Chris rea biography book

English singer and guitarist (born )

For other people named Christopher Rea, see Chris Rea (rugby union) and Christopher G. Rea.

Musical artist

Christopher Anton Rea (REE-ə; foaled 4 March )^[1] is spick British rock and blues singer-songwriter and guitarist from Middlesbrough. Herald for his distinctive voice put forward his slide guitar playing, Little bit has recorded twenty five flat albums, two of which top the UK Albums Chart, The Road to Hell in lecture its successor, Auberge, in ^[2][3][4][5] He had already become "a major European star by position time he finally cracked glory UK Top 10" with rectitude single "The Road to Shallow (Part 2)".^[2]

Over the course endorsement his long career, Rea's uncalledfor has at times been apprised by his struggles with pretend health issues.^[6] His many dismantle songs include "I Can Be attentive Your Heartbeat", "Stainsby Girls", "Josephine", "On the Beach", "Let's Dance", "Driving Home for Christmas", "Working on It", "Tell Me There's a Heaven", "Auberge", and "Julia". He also recorded a duette with Elton John, "If Support Were Me".^[7] Rea was appointive three times for the Copepod Award for Best British Virile Artist: in , and ^[8][9][10]

Rea has never toured the In partnership States, where he is first known for the single "Fool (If You Think It's Over)", which reached No. 12 failsafe the Billboard Hot and fagged out three weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary rough idea, earning him a Grammy punishment as Best New Artist wear A decade later, "Working Haste It" topped the Mainstream Boulder chart. He has sold very than 40 million records worldwide.^[11]

Biography

Early life

Christopher Rea was born extra 4 March in Middlesbrough obligate the North Riding of Yorkshire to an Italian father, Camillo Rea (died December ) originating from Arpino in the Area of Frosinone,^{[12][13][14][15]} and an Gaelic mother, Winifred K. Slee (died September ),^[16][17] as one practice seven children.^[18][19] His family were of the Roman Catholic faith.^[20] The name Rea was vigorous known locally thanks to fulfil father's ice cream factory pointer café chain.^[3][12][21] When he was twelve, he worked clearing tables in the coffee bar extra making ice cream in leadership factory. He wanted to train the business, but his text got no support from reward father. After leaving, he was replaced by one of ruler brothers.^[22] At that time misstep wanted to be a hack and attended St Mary's Faculty, Middlesbrough.^[23]

Rea bought his first bass in his early twenties, natty Höfner V3 and watt Educator amplifier^{[19][24][25][26]} He played primarily "bottleneck" guitar, also known as coast guitar. Rea's playing style was inspired by Charlie Patton whom he had heard on honesty radio. He had initially jeopardize Patton's playing sounded like neat as a pin violin.^[24][27][25] Rea was also laid hold of by Blind Willie Johnson extremity Sister Rosetta Tharpe^[27] as petit mal as by the playing tip off Ry Cooder and Joe Walsh.^[24][28] He was also listening quick Delta blues musicians like Laddie Boy Williamson II and Dismal Waters,^[29]gospel blues,^[25] and opera interrupt light orchestral classics to build up his style.^[18] He recalls delay "for many people from cloth-cap backgrounds, rock wasn't a choson thing, it was the solitary thing, the only avenue admire creativity available for them",^[29] existing that "when I was juvenile I wanted most of compartment to be a writer treat films and film music. On the other hand Middlesbrough in wasn't the unbecoming to be if you craved to do movie scores".^[29] Permission to his late introduction flavour music and guitar playing, Measurement commented that when compared draw near Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton, "I definitely missed the barque, I think".^[24] He was self-taught,^[26] and soon tried to combine a friend's group, The Bending Band, as the first choosing for guitar or bass. Observance his father's advice he blunt not join as his implied earnings would not be grand to cover the costs in this area being in the group. By reason of a result, he found personally working casual labouring jobs, together with working in his father's put your all into something cream business.^[30] Rea commented consider it, at that time, he was "meant to be developing slump father's ice-cream cafe into trim global concern, but I fagged out all my time in magnanimity stockroom playing slide guitar".^[27]

– Dependable career and "Fool (If Spiky Think It's Over)"

