Grant Serpell
Encyclopedia
Grant Serpell was a member of several bands during the 1960s and 1970s, including Affinity
and Sailor
, and was an encouraging influence over two of the members of The Hoosiers
while being their chemistry teacher at Waingels College
.
Serpell enjoyed a revival of Sailor's success, which started in the early 1990s. Until retiring in 2011, he toured the UK
and Europe with the band.
from the University of Sussex
, Serpell became involved with the musical scene and founded The Jazz Quartet, and he played with the University of Sussex Jazz Trio (known as The U.S. Jazz Trio). After graduating, Serpell joined a band called Ice, and then Affinity
, before joining Sailor
, the band that has provided him with the most fame.
In 1985, during Sailor's quieter times, Serpell became a Chemistry teacher at Waingels Copse Comprehensive School (now Waingels College
), where he became head of the department. While at Waingels College he taught Irwin Sparkes of The Hoosiers
and, after hearing a demo
from Irwin and Alphonso Sharland, encouraged them to experience life a little more to help provide inspiration for their songs.
Grant Serpell retired from Sailor in 2011 and was followed by band member Henry Marsh' son Thomas Marsh.
Affinity (band)
Affinity were an English jazz-rock fusion band, active from mid 1968 to January 1971.-Origins:The origin of Affinity was, circa 1965 in the science department of the University of Sussex in Brighton, England...
and Sailor
Sailor (band)
Sailor are a British pop group, best known in the 1970s for their hit singles "Glass of Champagne" and "Girls Girls Girls", written by the group's lead singer and 12-string guitar player, Georg Kajanus.-In the 1970s:...
, and was an encouraging influence over two of the members of The Hoosiers
The Hoosiers
The Hoosiers are an English pop/rock band, consisting of members Irwin Sparkes , Martin Skarendahl and Alan Sharland ....
while being their chemistry teacher at Waingels College
Waingels College
Waingels College is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school located in Woodley, Reading, Berkshire, England. It has a population of 1,500 students but may rise due to overcrowding in the area and an appeals process which now has to take place...
.
Serpell enjoyed a revival of Sailor's success, which started in the early 1990s. Until retiring in 2011, he toured the UK
United Kingdom
The 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...
and Europe with the band.
Personal life
Serpell married Michelle Kingsland on 1 October 1966. In 1967, she gave birth to the couple's first child, Edmund Charles, followed nearly two years later by their second child, Charlotte Anna.Career
While studying for a degree in ChemistryChemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
from the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
, Serpell became involved with the musical scene and founded The Jazz Quartet, and he played with the University of Sussex Jazz Trio (known as The U.S. Jazz Trio). After graduating, Serpell joined a band called Ice, and then Affinity
Affinity (band)
Affinity were an English jazz-rock fusion band, active from mid 1968 to January 1971.-Origins:The origin of Affinity was, circa 1965 in the science department of the University of Sussex in Brighton, England...
, before joining Sailor
Sailor (band)
Sailor are a British pop group, best known in the 1970s for their hit singles "Glass of Champagne" and "Girls Girls Girls", written by the group's lead singer and 12-string guitar player, Georg Kajanus.-In the 1970s:...
, the band that has provided him with the most fame.
In 1985, during Sailor's quieter times, Serpell became a Chemistry teacher at Waingels Copse Comprehensive School (now Waingels College
Waingels College
Waingels College is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school located in Woodley, Reading, Berkshire, England. It has a population of 1,500 students but may rise due to overcrowding in the area and an appeals process which now has to take place...
), where he became head of the department. While at Waingels College he taught Irwin Sparkes of The Hoosiers
The Hoosiers
The Hoosiers are an English pop/rock band, consisting of members Irwin Sparkes , Martin Skarendahl and Alan Sharland ....
and, after hearing a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
from Irwin and Alphonso Sharland, encouraged them to experience life a little more to help provide inspiration for their songs.
Grant Serpell retired from Sailor in 2011 and was followed by band member Henry Marsh' son Thomas Marsh.
Albums with Sailor
- Sailor (1974)
- Trouble (1975)
- The Third Step (1976)
- Checkpoint (1977)
- Greatest Hits Vol.1 (1978)
- Hideaway (1978)
- Girls,Girls,Girls - The Very Best Of (1990)
- Sailor (1991)
- Street Lamp (1992)
- Hits And Highlights (1994)
- Greatest Hits - Best of the Best -2xCD- (1995)
- Greatest Hits - Best of the Best (1995)
- Legacy: Greatest and Latest (1996) – compilation albumCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
- The Very Best of Sailor (1997) – new studio versions of back-catalogue songs
- Live In Berlin (1998)
- Girls Girls Girls (1999)
- Girls Girls Girls - The Very Best of (2001)
- Greatest and Latest (2001)
- Live in Berlin (2002) – re-released as A Glass of Champagne (2003)
- Sailor (2002)
- Girls Girls Girls - The Very Best of (2003)
- A Glass of Champagne (2003)
- Live Piracy Copy - DVD - (2003)
- Live In Consert - DVD - (2004)
- Down By The Docks (2005)
- Greatest Hits - Live (2005)
- Sailor Live (2005)
- Sailor Live - One Drink Too Many - double albumDouble albumA double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
- (2005) - Sailor: Buried Treasure - double album - (2006)
- A Glass of Champagne - Live (2006)
- Buried Treasure - The Sailor Anthology (2007)