Neville Chesters
Encyclopedia
Neville Chesters is a former rock music manager and road manager who has worked with The Jimi Hendrix Experience
, The Who
, Cream
, Emerson, Lake & Palmer
, Bee Gees
, The Merseybeats
, Stray Dog
and numerous other bands.
, Yorkshire
, England
on June 25, 1945.
He initially studied animal husbandry
, ultimately acquiring a degree in that field.
1963, he became road manager
for The Merseybeats
from 1963 through 1964. After relocating to London
in 1964, he then became road manager for The Who between 1965 and 1966. In 1967, he was assistant to Robert Stigwood
which involved working for the bands Cream
and The Bee Gees. Later on, he also worked for Brian Epstein
at NEMS Enterprises, which involved various projects with The Beatles
and other NEMS artists (Saville Theatre
Sunday Rock Show. From 1967 to 1968, he became the road manager for The Jimi Hendrix Experience, touring extensively and internationally with the band. From 1968-1969, he worked as assistant A&R
to Peter Asher
at Apple Records
. Taking a break from the entertainment field, Neville bought a farm in Cornwall
, living and farming there peacefully for the next two years.
in 1972 and re-entered the rock business, resuming road manager duties; this time working for Greg Lake
of Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
In Denver, he met a band (then called Aphrodite) and took them back to England
, successfully procuring a record deal for them with E.L.P. Manticore Records
as the band Stray Dog
which featured band members W.G. Snuffy Walden, Alan Roberts and Les Sampson.
He toured with them until 1974.
He went on to work for Electro-Sound, a full-service staging/sound equipment/ P.A./ lighting and touring production company
In 1975, he moved to Woburn, Bedfordshire
and started a successful antiques renovation company known as Yesterdays Pine, specializing in antique and reproduction pine furniture and "correctabilia".
in 1990, Neville Chesters started a film and video company located at his own residence, otherwise known as "The Loft". Most recently, he has been the subject of interviews and documentaries concerning his years working for The Jimi Hendrix Experience and other legendary bands. He is currently working on his memoirs about his singular career as a respected and much sought-after roadie in the rock 'n' roll industry.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience were an English-American psychedelic rock band that formed in London in October 1966. Comprising eponymous singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix, bassist and backing vocalist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the band was active until June 1969, in which...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
, Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
, The Merseybeats
The Merseybeats
The Merseybeats are a Merseybeat band that emerged from the Liverpool scene in the early 1960s, performing at The Cavern Club along with The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers and other similar artists....
, Stray Dog
Stray Dog (band)
Stray Dog were a blues-based hard rock band of the early 1970s. They recorded two albums before disbanding around 1975.- Career :They originally formed in Texas under the name of Aphrodite, from there they moved to Denver, Colorado, they became very popular with the audience's in Denver...
and numerous other bands.
Early Years
Neville Chesters was born in KeighleyKeighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
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...
on June 25, 1945.
He initially studied animal husbandry
Animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.- History :Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals....
, ultimately acquiring a degree in that field.
The 60s
Moving to LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
1963, he became road manager
Road manager
In music industry, a Road Manager is a person who works with small to mid-sized tours...
for The Merseybeats
The Merseybeats
The Merseybeats are a Merseybeat band that emerged from the Liverpool scene in the early 1960s, performing at The Cavern Club along with The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers and other similar artists....
from 1963 through 1964. After relocating to 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...
in 1964, he then became road manager for The Who between 1965 and 1966. In 1967, he was assistant to Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood is an impresario and entertainment entrepreneur who relocated to England in 1954...
which involved working for the bands Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
and The Bee Gees. Later on, he also worked for Brian Epstein
Brian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
at NEMS Enterprises, which involved various projects with The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and other NEMS artists (Saville Theatre
Saville Theatre
The Saville Theatre is a former West End theatre at 135 Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster. The theatre opened in 1931, and became a music venue during the 1960s, finally being converted to a cinema in 1970.-Theatre years:...
Sunday Rock Show. From 1967 to 1968, he became the road manager for The Jimi Hendrix Experience, touring extensively and internationally with the band. From 1968-1969, he worked as assistant A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
to Peter Asher
Peter Asher
Peter Asher is an English guitarist, singer, manager and record producer. He first came to prominence in the 1960s as a member of the vocal duo Peter and Gordon before going on to a successful career as a record producer.-Early life:He was born at the Central Middlesex Hospital, a child actor and...
at Apple Records
Apple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
. Taking a break from the entertainment field, Neville bought a farm in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, living and farming there peacefully for the next two years.
The 70s
Chesters moved back to LondonLondon
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...
in 1972 and re-entered the rock business, resuming road manager duties; this time working for Greg Lake
Greg Lake
Gregory Stuart "Greg" Lake is an English musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a vocalist and bassist of King Crimson, and the bassist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.-1960s: King Crimson:...
of Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
In Denver, he met a band (then called Aphrodite) and took them back to England
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...
, successfully procuring a record deal for them with E.L.P. Manticore Records
Manticore Records
Manticore Records was the record label launched by Emerson, Lake & Palmer's production company Manticore in 1973. The manticore is featured in the artwork for the album Tarkus by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, . Initially the label was jointly owned with Island Records, but that partnership was dissolved...
as the band Stray Dog
Stray Dog (band)
Stray Dog were a blues-based hard rock band of the early 1970s. They recorded two albums before disbanding around 1975.- Career :They originally formed in Texas under the name of Aphrodite, from there they moved to Denver, Colorado, they became very popular with the audience's in Denver...
which featured band members W.G. Snuffy Walden, Alan Roberts and Les Sampson.
He toured with them until 1974.
He went on to work for Electro-Sound, a full-service staging/sound equipment/ P.A./ lighting and touring production company
In 1975, he moved to Woburn, Bedfordshire
Woburn, Bedfordshire
Woburn is a small Saxon village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is situated about southeast of the centre of Milton Keynes, and about south of junction 13 of the M1 motorway and is a popular tourist attraction.-History:...
and started a successful antiques renovation company known as Yesterdays Pine, specializing in antique and reproduction pine furniture and "correctabilia".
The 90s To The Present
Moving to New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1990, Neville Chesters started a film and video company located at his own residence, otherwise known as "The Loft". Most recently, he has been the subject of interviews and documentaries concerning his years working for The Jimi Hendrix Experience and other legendary bands. He is currently working on his memoirs about his singular career as a respected and much sought-after roadie in the rock 'n' roll industry.
External links
- The Who’s PA: 1963–1966
- http://books.google.com/books?id=c5yUA_S5pGoC&pg=PA62&lpg=PA62&dq=The+Merseybeats+Neville+Chesters&source=bl&ots=HrYc2bARJ3&sig=eR_9zgimoC-6jKYviUWVf3dlrx8&hl=en&ei=Q5KdTPSRI4L_8Abip8SDAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=The%20Merseybeats%20Neville%20Chesters&f=falseAnyway, Anyhow, Anywhere: The Complete Chronicle of the Who 1958-1978 by Andrew Neill, Matthew Kent, Roger Daltrey, Chris Stamp]
- Jimi Hendrix, electric gypsy By Harry Shapiro, Caesar Glebbeek
- Jimi Hendrix: the ultimate experience by Johnny Black
- Are you experienced?: the inside story of the Jimi Hendrix Experience by Noel Redding, Carol Appleby
- Interview With "Lemmy" from Motorhead - Experience Hendrix Magagazine - Winter 2000 - "You'll Never See Someone Like Hendrix Again" - Interview By Steven C. Pesant
- JIMIHENDRIX Italia agosto 2008