Chas and Dave
Encyclopedia
Chas & Dave are an English
pop rock
duo, most notable as creators and performers of a musical style labelled "rockney", which mixes "pub singalong, music-hall humour, boogie-woogie
piano and pre-Beatles rock 'n' roll". For a time, "Rockney" was also the name of their record label, and they achieved several British chart hits, their major breakthrough being "Gertcha" in 1979, which peaked at #20 and was the first of eight Top 40 hit singles the duo played on. The act has also enjoyed nine best-selling albums.
It was announced in September 2009 that the pair would no longer be working together as Dave Peacock planned to retire from the band following the recent death of his wife. However, in 2010 the band announced a final tour in 2011.
(piano, vocals, banjo, guitars) and David Victor "Dave" Peacock
(bass guitar, vocals, banjo, guitars) together with Michael Arthur "Mick" Burt on drums. In the 1970s Chas & Dave were prominent session musician
s, playing for a wide range of artists; for instance - the hook used on Eminem
's "My Name Is
" was taken from a Labi Siffre
tune, "I Got The", on which Chas & Dave performed.
The rockney style was from the start intentional, as they felt an alternative to the way British bands copied American
accents was needed. Chas has said
The songs for which they are most known are partly comic, and Chas & Dave are strongly identified with London's blue collar
and working class
pub sing-song culture, although not necessarily Cockney
. However, their 1982 number two hit, "Ain't No Pleasing You" was a more romantic record, with strings added to the usual piano
, drum and bass
sound.
Their single "Gertcha" was used as the music behind a notable television commercial for Courage
Bitter
.
"Rabbit
" comes from the Cockney rhyming slang
"rabbit and pork" meaning "talk". The song is about a relationship between a man and a woman, in which the man expresses his love for his girlfriend, but complains that she will not stop talking or, "rabbiting". It was also used in a television commercial for Courage
Bitter
.
"Snooker Loopy
", a comic song about snooker
, was released as a single in May 1986 and entered the UK Singles Chart
, reaching #6.
Chas and Dave were offered the chance to record the theme song for the sitcom Only Fools and Horses
but turned it down as they were in Australia
at the time due to the success of "Ain't No Pleasing You". However their song "Margate" was used in a feature-length episode of the comedy, entitled "The Jolly Boys Outing".
They also recorded four FA Cup final singles for Tottenham Hotspur
including "Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur"/"Ossie's Dream" in 1981 and "Tottenham Tottenham" in 1982. Tottenham Hotspur were victorious in both of these finals. as well as appearing on the 1987 FA Cup Final
song Hot Shot Tottenham!
.
They opened for Led Zeppelin
at the 1979 Knebworth Festival
, and Chas Hodges has said that one of his proudest moments was playing the Glastonbury Festival
in 2005.
Their work influenced The Libertines
, who played their songs at rehearsals. On 6 October 2008, their autobiography
, Chas & Dave - All About Us, written by Chas, was published in the UK. In June 2010, it was announced that Chas & Dave would reunite for one final tour in 2011.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
duo, most notable as creators and performers of a musical style labelled "rockney", which mixes "pub singalong, music-hall humour, boogie-woogie
Boogie-woogie
Boogie-woogie has the following meanings:*Boogie-woogie, a piano-based music style*Boogie-woogie , a swing dance or a dance that imitates the rock-n-roll dance of the 1950s*"Boogie Woogie" , a song by EuroGroove and Dannii Minogue...
piano and pre-Beatles rock 'n' roll". For a time, "Rockney" was also the name of their record label, and they achieved several British chart hits, their major breakthrough being "Gertcha" in 1979, which peaked at #20 and was the first of eight Top 40 hit singles the duo played on. The act has also enjoyed nine best-selling albums.
It was announced in September 2009 that the pair would no longer be working together as Dave Peacock planned to retire from the band following the recent death of his wife. However, in 2010 the band announced a final tour in 2011.
History and formation
The group consists of Charles Nicholas "Chas" HodgesChas Hodges
Chas Hodges is an English musician and singer, probably best known for being one half, and lead vocalist, of the English musical duo, Chas & Dave....
(piano, vocals, banjo, guitars) and David Victor "Dave" Peacock
Dave Peacock
David Victor "Dave" Peacock is an English musician and bass guitarist, he was raised in Ponders End and the Freezywater areas of Enfield. Peacock is best known as having been one half of the English musical duo, Chas & Dave from 1975 to 2009....
(bass guitar, vocals, banjo, guitars) together with Michael Arthur "Mick" Burt on drums. In the 1970s Chas & Dave were prominent session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s, playing for a wide range of artists; for instance - the hook used on Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
's "My Name Is
My Name Is
"My Name Is" is a song by Eminem released in 1999. It is the debut single overall from his major label debut album, The Slim Shady LP. The song was ranked at #26 on "VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90's". "My Name Is" also was ranked #6 on Q Magazine's "1001 Best Songs Ever"...
" was taken from a Labi Siffre
Labi Siffre
Labi Siffre is a British poet, songwriter, musician and singer most widely known as the writer and singer of " So Strong", "It Must Be Love" and "I Got The", the sampled rhythm track which provides the basis for a number of well-known hip hop tracks such as Eminem’s breakthrough hit single, "My...
tune, "I Got The", on which Chas & Dave performed.
