Chris Rainbow
Encyclopedia
Chris Rainbow is a Scottish
rock singer and musician
who had two minor hit songs, "Give Me What I Cry For" and "Solid State Brain" in the 1970s.
Apart from his solo career, he also made frequent vocal contributions to The Alan Parsons Project
, starting on their 1979 Eve album through to their 1987 album Gaudi, and Eric Woolfson
's Freudiana
(1990) (an APP album in all but name).
"Rainbow" to avoid confusion with Steve Harley
, saying:
"Steve Harley was at his peak and I didn't want any confusion. The name Rainbow was found one evening as me and some friends were watching TV and the reporter’s name flashed on the screen as ‘Christopher Rainbow’, so that was that."
, then on Capital Radio
in London
, who featured his music extensively. Some of the jingles that Rainbow made for Capital at this time were later released on an album of out-takes, demos and unreleased material.
, including singing some lead vocals on studio albums The Single Factor
(1982) and Stationary Traveller
(1984). He worked with Camel keyboardist Ton Scherpenzeel
on his 1984 album Heart of the Universe in a duo format, performing five lead vocals.
More recently, Rainbow has produced
several albums for the Scottish Gaelic rock group Runrig
.
, Mike Aspel, Tommy Vance, David Symonds, and others.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
rock singer and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
who had two minor hit songs, "Give Me What I Cry For" and "Solid State Brain" in the 1970s.
Apart from his solo career, he also made frequent vocal contributions to The Alan Parsons Project
The Alan Parsons Project
The Alan Parsons Project was a British progressive rock band, active between 1975 and 1990, consisting of singer Eric Woolfson and keyboardist Alan Parsons surrounded by a varying number of session musicians....
, starting on their 1979 Eve album through to their 1987 album Gaudi, and Eric Woolfson
Eric Woolfson
Eric Norman Woolfson was a Scottish songwriter, lyricist, vocalist, executive producer, pianist, and creator of The Alan Parsons Project. He has sold over 50 million albums world-wide....
's Freudiana
Freudiana
Freudiana is a rock opera, originally intended to be the 11th album by The Alan Parsons Project, but by release time was the first album credited to Eric Woolfson as a solo artist, marking his final project with former collaborator Alan Parsons, who is credited as producer. After recording the...
(1990) (an APP album in all but name).
Early life and name
He was born the son of Jimmy and Pam Harley. He adopted the stage nameStage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
"Rainbow" to avoid confusion with Steve Harley
Steve Harley
Steve Harley is an English singer and songwriter, best known for his work with the 1970s rock group Cockney Rebel, with whom he still occasionally tours .-Biography:As a child, Harley suffered from polio, spending four years in hospital up to the...
, saying:
"Steve Harley was at his peak and I didn't want any confusion. The name Rainbow was found one evening as me and some friends were watching TV and the reporter’s name flashed on the screen as ‘Christopher Rainbow’, so that was that."
The Alan Parsons Project
Before joining the Project, Rainbow was involved in a band called Hope Street for a year. Following this, he released three solo albums Home of the Brave in 1975, Looking Over My Shoulder in 1977, and White Trails in 1979. Tracks from the latter two albums are collected on The Best of Chris Rainbow, 1972-1980, which has appeared in single and double CD sets and included radio spots, and rare and unreleased material. At this time Rainbow received much wider recognition for his music through the support of Kenny EverettKenny Everett
Kenny Everett was an English comedian, radio DJ and television entertainer. Born Maurice James Christopher Cole, Everett is best known for his career as a radio DJ and for the Kenny Everett television shows.-Early life:...
, then on Capital Radio
Capital Radio
Capital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, who featured his music extensively. Some of the jingles that Rainbow made for Capital at this time were later released on an album of out-takes, demos and unreleased material.
Touring
Rainbow recorded and toured with CamelCamel (band)
Camel are an English progressive rock band formed in 1971. An important group in the Canterbury scene, they have been releasing studio and live recordings steadily, with considerable success, since their formation.-1970s:...
, including singing some lead vocals on studio albums The Single Factor
The Single Factor
The Single Factor, released in 1982, is the 9th studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. The title refers to the fact that guitarist Andy Latimer was the sole remaining original member, though original keyboardist Peter Bardens makes a guest appearance on 'Sasquatch'...
(1982) and Stationary Traveller
Stationary Traveller
Stationary Traveller is the 10th studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. Like much of Camel's output, it is a concept album, in this case centering around the trials of East German refugees attempting to cross the Berlin Wall into West Berlin....
(1984). He worked with Camel keyboardist Ton Scherpenzeel
Ton Scherpenzeel
Ton Scherpenzeel is a keyboardist and a founding member of the Dutch rock band Kayak, together with Pim Koopman and Max Werner whom he met whilst at the Hilversum Muziek Lyceum ....
on his 1984 album Heart of the Universe in a duo format, performing five lead vocals.
More recently, Rainbow has produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
several albums for the Scottish Gaelic rock group Runrig
Runrig
Runrig are a Scottish Celtic rock group formed in Skye, in 1973 under the name 'The Run Rig Dance Band'. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included songwriters Rory Macdonald and Calum Macdonald. The current line-up also includes longtime members Malcolm Jones, Iain Bayne, and more...
.
Record studio
Rainbow also runs the Vital Spark Music Studio on the Isle of Skye.Radio Jingles
Rainbow wrote, produced and recorded jingles for Capital Radio 95.8FM 1973 to 1984 for Kenny EverettKenny Everett
Kenny Everett was an English comedian, radio DJ and television entertainer. Born Maurice James Christopher Cole, Everett is best known for his career as a radio DJ and for the Kenny Everett television shows.-Early life:...
, Mike Aspel, Tommy Vance, David Symonds, and others.
Solo
- 1975: Home of the Brave UKUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-LP/JapJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
-LP - 1978: Looking over My Shoulder UK-LP/Jap-LP
- 1979: White Trails UK-LP/Jap-LP
- 198?: The Instrumental Chris Rainbow UK mini-LP
- 1985: Body Music (video)
- 1993: Home of the Brave Jap-CD
- 1993: Looking over My Shoulder Jap-CD
- 1993: White Trails Jap-CD
- 2001: The Chris Rainbow Anthology, 1974-1981 UK-CD
- 2002: Unreleased & demo tracks, 1973-1983 Jap-CD
- 2003: The Best of Chris Rainbow 1972-1980 Jap-CD
- 20??: Heart of the Universe(guest vocals) NedNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-LP/Jap-CD - 2008: Waves UK-CD
- 2007: Home of the Brave Jap-CD (re-Mastered)
- 2007: Looking over My Shoulder Jap-CD (re-Mastered)