Who was a true Racer at Heart…
Perusing the New York times Obituary section on
December 24th, I heard the name Chris Rea, which immediately grabbed my
attenzione.
A self-taught slide guitar virtuoso. Following a
Short illness, Rea died on Monday, December 22nd at age 74.
I was introduced to Chris Re’s delightful
gravelly Yorkshire voice sometime in the early 1990’s. Arse-sumedly on Sunday
Night Blues on an “Ol, defunct Seattle Radio Station.
Having first purchased His The Road to Hell CD,
His 10th studio album; His most successful, having been certified 6X Platinum.
And then gravitating to On the Beach, my second Chris Rea CD, before I lost
track of Him…
VIDEO:
The Road to Hell Part 2
Born on March 4, 1951 in Middlesbrough, North
Riding of Yorkshire. (England) Chris was one of seven children, whose father owned a series of Coffee Shops and Ice
Cream Parlours.
Chris worked for His father’s Ice Cream
Parlours along with being a Bricklayer. Before a friend introduced Him to the
James Gang when He was 20 years old. With Chris claiming He played that record
so much He wore holes thru it! Went out to buy a guitar and the rest was
History…
Enjoyed Chris’s quip about He studied
Motorbikes instead of the Pen in Secondary School, which He was kicked out of.
In His last interview with John Earls of the
Daily Express, Rea mused how He’d just been banned from driving when the song Driving
Home for Christmas was released. Claimed He’d written the song for Van Morrison
in 1978, but never heard back from Him. So eventually, eight years later, He recorded
it Himself and released it as the “B” side to the ‘Hello Friends single. Before
a re-recorded version arrived two years later. Then in 2021, the song reached
No. 10 in the UK, becoming His second Top 10 single.
Rea claims people say you can hear His
infectious tone in the song, noting He was in a good mood when recording it…
VIDEO:
Driving Home for Christmas
Rea also once stated in an interview how He’d
gone into music simply because He liked music, not to become Rich ‘n Famous. As
He always knocked on the Musician’s door, and not the Rock Stars door.
Musical influences included Sonny boy
Williamson and Muddy Waters, which somewhat clashed with His Albums genres…
Chris’s first band was Magdalene, a local
Yorkshire Band whose previous members had included David Coverdale, before He
departed for Deep Purple in 1973
In 1978, Rea began His Solo career with the Hit
song “Fool if you think it’s over”. His biggest U.S. Hit, reaching No. 12 on
the Billboard’s Hot 100. Being nominated for a Grammy in 1978 for Best New
Artist.
Progress has been slow, since I haven’t gone
out of my way to promote myself. If I’d been into Show Biz, it might have
helped pay the bills. But then again I might not be making the music I’m
making.
In 2000, Doctors stated He most likely had Pancreatic
cancer, electing to have His pancreas
and parts of His stomach removed. Choosing to have a risky Whipple procedure
performed in 2001, making Him a diabetic.
Following His recovery, Rea released His 17th
studio album, Dancing Down the Stony Road in ’02.
His record company refused to release the album.
So Rea set up His own company Jazzee Blue and released it independently as a
double CD album. Edel Records released a shorter, single CD album titles simply
Stony Road in Europe,. The album reached No. 14 on the UK Album Charts.
Naturally, Chris was very pleased when it was certified
Gold, having sold more than 500,000 copies, after its initial rejection. As Rea
had pledged to Himself that He would return to His Bules roots if He recovered,
and knew His Fans wouldn’t have a problem with it…
Rea studied Journalism in College, before
dropping out. Saying He’d fancied writing about motor racing, but chose music
instead…
His 1993 album Espresso Logic was partially
promoted by appearing in a non-Championship British Touring Car championship
(BTCC) “TOCA Shootout” event.
He wrote and produced the 1996 film La
Passione, inspired by His boyhood passion of Formula 1 and Ferrari driver
Wolfgang Von Trips.
Rea was passionate about Historic Car Racing
and raced a number of vintage automobiles. Including a Ferrari Dino, Ferrari
328, a 1955 Lotus 6 and a 1964 Lotus Elan 26R. Plus the Caterham 7 featured on
His Auberge album cover, which He sold
for Charity in 2005. With all proceeds going to the NSPCC.
His Ferrari 330 was used as the donor car for
the 250LM replica in La Passione. And in 2014, He was finishing a 22 year
restoration of an original replica of a Ferrari 156 Sharknose.
Chris also wrote and recorded the song Saudade
in honour of Ayrton Senna in 1994. Although it was the final song on The Very
Best of Chris Rea compilation album in 2001.
Reportedly, the word Saudade roughly means the
“Feeling” of emotion and euphoria of a certain moment…
VIDEO:
Saudade
Rea sold over 30 million Albums worldwide, but
never toured the United States. Preferring to stay home with His family; wife Joan,
who met as teenagers. And their two daughters Josephine
and Julia. With both daughters having songs
named after them.
Although Rea refused to tour the United States,
I did learn He appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, apparently twice?
Stumbling into Rea and Letterman kibitzing over
Formula 1 upon performing in New York sometime late summer of 1991. With Dave
pleading to hear The Road to Hell…
VIDEO:
Looking for the Summer – Live on Letterman
