Chou Pahrot

www.ChouPahrot.com

Chou Pahrot was one of Scotland's most unusual rock music bands of the 1970s. Originally appearing as a 4-piece consisting of guitar, bass, drums and saxophone, the departure of the guitar player led to his replacement by violin and a change of name to Chou Pahrot.

Home base was the Paisley/Glasgow area, where posters on abandoned buildings (a plentiful phenomena of recession hit 1970s West of Scotland) advertising their next gig were a familiar sight - invariably with the band's mascot, Freddie Horse (a demented looking grinning horse, sometimes with a monocle) either announcing in a giant speech bubble the next gig or simply saying that month's piece of soundbite lunacy.

The influence of Captain Beefheart was notable in their angular music, wild stage show and in their penchant for strange stage names. Other influences included Ornette Coleman's electric music with Prime Time, Frank Zappa, Wild Man Fischer, and The Broons.

Chou Pahrot were late exponents of a high-energy, in-your-face strand of early-70s long-hair music, which was overshadowed by the more bland and comfortable forms of Prog and then swamped by Punk. Their music evolved to encompass humorous lyrics with shades of Ivor Cutler sung in their natural Scottish accent, rather than the mid-Atlantic drawl that was then commonplace.

Through the late 1970s, Chou Pahrot continued to divide listeners at the bars and festivals of Scotland, with occasional incursions into Germany. They were favourites of The Rezillos, and frequently opened for them. The band eventually split, unable to gain a permanent recording contract, but their antics paved the way for Pronk bands that merged Prog with Punk, such as Cardiacs


[edit] Discography
Buzgo Tram Chorus (Klub K.E.P.101)

Chou Pahrot Live (1979 Klub LP, produced by Pete Shipton)


[edit] Musicians
Eggy Beard (Martin McKenna) - Violin

Monica Zarb (Robert Donaldson) - Bass, vocal

Mama Voot (Tony O'Neill) - Guitar, sax, vocal

Fish Feathers McTeeth (Dave Lewis) - Drums on EP

The Amphibian (John O'Neil, no relation) - Drums on LP

I put together this short video to keep the music ALIVE and to make sure people NEVER forget this amazing music.

By the way I am on the look out for a MP3 copy of the bands EP

BUZGO TRAM CHORUS

And any pictures you have to make a better tribute to the band!

www.choupahrot.com

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• PSBsatellite
• Visionplus.us

[martinmckenna1989]

Im Eggys son.

[psb2usa]

Wee Eggy Beard : )

Your Dad is an amazing musician, who changed a lot of lives for the better. it was the music of my youth. Tell him THANKS please. I always liked his name best : )

[robzitinho]

Brilliant ! Some video of the Chous would be fantastic and some decent live recordings.I did have one recorded at the students union in Paisley which was better than the shitbox of an album from chess..(Greenslade audience frfxsake) but it's long since dematerialised.Any more out there?

[psb2usa]

Hi yes the Chou live on : ) If you do come across and music or pictures we would love to see/hear em!

[colinmcb]

Eggy Beard may be (or maybe already has) paying a visit!

[psb2usa]

Take it away Eggy Beard : )

[We4ver]

@ PigCopeland efter aww that time I never knew yi were familiar wi the Pahrot.

Oh and Purr if your out there reading this,, post yer stuff son and miby the yund anaw or the DSB.

[MrNobbieg]

@reebix77 What's he up to now ?

[MrNobbieg]

@ray11258 Hi Ray, are you the Greenock, Gourock Raymie or the Glasgow one ?

[ray11258]

@slumdog Hey Gary ( Brother of Alfie? )....always wondered where you got to and been looking around for you on facebook to no avail...hope you well mate ... Ray ( Raymie)

[SPARKY53100]

Brings back memories of seeing them in Glasgow late 70,s . I think they played in the Amphora in Sauchiehall Street a few times ? Anyone recall these gigs ?

[pigcopeland]

Hello people of the Chou, many memories of kelvingrove brought back here. A very underrated and underworshipped band who laid some of the groundwork for my own aural noise. PEACE

[reebix77]

My cousin Bobby's band. I saw them live. They were Magic!

[wullmull]

was eggy from coatbridge.

painterbabu@pimusic.org

[yambasz]

everything comes frae an egg