The Christians
Encyclopedia
The Christians are a musical ensemble
from Liverpool
, England
, who had several UK
and international chart
hits
in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
of the three brothers
that were originally in the line-up, and is also coincidentally guitarist Henry Priestman's middle name.
Garry Christian (born 27 February 1955, Liverpool) (lead vocal
s), Roger Christian (born 13 February 1950 - died 8 March 1998 from brain tumour) (vocals, instrumentalist), Russell Christian (born 8 July 1956) (keyboards
, saxophone
, vocals), and Henry Priestman
(born Henry Christian Priestman, 21 July 1955, in Kingston upon Hull
, brought up in Liverpool) (keyboards, guitar
s, vocals) formed the band in 1985. Because of a reluctance to tour, Roger left in 1987.
The band were one of a number of soul-influenced groups in the 1980s that had strong links to UK punk rock
, New Wave music
and post-punk
. The band's frontman and lead singer Garry Christian became the groups unique selling point with his distinctive look and velvet-smooth soulful tones.
In Rock: The Rough Guide, one critic, Charles Bottomley, described the band as “The Temptations
in ripped jeans, producing gritty-centred songs in a sugary vocal shell
The original members of the Christians were: Garry Christian - lead vocals, Henry Priestman - keyboards/ vocals, Russell Christian - saxophone/ vocals, Paul Barlow - drums, Mike Bulger - guitar/ vocals, Roger Christian - keyboards/ vocals (deceased) and Tony Jones - bass
all made the Top 40 in Britain
, and their debut album The Christians
(1987) entered the UK Albums Chart
at number 2. It eventually sold over a million copies. The highest placed single from this album was "Ideal World", which reached number 14 in the UK Singles Chart
.
In 1988 they released a cover
of the Isley Brothers' "Harvest for the World
", with all proceeds going to charity
. The video
for the track was an animation
, created by four leading animation companies, including Aardman Animations
. The video won several awards, and the single reached number 8 in the chart
.
1989 saw another charity single success, this time as performers on a version of "Ferry Cross The Mersey
", released in aid of those affected by the Hillsborough disaster
. The single stayed at number one for several weeks (#5 in Germany
).
Their second album, Colour released in 1990, reached number one in the UK Albums Chart and yielded the international hit "Words" which was #18 in the UK and Sweden
, #5 in the Netherlands
(for two weeks), and #1 in France
(also for two weeks). The second single from the album, "I Found Out", reached #22 in France (#56 in the UK). In 1992, the following LP
, Happy in Hell charted at number 18. Its single, "What's In A Word", entered the UK Top 40, and was a Top 20 hit in France (with an impressive total chart run of 19 weeks); it also entered the German
Top 75 reaching #60.
The early 1990s saw the band continuing to tour, A greatest hits
album, The Best of the Christians was released in 1993, and peaked at number 22.
in 1995 to record a solo
album, effectively breaking up the band, although no formal announcement was made, and the door was open to future reformation. In 1998 founding member Roger Christian died from a brain tumour. In 1999 The Christians began to perform together again in an "unplugged" acoustic
format. They carried out a thirty six date tour of the UK
, with a similar tour undertaken in 2000, with guitarist and songwriter Paul Campbell who accompanied them on all of their tours until 2003.
By 2001 The Christians began to write songs for Prodigal Sons, which was released in 2003. This was supported by a UK tour in October 2003, and further promotion in France
, Spain
and UK throughout 2004.
In 2005 Russell Christian decided he no longer wished to tour, and a decision was made to return to a full band format, rather than the four-man “unplugged” line-up that had been touring since 1999. This new 'band' comprising Garry Christian (lead vocals), Joey Ankrah (acoustic guitar
/backing vocals), Stewart Boyle (electric guitar
), Cliff Watson (bass guitar
), and Lionel Duke (drums
) was unveiled on the 2009 tour. In 2009 Garry was approached by Archambault Records in France to arrange a Licensing Deal. This was agreed and in January 2009 'Soul from Liverpool' was released with a single 'Overwhelmed'. The band continue to tour and are finalising a new album deal with Island which will include back catalogue and new tracks. Their current single (to be released on download on March 5, 2010) is a cover of Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islams 'Where do the Children Play' reviewed by the man himself as 'better than his own version'.
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from Liverpool
Liverpool
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...
, 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...
