Chain (band)
| Chain | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | The Chain, Matt Taylor's Chain |
| Origin | Melbourne, Australia |
| Genres | Blues, R&B |
| Years active | 1968–1974, 1982, 1983–1986, 1988, 1991–1992, 1995–current |
| Labels | Infinity, Festival, Mushroom, EMI, BMG, Forever |
| Members |
Phil Manning Matt Taylor Barry Harvey Dirk Du Bois |
| Past members | see personnel list below |
Chain are an Australian blues band formed in Melbourne as The Chain in late 1968 with a lineup including guitarist, vocalist Phil Manning; they are sometimes known as Matt Taylor's Chain after lead singer-songwriter and harmonica player, Matt Taylor. Their January 1971 single "Black and Blue", which became their only top twenty hit, was recorded by Chain line-up of Manning, Taylor, drummer Barry Harvey and bass guitarist Barry Sullivan. The related album, Toward the Blues followed in September and peaked in the top ten albums chart. Manfred Mann's Earth Band famously covered "Black and Blue" on their album "Messin`" (June 1973).
Chain had various line-ups until July 1974, they separated for several years then reformed in 1982 for a one-off concert and more permanently from 1983–1986. Further line-up changes occurred with some forms called Matt Taylor's Chain, from 1998 Chain members are Harvey, Manning, Taylor and Dirk Du Bois on bass guitar. Both Manning and Taylor have also had separate solo careers. In 2005 Chain released, Sweet Honey and continued touring irregularly; on 3 May 2009, they performed at the Cairns Blues Festival.
The Beaten Tracks were a pop / blues / R&B band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 1965 and included, John Vanderhagh on drums, Alan Power on lead guitar/vocals, Dave Cook on rhythm guitar/vocals, Dave Cross on rhythm guitar/vocals, Paul Frieze on bass guitar, and Ross Partington on lead vocals/harmonica (ex Majestics). They played cover versions of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Mowtown, Blues, Rock material. Vanderhagh left in 1966 and was replaced by Frank Capeling on drums. Cook left in early 1967 and was replaced by Warren Morgan on Farfisa organ then Hammond organ (ex freelance jazz keyboards) Frieze left in 1967 and was replaced by John (the "Scotsman") Gray on bass guitar (ex Ray Hoff and the Offbeats). Capeling left in 1967 and was replaced by Ace Follington on drums (ex Yeoman). In late 1967 Cross left and was not replaced and Scott left and was replaced by Murray Wilkins on bass guitar/vocals (ex West Coast Trio and freelance jazz double bassist). With the addition of the Hammond organ the band incorporated material from Traffic, Vanilla Fudge, Young Rascals, The Band etc. Following their win in Perth's 1968 Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds Power left and was replaced by Dave Hole on lead guitar/vocals who then left whilst the band was in Melbourne for the finals and was replaced by Phil Manning on lead guitar/vocals (ex-Bay City Union, Bobby & Laurie/Laurie Allen Revue). The band returned to Perth then eventually relocated in Melbourne. Partington departed in December 1968, returning to Perth to form The Tracks with Lindsay Wells on lead guitar/vocals and Joey Anderson on drums (both ex Sari Brit), Pete Tindal on bass guitar/vocals (ex Cherokees) and Peter Waddell on Hammond organ/vocals (ex Paul McKay Sound). Partington was replaced by Wendy Saddington (ex-James Taylor Move). She provided a new name for the band, The Chain, after the Aretha Franklin song "Chain of Fools".[1][2] Saddington left the band in May 1969 to write for teen pop newspaper Go-Set and to join the band Copperwine; she later had a solo career. Saddington was replaced by New Zealander Glyn Mason (ex-Larry's Rebels), Wilkins left in August and was replaced by Tim Piper (ex-Electric Heap) on bass guitar, and Morgan, who left to join Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, was replaced by Claude Papesch on organ (also ex-Electric Heap). The Chain's first single, "Show Me Home", was released by Festival Records in October, but Follington, Piper and Papesch had all left. Barry Harvey on drums and Barry Sullivan on bass guitar (both ex-Wild Cherries) joined and the name was shortened to Chain. The band's first album Live Chain was recorded in 1970 at Caesar's Palace discothèque, Sydney; by the time it was released in October, Mason had left to travel overseas, he was later in Ariel.
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