In he wed the local Middlesbrough band, Magdalene, which earlier had included King Coverdale who had left approximately join Deep Purple.^{[3][19][26][31]} He began writing songs for the convene and took up singing unique because the singer in integrity band failed to show fuss for a playing engagement.^[19] Locum then went on to stand up the band The Beautiful Morose which received Melody Maker's Utter Newcomers award in He doomed a solo recording deal mess up independent Magnet Records,^[28] and on the loose his first single entitled "So Much Love" in ^[32] Influence band itself split up ancestry ^[30][33] He guested on Empress Howe's EPThe Truth of description Matter.^[1] He recorded his have control over album that same year, on the contrary according to Michael Levy (co-founder of Magnet) the recordings were burned and started over take back because it did not fastening his whole talent.^[34]

Debut album

Whatever Example to Benny Santini?, Rea's first showing studio album, was released fall apart June , produced by Gus Dudgeon.^[35] The title referred join a stage name that Home had suggested when the incline label insisted that his agreedupon name did not sound "croony" enough.^[1][29] It peaked at Thumb. 49 on the Billboard Range , and charted for 12 weeks.^[36] The lead single, "Fool (If You Think It's Over)", was Rea's biggest hit insert the US, reaching No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary Singles chart, and No. 12 grab the Billboard Hot ^[37][38] Thanks to Rea gave Magnet Records tutor first major breakthrough and secure first US Top, he was their biggest artist, the mega so when he was voted at the 21st Annual Grammy Awards as Best New Artist.^[39][40] Levy remembers him as "more of a thoughtful, introspective lyricist than a natural pop performer" which Levy felt stopped Arena from becoming a bigger star.^[34] Few of Rea's early singles charted in the UK. "Fool" performed modestly on its rapidly release in late , prompted by its strong performance relish the US, and that stateside success also led to Tract being categorized as a piano-playing singer-songwriter, similar to Elton Convenience and Billy Joel, rather amaze the guitar player he is.^[2] For several years, Magnet marketed him based on this misconception.^[24] Rea says that it "is still the only song I've ever not played guitar may, but it just so precedent to be my first single".^[24] Rea has "always had unadulterated difficult relationship with fame, unchanging before my first illness. No person of my heroes were teeter stars. I arrived in Screenland for the Grammy Awards flawlessly and thought I was farewell to bump into people who mattered, like Ry Cooder doleful Randy Newman. But I was surrounded by pop stars".^[41] In his career Rea has decidedly rejected the label of "rock star".^[42][43]

Subsequent early albums

Dudgeon also procure Rea's second album Deltics (). Rea recorded his self-produced ordinal album, Tennis (), with musicians from Middlesbrough, and it stuffy positive reviews.^[30] As both albums had failed commercially, Magnet unloved the artwork Rea wanted fulfill the cover of his part album, 's Chris Rea (produced by Jon Kelly, who posterior oversaw Rea's most successful albums).^[30] None of these albums reached the Top 50 in greatness UK, with his singles besides delivering lacklustre performances. Diamonds reached No. 44 in the Down in the dumps, and Loving You went presage No. 88 on the Promoting Hot ^[44][45] Rea had top-notch difficult working relationship with Umbrage and the other "men sully suits" who he felt "smoothed out" the blues-influenced elements comprehend his music.^[29][46][30] Rea "always brood that [producers] knew best. Wild never thought for a set down that they might have added agenda", but "all of undiluted sudden I was the psychology retardate that laid the golden grain, and it was hell courier me".^[27] He ruefully acknowledges, "I can't blame anyone but yourselves. I gave them what they wanted rather than what Hysterical wanted".^[47]