, who had several 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 international chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Band biography
The name of the band refers to the surnameSurname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
of the three brothers
Sibling
Siblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
that were originally in the line-up, and is also coincidentally guitarist Henry Priestman's middle name.
Garry Christian (born 27 February 1955, Liverpool) (lead vocal
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
s), Roger Christian (born 13 February 1950 - died 8 March 1998 from brain tumour) (vocals, instrumentalist), Russell Christian (born 8 July 1956) (keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, vocals), and Henry Priestman
Henry Priestman
Henry Priestman is an English rock singer, keyboardist, record producer and songwriter.-Biography:...
(born Henry Christian Priestman, 21 July 1955, in Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, brought up in Liverpool) (keyboards, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, vocals) formed the band in 1985. Because of a reluctance to tour, Roger left in 1987.
The band were one of a number of soul-influenced groups in the 1980s that had strong links to UK punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, New Wave music
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
and post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
. The band's frontman and lead singer Garry Christian became the groups unique selling point with his distinctive look and velvet-smooth soulful tones.
In Rock: The Rough Guide, one critic, Charles Bottomley, described the band as “The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
in ripped jeans, producing gritty-centred songs in a sugary vocal shell
The original members of the Christians were: Garry Christian - lead vocals, Henry Priestman - keyboards/ vocals, Russell Christian - saxophone/ vocals, Paul Barlow - drums, Mike Bulger - guitar/ vocals, Roger Christian - keyboards/ vocals (deceased) and Tony Jones - bass
Chart history
Their first three singlesSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
all made the Top 40 in Britain
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 their debut album The Christians
The Christians (album)
The Christians was The Christians' 1987 debut album and contained their first five UK hit singles: "Forgotten Town", "Hooverville", "When the Fingers Point", "Ideal World" and "Born Again".-Track listing:...
(1987) entered the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
at number 2. It eventually sold over a million copies. The highest placed single from this album was "Ideal World", which reached number 14 in 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 ...
.
In 1988 they released a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the Isley Brothers' "Harvest for the World
Harvest for the World (song)
"Harvest for the World" is a 1976 single released by The Isley Brothers on their T-Neck imprint. It was from their 1976 album Harvest for the World...
", with all proceeds going to charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. The video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the track was an animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
, created by four leading animation companies, including Aardman Animations
Aardman Animations
Aardman Animations, Ltd., also known as Aardman Studios, or simply as Aardman, is a British animation studio based in Bristol, United Kingdom. The studio is known for films made using stop-motion clay animation techniques, particularly those featuring Plasticine characters Wallace and Gromit...
. The video won several awards, and the single reached number 8 in the chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
.
1989 saw another charity single success, this time as performers on a version of "Ferry Cross The Mersey
Ferry Cross the Mersey
"Ferry Cross the Mersey" is a song written by Gerry Marsden. It was first recorded by his band Gerry and the Pacemakers and released in late 1964 in the UK and in 1965 in the United States. It was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching number six in the United States and number eight in the...
", released in aid of those affected by the Hillsborough disaster
Hillsborough disaster
The Hillsborough disaster was a human crush that occurred on 15 April 1989 at Hillsborough, a football stadium, the home of Sheffield Wednesday F.C. in Sheffield, England, resulting in the deaths of 96 people, and 766 being injured, all fans of Liverpool F.C....
. The single stayed at number one for several weeks (#5 in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
).
Their second album, Colour released in 1990, reached number one in the UK Albums Chart and yielded the international hit "Words" which was #18 in the UK and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, #5 in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The 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...
(for two weeks), and #1 in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(also for two weeks). The second single from the album, "I Found Out", reached #22 in France (#56 in the UK). In 1992, the following LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
, Happy in Hell charted at number 18. Its single, "What's In A Word", entered the UK Top 40, and was a Top 20 hit in France (with an impressive total chart run of 19 weeks); it also entered the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Top 75 reaching #60.
The early 1990s saw the band continuing to tour, A greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
album, The Best of the Christians was released in 1993, and peaked at number 22.
Break up and reformation
Garry Christian moved to ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1995 to record a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
album, effectively breaking up the band, although no formal announcement was made, and the door was open to future reformation. In 1998 founding member Roger Christian died from a brain tumour. In 1999 The Christians began to perform together again in an "unplugged" acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
format. They carried out a thirty six date tour of 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...
