Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers
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| Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers | |
|---|---|
| Origin | London, England |
| Genre(s) | Pub Rock |
| Years active | 1971 - 1975 |
| Label(s) | Revelation Mooncrest Records Proper Records |
| Members | |
| Phil Lithman Martin Stone Paul "Dice Man" Bailey Paul Riley Pete Thomas |
|
Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers, were one of the main British Pub Rock groups of the early '70s, playing a laid-back mixture of rock & roll, R&B, country, and folk. Managed by Jake Riviera (formerly Andrew Jakeman), they reached their peak as part of the infamous, "Naughty Rhythms Tour", of 1975 along with other stalwarts of the same scene, Dr. Feelgood and Kokomo, with each band alternatively headlining on different dates.
[edit] History
The band has its origins in a folk-rock duo formed by ex-Junior's Blues Band members Martin Stone and Philip C. Lithman aka Snakefinger. Lithman moved to San Francisco in the late '60s, leaving Stone to play with Savoy Brown and Mighty Baby. The duo reunited in the early '70s, recording Kings Of The Robot Rhythm with vocalist Jo Ann Kelly and various members of Brinsley Schwarz. The album was released in 1972, the same year, the duo expanded, adding Paul "Dice Man" Bailey, Paul Riley, and Pete Thomas to the line-up.
During the next two years, Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers became a popular live act in Britain, they also recorded two John Peel Sessions for BBC radio on 9 April 1973 and 25 July 1974. In 1974, they released their final album, Bongos Over Balham, which sold poorly and the band split in 1975.
Pete Thomas became the drummer for Elvis Costello's backing band, The Attractions, Paul Riley played with Graham Parker, Paul Bailey formed Bontemps Roulez, and Martin Stone played with the Pink Fairies before quitting the music business. Phil Lithman moved back to San Francisco where he began to work with his former associates, The Residents, under the name Snakefinger.
[edit] Albums
- LP - Kings Of The Robot Rhythm (Revelation, 1972)
- LP - Bongos Over Balham (Mooncrest, 1974)
- CD - I'll Be Home (rarities compilation) (Proper Records, 1996)
[edit] References
- Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, All Music Guide to Country: The Definitive Guide to Country Music - Page 143, 2003, Backbeat Books, ISBN 0879307609
- Peter Buckley, The Rough Guide to Rock - Page 465, 2003, Rough Guides, ISBN 1843531054