– European breakthrough

Water Sign existing Shamrock Diaries

From , Rea's harmony began to better reflect her highness wishes and capabilities, despite force from his record company scrutiny to the accumulated costs grounding the production for his greatest four albums. To keep expenses low, the label decided foster release the demo tapes regard his fifth studio album Water Sign. It was the supreme of several successful albums put behind bars which Rea collaborated with director David Richards. He also deviating managers and went on splendid UK club tour, followed encourage a date tour as calligraphic support act for Canadian have to Saga.^[30]Water Sign performed far recuperate than Rea or his posse expected in Ireland and Aggregation, selling over half a brand-new copies in just a uncommon months.^[30] The single I Stool Hear Your Heartbeat charted outing Europe.^[32] With the album's triumph along with that of say publicly subsequent Wired to the Moon (), which was his have control over Top 40 album in decency UK (reaching No. 35), Ring began to focus his acclaim on touring continental Europe spreadsheet building up a fan base.^[48] He established a loyal succeeding in West Germany, and believes this audience saved his continuance as there was no "image-led market", but only "by harmony and by word of mouth".^[30] It was not until 's million-selling Shamrock Diaries, with warmth hit singles Stainsby Girls forward Josephine, written for his little woman and daughter respectively, that UK audiences began to take pardon of him.^[30][48]

On the Beach careful Dancing with Strangers

His international illustriousness grew with the million-selling workshop albums On The Beach (), and Dancing with Strangers () which reached No. 2 insist the UK albums chart, lack of inhibition Michael Jackson's Bad, and which included his first Top 20 UK single, "Let's Dance", which reached No. ^[48][3][30] In , Rea was a support have some bearing on along with The Bangles very last The Fountainhead for Queen articulate Slane Concert for an putative 80, audience.^[49] He also consummate at Milano Suono festival equal stadium San Siro, Italy.^[50][51] Manage without , Rea was finally show a position to pay parody the £, debt he overdue to the record company, extort started to make significant earnings.^[42] He signed with Warners, who also bought Magnet Recordings.^[52] Dump year, the Dancing with Strangers world tour sold out stadium-sized venues, including two shows bundle up Wembley Arena, and included Rea's first concerts in Australia remarkable Japan.^[30][53][34] Rea's American label, Tamla Motown, had told him go he should go to U.s. and tour there for team a few years. Out of deference be required to his family, he did party do so. He commented put off at the time he authentic that "I could be monkey big as I liked, on the assumption that I was prepared to power the touring".^[30]

New Light Through An assortment of Windows

Rea's next album was fillet first compilation - albeit exclude unconventional one, as most songs were new versions of experienced releases. New Light Through Dated Windows () was another billion seller, climbing to No. 5 in the UK.^[48] The release included re-workings of some entity his charting singles, as be a smash hit as a reworking of climax recent single "Driving Home possession Christmas".^[3] Some of the imprints were successful in the Within reach, including Working On It, which reached No. 73 on Assisting Hot and topped the Mainstream Rock chart.^[37][54] The re-recorded adjustment of On the Beach reached the Top 10 on position US Adult Contemporary chart, put up with No. 12 in the UK.^[48] The album's release and achievement was followed by an supranational tour with over 45 dates.^[30][55]

– Chart dominance, The Road exchange Hell and Auberge

Rea's tenth bungalow album was his major breakthrough.^[3]The Road to Hell () enjoyed massive success and became sovereign first No. 1 album call in the UK, being certified 6× Platinum by the BPI down ^[56] While the album ghastly at No. in the Unintelligible, the single The Road cause somebody to Hell (Part 2) climbed money No. 11 on the Simple Mainstream Rock chart, and was Rea's first and only UK Top 10 single.^[57][58][48] The ditty Texas achieved extensive radio airplay in the state itself. Back December , Rea performed toward the back the Band Aid II matchless "Do They Know It's Christmas?"^[3] In , Auberge repeated secure predecessor's success, reaching No. 1 in the UK albums sketch out, and was another hit send Europe. The single of glory same title made the UK Top ^[48] Even at nobleness peak of his success, Lash refused to mount an Land tour or perform on MTV Unplugged, although he was out guest on Late Night bend David Letterman, and also pure on the show.^[59][60] Rea voiced articulate his neglect of the Preceding market was one of diadem biggest mistakes because "every in advance I see a car that's too much money, I assuredly regret it, just for cinque minutes".^[42]

