Kris Ife
Encyclopedia
Kris Ife is an English
singer and songwriter
, who enjoyed modest success on the British
pop
scene in the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for recording
a version
of "Hush", which inspired Deep Purple
's hit
cover of the same song
.
near Wendover
. Ife moved to London
and attended St. Clement Danes School
in Acton
, and it was whilst at school that he formed a skiffle
group
called the Gravediggers.
After leaving school he started a group called the Vikings with John Howell and Ray Hailey. The Vikings recorded "Space Walk", produced
by Curly Clayton which was not released under their name, but turned up some years later under the name of "Gemini" and with a different producer listed, although the recording was the same.
In 1964, the Vikings manager
, John Smith, amalgamated them with The Quiet 5, taking their lead vocalist
Patrick Dane and bassist
Richard Barnes, along with the name. Dane left some time later, before the Quiet Five had recorded anything. Despite their name there we six members, John Howell (organ
/vocals), Kris Ife (guitar
/vocals), Richard Barnes
(bass guitar
/vocals), Roger McKew (lead guitar
), Ray Hailey (drum
s) and John "Satch" Goswell (saxophone
). During their time together the Quiet Five released a handful of singles
and managed to get into the Top 50 of the UK Singles Chart
in 1965 with a song written by Ife, "When the Morning Sun Dries the Dew" and then again in 1966 with a cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Homeward Bound
".
The Quiet Five played at Windsor Castle
at a party for Prince Charles
' 18th birthday in December 1966, and subsequently they played on the 'Society Circuit', including the Royal Hunt Ball and the Venice Film Festival
.
Ife left The Quiet Five in 1967 and went solo
, and it was at this time that he recorded a cover of Joe South
's "Hush", which later inspired Deep Purple's 1968 hit.
Ife was asked to sing a track "Imagination" for the British record producer
Mark Wirtz
, and was also writing songs with J. Vincent Edwards and Miki Antony (Michael Derrick). Ife put together a session
band which developed into the Matchmakers, to record material for Wirtz. Wirtz also recorded and produced the Judd album, Snarling Mumma Lion, which was co-written by Ife. Ife also recorded a few obscure, early 1970s Righteous Brothers
styled singles
with J. Vincent Edwards, under the name Jackson & Jones.
Most of Ife's recordings were released as Hush - Definitive Collection 1967-1973 on RPM Records, which included "Hush", the Judd album, Jackson & Jones singles and an unreleased track from his American
history concept album
. The Quiet Five recordings are on the CD
, When the Morning Sun Dries the Dew, also on RPM Records.
He is still writing and recording music. In October 2008 he went to Philadelphia, U.S.
, and recorded
a CD of skiffle
songs with J. Vincent Edwards and Wayne S. Newton, under the name of The Beaver Street Hat Band. The resultant album, 'Beaver Street', is available through their website
www.hat-band.com.
Ife has traced the family-tree back to the 16th century, discovering that Ife is an old Suffolk
word for a yew
tree.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, who enjoyed modest success on the British
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...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
scene in the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
a version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Hush", which inspired Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
's hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
cover of the same song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
.
Career
Ife's father was based at RAF HaltonRAF Halton
RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Halton.-History:...
near Wendover
Wendover
Wendover is a market town that sits at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England. It is also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district...
. Ife moved to 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 attended St. Clement Danes School
St. Clement Danes School
St. Clement Danes School is a mixed, voluntary-aided, comprehensive school in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire.-Admissions:It has specialist status for languages and science and takes students aged 11 through to 18 ....
in Acton
Acton, London
Acton is a district of west London, England, located in the London Borough of Ealing. It is situated west of Charing Cross.At the time of the 2001 census, Acton, comprising the wards of East Acton, Acton Central, South Acton and Southfield, had a population of 53,689 people...
