Glitter band

[ladyboygrimsby]

I just transcribed an interview with an old Liverpool DJ called Les Spaine and he was talking about the Glitter Band's involvement with black music in the early 70s. He said several of them played on many funk sessions for Blues & Soul's label (he said it was Mojo, but I think he actually meant Contempo). Does anyone have any more information about this or any leads?

He also told me about a band called The Chants, who must've been the first black British band, even before the Equals. They played in Hamburg with the Beatles. Eddie Amoo from Real Thing was in them. Anyone know about this? It was news to me.

Here's a pic of them:
http://www.triumphpc.com/mersey-....s.shtml

[Lord Thames]

I think the Chants appeared on 'The Wheeltappers and Shunters Club' TV show - the episode with them in turns up on Granada Plus every so often. They must have survived well into the 70s, then.

[ladyboygrimsby]

Quote[/b] (Lord Thames @ Sep. 09 2004,21:55)]I think the Chants appeared on 'The Wheeltappers and Shunters Club' TV show - the episode with them in turns up on Granada Plus every so often. They must have survived well into the 70s, then.

They did, primarily as a cabaret band. Eddie Amoo joined the Real Thing, I think in about 1975 and that's when the Chants disbanded. Thanks for the info, Lord T.

[son of stan]

There was a documentary several years ago which told the story of the Chants. I think it was a regional tv thing that only went out in the Granada area.  

There's a two step 7" by them called "I've been trying" on Chipping Norton. That would have been around 75/76 at a guess.

The other thing, which you probably realise, is that Contempo was originally called Mojo.

[john stapleton]

the chants had a bunch of singles on pye (from '64 onwards, I think)

[Jim Cassius]

Yeah, the Real Thing/Chants connection is what I was going to say. Paul Du Noyer's book about Liverpool talks about them and Real Thing a fair bit...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec....4871854

[chrisvulture]

just the other week found a Contempo 45 by The Armada Orchestra, produced by Glam-Meister Gerry Shurry...would not be suprised if this had at least something to do with the Glitter Band...nice track called 'the drifter' on the flip...can't remember which run-of-the-mill disco/soul tune was on the A...

[Hadrian Elephant]

Mr Ladyboy

Ages ago Max dropped a few boxes of singles he'd found in his attic round mine. I still have them knocking about somewhere.

My reason for mentioning this is there is a large number of Contempo singles in there and a small amount of Mojo ones.

I bagged all the ones I wanted (Masai, Melvin Bliss etc etc) but there are still loads more there.

If you tell me the names I need to check on the songwriting/production credits, or are interested in specific titles I'll e-mail you the relevant details.

I've got "I've been trying" by The Chants, so can put it on a cd (when I get the bloody recorder) or play it down the phone to you if you haven't heard it and are interested.

I assume (in fact I'm certain) you know "Makes You Blind" by the Glitter Band too?

[ladyboygrimsby]

Stan: Didn't realise Mojo was called Contempo, thanks for that.

Hadrian: Yeah, got the Makes You Blind (though not the Canadian 12-incch promo...), there's also another on the same lines (credited to G-Band) called Tuna Biscuit. The behind the scenes goings-on of the Glitter Band would make a great piece for a magazine.

[The Divine One]

I'm pretty sure The Chants became The Chosen Few (who released a few 45s on Polydor in the early 70s) before becoming the Real Thing...

Then again, there are about 20 groups called the Chosen Few.

[TuckinFrat]

2 of my mates dads were in the chants joe ankra and my other mate is jus called black andy so i dont know what his dad was called and of course amoo bros....its a little known fact the rare deep funk 45..granby st development..'jelly roll' legrand was actually born in a jam session on granby st [the main st in toxteth] members of granby st development were sailors over from the states and i know joe ankra snr was there and 1 of the amoo bros..so scousers rule

i aint convinced contempo was the same lable as mojo..contempo was owned by a guy at blues and soul ,mojo was rca owned or distroed i think..ill look into it

i got a copy of the chippin norton 45 'ive been tryin' @ £30

[TuckinFrat]

oh yeah Jalal outta last poets has a son in toxteth he must be a bout 25 now..jalal lived here when he got chased outta NY by the moslim maddies and fathered this kid, my ol man used to know him and rumour has it dexter gordon lived in liverpool for a while too.!! but i aint convinced bout that..

[son of stan]

Quote[/b] (TuckinFrat @ Sep. 12 2004,10:23)]i aint convinced contempo was the same lable as mojo..contempo was owned by a guy at blues and soul ,mojo was rca owned or distroed i think..ill look into it

Contempo International was the parent company of Blues and Soul. Mojo was pressed and distributed by Polydor but A&R and promotion was handled by Contempo. (The Polydor connection explains why some JB related recordings at the time came out on Mojo and others on Polydor).

After Mojo folded, B&S set up the Contempo label in January 1973. It was run along the same lines as the previous venture with Decca taking over from Polydor.