Roger Chapman Best

Roger Chapman is best known for his barbed-wire voice, used to front British '70s rock acts Family and Streetwalkers. He began a long-awaited solo career in 1978 that led to over a dozen full-length releases. Never heard of them? It's not surprising: album-wise, he camped out in Germany for 20 years. His first album and tour got high praise in his British homeland, but critics cut into him soon after. When the hassle-free German market beckoned, Chapman began to focus his subsequent work there, where he had become a musical hero, "the working-class artist." Chapman split with his longtime writing partner, Charlie Whitney, after the breakup of Streetwalkers in 1977.

After Family concluded their second stateside tour in mid-1971 they were to again face personnel changes as John Weider (bass) was replaced by John Wetton (bass/guitar/vocals) just in time to chip in for Fearless, their sixth long-player in four years. Listeners who had enjoyed their most recent platters might have been a bit nonplussed when confronted with this disc, as the combo's direction was notably altered. Wetton brought along his trademark propulsive performance style, which is immediately evident on the heavy midtempo opener, "Between Blue and Me." Charlie Whitney (guitar/mandolin/percussion) presents some expressive strings weaving through Wetton's full bottom-end bombs. The decidedly English "Sat'd'y Barfly" recalls the inebriated vibe of lighter-weight numbers à la the Faces, and the Ladbroke Horns do little to help as a prominent tuba rhythmically poots along…

The recording process for Frankie Miller’s sixth solo album “Falling In Love”, which was re-titled “A Perfect Fit” for its American release, was a far lower key affair than some of his previous ones…

Led by gale-force vocalist Roger Chapman and virtuoso guitarist John "Charlie" Whitney, Family were a British rock group who attracted a large cult following in the U.K. (and a miniscule one in the U.S.) for their passionate but wildly eclectic sound; from song to song and album to album, Family could veer from arty progressive experiments to thoughtful folk-rock to blues-influenced grooves to meat-and-potatoes hard rock, all of it performed with sincerity, fire, and a subtle yet genuine sense of humor. Featuring 30 songs that span the group's 1968-1973 recording lifespan, History: The Best of Family collects the highlights from the band's seven albums, and serves as a fine introduction to their music for beginners and a concise celebration for longtime fans.