Episode 175 : Chris Pope from The Chords
On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by Chris Pope - Songwriter, Musician and one of the founding members of The Chords.
We take a journey through the bands formation at the tail end of 1978, after original singer/guitarist Billy Hassett and his bass playing cousin, Martin Mason, advertised for musicians in NME.
Chris got the job and the band were soon into live gigs and studio recordings.
Their style was a combination of punk and the 1960s influenced sound of the time.
At the end of March 1979, the band played the Wellington in Waterloo to packed crowds with Paul Weller in the audience. This helps the band secure more gigs and an important support slot to The Jam.
With the Mod Revival in full swing, what follows are two John Peel sessions, a few singles, Top of the Pops, and an album (So Far Away)....
The band also played Loch Lomond Festival in June 1980 with Bad Manners, Stiff Little Fingers, The Tourists and The Jam…
Paul Weller was a big supporter of the band and Chris in the press - once calling him “the best songwriter of his generation”...
The Chords UK
Chris Pope formed The Chords UK in 2013 to continue playing ‘classic’ Chords tunes such as Maybe Tomorrow, The British Way Of Life and So Far Away - whilst also pushing forward with new music too...
The band is made up of Chris, Kenny Cooper, Sandy Michie, and Dave Murrell, with a live setlist featuring all of the original hits along with tracks from the three LP’s that they have released so far.
They have been cited live as “an incendiary rock n roll outfit” by Louder Than War.
You can buy the music on Bandcamp, watch videos on YouTube , listen on Spotify and follow for news and live show info on Facebook
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EP64 - Seckou Keita - Musician - Kora Master - Griot - Pioneer - ”A melody strong, an angel‘s voice and I find myself in awe of its truth...”
EP63 - John Wilson - Broadcaster & Journalist - ”Like a perfect stranger, you came into my life”
EP62 - Jon Abnett - Designer / Author - From the Floorboards Up - ”When we play, we play, we play!”
EP61 - Neil ‘Twink‘ Tinnings - Photographer - Mental Health Ambassador - ”I‘ve got the gift of life can‘t you see it in the twinkle of my eye?”
EP60 - Declan O‘Rourke - Singer-Songwriter - ”He went off, like a rocket touched...”
EP59 - The Jam Tarts - Jane, Jackie & Rachel - ”Thick as thieves us, we‘d stick together for all time”
EP58 - Dylan Jones OBE - Journalist, Author, GQ, Fashion - ”I dress myself for the part...”
EP57 - Hannah Peel - Award-winning Composer, Artist, Musican - ”Dancing through the fire, just to catch a flame...”
EP56 - Jacko Peake - Flutist and Sax Player - ”Let‘s throw out the past and get something back...”
EP55 - Sam Brown - Musician, Singer, Songwriter - ”We talk and we talk until my head explodes”
EP54 - Shaun Hand - Pop Art Poems - The Music of The Jam ”Kid walks down the street - Bumps into emptiness - Pow!”
EP53 - Steve Brookes - Singer, Songwriter - The Jam Co-Founder - ”Take me back there again, let me feel the same way...”
EP52 - Chris Green - Filmmaker -The Pebble and the Boy - "Far away in the distance, with the sun in your eyes..."
EP51 - Aziz Ibrahim - Guitar Wizard, Master Collaborator & Composer - "Come down beside the water sit and rest"
EP50 - Steve Wheatley - Love Weller Live "Must be me that's rushing by, time just lingers on the wind"
EP49 - Kathryn Williams - Singer - Songwriter - Author "When you gonna find the strength to be, clear your mind of the darkness that you see."
EP48 - Peter Gordon (PG) - Surrey Broadcaster - "The past is our knowledge, the present our mistake..."
EP47 - Steve Trigg - Trumpet Player / Arranger / Composer - Stone Foundation...
EP46 - Dave Swift - Bass Player - Jools Holland - "I've got a song, I ain't got no melody, I'm a gonna sing it to my friends..."
EP45 - John Harris - Author & Journalist & Paul Weller Super-fan - ”Oh like paper caught in wind, I glide upstreet, I glide downstreet...”
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