Than you for writing this about Chris Rea. A great artist with a vast music catalog. I've long felt that he was underrated and never appreciated here in the USA. One of my favorites..."Just in Case You Never Knew". He is sorely missed already!
I too discovered Chris through “new light..”. I was a kid at the time. Then it was Auberge, when I worked at a record store and we had a promo copy. I appreciate you mentioning Knopfler and Lowell George, the later of which I adored but failed to make that connection. It is surprising to me he never found success in the States in a similar fashion as these contemporaries.
I have every one of Chris Rea’s CD/albums and this news is devastating. You chronicled his music life eloquently and with details that only a Chris Rea devotee would understand.
“Miles is a Cigarette” was my decadent enjoyment. The entire album of “God’s Great Banana Skin” was something that no other album besides “No Other”(Gene Clark) made me play all the way through… every time I spun it.
His music was like my wife’s cooking, each release was different than any other release yet each captured my total engagement as I looked forward to the next one.
As for me, my favorite song of his (it’s difficult to think of Chris as releasing a single) was “Too Much Pride” (never was released as a single) the entire GGBS album was dedicated to not over thinking one’s importance and to get along with your fellow humans.
Thank you for the time and detail you put into writing this piece!
GGBS is a favorite of mine, too. I originally had the title track and "Miles" on the Mixtape included here, but I decided to keep it to 35 songs...But I don't see why I can't expand it to at least 40 (these are completely arbitrary rules anyway).
Road to Hell is one of my all-time favorites. One of the best.
Than you for writing this about Chris Rea. A great artist with a vast music catalog. I've long felt that he was underrated and never appreciated here in the USA. One of my favorites..."Just in Case You Never Knew". He is sorely missed already!
I have been a lifelong fan.
We in age are only months apart
He has recorded some of the saddest songs I've ever listened to
"The mention of her name" which for a time had a particular resonance for me and still echoes deeply.
But he could be uplifting and fun too.
I bought his albums but I could never understand that with new tech ipods and now streaming so little of his stuff is available.
A sad loss although it is a wonder he actually lived as long as he did
Will play him today in rememberance and to honour his life
https://youtu.be/Binsw5R65ww?si=cVXt1-SwcCvEee-L
I too discovered Chris through “new light..”. I was a kid at the time. Then it was Auberge, when I worked at a record store and we had a promo copy. I appreciate you mentioning Knopfler and Lowell George, the later of which I adored but failed to make that connection. It is surprising to me he never found success in the States in a similar fashion as these contemporaries.
Agreed. It’s such a shame.
Thanks for adding Frankie Miller to your list of Singers who possess “pipes” he is truly fantastic… like a lot of Scots.
Frankie is one of the best, no doubt!
That voice, that slide, that sensibility. I'll miss Chris more than most. He was a foundation of my musical and broadcasting experience
Excellent excellent job!
I have every one of Chris Rea’s CD/albums and this news is devastating. You chronicled his music life eloquently and with details that only a Chris Rea devotee would understand.
“Miles is a Cigarette” was my decadent enjoyment. The entire album of “God’s Great Banana Skin” was something that no other album besides “No Other”(Gene Clark) made me play all the way through… every time I spun it.
His music was like my wife’s cooking, each release was different than any other release yet each captured my total engagement as I looked forward to the next one.
As for me, my favorite song of his (it’s difficult to think of Chris as releasing a single) was “Too Much Pride” (never was released as a single) the entire GGBS album was dedicated to not over thinking one’s importance and to get along with your fellow humans.
Thank you for the time and detail you put into writing this piece!
Thank you for the kind words from a fellow fan!
GGBS is a favorite of mine, too. I originally had the title track and "Miles" on the Mixtape included here, but I decided to keep it to 35 songs...But I don't see why I can't expand it to at least 40 (these are completely arbitrary rules anyway).
By the way, has any other artist had so many “Best of” as Chris Rea? Having asked that, I have around 7 of them LOL including 2 that are double CDs.
HA! Agreed!
Great post. It’s sent me searching for the Stony Road album.
Great! Let me know what you think.
Yep road to hell, the long version we’ve been riding of late.