John "Charlie" Whitney was an accomplished and innovative guitarist, and Family's often complex song arrangements were made possible through having multi-instrumentalists like Ric Grech and Jim King in the band and access to electronic keyboards such as the Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
and the new Mellotron
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
. The band's sound has been variously described as progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
, acid rock
Acid rock
Acid rock is a form of psychedelic rock, which is characterized with long instrumental solos, few lyrics and musical improvisation. Tom Wolfe describes the LSD-influenced music of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Iron Butterfly, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Cream,...
, folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
, jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
, not to mention "British art rock," and hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
.
Family were particularly known for their live performances; one reviewer describing the band as "as one of the wildest, most innovative groups of the underground rock scene", noting that they produced "some of the rawest, most intense performances on stage in rock history" and "that the Jimi Hendrix Experience were afraid to follow them at festivals".
Family was an influence on Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
, with Ian Anderson
Ian Anderson (musician)
Ian Scott Anderson, MBE is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work as the leader and flautist of British rock band Jethro Tull.-Early life:...
noting that the band were particularly underrated. Both in his vocal sound and style and his dramatic stage presentation, Chapman was also a strong early influence on Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
.
Musicians
- Roger ChapmanRoger ChapmanRoger Chapman , also known as Roger "Chappo" Chapman and Chappo, is an English rock vocalist. He is best known as a member of the Progressive rock band Family, which he joined along with Charlie Whitney, in 1967 and also the rock, R&B band Streetwalkers formed in 1974...
- vocals, harmonica, tenor saxophone, percussion (1967–1973) - John "Charlie" Whitney - guitars, sitar, keyboards (1967–1973)
- Jim KingJim King (saxophonist)Jim King was an original member of the British rock band, Family. He played saxophone and harmonica, and sang occasional lead vocals on the band's first two albums, Music in a Doll's House and Family Entertainment. King also sang the entire lead vocal on "Observations From a Hill", a song on the...
- saxophones, harmonica, tin whistle, piano, vocals (1967–1969) - Ric GrechRic GrechRichard Roman Grech was a British rock musician.-Career:Grech originally gained notice in the United Kingdom as the bass guitar player for the progressive rock group Family. He joined the band when it was a largely blues-based live act in Leicester known as the Farinas; he became their bassist in...
- bass, violin, cello, vocals (1967–1969) - Harry Ovenall - drums, percussion (1967)
- Rob TownsendRob TownsendRob Townsend is a British rock and blues drummer. He was influenced by jazz greats such as Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa and is best known for being the drummer for progressive rock band Family and later The Blues Band....
- drums, percussion (1967–1973) - John WeiderJohn WeiderJohn Weider is a rock musician who plays guitar, bass, and violin. He is best known as the bass player for the British band, Family from 1969 to 1971.-Biography:...
- bass, guitar, violin (1969–1971) - John "Poli" Palmer - keyboards, flute, vibraphone, synthesisers (1969–1972)
- John WettonJohn WettonJohn Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...
- bass, guitar, vocals (1971–1972) - Jim CreganJim CreganJim Cregan, born James Cregan, 9 March 1946, Yeovil, Somerset, England is an English rock guitarist and bassist who best known for his associations with Family, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel and Rod Stewart. Cregan is a former husband of the singer Linda Lewis and worked with her as a record producer...
- bass, guitars (1972–73) - Tony AshtonTony AshtonTony Ashton was an English rock pianist, keyboardist, singer, composer, producer and artist.-Biography:...
- keyboards, accordion, mellotron, vocals (1972–1973)
Session musicians
- Dave MasonDave MasonDavid Thomas "Dave" Mason is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Worcester, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic...
- keyboards, bass, guitar (on Music in a Doll's House) - Nicky HopkinsNicky HopkinsNicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
- keyboards (on Family Entertainment)
Producers
- John GilbertJohn GilbertJohn Gilbert may refer to:*John Gilbert , Bishop of Hereford, 1375–1389*John Gilbert , Archbishop of York*John Gilbert , land agent and engineer...
- Music in a Doll's House and Family Entertainment (executive producer) - Dave MasonDave MasonDavid Thomas "Dave" Mason is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Worcester, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic...
