Roger Chapman and FAMILY 1969

[zakalon123]

Family were the best band of the sixties. But like when B Jones left the Stones, they were never as good musically. They should never have got rid of King. He was the cornerstone of the band. Don't agree with burgersoff FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT was there best album..

They went downhill when they tried to go " rock".

But I blame Grech defection at a critical moment on their debut American tour: I blame hi for Familys demise. He ruined a brilliant band in my opinion.

[Foxglove963]

Ah, I lived in Chelsea awhile, Notting Hill too, nowhere also. Seen the Family at the Rolling Stones in Hyde Park gig, excellent performance it was, so hurray for Roger Chapman.

[GreyMountainMan]

Can someone PLEASE upload 'Riot on the Western Front'?!!!!!

[fidomusic]

Wish there were more videos of Jim King with Family. The only ones I've seen are this one and 'Me My Friend' from 68.

[Anarkosia]

I heard them, Roskilde 1972, great!

[lifereguard]

Anyone recall 'We're going to turn the whole world on?'

can't find it. Pretty sure I heard them play it at the Roundhouse way back, but it was a very wrecked time so maybe I'm wrong.

[evajom1]

@lifereguard I think you mean "How Hi the Li". its on "Family Entertainment"

"we only want to turn the whole world on" is the final line of the song.

I loved the Roundhouse.

[lifereguard]

@evajom1 That was the one! Beautiful, clocked it from the first chord. Thanks for that. Yea what a time, Roundhouse, The Electric Cinema, Finches on Portobello when you needed to score, very fond memories.

[harpfelt]

@lifereguard nice comment, we were in the same world, as you say, fond memories. only a diferent part of the country. cheers.

[AK2927]

Nice polo neck Rog!

[Teofilovich]

I luv eating my coco pops to this song......is it just me?

[kweniwastada]

simply good stuff,nice tune and in a perfect snitt for them days

the Family band is great,so as well their frontman.....

40 years later inbetween since , still no equivalent showed up...

In a way it makes me wonder.....

[retroperitoneal]

anybody know of a song by chapman called shotgun messiah and how i may get a listen

[floody38]

hi yes........the songs on the streetwalkers red card album....great album should be able to check it out on strretwalkers website....hope you get a listen .

[bluesfunky009]

@retroperitoneal  its on cd called vicous but fare 1977

[garygomesg]

I thought all the Family albums (except It's Only a Movie) were phenomenal, whereas Movie was showing wear and tear--Cregan and Ashton, though good, were not as good as who they replaced, and the band was not as creative.

[hegelec]

Again, another song where the normally annoying Chappo vibrato is employed really tastefully.  Good song, good performance. Good stuff.

[burgersoft777]

"It's from Family Entertainment Stinky. Some consider it their best album, some Music In A Doll's House, but I prefer the later, more sophisticated stuff like Bandstand and It's Only a Movie. "

]I always felt that Music in a dolls house was their most acid record the others are stronger on straight blues. In fact it took me years to appreciate the other records which have some great moments.

[thehellhecould]

Great live band but no-one could figure out what they were. They were so eclectic and Chapman was a scary frontman if you were too near the stage. Music in a Dolls House was their first and best album

[NoraCollins]

Why did Chapman throw King out of the band? He was so integral to the great sound of the first two Family albums! Was there a personality conflict or did anything happen? Was Grech's departure to Blind Faith anything to do with it?

[dretety]

King had a lot of troubles with his mind, he was quite unwell and was asked to leave for the good of the band.

[fidomusic]

@dretety I also heard this. King apparently became unreliable, not showing up for studio session etc. It is sad because he was just great with the band, especially his sax playing on Songs like Weaver's Answer and A Song for Me. With King there was no one to beat Family live. He read somewhere he is still around and living in Cheshire and still playing music.

[Gowerwanderer]

I heard the Family in this same year, at the Albert Hall. They were good. This may be the same concert.

[dretety]

the albert hall concert had jazz sax master tubby hayes play the sax solo spot on old songs new songs.

[AK2927]

I don't think this is from a concert...it looks like a promo or a TV spot (especially as Chappo changes from a polo neck to a shirt after forty seconds!)

[stinkboat]

I'm not sure I ever really got Family although I like this wee number. Chapman's Voice, especially later..you either loved it or didn't.

What album is this off though, I could get into more of this.

[AK2927]

It's from Family Entertainment Stinky. Some consider it their best album, some Music In A Doll's House, but I prefer the later, more sophisticated stuff like Bandstand and It's Only a Movie.

[stinkboat]

Stinky?!! I really like that..made me laugh. Could be my new name. I wasn't dissing Family by the by. I've got more into them since watching this and some of their stuff is really great, some I'm still not so sure about.

[AK2927]

It's OK, I don't have a cerebral haemorrage like some people around here do just because someone's taste isn't exactly the same as mine. Family were always an acquired taste - I was disappointed with evry album when it came out, but each one grew and grew on me, and I love them all. They're real growers.

