Difference between revisions of "Chris Thompson"

Revision as of 10:37, 10 May 2019

1973 cover of the self titled "Chris Thompson" album

Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist Chris Thompson started out in the Kon-Tiki Folk Club in Hamilton, and other coffee houses. He found some initial success in Auckland with country and blues bands like The Stillwater String Band, The Medicine Show and The Myers Park Shufflers, and with regular television appearances on AKTV-2's 'On Camera' show in 1969. In the early '70s he moved to England, where he played in the band of Californian folk singer Julie Felix and played with British folk-blues legends Wizz Jones and Davey Graham. Chris moved to Ireland to live and became a 'musician-in-residence' at Trinity College, Dublin, opening shows for bands like Quintessence, Planxty and Horslips, and touring solo in Belgium in 1972. Chris also appeared on television in Dublin and Belfast. In 1973 he made his first album, which is recognised internationally as an underground classic, and is currently in its fifth edition. Back in New Zealand in 1974, Chris toured with bluesmen Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee; he maintained a lifelong friendship with Brownie, for whom he wrote the song "Letter to Brownie". "Letter to Brownie" later had a video directed by Adam Hyde, then a student at Waikato Polytech. It was filmed by Wayne Green, and presented to TVNZ as a demo. It engaged their interest and they re-shot the film in a bar in Auckland, screened it on 'The CV Show', and sent a copy to Brownie McGhee who enjoyed it thoroughly. In the mid-'70s Chris toured with New Zealand singer/songwriter John Hanlon, backing him up on stage and in the studio, and in the '80s Chris toured with Texan blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. Chris married Canadian musician Lynne Bradstock in 1985; they toured successfully as a duo, and made two albums for Ode Records. Together they have one daughter, Lora, who plays guitar in the Hamilton band Cheshire Grimm. Regular gigs Chris has had in Hamilton include The Hillcrest Tavern Wine Bar (1982), Ruby Blacks Coffee House (2007), The Brothers Seafood Restaurant (1979), Cafe Centrale (1998) and La Commune Cafe (2008).

Chris is an old boy of Southwell School and has spent most of his life in and around Hamilton, where he recorded Hometown Voodoo in 1981; this album contains the song Hamilton, about the city. This song has become widely known due to a version played by Big Muffin Serious Band. Other Hamilton and Raglan musicians Chris has played with include Tim Armstrong and The Monday Club, Stan Jagger, The Dirt Band, and The Wild Allegations. After some success as a songwriter in America (where San Franciscan singer Meg Baird recorded 'The River Song', and Fleet Foxes frontman Robin Pecknold recorded 'Where is my Wild Rose?'), Chris relocated to Taupo, where he wrote new songs and performed occasionally at Cafe Ninety-Nine in Tongariro St. In December 2016 Chris recorded a new digital album called On High Street (by 'Chris Thompson, the Folksinger from Hell'), which was released on Bandcamp.com. Chris moved to Waihi Beach in December 2017 and has been playing at The Bowentown Cafe and The Porch. He is presently working with Hamilton-based Pinenut Records on the collectors vinyl edition of some long lost rock and experimental recordings made in Dublin in 1974. This album (Drunken Nights in Dublin) was released on L.P., E.P., 45 and CD at a release gig at Nivara Lounge on 24 November 2018, followed by a short concert tour to Auckland, Taupo, Tauranga and Waihi Beach.

Releases

Chris Thompson (Anthology) cover art

• Chris Thompson (album) album, 1973
  
• Echoes from the Pit album, 1976
  
• Minstrelsy album, 1977
  
• Hometown Voodoo album, 1981
  
• The Natural Blues album, 1983
  
• The Road to Raglan album, 1990
  
• Far Out and Solid album, 1992
  
• Coffee Break album, 1993
  
• Song for Laura album, 1995
  
• Time Flies album, 2000
  . ,'Chris Thompson' album reissue CD (U.S.A.)2001
• For my Double album, 2004
• The White Sapphire album, 2005
• Evolution album (with The Monday Club), 2007
• Chris Thompson (Anthology), 2010
• Chris Thompson and Stan Jagger album, 2011
• Where is my Wild Rose? album, 2013
• On High Street album, 2016
• Chris Thompson (album) vinyl reissue, South Korea, 2017
• Drunken Nights in Dublin album and EP, 2018

as Chris and Lynne Thompson:

• Together album, 1985
  
• Live in Concert album, 1988<b

Compilations:

• Alabama Song, London Blues and Don't be Afraid appeared on the 1974 compilation First Thrust
• I Wanna Be Me appears on the 1979 compilation Festival Music
• Ain't No Telling, The Coffin On The Baggage Train Ahead and Diamond Blues appear on the 1982 compilation Paths - New Songs of New Zealand
• Love and Hugo Spellman appears on the 1983 compilation Masters of Folk Guitar
• Poor Little Thing and She should have been a Lady (by Chris and Lynn Thompson) appear on the 1985 compilation Auckland Acoustics
• Vox Populi appears on the 2000 compilation Acoustic Magic
• Back In The City appears on the compilation Sitar Cerebrations Vol 2

External Links

White Sapphire cover

Internet

• Chris Thompson Facebook page

Videos on Youtube:

• Chris Thompson - Crossroads Blues
• Television New Zealand Interview/performance of Only One Way Out Of Town, 1993
• Chris Thompson and Big Muffin Serious Band - Hamilton
• Chris Thompson and Stan Jagger - Grocer's Blues
• Chris Thompson Television New Zealand - The Road to Raglan
• Chris Thompson - If You Lose Your Money
• Chris Thompson - Take Two
• Chris Thompson and The Wild Allegations - When i am Dead
• Chris Thompson "Hamilton" 'live' at Biddy Mulligan's 2010
• Chris Thompson article at Audioculture