, with a similar tour undertaken in 2000, with guitarist and songwriter Paul Campbell who accompanied them on all of their tours until 2003.
By 2001 The Christians began to write songs for Prodigal Sons, which was released in 2003. This was supported by a UK tour in October 2003, and further promotion in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and UK throughout 2004.
In 2005 Russell Christian decided he no longer wished to tour, and a decision was made to return to a full band format, rather than the four-man “unplugged” line-up that had been touring since 1999. This new 'band' comprising Garry Christian (lead vocals), Joey Ankrah (acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
/backing vocals), Stewart Boyle (electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
), Cliff Watson (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), and Lionel Duke (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
) was unveiled on the 2009 tour. In 2009 Garry was approached by Archambault Records in France to arrange a Licensing Deal. This was agreed and in January 2009 'Soul from Liverpool' was released with a single 'Overwhelmed'. The band continue to tour and are finalising a new album deal with Island which will include back catalogue and new tracks. Their current single (to be released on download on March 5, 2010) is a cover of Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islams 'Where do the Children Play' reviewed by the man himself as 'better than his own version'.
Chart singles
- "Forgotten Town" / "One in a Million" / "Man Oh Man" / "Look Around" (Island Records, IS 291, January 1987) UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
#22 - "Hooverville (And They Promised us the World)" / "No Reason" / "The Losing Game" (Island, IS 326, June 1987) UK #21, IRL #18
- "When the Fingers Point" / "Rebecca" / "Every Town Waltz" / "Throw a Farewell Kiss" (Island, IS 335, September 1987) UK #34
- "Ideal World" / "Say It Isn't So (Part one)" / "Rocking Chair Blues" / "Ideal World" (TR 808 mix)" (Island, IS 347, December 1987) UK #14, IRL #11
- "Born Again" / "Forgotten Town" (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
version) / "A Lovers' Question" / "Undecided (a cappellaA cappellaA cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
)" (Island, IS 365, April 1988) UK #25, IRL #27 - "Harvest for the WorldHarvest for the World (song)"Harvest for the World" is a 1976 single released by The Isley Brothers on their T-Neck imprint. It was from their 1976 album Harvest for the World...
" / "Harvest For The World (remixRemixA remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
)" / "Small Axe" (Island, IS 395, October 1988) UK #8, IRL #4 - "Ferry Cross the MerseyFerry Cross the Mersey"Ferry Cross the Mersey" is a song written by Gerry Marsden. It was first recorded by his band Gerry and the Pacemakers and released in late 1964 in the UK and in 1965 in the United States. It was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching number six in the United States and number eight in the...
" (with other artistsMusicianA 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....
including Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, PWL, PWL 41, May 1989) UK #1, IRL #1 - "WordsWords (The Christians song)"Words" is a 1989 song recorded by the English band The Christians. It was their first single from their second album, Colour. Released in December 1989 in Ireland and UK and in the first months in other Europeans countries, the song was the first major hit from the band outside the UK.-Song...
" / "Long Gone" / "Funny Money" (Island, IS 450, December 1989) UK #18, IRL #6 - "I Found Out" / "Save Us From Our Friends" / "Sent Here to Shine" (Island, IS 453, April 1990) UK #56
- "Greenbank Drive" / "Nomad soul" / "Laurie Latham" (remix) / "From The Water's Edge" (Island, IS 466, September 1990) UK #63
- "What’s In A Word" / "Happy in Hell" / "You Never Know" (Island, IS 536, December 1992) UK #33
- "Father" / "World" / "Forgotten Town" / "Ideal World" (remix) (Island, IS 543, November 1992) UK #55
- "The Bottle" / Group Corporation vocal mix / Ray Haden sugar free mix / Sound foundation dub mix (Island, IS 549, March 1993) UK #39
Studio albums
- The ChristiansThe Christians (album)The Christians was The Christians' 1987 debut album and contained their first five UK hit singles: "Forgotten Town", "Hooverville", "When the Fingers Point", "Ideal World" and "Born Again".-Track listing:...
(1987) - #2 UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... - Colour (1990) - #1 UK
- Happy In Hell (1992) - #18 UK
- Prodigal Sons (2003)
- "Soul from Liverpool" (2009)
External links
- [ The Christians on AMG]
- Official website
- Video interview with Garry Christian and acoustic session with the band