Posts Tagged ‘Skid Row’

UFO Guitarist Paul Chapman Dead at 66 Years of Age

Posted: June 18, 2020 in MUSIC
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Former UFO, Lone Star and Waysted guitarist Paul ‘Tonka’ Chapman has died at the age of 66.
The new was confirmed by his family on the musician’s Facebook page, saying that he passed away on what was his birthday. The message reads: “It is with a heavy heart writing this, today is my dad’s 66th birthday. He passed away earlier this afternoon. “He was a brilliant, energetic, loving and most carefree person and the first man I ever loved. Everyone he came in contact with loved him – no adored him. “I will keep everyone posted on his celebration of life. I appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers as his family grieves and processes everything at this time.”

Chapman was born in Cardiff on June 9th, 1954, and made his first mark in the music world with Skid Row in 1971, but left in 1972.
Chapman joined the legendary British hard rock band, UFO in 1974 playing alongside guitar icon, Michael Schenker. While he was on-stage, shredding through a wall of Marshall amps and slinging a slew of B.C. Rich guitars, Chapman toured with them in support of their third studio album “Phenomenon”. However, his first tenure with the band didn’t last, and Chapman departed the following year to form Lone Star with Kenny Driscoll, Tony Smith, Ray Jones, Jim Matthews, Pete Hurley and Dixie Lee.

Chapman played on their self-titled debut album in 1976 and 1977’s “Firing On All Six”.
He went on to rejoin UFO replacing Schenker. in 1978 and played on the studio albums “No Place To Run, The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent, Mechanix” and “Making Contact”.

Following UFO’s split in 1983, Chapman hooked up with the band’s former bassist Pete Way in Waysted, playing on 1985’s “The Good the Bad the Waysted” and “Save Your Prayers” the following year. Paul WAS a bona fide international rock star — sporting leather pants and great hair. The accent was pretty cool too. Paul had relocated to Melbourne to raise a family with his (then) wife and develop his next band. As a means of making ends meet, in the interim, he taught guitar at various area music stores. Paul remained very much in the game during the ‘90s. with his band Circus Circus had morphed into Ghost with current Nazareth frontman Carl Sentance and Paul was back out playing live again and making frequent personal guest appearances at various music events, all while continuing to give guitar lessons. In the 2000s, he was pursuing new ventures, including an ill-fated Waysted reunion and a stint touring with Gator Country, an all-star southern rock revival featuring original members of Molly Hatchet.

No cause of death has been made public.

Tributes from across the rock world have begun to come in, with UFO saying: “We send our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Paul ‘Tonka’ Chapman, who died yesterday on his 66th birthday. Paul’s son broke the tragic news on Paul’s Facebook page yesterday evening. R.I.P. Tonka.”

Former Motorhead guitarist Phil Campbell said: “Just woke up to sad news of Paul Chapman passing. He was my main influence on guitar for many years and a brilliant bloke. Thoughts are with his family.”

John Corabi called Chapman a “lovely gentleman and a great guitar player,” adding: “I had the great fortune of meeting him in Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, and he was nothing short of amazing to a young dreamer. 66 is much too young.”
Posting a live version of Lettin’ Go, rock broadcaster Eddie Trunk said: “Listening to Paul Chapman all night. So many great songs he played on and co-wrote in his era. Such a great player.”

To legions of fans worldwide, he was a magnificent rock star — a guitar legend.

GARY MOORE – ” Tribute ” Who Died on February 6th 2011

Posted: February 6, 2015 in MUSIC
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMGyhBQ4MPI

If the great guitarists are often the ones that took what had gone before and used that inspiration to become unique players themselves, then Gary Moore is on the A-list. We’re paying tribute to the Northern Irish guitar hero on what is already the fourth anniversary of his passing, on February 6, 2011.

His death, at just 58, came as a great shock, but he left a legacy of nearly 40 years’ worth of recording. Plus, of course, a reputation as a brilliant player, in the studio and on the stage.
To shine the spotlight chiefly on his solo work, we’ve omitted his copious additional work with bands such as Skid Row, G-Force and Thin Lizzy, and started the selection with his 1978 album ‘Back On The Streets.’ His official solo debut, it spread the word about Moore’s fiery playing to a wider audience, especially when he combined with his Thin Lizzy compadre Phil Lynott to hit the UK top ten with its romantic single ‘Parisienne Walkways.’
That led the way to three further decades of uncompromising, blues-infused rock releases including such top 40 albums of the 1980s as ‘Corridors of Power’ and ‘Victims of the Future,’ before Gary hit big with 1987’s ‘Wild Frontier.’ Another new staging post came with the 1990 album ‘Still Got The Blues,’ which emphasised his widespread respect among fellow musicians in its contributions by Albert King, Albert Collins and (on ‘That Kind Of Woman’) George Harrison.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbJI1y0i1mk

1992 brought a summit with another hero, B.B. King, who frequently sang Moore’s praises and played with him on the Ivory Joe Hunter staple ‘Since I Met You Baby,’ on ‘After Hours,’ his highest-charting UK album, at No. 4. Gary then became part of the forceful power trio BBM, with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, for 1993’s ‘Around The Next Dream.’

Gary’s recording adventures continued into the 2000s on records such as ‘Back To The Blues,’ ‘Old New Ballads Blues’ and what turned out to be his final album, 2008’s ‘Bad For You Baby.’ For Gary Moore, it wasn’t a case of going back to the blues, because he never left them, and his contribution to the music he loved was immense.