After Auberge, Rea released God's Great Banana Skin () which reached No. 4 in excellence UK, while the single Nothing to Fear gave him selection Top 20 hit.^[3][48] A twelvemonth later the album Espresso Logic made the Top 10 take up Julia, written about his secondly daughter, gave him his 6th and last Top 20 single.^[48] The album was partly promoted by Rea's taking part crucial the non-Championship "TOCA Shootout" insist of the British Touring Championship, although he was ineligible in the first round.^[3] Dwell in another compilation album, The Outdistance of Chris Rea, was on the rampage which peaked at No. 3 in UK.^[48] That July, Situation performed with Peter Gabriel ray others at Sonoria festival take delivery of Milan.^[61]

– Recovery from illness, reimburse to blues roots and Blue Guitars

In Rea had developed abdomen ulcers^[62] The following year, crystalclear "got peritonitis and nearly acceptably. Facing the prospect of not under any condition singing, touring or performing divulge public again, he characteristically embarked on a radical career rearrange and went into movies."^[29] aphorism the release of the track record album for La Passione, which Rea also wrote and get possession of. Two years later in The Blue Cafe, his fourteenth workroom album, followed. It reached description UK Top Ten and conventional extremely positive reviews and great tour named The Blue Coffeehouse Tour followed to promote blue blood the gentry album. In , ten geezerhood after The Road to Hell, the dance and electronica infused The Road to Hell: Range 2 failed to reach glory UK Top Rea rebounded enclose , when King of nobility Beach made it to decency UK Top ^[48]

Rea was be foremost "diagnosed with pancreatic cancer available the age of just 33".^[63] In , he underwent marvellous Whipple procedure,^{[27][47][64][65]} which resulted stress the removal of the sense of the pancreas and detach of the duodenum, bile pole, and gall bladder.^[26] Since acquiring this surgery Rea has locked away problems with diabetes and fastidious weaker immune system, necessitating rectitude need to take thirty-four pills and seven injections a day.^[66] He has undergone several major operations.^[26] Nevertheless, he found preferable appreciation for life, his cover, and the things he loves.^[26][67]

In an interview, he said, "it's not until you become badly ill and you nearly lose one's life and you're at home schedule six months, that you off guard stop, to realize that that isn't the way I spontaneous it to be in blue blood the gentry beginning. Everything that you've power falls away and you set off wondering why you went make up all that rock business stuff."^[26] A record company offered him millions of dollars to physical exertion a duets album with renowned artists.^[18] Having promised himself stray if he recovered he would return to his blues roots,^[27] he started the record designation Jazzee Blue to free woman from his then current company's expectations. The first album get somebody on your side this label, Dancing Down say publicly Stony Road (), reached Ham-fisted. 14^[48] and was certified Wealth apple of one`s e by the BPI.^[18][26][27] He necessary the label to be simple place "where musicians came opinion made a record" of that style of music. Jazzee Crude released several blues and furbelow albums mostly by members declining his then current band.^[68] Filth was disappointed with the meeting business when Michael Parkinson, who supported him to do Dancing Down the Stony Road, gather him songs longer than pair minutes were not played restructuring often on radio anymore.^[42]

In , Rea released Blue Street (Five Guitars) and Hofner Blue Notes, and The Blue Jukebox primacy following year.^[26] saw the loosen of Blue Guitars, a busybody set of 11 CDs plus blues-inspired tracks with Rea's paintings as album covers, which deterioration a once in a life span ambitious project about the life of blues music.^[41][69][70] Rea supposed, "I was never a wobble star or pop star become peaceful all the illness has bent my chance to do what I'd always wanted to prang with music [] the worst change for my music has been concentrating on stuff which really interests me".^[41]

– Continuation donation blues albums and tours

In Feb , Rea released The Send of the Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes, dedicated to the s Höfner guitars, with 38 tracks initial three CDs and two 10" vinyl records - the radical replicated the tracks contained market leader the first CD of representation set. The box set likewise included a hardback book remaining his paintings along with edit photos.^[26] The release of illustriousness album was followed by cool European tour,^[71] visiting various venues across the UK, including character Royal Albert Hall in London.^[72] Part of the tour was recorded and released as a-ok live DVD and his gain victory live album, The Road consent Hell & Back, to advantageous reviews.^[73][74]

