Chapman Family – Down At The Front

The Chapman Family

Paul Hudson — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 19:38:31 +0000

Unbeknown to the crowd at the time, this was going to be the Chapman Family’s last London gig as they split up a few weeks later. Their uncompromising sound lacked a mainstream audience in a world where people prefer their music to take them away from reality rather than to challenge the system. So sadly the boys called it a day a few weeks after this gig.

Unfortunately for them, this wasn’t a highpoint of their career. The sound guy at the Garage was simply useless. The second band failed to turn up for the sound check so moved everything before the Chapman Family went on stage. Unfortunately, this effected their sound and the sound man simply seemed to ignore their requests to fix their monitors. The guys struggled through and still put in a heck of a performance that many other bands would dream of doing. But unfortunately, it wasn’t the best gig of theirs I’ve been to

Chapman Family

Paul Hudson — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:42:44 +0000

Great new song from those Teesside lads, The Chapman Family. Always great live. They’re about to embark on another tour. See their manifesto on Artrocker. The song is available free from their Facebook page.

Chapman Family

Paul Hudson — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 23:22:16 +0000

Honey

Holland

Chapman Family

[youtube pWwXoPtJmG0 600]

Chapman Family at Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen

Paul Hudson — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:03:50 +0000

The Chapman Family are a Teesside band. Although I’ve lived near London for 20 years, I’m still very much a Teessider. It’s an area of the country that’s effectively been abandoned since the 1970s. Successive governments have done little to encourage new industries. You either get a degree and find a job elsewhere in the UK, or you end up stuck (if you’re lucky) in one of dying industries. If you’re unlucky you could be facing a life on the dole being told that it’s your fault. During the ‘boom’, Teesside benefited through the public sector, but little else. Now that the Torries are in charge, even these jobs are under threat.

The Chapman Family are a product of Teesside. Their sound is direct and their lyrics reflect the abandonment many of Teesside feel. This tour is to support their new EP, Cruel Britannia, a short sharp shock of an EP that tackles these themes directly.

Tonight’s gig was taking place during the Jubilee and drew an audience that I suspect was low in Jubilee spirits, desperate for a dose of ‘reality’ and the Chapman Family didn’t fail to deliver.

Chapman Family

Paul Hudson — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:33:29 +0000

I stumbled across the Chapman Family through the excellent documentary ‘Sound It Out’, a documentary about Teesside’s ‘Sound It Out Records’. The excellent soundtrack features a number of Teesside bands. Their first single was actually released through record label ‘Don’t Tell Clare’ which I think was ‘Sound It Out Records’ short lived record label.

I’m from Teesside. It’s an area with little going for it. As an area that built-up around heavy industry, it’s struggling with the closure of most of them. Successive governments have failed to tackle the high unemployment. Leaving many kids without much future. The Chapman’s Family’s music very much represents the area. All Teessiders have a ‘them and us’ attitude and this comes out in their music. Kingsley, the lead singer, is clearly annoyed with the way much of the country is oblivious to the effect of successful governments policies on Teesside through their pandering to the Middle Classes in the Home counties. A view most Teessiders agree with and it’s a view I agree with.

Tonight’s gig at the Bull and Gate, suffered from some sound problems, with Kingsley’s vocals a little too low in the mix. But the energy and passion of Kingsley means that they’re always watchable. Tonight was no exception.

The Naturals

Cold in Berlin

Chapman Family