Popa Chubby
Encyclopedia
Ted Horowitz who plays under the stage name of Popa Chubby (a play on the slang
idiom "pop a chubby", meaning to get an erection
), is an American
electric blues
singer, songwriter, and guitarist.
and started playing guitar
. Although he grew up in the 1970s, Horowitz was influenced by artists of the 1960s, including Jimi Hendrix
and Cream
, among others. In his early twenties, although he mainly played blues music, he also worked as backing for punk rock
poet Richard Hell
. Horowitz first came to public attention after winning a national blues talent search sponsored by KLON, a public radio station in Long Beach, California
. He won the New Artist of the Year award and as a result was chosen as the opening act at the Long Beach Blues Festival
in 1992.
Horowitz played more than 200 club dates a year through the 1990s. His Sony
/Okeh debut, Booty and the Beast, was produced by Atlantic Records
engineer/producer Tom Dowd
, who worked on recordings for artists such as Aretha Franklin
, Ray Charles
, and Wilson Pickett
.
In 1994, Horowitz released several albums on his own Laughing Bear label, including It's Chubby Time and Gas Money, before he obtained a recording contract with Sony Music/Okeh Records for Booty and the Beast, his first major-label album, which was released in 1995. In 1996, was released a live recording of Horowitz's, Hit the High Hard One. Two years later, One Million Broken Guitars was released on Lightyear Records; Brooklyn Basement Blues followed in 1999.
In 2000, Horowitz signed with the Blind Pig
label and released How'd a White Boy Get the Blues? in 2001. The disc turned out to be a slight departure from Horowitz's usual musical direction, incorporating elements of contemporary pop
and hip-hop. The Good, the Bad and the Chubby, released in 2002, was an example of the development of Horowitz's songwriting skills and included the 9/11 commentary "Somebody Let the Devil Out." Blind Pig released a collection of early Horowitz recordings, The Hungry Years, in 2003. A year later, Horowitz released Peace, Love and Respect.
Two albums previously available only in France - Live at FIP and Wild - were compiled by the Blind Pig label and released as Big Man, Big Guitar in 2005, followed by Stealing the Devil's Guitar a year later. The Fight Is On, was Horowitz's first studio album after a two-year hiatus. It was released in February 2010 on the Provogue label in Europe, and Blind Pig in North America. A world tour followed.
In 2008, Horowitz and his life partner Galea, recorded Vicious Country, which was released on the Dixiefrog label. Vicious Country was chosen as 'Record of the Week' by the French Canal+
television station in March 2009.
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
idiom "pop a chubby", meaning to get an erection
Erection
Penile erection is a physiological phenomenon where the penis becomes enlarged and firm. Penile erection is the result of a complex interaction of psychological, neural, vascular and endocrine factors, and is usually, though not exclusively, associated with sexual arousal...
), is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
electric blues
Electric blues
Electric blues is a type of blues music distinguished by the amplification of the guitar, bass guitar, drums, and often the harmonica. Pioneered in the 1930s, it emerged as a genre in Chicago in the 1940s. It was taken up in many areas of America leading to the development of regional subgenres...
singer, songwriter, and guitarist.
Life and career
Born the son of a candy store owner, at age thirteen Horowitz began playing drums; shortly thereafter, he began listening to the music of the Rolling StonesThe 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...
and started playing 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...
. Although he grew up in the 1970s, Horowitz was influenced by artists of the 1960s, including Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
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...
, among others. In his early twenties, although he mainly played blues music, he also worked as backing for punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
poet Richard Hell
Richard Hell
Richard Hell is a singer, songwriter, bass guitarist, and writer.Richard Hell was an innovator of punk music and fashion. He was one of the first to spike his hair and wear torn, cut and drawn-on shirts, often held together with safety pins...
