Bill Champlin leaves Chicago

[jerzeypocofan]

Tuesday, August 11, 2009
BC Official Press Release - Chicago & Bill Champlin Part Ways
Category: Music
August 10, 2009


BILL CHAMPLIN COMES FULL CIRCLE, LEAVING HERITAGE ROCK BAND CHICAGO TO RETURN TO HIS SOLO CAREER


Champlin Launches Fall Tour On November 6th In Support Of No Place Left To Fall, His First Solo Album In More Than 10 Years

After 28 years with Chicago, singer-songwriter-keyboardist Bill Champlin is parting ways with the classic jazz/rock band to focus once again on his solo career. The announcement comes on the heels of the August 4th release of No Place Left to Fall, Champlin’s first solo album in more than 10 years. The two-time GRAMMY® award winner will launch a West Coast tour on November 6th at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA. (See below for itinerary.)

“This music is callin’ me,” said Champlin, who first came to prominence with Sons of Champlin, a seminal late-60’s San Francisco band whose soul stylings and complex song structures set it apart from other groups of the psychedelic scene, and a series of critically acclaimed solo albums.

From the funky “Total Control” and soulful “Lookin’ For You” to the exquisite “Never Been Afraid” and the kick-ass come-on “Angelina,” No Place Left to Fall is a career-defining record for Champlin. Released by the East Coast indie label DreamMakers, the CD is accompanied by a 70-minute bonus DVD that includes a documentary on the making of the album directed by news anchor and longtime fan Rod Simons, live footage of Champlin performing recently with the Sons of Champlin and much more. Champlin has already begun readying material for a follow-up album and fans can look forward to more music from Sons of Champlin as well.

Champlin – who handled lead vocals on the #1 hit “Look Away, traded vocals with Peter Cetera on “Hard Habit to Break” and wrote and sang lead on “Hearts in Trouble” for the soundtrack for the blockbuster movie “Days of Thunder” soundtrack during his tenure with Chicago – relishes the opportunity to return to his roots on the upcoming “BICHIN” tour. “A few years ago, I was signing a stack of press photos and going through them at such a clip, I was using only two letters from each name – and I realized that I was signing ‘BICH,’” he recalls. “I’m really looking forward to playing more intimate venues and hearing what fans think of the new music. I can’t wait to spend some one-on-one time with my old and new fans!” Backing him on the tour will be the rhythm section from Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns, who backed Bill on his live solo album “Mayday,” and Champlin’s wife, singer-songwriter Tamara Champlin, on vocals.

Initial dates for Bill Champlin’s “BICHIN” tour are as follows:

11/6 San Juan Capistrano, CA Coach House
11/7 San Diego, CA Anthology
11/10 Santa Cruz, CA Moe’s Alley
11/11 Mill Valley, CA 142 Throckmorton Theatre
11/12 Tuolumne, CA Black Oak Casino
11/13 Lodi, CA Hutchins Street Square
11/14 Santa Rosa, CA Last Day Saloon
11/15 Newcastle, CA Constable Jacks
11/19 Portland, OR Jimmy Maks
11/20 Langley, WA Mukilteo Coffee Roaster
11/21 Langley,WA Mukilteo Coffee Roaster
11/22 Seattle, WA Triple Door

[sandollar]

Great News..thanks...

[pocojim]

I was never a fan of his style of music, rarely liked any of the songs he brought to the band. He inherited lead vocals on many of the Terry Kathy-sung songs, and I think he did a poor job. It will be interesting to see how Chicago choose to fill his spot.

FYI, saw them in San Diego a few weeks ago, they still put on a great show.

Jim

[joeyg7]

Wasn"t that Jesus that just left Chicago?

[MauiThomas]

The Sons Of Champlin is his real band...I was bummed when he took the Chicago gig 30 years ago though I didn't blame him...

Check out The Sons and his solo stuff...Chicago stifled him...great to have him "back"...

[fenderbass57]

I was never a fan of his style of music, rarely liked any of the songs he brought to the band. He inherited lead vocals on many of the Terry Kathy-sung songs, and I think he did a poor job. It will be interesting to see how Chicago choose to fill his spot.

FYI, saw them in San Diego a few weeks ago, they still put on a great show.

Jim

Right on Jim, thanks!


- Keith

[hzryb]

How many "original" members are there in Chicago?

After Terry Kath departed, what was Chicago to me no longer existed. I was never a huge fan of Peter Cetera. He was over-sappy and soporific. Kath brought an element to the band, on the first 2 1/2 albums, that was never recaptured.

I saw them many times back in the day, including that Carnegie Hall performance that was released on record (and emceed by Scot Muni). and they remain as some of my favorite concert memories.

I did see them twice in the last 10 or so years, and each time they were good, but not like "back then." The first time was at Jones Beach about 10 yrs ago, playing alongside the Beach Boys, and they each did their set, and came back out together for a couple of joint numbers. Very pleasant evening, but nothing earthshattering.

The last time I saw them, I was working at a convention in Chicago and Chicago was the entertainment for the evening. I had to drage my co-worker, 'cause he did not want to go at all, and we were treated to a very pleasant evening. They did mostly their old material, including the complete "Make Me Smile (Ballet for a Girl In Buchanan)." I think there might have been two original memebers then.

I think this is the kind of band that you can pick some good musicians and put them together, teach them the songs, call them Chicago and no one will ever know the difference.

[jerzeypocofan]

Chicago has 4 original members in the band.....Bill Champlin and Jason Scheff have
been in the band longer than some of the original members

[pocojim]

Robert Lamm and the three horn players remain from the original lineup. They churned through a bunch of guitarists after Terry Kathy died. I like the current guy, Keith Howland, who's been there since 1995. But no one could replace Kath.

Jim

[voycefm]

Chicago has 4 original members in the band.....Bill Champlin and Jason Scheff have
been in the band longer than some of the original members

???????