[cottageorgan]

I know..what is that about? You get on Youtube and people turn into defensive, uptight freaks, sometimes even when you are agreeing with them! I was stalked on the net by some guy who flipped because I said "After Bathing at Baxter's" by JA. was a pile of kak! I've been listening to Family Entertainment and Music in a Dolls House loads recently and have got more into them. I also checked that crazed movie Glastonbury Fayre on google. Family are like some wild pre punk grunge machine..right on!

[idtonks1]

I don't get this, he sounds like a sheep on crack, the music is very basic at best, but i can not stop playing it....

[redrick2030]

Chapman's voice and Family in general are an acquired taste. I didn't like them at first either. But when you "get them", it's really cool stuff.

[159121921]

can any body please post MY FRIEND THE SUN

[boobcube]

How 'bout that guy from Pavlov's Dog, David Surkamp? Interesting vibrato there

[valentynesuite]

there aren't too much great singers like Chappo is my man!!!!

[fidomusic]

I saw Family many times. In their first two years they were the BEST live group. They were never as good after Jim King left.

[Japlick]

Great song, but i've always wondered how the lead singer goes from wearing a shirt to a jumper in the space of a few minutes..

[theslice2]

Japlick.. i watched this many times and i never spotted that.... i feel silly now...

[stinkboat]

Too true, what a quick change. The camera moves to the rest of the band and Chapman furiously struggles out of an implausibly tight polo neck to appear seconds later unruffled with not a hair out of place and continues singing..now that's rock n roll..or maybe just editing and bad continuity. It was the '60's!

[codeinestation]

That's something I have always wondered about!

[Japlick]

Exactly..can't someone ask Chapman?

[therealdonm]

Of course Dim is still available on CD on the awesome Family entertainment album which has is stillin print. The track also plays over the credits with footage from the Family Music from the Vaults DVD. Funny when they call Family a forgotten band, not a month has gone by in 35 years that I haven't played a few tunes of theirs !

[uclrichard]

can't stop playing this clip. what a groove it has.

just occured to me that the next best vibrato vocalist after chapman is probably michael stipe.

i suppose the two share a certain virtuosity, wouldn't you all agree?

[uclrichard]

thanks for information.

[uclrichard]

what's this track called - it's brilliant.

[Heintz0]

i think it's called DIM , if i'm wrong someone tell me =P.

[dretety]

DIM it's in the title upload.

[uclrichard]

what a christmas pressie. just as well i wasn't around in the early 70s. whenever i hear this masterpiece i start dancing (badly) in a very camp, bowieish way...god this is cool..

[mrgoldthorpe]

Jim King has lived in Macclesfield for well over a decade. We occasionally speak when we see each other: he used to lodge here with my OH, about 12+ years ago.

My OH saw Jim a few months ago, telling him I'd bought a couple of Family CDs from Amazon. He wasn't impressed, prefering to forget Family - he says he's more into classical now and composing his own music. He's rather quiet and reclusive, I think his early 'habits' took theor toll on him.

[dretety]

i have much of his latter day stuff, for a price.

[uclrichard]

more wonders from the world's most forgotten rock band. thanks dretety.

[Havanagold]

Outstanding!!

Thank you Mr dretety!

[dretety]

thanks mate

[therealdonm]

Would be wonderful to hear the whereabouts of Mr. J. King. As well has anyoner heard any recent news of Charlie Whitney?

[marcnoeljohnson]

What even happened to Jim King, is he still alive? I'd love to know what he did after Family, he just never resurfaced, to my knowledge.

[bansteadpostie]

check out fleetwood mac'oh well',it precedes this act.that roger bloke sure has a good voice!

[fishdeschois]

This is a great country-rock tune, love Charlie Whitney's pick-and-grin style. But can anyone tell me what the heck "I'll go on 'round to the 46" means? Is that a British expression of some sort?

[marcnoeljohnson]

'Go on round to the 46' refers to the address in London where Family lived in the late '60s, 46 Lots Road in Chelsea.

[fishdeschois]

Thanks for the info, Marc! :-)

[marcnoeljohnson]

Check out a book called 'Groupie' by Jenny Fabian for more on that whole West London 'underground' scene of the time, Family are in it wholesale but obviously not mentioned by name.

[fishdeschois]

Oh yeah, they were called "Relation" in that book. ;-)

[claudesword]

i first seen this on sound of the 60's a good few years back! its a great line up but their heavier period of 70-1 is where its at!! (in my opinion!)..good post tho!

[schanche0]

This is the tune, thanks very much for posting dretety, put me out of my misery at last.

[dretety]

Hey man glad you like it, thanks for your comment.

[dretety]

This is what the group FAMILY were all about, this THE best line up features the great Jim King, comments please...