The rockney style was from the start intentional, as they felt an alternative to the way British bands copied American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
accents was needed. Chas has said
The songs for which they are most known are partly comic, and Chas & Dave are strongly identified with London's blue collar
Blue collar
Blue collar can refer to:*Blue-collar worker, a traditional designation of the working class*Blue-collar crime, the types of crimes typically associated with the working class*A census designation...
and working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
pub sing-song culture, although not necessarily Cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
. However, their 1982 number two hit, "Ain't No Pleasing You" was a more romantic record, with strings added to the usual piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
sound.
Their single "Gertcha" was used as the music behind a notable television commercial for Courage
Courage (brewery)
Courage is a former British brewery. The brands are now 100 per cent owned and brewed by Wells & Young's Brewery as part of a venture called Courage Brands Ltd.-History:...
Bitter
Bitter (beer)
Bitter is an English term for pale ale. Bitters vary in colour from gold to dark amber and in strength from 3% to 7% alcohol by volume.-Brief history:...
.
"Rabbit
Rabbit (song)
"Rabbit" is a song by Chas & Dave from the album Don't Give a Monkey's, which was released as a single on 23 November 1980 and entered the UK Singles Chart at #66. The song stayed in the charts for 8 weeks and peaked at number #8 on 17 January 1980....
" comes from the Cockney rhyming slang
Cockney rhyming slang
Rhyming slang is a form of phrase construction in the English language and is especially prevalent in dialectal British English from the East End of London; hence the alternative name, Cockney rhyming slang...
"rabbit and pork" meaning "talk". The song is about a relationship between a man and a woman, in which the man expresses his love for his girlfriend, but complains that she will not stop talking or, "rabbiting". It was also used in a television commercial for Courage
Courage (brewery)
Courage is a former British brewery. The brands are now 100 per cent owned and brewed by Wells & Young's Brewery as part of a venture called Courage Brands Ltd.-History:...
Bitter
Bitter (beer)
Bitter is an English term for pale ale. Bitters vary in colour from gold to dark amber and in strength from 3% to 7% alcohol by volume.-Brief history:...
.
"Snooker Loopy
Snooker Loopy
"Snooker Loopy" is a humorous song which was released as a single in May 1986 and entered the UK Singles Chart, reaching #6. It was written and performed by Chas & Dave and featured snooker players Steve Davis, Dennis Taylor, Willie Thorne, Terry Griffiths and Tony Meo, as backing vocalists under...
", a comic song about snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
, was released as a single in May 1986 and entered the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, reaching #6.
Chas and Dave were offered the chance to record the theme song for the sitcom Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
but turned it down as they were in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at the time due to the success of "Ain't No Pleasing You". However their song "Margate" was used in a feature-length episode of the comedy, entitled "The Jolly Boys Outing".
They also recorded four FA Cup final singles for Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
including "Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur"/"Ossie's Dream" in 1981 and "Tottenham Tottenham" in 1982. Tottenham Hotspur were victorious in both of these finals. as well as appearing on the 1987 FA Cup Final
1987 FA Cup Final
The 1987 FA Cup Final took place on 16 May 1987 at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Coventry City and Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs were appearing in their third final in seven seasons, having won the trophy in 1981 and 1982 and were strong favourites, while unfancied Coventry were appearing...
song Hot Shot Tottenham!
Hot Shot Tottenham!
"Hot Shot Tottenham!" was a single released by the English football team Tottenham Hotspur, accompanied by Chas & Dave, to celebrate reaching the 1987 FA Cup Final. It reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart....
.
They opened for Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
at the 1979 Knebworth Festival
Knebworth Festival 1979
The Knebworth Festival 1979 consisted of two concerts performed by the English rock band Led Zeppelin and other artists at Knebworth House, Hertfordshire, England, in August 1979.-History:...
, and Chas Hodges has said that one of his proudest moments was playing the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in 2005.
Their work influenced The Libertines
The Libertines
The Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
, who played their songs at rehearsals. On 6 October 2008, their autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Chas & Dave - All About Us, written by Chas, was published in the UK. In June 2010, it was announced that Chas & Dave would reunite for one final tour in 2011.
Chas & Dave's Knees Up
In 1983 LWT Created a variety show presented by Chas and Dave's, set in a east end pub.- Episode 1: 21 May 1983, Appearing: Eric burdon, Linda Lewis and Jeff Steveson
- Episode 2: 4 June 1983, Appearing: Lulu, rocky Sharpes and the Replays, Bobby Knutt and Roy Jay
- Episode 3: 11 June 1983, Appearing: Mike Berry. flying Pickets and Dave ismay
- Episode 4: 18 June 1983, Appearing: Paul Shane, Captain Sensible and Bernie flint
- Episode 5: 25 June 1983, Appearing: Clarence frogman henry, Rose-marie and Jimmy jones
- Episode 6: 2 July 1983, Appearing: Lonnire Donegan, Diz and the doormen and Gary wilmot