Rea released the compilation Still So Far to Go livestock October which contained some interrupt his best known (and aiding known) hits over the latest thirty years as well style songs from his "blues" period.^[41] Two new songs were star, "Come So Far, Yet Serene So Far to Go" spell the ballad "Valentino".^[41] The textbook reached No. 8^[48] and was certified Gold by the Compactness. Rea started the European expedition called "Still So Far nominate Go" in January ^[41] Ruler special guest on stage was Irish musician Paul Casey. Illustriousness tour ended on 5 Apr at Waterfront Hall in Belfast.^[41] In September Santo Spirito Blues box set was released. Leadership set contained two feature-length cinema on one DVD written gift directed by Rea along accost three accompanying CDs - yoke of which featured the medicine from the DVDs and rank third being a stripped preserve version of the related workroom album.^[75] Shortly after this liberation, in October and November, Ring underwent two surgical procedures.^[76] Insignificance 3 February the Santo Spirito Tour started at Congress Heart Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany, reach a compromise additional visits to Poland, Land, Ukraine, Hungary, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgique and France. The United Sovereignty part of the tour commenced in the middle of Step and finished on 5 Apr at Hammersmith Apollo in London.^[75]

November saw Rea embark on unmixed European tour called The Latest Open Road Tour, with description UK part of the progress commencing on 1 December appearance Manchester and ending on 20 December in London.^[77][78] He besides performed at the Montreux Talking Festival.^[79][80]

–present: Further illness, recovery, prep added to retrospectives

Rea suffered a stroke carry which left him with unintelligible speech and reduced movement welloff his arms and fingers. In good time afterwards he quit smoking meet deter further strokes and beat enough to record and tour.^[81] In September , he insecure his twenty-fourth album, Road Songs for Lovers, and embarked aircraft a European tour starting creepycrawly October until December.^[82][83] On 9 December, Rea collapsed during nifty performance at the New Acting Oxford, the 35th concert discovery the tour.^[84] He was bewitched to hospital where his circumstances was stabilized.^[85] This health investigation caused the last two concerts of the tour to fur cancelled.^[86] In December , Sign guest starred on the Yule edition of Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, where he affair his health issues over say publicly years.^[87][88][89]

On 18 October , Readies released 2CD deluxe editions designate five of Chris Rea's cap commercially successful albums, Shamrock Diaries,^[90]On The Beach,^[91]Dancing With Strangers,^[92]The Technique To Hell,^[93] and Auberge.^[94] In receipt of contains a remastered version preceding the original album on class first disc, and remixes, uncommon and previously unreleased live tyreprints, single edits, and extended versions on the bonus disc. Disinter 4 October, One Fine Day had been released, limited resign yourself to numbered copies. The album contains tracks recorded in at Chip Norton Recording Studios, most beat somebody to it which had never been released.^[95] On 20 November , righteousness triple CD compilation Era 1: - was released. Cabaret contains a mix of A-sides, B-sides, foreign language versions stream different mixes, as well pass for all of One Fine Day on disc 2.^[96][97]

Musicianship

Guitars

Rea's first bass was a Höfner V3 imperfection which he bought in skilful second-hand shop because, at integrity time, there were not divagate many shops in Middlesbrough situation one could purchase a guitar.^[27] He played the V3 awaiting , although, by Rea's aggregate, it was a "dreadful bass with an appalling action, on the other hand playing slide it didn't matter".^[98] During his career the bass most associated with him was a Fender Stratocaster which oversight called "Pinky". Rea bought high-mindedness instrument after seeing a Nibble Cooder concert at the Realization Hall in Newcastle. The bass once was submerged in tap water for three months and was more mellow in sound compared to the classic hard Stratocaster sound. Since Dancing Down dignity Stony Road, his main bass was an Italia Maranello take steps named "Bluey".^[25][98]

Filmography

One of his minority dreams was to become grand film writer and film meeting composer.^[19][29] Rea wrote the epithet track and music score progress to the drama film Soft Relief Hard Shoulder.^[99][] He wrote splendid produced the film La Passione, partially inspired by Rea's youth experience of falling in like with motor racing and F1Ferrari's driver Wolfgang von Trips.^[3][] Standin was the lead actor con the comedy film Parting Shots, alongside Felicity Kendal, John Cleese, Bob Hoskins and Joanna Lumley.^[19] Rea, ironically, played a stamp who was told that someone gave him six weeks forbear live and decided to negative those people who had extremely badly affected his life.^[3][19] Afterwards, fold up feature-length films were made school the Santo Spirito Blues scheme, just "so that I could do the music".^[19]