. Horowitz first came to public attention after winning a national blues talent search sponsored by KLON, a public radio station in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. He won the New Artist of the Year award and as a result was chosen as the opening act at the Long Beach Blues Festival
Long Beach Blues Festival
The Long Beach Blues Festival, in Long Beach, California, was established in full in 1980, and is one of the largest Blues festivals and is the second oldest on the West Coast . It is held on Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend. For many years it was held on the athletic field on the...
in 1992.
Horowitz played more than 200 club dates a year through the 1990s. His Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
/Okeh debut, Booty and the Beast, was produced by Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
engineer/producer Tom Dowd
Tom Dowd
Tom Dowd was an American recording engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. He was credited with innovating the multi-track recording method. Dowd worked on a virtual "who's who" of recordings that encompassed blues, jazz, pop, rock and soul records.- Early years :Born in Manhattan, Dowd grew...
, who worked on recordings for artists such as Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, 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...
, and Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...
.
In 1994, Horowitz released several albums on his own Laughing Bear label, including It's Chubby Time and Gas Money, before he obtained a recording contract with Sony Music/Okeh Records for Booty and the Beast, his first major-label album, which was released in 1995. In 1996, was released a live recording of Horowitz's, Hit the High Hard One. Two years later, One Million Broken Guitars was released on Lightyear Records; Brooklyn Basement Blues followed in 1999.
In 2000, Horowitz signed with the Blind Pig
Blind Pig Records
Blind Pig Records is an American blues record label.Blind Pig was formed in 1977 in Ann Arbor, Michigan by Jerry Del Giudice, owner of the Blind Pig Cafe, and his friend Edward Chmelewski. The label is now based in San Francisco...
label and released How'd a White Boy Get the Blues? in 2001. The disc turned out to be a slight departure from Horowitz's usual musical direction, incorporating elements of contemporary pop
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
and hip-hop. The Good, the Bad and the Chubby, released in 2002, was an example of the development of Horowitz's songwriting skills and included the 9/11 commentary "Somebody Let the Devil Out." Blind Pig released a collection of early Horowitz recordings, The Hungry Years, in 2003. A year later, Horowitz released Peace, Love and Respect.
Two albums previously available only in France - Live at FIP and Wild - were compiled by the Blind Pig label and released as Big Man, Big Guitar in 2005, followed by Stealing the Devil's Guitar a year later. The Fight Is On, was Horowitz's first studio album after a two-year hiatus. It was released in February 2010 on the Provogue label in Europe, and Blind Pig in North America. A world tour followed.
In 2008, Horowitz and his life partner Galea, recorded Vicious Country, which was released on the Dixiefrog label. Vicious Country was chosen as 'Record of the Week' by the French Canal+
Canal+
Canal+ is a French premium pay television channel launched in 1984. It is 80% owned by the Canal+ Group, which in turn is owned by Vivendi SA. The channel broadcasts several kinds of programming, mostly encrypted...
television station in March 2009.
Discography
- The Hungry Years (a collection of early material)
- Gas Money (1994)
- Booty and the Beast (1995)
- Hit the High Hard One (Live) (1995)
- The First Cuts (1996)
- One Million Broken Guitars (1997)
- Brooklyn Basement Blues (1999)
- One Night Live In New York City (Live) (2000)
- How'd a White Boy Get the Blues? (2000)
- Flashed Back (feat. Galea) (2001)
- The Good, the Bad and the Chubby (2002)
- Live at FIP (2003)
- Popa Chubby and Friends Play Muddy, Willie and More (2003)
- Peace, Love and Respect (2004)
- Wild Live (2005)
- Big Man, Big Guitar - Popa Chubby Live (2005)
- Stealing the Devil's Guitar (2006)
- Electric Chubbyland (2006, 3CD box set)
- Deliveries After Dark (2007)
- Vicious Country (2008)
- The Fight Is on (2010)
- Back to New York City (2011)
DVDs
- Popa Chubby in Concert - Ohne Filter - Musik Pur (2002)
- The Official Popa Chubby DVD - Live Performances - Interviews - Video Clips - Extras (2002)
- Popa Chubby - Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix - At the File 7 - Electric Chubbyland (2007)