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Bryan James "Chas" Chandler (18 December 1938 – 17 July 1996) was an English musician, record producer and manager, best known as the original bassist in
The Animals The Animals, currently billed as Eric Burdon & the Animals (featuring original frontman Eric Burdon) and also as Animals & Friends (featuring original drummer John Steel (drummer), John Steel), are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Ne ...
, for which he was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
in 1994. He also managed the band
Slade Slade are a rock band formed in Wolverhampton, England in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The '' British Hit Singl ...
, and
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...
, about whom he was regularly interviewed until his death in 1996.


Early life

Chandler was born in Heaton, Newcastle. After leaving school, he worked as a
turner Turner may refer to: People and fictional characters * Turner (surname), a common surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Turner (given name), a list of people with the given name *One who uses a lathe for tur ...
in the Tyneside shipyards. He became the bass player with The Alan Price Trio in 1962.


Career


The Animals

After
Eric Burdon Eric Victor Burdon (born 11 May 1941) is an English singer and songwriter. He was previously the lead vocalist of the rhythm and blues, R&B and Rock music, rock band The Animals and the funk band War (band), War. He is regarded as one of the Br ...
joined the band, the Alan Price Trio was renamed
The Animals The Animals, currently billed as Eric Burdon & the Animals (featuring original frontman Eric Burdon) and also as Animals & Friends (featuring original drummer John Steel (drummer), John Steel), are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Ne ...
. Chandler's bass lines were rarely given critical attention but some, including the opening riff of the group's 1965 hit " We Gotta Get Out of This Place" subsequently received praise. Chandler was also the most prominent of the group's backing vocalists and did occasional songwriting with Burdon. In 1966, despite commercial success, Chandler became disillusioned with the lack of money, recalling that, "We toured non-stop for three years, doing 300 gigs a year and we hardly got a penny."


Reunions

In 1977, Chandler played and recorded with the original members of The Animals during a brief reunion and he joined them again for a further revival in 1983, at which point he sold his business interests, in order to concentrate on being a musician. Chandler, with all but lead singer Eric Burdon of the classic members, was present at the band's induction into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
in 1994.


Jimi Hendrix and Slade

After The Animals underwent personnel changes in 1966, Chandler turned to becoming a talent scout, artist manager, and
record producer A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...
. During his final tour with The Animals, Chandler saw a then-unknown
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...
play in Cafe Wha?, a
Greenwich Village Greenwich Village, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street (Manhattan), 14th Street to the north, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the s ...
, New York City, nightclub. At the time Hendrix was performing under the name Jimmy James. In September, Chandler convinced Hendrix to accompany him to Britain, which was made possible with the help of Michael Jeffery, who suggested that he revert to his actual name, and later suggested naming the band
the Jimi Hendrix Experience James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...
. In Britain, Chandler recruited bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell as the other members of the Experience. Chandler's enthusiasm helped fuel Hendrix during the early days, but halfway through the recording of Hendrix's third album in 1968, '' Electric Ladyland'' personality clashes and creative tensions led to the end of their professional relationship. Chandler was a key figure in Hendrix's rise to critical and commercial success. Chandler provided the young musician with living accommodation and financed the Experience's first single "Hey Joe", before they had a recording contract. He was also instrumental in introducing Hendrix to
Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
. It was through this introduction that Hendrix was given the opportunity to play with Clapton and
Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this proces ...
on stage.Saunders, William (2010) ''Jimi Hendrix London'' Roaring Forties Press It was Chandler's idea for Hendrix to set his guitar on fire, which made national news when this idea was used at a concert at the Finsbury Park Astoria Theatre and subsequently at the
Monterey Pop ''Monterey Pop'' is a 1968 American concert film by D. A. Pennebaker that documents the Monterey International Pop Festival of 1967. Among Pennebaker's several camera operators were fellow documentarians Richard Leacock and Albert Maysles. ...
festival. Hendrix's sound engineer Eddie Kramer later recalled that Chandler was very hands-on with the first two Hendrix albums, adding that "he handlerwas his endrix'smentor and I think it was very necessary." By 1968, Chandler had become frustrated with the recording sessions for Hendrix's album ''Electric Ladyland'', saying they were self-indulgent. He left management services in the hands of Jeffery during the following year. Chandler then managed and produced the British rock band
Slade Slade are a rock band formed in Wolverhampton, England in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The '' British Hit Singl ...
Colin Larkin, ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music'' (Muze UK Ltd, 1997) p104 for 12 years, during which they achieved six number one chart hits in the UK. Chandler and Slade parted company following the failure of the single " Knuckle Sandwich Nancy" in May 1981. He would, however negotiate their RCA contract which lasted for four new albums.


Expansion of music industry interests

Chandler bought IBC Studios which he renamed Portland Recording Studios, after the studio address of 35 Portland Place, London and ran it for four years until he sold it to Don Arden. Chandler also ran a series of record labels from the studios including Barn Records, Six of the Best and Cheapskate Records. He formed a music publishing agency, as well as a production company and management companies. He also had a brief stint in which he produced the US rock group Horsepower, founded by in 1978.


Other business ventures

During the early 1990s, he helped finance the development of Newcastle Arena, a 10,000 seat sports and entertainment venue which opened in 1995.


Personal life

Chandler married twice and had a son by his first wife and a son and two daughters by his second wife Madeleine. Chandler stood tall.


Death

Chandler died of an aortic aneurysm at Newcastle General Hospital on 17 July 1996.


Honours

* Chandler was posthumously inducted into Hollywood's Rock Walk of Fame in May 2001 as a member of The Animals. * Chandler's former home at 35 Second Avenue, Heaton, hosts a blue plaque placed on the wall by Newcastle City Council, which reads: "Chas Chandler 1938–1996. Founder member of the 'Animals'. Manager of Jimi Hendrix & Slade. Co-founder of Newcastle Arena. Lived in this house 1938–1964."


References

;Bibliography *


External links

*
Chas Chandler
obituary {{DEFAULTSORT:Chandler, Chas 1938 births 1996 deaths 20th-century English musicians English blues guitarists British rhythm and blues boom musicians English music managers English rock bass guitarists English male bass guitarists English rock guitarists English record producers Musicians from Newcastle upon Tyne The Animals members 20th-century English bass guitarists Deaths from aortic aneurysm 20th-century English businesspeople 20th-century English male musicians