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My parents bought my first proper drum kit for my eleventh birthday. Being left handed my Father set it up backwards - the reason I play left handed but am in fact right handed! Left school at 17 after failing exams twice - not an academic! Went to College for a year to resit them but met Winston Blissett there instead (now bass player for Massive Attack / Lisa Stansfield etc) and consequently failed my exams again! He called me one day from a session he was on - the drummer was ill and was I available? Met some interesting people at the studio. Formed a Jazz / Rock band called the 'Aerial Beagles' (v. big in Chelmsford) after meeting Doug Boyle and Phil Scragg through a newspaper ad, and began to write own material. Did the usual paying-my-dues thing at the Newmarket Cabaret Club backing various cabaret stars whilst people ate their chicken in a basket dinners. All good practice.
Got into session work by pestering all the local studios to use me for free and plastered all their noticeboards with my contact details. Very persistent! Eventually Doug Phil and I formed quite a session unit doing many well paid sessions in and around London. Somebody I worked with during this time was Phil Johnstone who was signed to Virgin as a writer. We demo'd a track of his called 'Heaven Knows' engineered by Mike Gregovic. Lots of writing with Dominic Bugatti (Bugatti and Musker) around this time. Session work eventually led to my working with the producer Bob Sargeant (Haircut 100), Simon Climie and the singer Pauline Black (ex Selecter) and demos with Aha, followed by the inevitable touring; firstly with Toyah in the UK and Europe - I had to learn Simon Phillips' drum parts - then a UK Christmas tour with Buck's Fizz(!). Offered World tour with Cliff Richard but declined because . . .
One of my favourite albums in the world is Led Zeppelin 4, so imagine my surprise when I came home one day to find a message on the answerphone from somebody claiming to be Robert Plant asking if I wanted to join his band! He had heard me drumming because Virgin (Phil Johnstone's publisher) had sent him tracks as possible singles, and I had been drumming on them. Called him back thinking it was a wind up. Turned out it wasn't. Nervously went along to rehearsal. First thing Robert said to me was 'would you like a cup of tea?' and I was immediately at home! Needed a guitarist and bass player, so I suggested Doug Boyle and Phil Scragg. Phil Johnstone was already on keyboards, and there was the band!
Now and Zen we rehearsed and wrote in London Docklands. Came in one day to find 6 inches of water in studio. During the recording at Swanyard Studios with Tim Palmer producing we met Charlie Jones (Phil Scragg decided not to join the tour). Tapes were sent to Jimmy Page to do his solos at his studio, and after a few drunken evenings at Swanyard (I vividly remember being locked in one night as I had fallen asleep in the bathroom) the album was eventually finished. 'Billy's Revenge' a bugger to play! (Rhythm inspired by the sound of a train line that passed over the studio).
Video for 'Heaven Knows' shot in Morocco. Doug had hair extensions fitted that were attached with wax. Very hot in Sahara Desert so they kept falling out. Always knew where he was. Just follow hair trail . . .
First gig in the UK was a top secret affair so we went under the name 'Band of Joy'. The first gig outside Europe blew me away - Quebec, Canada, about 20,000 people, and so much noise from crowd I could barely hear myself play! Intensely emotional experience, and something I really do miss. Stevie Ray Vaughan and then Cheap Trick supporting first leg of tour - fabulous! Played at the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary gig at Madison Square Gardens - live TV broadcast across America featuring some true legends. Great fun! Things took interesting turn in Oklahoma - slipped in the backstage shower during support act Joan Jett's set and broke my wrist! 12,000 people were not amused as show cancelled 10mins before due to start. Woke up in hospital with tubes and wires everywhere. Tour stopped for 2 weeks whilst Pat Torpey was drafted in to save the day (hi Pat!). Ended up shaking a tambourine for few weeks. Left wrist aches when I see tambourines to this day. Very depressing. . . tour excellent and Robert a Saint for keeping me on!
Manic Nirvana was written at Robert's house in Monmouth and the demos recorded using Robert's old 16 track. I got to play one of John Bonham's old kits (it was in Robert's attic!). Album recorded Olympic studios Barnes, London. Mark 'Spike' Stent producing. Great times. By now I had my own studio and wrote 'Tie Dye on the Highway' with Robert - my first taste of writing with him (surprisingly easy!). Played main guitar riff on record! Wrote 'Watching you' with Phil at Robert's house.