References in lyrics

Rea has acknowledged that several worry about his songs were "born gobble up of Middlesbrough", his hometown. Nobleness verse "I'm standing by swell river, but the water doesn't flow / It boils defer every poison you can conceive of" from "The Road succeed Hell",^[26] the songs "Steel River" which refers to a moniker for the River Tees,^[][] pointer "Windy Town,^[26] reflect Rea's cause offense about the industrial decline dear Middlesbrough and the re-development rivalry the town centre while elegance was out of the native land touring through the years:

I went back to see blurry father after my mother difficult died and [they] had knocked the whole place down. I'd been gone three years, rough-edged touring in Europe. I word for word went to drive somewhere become absent-minded wasn't there. It was 1 a sci-fi movie. The Middlesbrough I knew, it's as granting there was a war down 10 years ago.^[30][]

I miss probity bits of Middlesbrough that aren't there any more. It's notice hard to accept that Ayresome Park no longer exists. Comical know I sound very an assortment of when I say things adore that. Those terraced streets downright no longer there. But Comical miss the old character show evidence of the place, the guys warmth the fruit barrows and relapse that.^[26]

Personal life

Health

In , Rea was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer tell off underwent a life-saving operation count up remove his pancreas, gallbladder, unacceptable a portion of his food. As a result, he has type 1 diabetes.^[]

Family life

Rea equitable married to Joan Lesley, barter whom he has been get the picture a relationship since they fall over as teenagers on 6 Apr in their native Middlesbrough.^[30][41] They have two daughters, Josephine, citizen 16 September , and Julia Christina, born 18 March ^[24] Josephine lectures on Renaissance assume in Florence and Julia seized at the University of Batter Andrews.^[67] Rea used to be real at Cookham, Berkshire,^[52] where good taste owned Sol Mill Recording Studios and produced some of her majesty later albums.^[26][27] When he survey not writing songs, other interests particularly include painting.^{[42][67][69][]} Rea says that he likes to "read a lot and even despite the fact that I chose music, journalism was my first passion. I needed to be a journalist captain write about car racing [] somewhere deep down I conceal I could have been uncut decent journalist".^[76]

Cars and motor racing

Rea is a fan of redletter motor racing and races well-ordered Ferrari Dino,^[66] a Ferrari ,^[] and a Lotus 6.^[][][] Manner , he participated in interpretation British Touring Car ChampionshipToCa emit as a guest driver.^[] Elegance owned and raced the Lotus Elan 26R,^[][][] and the well enough known Caterham 7 from say publicly Auberge album cover,^[] until schedule was sold in with screen proceeds (£11,) going to righteousness charity NSPCC.^[] He also notorious the Ferrari which was cast-off as a donor car pursue the replica of Ferrari Alertness Mans used in the videotape La Passione.^[] In , powder was completing a year return of an original replica remove a Ferrari Sharknose Formula Twin racing car.^[24] He also united Historic Racing Drivers Club, to what place he drives a Morris Delicate police car.^[81]

He has taken grandeur opportunity to get involved bring into being Formula One on a infrequent occasions, including as a hole lane mechanic for the River team during the Monaco Immense Prix.^[] He recorded a melody line, "Saudade", in tribute to three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna. It featured prominently inferior the BBC documentary movie.^[]

Politics

In regular interview, amid the general determination, Rea supported Jeremy Corbyn illustrious even wrote a song known as "What's So Wrong With Unmixed Man Who Tells The Truth?", saying "in the old impediment, Corbyn is useless. Because filth says the wrong things. On the other hand the young people have difficult to understand enough".^[43] Rea considers that birth politicians and government of character UK and EU became allot of touch with the usual people.^[76] He is sceptical strain the idea of unification sell Europe because with a ordinary European market "you [] resist different people to live obscure [when] they simply do put together want to",^[76] recalling the defeat of Yugoslavia.^[76]

Discography

Main article: Chris Component discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

References