Great live`n raw recordings from this amazing band from New Zealand.Forming in Christchurch in 1964 Chants R&B were really New Zealand's Pretty Things. Their musical influences were British R'n'B outfits like The Stones, Pretty Things and Kinks. Initially they were called The Chants, but changed their name after discovering a U.K. act with the same name.
They were a regular live attraction at a club called The Stage Door. Three of their four 45 cuts - a Courtney/Rudd original I Want HerI'm Your Witchdoctor and Meaux's Neighbour Neighbour - can also be heard on Wild Things, Vol. 1I'm Your Witchdoctor on How Was The Air Up There?, Neighbour, Neighbour, which featured great vocals and gruff guitar work, on Ugly Things, Vol. 3 and It's A Kave-In and finally I'm Your Witchdoctor on The Best Of Ugly Things. and covers of John Mayall's and show them to be a competent R'n'B outfit. Other compilation appearances include
They caused quite a sensation when Mike Rudd nailed his still plugged in and switched on guitar to the stage floor during a gig in June 1966.
Their original guitarist Jim Tomlin, who also played the hypnotic Indian flute on I Want Her, left in mid-1966 to be replaced by Max Kelly, but Tomlin returned to produce their second 45.
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In November 1966, they headed for Melbourne with a new line-up (C), but when Trevor and Mike fell out (a classic case of 'musical differences') they split in early 1967.
There's a recommended 1996 compilation album with lots of previously unreleased material.
In Tim Piper they had one of the region's best blues guitarists and Mike Rudd was pretty powerful with the axe too. Piper later played with Australia's Chain and Alta Mira.
LINK: this guys in love with you...
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ALBUM Review by Jon 'Mojo' Mills
To the uninitiated, this crudely recorded 1966 live set from New Zealand's biggest Pretty Things's fans, Chants R&B, will sound like an unholy racket, which in essence it is. But after casting aside the tape distortion and the odd out of key backing vocal, open-minded contemporary listeners after having accepted the "vintage rawk" "(lack of) quality" of these recordings will find something to love -- of course found in the unadulterated energy level of the performance. These chaps put everything into what they did! The instrumentation is tight, the Jeff Beck/Ron Wood-inspired guitar solos are magnificent, and the choice of American R&B/soul lifted from the British bands that they admired (the Artwoods, the Birds, the Yardbirds, and Them) are taken to new levels of what collectors now refer to as beat-punk. This is an all out venture into amphetamine-fuelled playing freakbeat rave-ups that easily stand aside the Shadows of Knight's Live at the Cellar Bar and the MC5's '66 Breakout!.
Biography by Richie Unterberger
In the relative isolation of Christchurch, New Zealand, in the mid-1960s, Chants R&B developed a sound heavily indebted to the raunchiest and most R&B-influenced bands of the British Invasion, such as the Rolling Stones, Them, and the Yardbirds. Only two singles were released during the band's lifetime, and like numerous American garage bands, they weren't as skilled or original as the British groups that inspired them. However, they were pretty good as such bands went, and certainly among the best acts of this sort in Australasia.
Chants R&B's two singles were "I've Been Loving You Too Long"/"I Want Her" and "I'm Your Witchdoctor"/"Neighbour Neighbour," both issued on Action!, the Christchurch-based independent label. Only one of those songs, "I Want Her," was an original, and it was pretty explicitly derivative of Them, particularly the Them song "Little Girl." Still, it was an exciting effort and definitely their best moment on record, with a careening punk/R&B energy and a weird, snaky Asiatic guitar line.
Chants R&B's lineup changed several times, and in mid-1966 the lead guitarist role was taken by Max Kelly, a deserter from the Australian Air Force. When Kelly had to return to Melbourne to face desertion charges, the rest of the band (by this time including a bassist named Neil Young, although he wasn't the Neil Young) followed. They recorded an unreleased single before breaking up in 1967. Both sides of their two official singles, as well as five additional studio tracks from 1964-1967 and four live songs from 1966, were issued as the Stage Door Witchdoctors CD on Bacchus Archives.
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Un saludo
Hiriente y magistral, no se puede decir más, para mí una joya total desde el principio al final, quien pudiera haber vivido esta actuación... verdad Pablo.
Wonderful 60s garage sound. Love that stuff.
Thank you, you're great to provide us such stuff.
Footnote! In 2007 a local Christchurch promoter tracked down the original members of the band & persuaded them to return to Christchuch & play a reunion gig. Still looking great for their age they gave a fantastic performance in late November at Al's Bar with the suggestion of a further gig in the future.Here's hoping.
this is a: "wonderful!" GARAGE Album from 'down-Under'!!! well i have it on Cd .. but 'looking-forward' To Jamming this ONTO my mp3 Player!!! THX! Cheers
indeed lovely dear Andy.
lucky to get it on the ipod.
Many thanks! I have this on vinyl and love it, but it's nice to have an ipod friendly copy.
Another "chants" to catch these guys! They appear again at Al's Bar Christchurch New Zealand 26/27 Feb 2010.
I've had my copy of this disc in the car for the last 2 weeks! Its a great record!!!
cheers Al
Yeah...the guys had great things such as some poor...at least to me!
Pablo
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