five minutes with...
FEATURE
CHAS & DAVE
Everyone’s favourite Cockneys are in town this month. The infamous Chas & Dave started peddling their musical wares waaaay back in 1975 with their debut album ‘One Fing ‘n’ Annuver’ being picked up by the legendary John Peel. Combining the old time music hall sound with a rock n roll attitude, satirical lyrics and all the pace and punch of a good old knees up round the pian-ah led to the term ‘rockney’ being coined to describe the band’s sound.
Which song from your extensive back catalogue never fails to put a smile on your face? Sideboard Song.
Over the years they’ve appeared on our TV screens advertising beer and larking about in their TV specials; they once turned Abbey Road studios into an East London pub to record a live album and have worked on no less than four FA cup singles for Tottenham Hotspur. The likely lads opened for Led Zeppelin at Knebworth in 1979 and returned to the hallowed ground for a stand out set at last year’s Sonisphere Festival. They’ve played Glastonbury too, and even opened for The Libertines at Brixton Academy after the band personally invited them to join the shows because they were such big fans.
Is there anything you’d still really like to achieve? Just being alive, playing live shows and writing new songs.
You’ve played some seemingly bizarre yet ultimately perfect bookings over the years, how was stepping out in front of thousands of metal fans at Sonisphere 2014? Just another great Chas & Dave festival crowd.
And finally, tell us one thing we don’t already know about Chas & Dave… I don’t think there is anything :) Words: Zan Lawther
Catch chas & dave live @ engine rooms | November 21
No one stirs up a party quite like Chas & Dave so we were honoured to grab a quick five minutes with Mr Charles Hodges in the run up to their show at Engine Rooms You’re currently celebrating 40 years since the release of your first album, how does that feel? Seems like yesterday rather than 40 years ago. After 50 years of friendship and 40 years of working together, has your relationship with each other changed? Not at all. What do you think it is about ‘rockney’ that keeps reigniting that spark in fans old and new? It’s honest and comes from the heart. How has life on tour changed over the years and do you still enjoy being on the road? Much better. We don’t have rusty old vans any more, we’ve got a Mercedes and stay in nice hotels rather than sh*t houses!
southampton MUSIC | NOVEMBER 2015
CHAS & DAVE