French Version

Chick CHURCHILL - Interview - December 6th 2008

1. You're in France today, in Lyon, in the Ninkasi Kao venue . What are your first impressions ?


That's okay. It's a club, you know we play lots of clubs, pretty much similar, pretty much the same, the catering looks good, so, that's good !






2. Back to the past...Do you remember how you met the other members of the band ?


Yes, I met Alvin first. I went to see a gig. The other three were playing and I went and introduced myself to Alvin and said I was a keyboard player. He said "oh...go on... play the keyboards then". So I played the keyboards and he said okay, you've got a job. So then I had to save up to buy a keyboard....and then that's when I met the other two in 1966, I think it was...It's a long time ago.



3. What can you say after such a long career with Ten Years After ?


What can I say ? When I was 25 I never thought I would be doing it still, at this age, that's all I can say...I still enjoy it, so it's good !




4. What is your best memory ?


Phew...I think maybe the first time at Madison Square Garden when we sold out. That was very special. Woodstock of course, but we did lots of festivals that year. Woodstock was just made into a film that's why it's such a big festival but other than that, it would have been just another festival. So Madison Square Garden yes....

AM : And what is your worst memory ?

Oh dear, they're hundreds...Sleeping on the floor in an airport because they had cancelled the flight, I think that's one of the worst, that was not very nice. At least lots of ups and downs you know, these long journeys, and plane flights, which I hate flying and I fly all the time, so it's not the best thing about the job, flying..

AM : And waiting...

Waiting and waiting and waiting. Hurry up and wait...

AM : But after, when you're on stage...

Yes, it's fine, that's different !...



5. Can you talk about your brand new album, it's called "Evolution" ?


It's a collection of ten songs. We do two or three on stage at the moment. Yeah, I like it, I mean it's...when you have played it and played it in the studio, you tend not to listen to it again. I never listen to any Ten Years After CDs because I've heard them so many times in the studio, so they sort of get put on the shelf and forgotten about...

AM : What is your favourite track ?

Chick : On this ?

AM : Yeah

Chick : I think "She needed a rock", track 4. Yeah, I think that's probably..and "Angry words", that's a blues song, I like blues...





6. What kind of music do you like apart from the blues ?


I like heavy rock, you know AC/DC that's sort of thing. I like classical music, jazz, that's about it really, I don't listen to pop music at all, so I wouldn't even know what is in the charts at the moment, so, rock music mainly.

AM : Do you have friends ?...Do you know for instance Wishbone Ash ?

Yeah. You know, I know them because we played some gigs with them, but I mean I used to know Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, all sort of people, Pete Townshend. My daughter grew up with Jimmy Page's daughter, they used to play together, because he lived in the next village to me, but I'm sort of a bit of a recluse now, in the music and I don't go out to concerts...It's my job !

7. A lot of rock bands have only a guitar player, a bass player and a drummer, what do you think a keyboard player brings to a band ?


I think it knits it together, it makes it fuller, a fuller sound, gives it more opportunities to do different things. When you just got a guitar, bass and drums you're quite limited in what you can do but I think with a keyboard in, it gives you more opportunity to try different things with a keyboard in.

8. Can you talk about your job as a manager and a promoter of other bands ?


I've managed a band in England for about a year, but I hated it. Musicians are horrible people, very hard to work with, especially if you're the manager you get everything you know, you're the worst man in the world so I didn't like that, so I've gave it in, retired from that.







9. Do you have some hobbies apart from the music ?


Golf, I play golf. Go to football matches, that's about it really. Watch the television. (laughing)

AM : What do you like ? Do you like, do you know all the English series like "One foot in the grave" ?

Chick : Yes, absolutely, I don't really watch those anymore, I used to, when they first came out but they're a little old now.

AM : And what do you think of Benny Hill ? Do you know it ?

Chick : Oh that's okay, it's not my sort of comedian.

AM : Because a lot of people in England said that it's bad but in France everybody loves him.

Chick : He is okay. I like the Fawlty Towers, that's the best !

10. If I could grant you three wishes, what would they be ?


A scratch handicap at golf, eternal happiness and a nice house, I'd be happy with, or a nice car, whichever.

AM : Do you want a castle ?

Chick : No.

AM : You won't like it ?

Chick : No, just a small house, that's all I need, I've got a flat at the moment. I would like a boat as well, I love boats, love boating, I'll have all those please thank you !...

11. Do you want to say something for your fans ?


It's been an honour to have fans around and for so long, followed us and kept faith with us, thanks very much.

AM : Do you want to add something in this interview ?

No, I don't say many things. A man of few words. In fact it's the first interview I've done probably for 20 years.

AM : Really ?

Yeah, I just don't do them. Even when the rest of the band do them, I let Leo do it.

AM : Why ?

I don't know. I suppose I am a private person, I just keep myself to myself.

AM : You're a shy person ?

Yeah, a little bit, yes. So I need a bottle of brandy before I go on stage.

AM : But here you have to drink wine.

Oh no...

AM : Yeah, we are near the Beaujolais...

I like Cognac.

AM and Bernard (the cameraman) : It's not here...

Chick : That's French too (laughing). No I stopped drinking wine years ago, Cognac just go through straight there, but wine takes too long, it takes ten minutes ! (laughing).

AM : That's it. Thank you very much !