, and it was whilst at school that he formed a skiffle
Skiffle
Skiffle is a type of popular music with jazz, blues, folk, roots and country influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a term in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century, it became popular again in the UK in the 1950s, where it was mainly...
group
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...
called the Gravediggers.
After leaving school he started a group called the Vikings with John Howell and Ray Hailey. The Vikings recorded "Space Walk", produced
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...
by Curly Clayton which was not released under their name, but turned up some years later under the name of "Gemini" and with a different producer listed, although the recording was the same.
In 1964, the Vikings 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...
, John Smith, amalgamated them with The Quiet 5, taking their lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
Patrick Dane and bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Richard Barnes, along with the name. Dane left some time later, before the Quiet Five had recorded anything. Despite their name there we six members, John Howell (organ
Electric organ
In biology, the electric organ is an organ common to all electric fish used for the purposes of creating an electric field. The electric organ is derived from modified nerve or muscle tissue...
/vocals), Kris Ife (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
/vocals), Richard Barnes
Richard Barnes (musician)
Richard Barnes was a British singer who saw limited chart success in the early 1970s.-Career:Barnes was a vocalist with the UK pop group the Quiet Five before departing for a solo career in 1969. Over the next four years he cut a handful of pop records before launching a career in the musical...
(bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
/vocals), Roger McKew (lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
), Ray Hailey (drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s) and John "Satch" Goswell (saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
). During their time together the Quiet Five released a handful of singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and managed to get into the Top 50 of the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1965 with a song written by Ife, "When the Morning Sun Dries the Dew" and then again in 1966 with a cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Homeward Bound
Homeward Bound (song)
"Homeward Bound" is an American folk song written by Paul Simon, performed by Simon and Garfunkel, produced by Bob Johnston and recorded on December 14, 1965. The song describes his longing to return home, both to his then girlfriend, Kathy Chitty in Brentwood, Essex, England, and to return to the...
".
The Quiet Five played at Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
at a party for Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
' 18th birthday in December 1966, and subsequently they played on the 'Society Circuit', including the Royal Hunt Ball and the Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
.
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
, and it was at this time that he recorded a cover of Joe South
Joe South
Joe South is a multi-talented American singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Career:...
's "Hush", which later inspired Deep Purple's 1968 hit.
Ife was asked to sing a track "Imagination" for the British 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...
Mark Wirtz
Mark Wirtz
Mark P. Wirtz is an Alsatian born pop music record producer, composer, singer, musician, author, and stand-up comedian. As a producer, Wirtz's most famous output is from the mid to late 1960s, when he worked at Abbey Road Studios with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, under contract to EMI...
, and was also writing songs with J. Vincent Edwards and Miki Antony (Michael Derrick). Ife put together a session
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
band which developed into the Matchmakers, to record material for Wirtz. Wirtz also recorded and produced the Judd album, Snarling Mumma Lion, which was co-written by Ife. Ife also recorded a few obscure, early 1970s Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers were the musical duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield. They recorded from 1963 through 1975, and continued to perform until Hatfield's death in 2003...
styled singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
with J. Vincent Edwards, under the name Jackson & Jones.
Most of Ife's recordings were released as Hush - Definitive Collection 1967-1973 on RPM Records, which included "Hush", the Judd album, Jackson & Jones singles and an unreleased track from his American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
history concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
. The Quiet Five recordings are on the CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, When the Morning Sun Dries the Dew, also on RPM Records.
He is still writing and recording music. In October 2008 he went to Philadelphia, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and recorded
a CD of skiffle
Skiffle
Skiffle is a type of popular music with jazz, blues, folk, roots and country influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a term in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century, it became popular again in the UK in the 1950s, where it was mainly...
songs with J. Vincent Edwards and Wayne S. Newton, under the name of The Beaver Street Hat Band. The resultant album, 'Beaver Street', is available through their website
www.hat-band.com.
Ife has traced the family-tree back to the 16th century, discovering that Ife is an old Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
word for a yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
tree.
External links
- [ Allmusic.com]