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Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Jeffrey Crecelius and Ken Fuller
Thanks to YMP Patron Doug Curran, we were able to speak to Brian Chatton this week. A friend of and collaborator with Jon Anderson since the 1960s, Brian has indeed ‘Rolled with Rock Royalty’ and our conversation shed light on a variety of eras of Yes and the other bands and artists Brian has been associated with.
No single interview with Brian could possibly scratch the surface of his extraordinary life and career so do check out his amazing book:
https://brianchatton.com/rolling-with-rock-royalty/
- When did Brian meet Jon Anderson?
- How did a boy from Bolton survive in Germany?
- What did Brian get up to with Keith Emerson?
Let us know if you agree with us!
Spot the Yes men with Brian…
Yes – The Tormato Story
Available now!
YMP Patrons:
Producers:
- Joseph Cottrell
- Ken Fuller
- Jeffrey Crecelius
Patrons:
| Jim Morrison | Jon Pickles | Declan Logue |
| Gary Betts | Alan Begg | Michael Handerhan |
| Barry Gorsky | Steve Perry | Doug Curran |
| Martin Kjellberg | Todd Dudley | Rachel Hadaway |
| Lind | Paul Hailes | Craig Estenes |
| Mark James Lang | Steve Rode | David |
| Bob Martilotta | John Holden | Stephen Lambe |
| Dem | Fred Barringer | Scott Colombo |
| Chris Bandini | David Heyden | John Thomson |
| Mark Baggs | John Cowan | John Parry |
| Dave Owen | Simon Barrow | Steve Scott |
| Terence Sadler | Steve Dill | Robert Nasir |
| Fergus Cubbage | William Hayes | Geoff Bailie |
| Steven Roehr | Lobate Scarp | Geoffrey Mason |
| David Watkinson | Tim Stannard | Robert Vandiver |
| Brian Sullivan | David Pannell | Jamie McQuinn |
| Miguel Falcão | Paul Tomei | Michael O’Connor |
| Brian Harris | Hogne Bø Pettersen | Guy DeRome |
Our (not really) new Facebook YMP Discussion Group is open to anyone to join but I’ll be adding rules and joining requirements when I have time (one day…). One of the advantages of the new format is that all members of the group have the same ability to post content, so it’s a bit more egalitarian, or somesuch. Please do search for the group and join in.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/3216603008606331/
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Theme music
The music I use is the last movement of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. This has been used as introduction music at many Yes concerts. My theme music is not take from a live concert – I put it together from: archive.org
3 replies on “Rolling with Brian Chatton – The Warriors, Jon Anderson, Patrick Moraz, Keith Emerson and other stories – 599”
Glad to see you finally hooked up with Brian. Good timing as yesterday is 3 years since his book came out, and I got one of the 1st copies from him in person then. He’s a real character. In fact, of the hundreds of musicians I’ve met since ’73, Brian is only surpassed by Rick as the funniest, but they are each unique rascals. I highly recommend that every Yes, Jon, Keith Emerson and classic rock fan buy Brian’s book, and not just because we are friends. I’ve bought many dozens of autobiographies/memoirs of musicians, actors and artists over the last 50+ years, and Brian’s is without a doubt the most entertaining & fun of them all. This is a man who was there with The Warriors, when Jon met Chris, at early Yes rehearsals and gigs, at the Cream farewell concert with Yes, at the Janis Joplin gig that Yes opened, with Jon while he made “Olias,” and is friends with almost everyone in Yes history. That doesn’t even cover his work with Phil Collins, Jackson Heights, The Hollies, Meat Loaf, B.B. King, Boys Don’t Cry, Sheena Easton, Albert Lee, John Miles and many others.
The book includes many Yes related stories that Brian didn’t mention during the podcast, including some never written before now. While you can buy the book from Amazon and other book sellers, if you buy it direct from Brian’s website you can get an autographed copy or a personalized copy.
Thanks for the spoiler alerts. I’m trying to avoid concert and setlist info until I see Yes and Roger in Oct.
I spent a good few days with Brian while he was in the UK promoting his book, I became a make shift tour manager. Arranged for book storage at my mothers house in Bolton, we set up and then I sold the books at the gigs, arranging equipment, transport and all that. Boy did we laugh and I got two of the Warriors together after decades. That was special.
Brian and I got on like a house on fire and his Bolton show was fabulous, what an entertainer. His book will knock ya socks off, as they say. He has done so much and for us Yes heads has been around them so long.
Did you know Brian joined The Warriors at my old place of work in Bolton. It was called Wood Pianos when I worked there a decade later, from the club it once was in the 1960s.
The best story teller and may I suggest a stand up joint gig….a keyboard evening…
‘Rick Wakeman & Brian Chatton’
An Evening of Music and Rock & Roll Stories
Great guy, a wonderful keyboard player and just someone who you need a night out with.
Best wishes fellow Boltonian ❤
Great episode guys, thank you. I purchased Brian’s book back when it was first published through his Facebook page, highly recommended.
Long before I was aware of The Warriors and their personnel, I discovered Brian through his work with the second iteration of Jackson Heights, founded by Lee Jackson after Keith Emerson left The Nice. The band produced three fine albums (not prog), the best of which was RAGAMUFFINS FOOL, the album Patrick Moraz memorized in his effort to “learn” rock and roll. In yet another second-degree Yes connection, the third member of Jackson Heights was John McBurnie, who later sang lead on Moraz’s THE STORY OF I and who wrote the English lyrics.