- Music in a Doll's House - Jimmy MillerJimmy Miller (producer)James "Jimmy" Miller was a Brooklyn, New York-born record producer and musician who produced dozens of albums between the mid-1960s and early 1990s, including landmark recordings for Blind Faith, Traffic, the Plasmatics, Motorhead, The World Bank and Primal Scream...
- Music in a Doll's House - Glyn JohnsGlyn JohnsGlyn Johns is a musician, recording engineer and record producer.-Career:He has worked with such artists as Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Easybeats, The Band, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Eric Clapton, The Clash, The Steve Miller Band, Small Faces, Spooky Tooth, The Ozark...
- Family Entertainment - George ChkiantzGeorge ChkiantzGeorge Chkiantz is a recording engineer based in London who has been responsible for the engineering on a number of well-known albums, many of which are considered classics, owing in part to the high quality of the recordings....
- A Song for Me, Anyway, Fearless, Bandstand, It's Only a Movie
Studio albums
- Music in a Doll's HouseMusic in a Doll's House-Side two:- Personnel :* Roger Chapman – lead vocals, harmonica, tenor saxophone* John "Charlie" Whitney – lead guitar, steel guitar* Jim King – tenor and soprano saxophone, harmonica, vocals* Ric Grech – bass guitar, violin, cello, vocals...
(UK & US Reprise, 1968) - Family EntertainmentFamily Entertainment (Family album)-Side two:- Personnel :*Roger Chapman: vocals and percussion*John "Charlie" Whitney: guitars, organ*Jim King: vocals, saxophone, piano*Ric Grech: bass, vocals, violin*Rob Townsend: drums and percussion*Nicky Hopkins: piano-Chart positions:...
(UK & US Reprise, 1969) - A Song for MeA Song for Me-Side two:- Additional Tracks on the February 2007 Re-release :# "No Mules Fool"# "Good Friend Of Mine"# "Drowned In Wine" # "Cat And The Rat" # "Wheels" # "Song For Me" -Personnel:*Roger Chapman – vocals, percussion...
(UK & US Reprise, 1970) - Anyway (UK Reprise & US United Artists, 1970)
- Old Songs New SongsOld Songs New Songs-Side two:-Personnel:*John Weider - bass, violin*John Whitney - guitar*Poli Palmer - keyboards*Rob Townsend - drums, percussion*Roger Chapman - vocals*Ric Grech - bass and/or cello where indicated by +...
(single tracks and remixed album tracks) (UK Reprise, 1971 - not issued in the US) - FearlessFearless (Family album)Fearless was the fifth album from the British rock band Family, which was released in October 1971. It was known for its innovative layered-page album headshots of the band's members melding into a single blur.-Reception:...
(UK Reprise & US United Artists, 1971) - BandstandBandstand (album)-Side two:The CD release on Mystic Records also contains the following bonus tracks:* "The Rockin Rs" - original B side of "Burlesque"* "No Mule's Fool" * "Good News - Bad News" * "Weavers Answer" -Personnel:...
(UK Reprise & US United Artists, 1972) - It's Only a MovieIt's Only a Movie-Side two:Details taken from cover of vinyl release of 1973.The CD release on Mystic Records also contains the following bonus tracks:All of the above by Whitney/Chapman.*Hometown*Holding the Compass *The Weaver's Answer *Dim...
(UK Raft & US United Artists, 1973)
External links
- Family at MusicBrainzMusicBrainzMusicBrainz is a project that aims to create an open content music database. Similar to the freedb project, it was founded in response to the restrictions placed on the CDDB...
- Family at Rate Your MusicRate Your MusicRate Your Music is a metadata database where musical albums, EPs, singles, videos, bootlegs, and movies are rated and reviewed by users. This data is then used to generate recommendations for users and to create rated lists of albums...
- 45rpm.org.uk - a Family biography
- A Family Affair - reviews of Family albums
- Zeitgeist - reviews of Family albums
- Leicester Bands - interviews with Family band members
- Family Bandstand - a Family site with audio, video
- [ Family] at Allmusic