Video for 'Hurting Kind' shot in UK at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in December. Bloody freezing on an open topped bus.
Tour great fun. Banned from backstage showers. Joined on stage many times by Jimmy Page, most notably in front of 125,000 people at Knebworth . . amazing! Gigs on tour as diverse as Florence Italy (where we had to start twice because somebody switched the power off!), Madison Square Gardens NY (a dream come true for me), and Honolulu Hawaii (where part of the ceiling fell down due to the volume!).
Had 'Black Crowes' supporting us for early part of tour. Later replaced by 'Faith No More' - another of my favourite bands! Used to watch their set whenever I got chance. Fabulous drummer (hi Mike!) He's now with Ozzy Osbourne. Got to meet some amazing people and many of my idols and inspirations, all backstage at our gigs!
Knebworth - The Album was an amazing experience. This was a one day festival at Knebworth House in the Summer of 1990 and featured Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Dire Straits, Genesis, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Robert Plant, Cliff Richard & The Shadows, Status Quo and Tears For Fears. We flew in by Helicopter from Battersea. Jimmy Page joined us on stage for a few numbers, notably 'Rock and Roll'. Playing the drum solo at the end in front of 125,000 people was a bit nerve racking! Concert went out on live TV Worldwide and had a huge audience. The vibe backstage was incredible and I got to meet some amazing people that day.
I was very lucky to be involved in one of the great live shows of recent years and I doubt we will see many more like it.
Fate of Nations was interesting. Written and rehearsed mainly at Monnow Valley, Cornwall. Recorded RAK studios, London. Chris Hughes producing. Change of line up in studio led to confusion in ranks. Wrote 'Calling to You' (wild violin solo by Nigel Kennedy) and 'Network News' with Robert before deciding to jump ship. Strange politics came into play - v. interesting time for all concerned. Robert decided the band had run its course and sadly we parted company. Didn't play drums for 6 years after this. Lost interest.
'Calling to you' later nominated for a Grammy. Album did well but I felt strangely disconnected from it. Doug Boyle went off to tour with Nigel Kennedy and later Caravan, Phil Johnstone went to live in Devon, and Charlie Jones remained with Robert through the Plant / Page times until eventually leaving to join British band Goldfrapp in 2003.
Sixty Six to Timbuktu was released on November 3rd 2003. This is a small compilation of Robert's solo career along with a second disc of unusual collaborations, including stuff with The Band of Joy. I am honoured to have a couple of tracks of mine on this album and to be playing drums on a few too. The track list includes Tie Dye on the Highway, Big Log, Little by Little, Heaven Knows, Tall Cool One, Ship of Fools, Calling To You, 29 Palms and I Believe.
Nine Lives was released in late November of 2006 and is the ultimate collection of Robert's solo work to date. It's an amazing package with stunning artwork and I put in an appearance on three of the albums. Included with all the CDs is a DVD containing every video to date and live footage from our Knebworth gig featuring yours truly, a live version of 'Tie Dye on the Highway' and a live version of 'Nirvana'. Great to have everything in one place at last, along with stuff I have never seen before!
After the tours and during line up changes a friend in Advertising asked me to have a go at music for a TV commercial. I did a demo and got the job (Reebok), accidentally won 9 awards and the phone started ringing for TV work. Still doing it today (TV stuff, not phone ringing). My entry into TV music was therefore purely accidental. Also much work for major music libraries including Boosey & Hawkes; Audio Network (hi Andy!); DeWolfe and Focus, along with countless commisions for the BBC. Lovely to work from own studio as I get to stay at home and play with toys all day. Back behind the kit again for the odd session too. My grand plan to compose film music (mind you, so is everybody else's) but a short film that I wrote the score for recently won the Orange/Film4 prize and another 20 minute short that I composed the music for is currently in with the boxed set of '24', series 4, so things looking good.
In February 2002 was given the oppurtunity to work with a full orchestra and choir at Abbey Road. Entirely new learning experience - feels like I'm starting over and I am loving it! Recently composed tracks for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra that were recorded at Cadogan Hall in January of 2007 in conjunction with Helen Jane Long (Lord of the Rings). Complete Studio refit in the summer of 2007.
And by the way - I am not related to that bloke who owns Island Records . . .
Hope this not too boring . . . love Chris x
Chris Blackwell
London, 2008