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Michael Chapman

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Michael Chapman

Michael Robert Chapman (24 January 1941 - 10 September 2021), was a singer-songwriter and guitarist. Chapman originally began singing and playing jazz in the folk clubs of the 1960s, and eventually recorded over 30 albums. He first appeared on the London and Cornwall folk music circuits in 1967, alongside John Martyn and Roy Harper. His first album was 'Rainmaker' in 1969. The producer was Gus Dudgeon, who also produced records by Elton John, David Bowie, Steeleye Span and many others.

'Rainmaker' was released on the Harvest label and Chapman played the folk and progressive circuits during the festivals of the early 1970s, with Mick Ronson, Rick Kemp and Keef Hartley. He recorded a further three albums for Harvest. 'Fully Qualified Survivor', again produced by Gus Dudgeon with lush strings arranged by Paul Buckmaster, received much critical acclaim from the likes of BBC Radio One DJ John Peel and contained his best-known track, "Postcards of Scarborough". (Read more at Wikipedia.)

Links to Peel[]

Postcards_Of_Scarborough_~_Michael_Chapman_~_1970

Chapman's first LP was one of the initial batch of albums to be issued on EMI's "progressive" label, Harvest, in 1969, but Chapman had already made his Peel session debut on the Night Ride of 12 June 1968. He recorded 12 sessions for Peel, between 1968 and 1978, which indicates that the DJ appreciated his brooding, intense music. Peel showed a particular liking for the track "Postcards of Scarborough", which he played many times; it appeared in the 1970 Peelenium.

Some of Michael Chapman's session accompanists also appeared in other bands who were featured on Peel's shows - the bass player Rick Kemp later joined Steeleye Span, another bassist, Bruce Barthol, had played on the early Country Joe and the Fish LPs, and former John Mayall drummer and bandleader Keef Hartley, steel guitarist BJ Cole (Matthews Southern Comfort) and bassist/mandolinist Rod Clements (Lindisfarne) all supported Chapman's strong vocals and guitar playing at various times - evidence of the respect he enjoyed among his fellow musicians. Although there were no more Peel sessions after 1979, Michael Chapman is still renowned as a performer and guitar teacher. In recent years he has toured with fellow Peel favourite Bridget St. John and performed with Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth.

Festive Fifty Entries[]

  • None

Peelenium[]

Sessions[]

Twelve sessions (please note that a 13th session listed by Ken Garner on 25 June 1979 was actually by Roger Chapman). A selection of tracks was released on BBC Sessions 69-75 CD, 1998 (Strange Fruit SFRSCD060).

1. Recorded 1968-05-23. First broadcast 12 June 1968.

  • No One Left To Care / If I Bring You Roses / Sunday Morning / One More Time / On My Way Again

2. Recorded 1969-06-10. First broadcast 18 June 1969.

  • Rabbit Hills / No Song To Sing / Naked Ladies In Electric Ragtime / No So Much A Garden More Like A Maze

3. Recorded 1969-08-11. First broadcast 31 August 1969. Repeated 29 November 1969, 27 December 1969.

  • Naked Ladies In Electric Ragtime / You Say / Postcards Of Scarborough / Rabbit Hills

4. Recorded 1970-04-07. First broadcast 25 April 1970. Repeated 28 November 1970.

  • Among The Trees / Lady On The Rooks / No So Much A Garden More Like A Maze

(& Landships, Soulful Lady, first broadcast on 28 November 1970 repeat).

5. Recorded 1971-12-13. First broadcast 22 December 1971. Repeated 15 February 1972.

  • Polar Bear Fandango / Night Drive / In The Valley / Time Enough To Spare

6. Recorded 1972-03-20. First broadcast 07 April 1972.

  • Soulful Baby / The Hero Returns / Shuffleboat River Farewell / New York Ladies

7. Recorded 1973-10-16. First broadcast 30 October 1973. Repeated 22 January 1974.

  • The Hero Returns / Firewater Dreams / The Dawning Of The Day / Time Enough To Spare

8. Recorded 1974-07-01. First broadcast 23 July 1974. Repeated 17 September 1974.

  • Time Enough To Spare / Rock And Roll Jigley / Banjo Song / Firewater Dreams

9. Recorded 1975-01-14. First broadcast 20 January 1975. Repeated 21 April 1975

  • Waiting For A Train / Deal Gone Down / Party Pieces / Among The Trees

10. Recorded 1976-04-08. First broadcast 07 May 1976. Repeated 17 June 1976

  • Shuffleboat River Farewell / Devastation Hotel / Secret Of The Locks / How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live

11. Recorded 1977-03-15. First broadcast 12 April 1977.

  • Among The Trees / Dogs Got More Sense / Secret Of The Locks / In The Valley

12. Recorded 1978-01-10. First broadcast 17 January 1978. Repeated: 15 February 1978

  • Falling Apart / Dogs Got More Sense / I'm Sober Now / Kodak Ghosts

Live[]

  1. Trinkets And Rings
  2. Rockport Sunday
  3. Andru's Easy Rider
  4. Indian Queens
  5. Not So Much A Garden - More Like A Maze

Other Shows Played[]

1969
1970
  • 07 February 1970: Naked Ladies And Electric Ragtime (LP – Fully Qualified Survivor) Harvest
  • 21 February 1970: Postcards Of Scarborough (LP – Fully Qualified Survivor) Harvest
  • 14 March 1970: Naked Ladies And Electric Ragtimes (LP - Fully Qualified Survivor) Harvest
  • 04 April 1970: Stranger In The Room (LP - Fully Qualified Survivor) Harvest
1971
1972
1973
1974
1976
1977
1979
1980
  • 28 January 1980: Postcards Of Scarborough (LP - Fully Qualified Survivor) Harvest
  • 21 February 1980: Fishbeard Sunset / Soulful Lady (LP - Fully Qualified Survivor) Criminal
1981
1984
1987
1994
  • 11 June 1994: Postcards Of Scarborough (LP - Fully Qualified Survivor) Harvest
1998
  • 21 May 1998: Postcards Of Scarborough (CD - Michael Chapman BBC Sessions 69-75) Strange Fruit
1999
2003

See Also[]

External Links[]

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