Interview - Chas & Dave!
Words by Sophie Eggleton
Chas Hodges and Dave Peacock came out of the shadows of session performing and playing with the likes of Mike Berry and the Outlaws, the highly respected Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers as well as Albert Lee’s cult band Heads Hands and Feet and released Their debut album ‘One Fing ‘n’ Anuvver’ on the Retreat label in 1975,earning critical acclaim from the likes of John Peel.
While they don’t embody the straightforward concept of cool their contribution to our music history and fun is undeniable. With a varied fan base which stretches from a cultish following of uni students who revel in their pub sing a long style, the middle/post-middle aged who enjoy their pre-beatles rock ‘n’ roll and boogie woogie joviality and those who may have come across their music via recommendations by the likes of modern icons such as Pete Doherty.
DH caught up with Chas just before their show in Proud Galleries, London, to have a rabbit rabbit rabbit rabbit rabbit…
Disappear Here: Why did you want to play Proud in particular, does the space hold any particular importance for you?
Chas Hodges: Well its a brand new venue really but for the last 3 years we have been doing the Electric Ballroom Christmas show so we know Camden. It will be nice to play a newish venue.
DH: What sort of crowd do you anticipate coming?
CH: A nice crowd I hope! Well, as I say we always had a mixed crowd but it’s been building up, the age group in the twenties has been getter bigger,working with Pete (Doherty) definitely helped with that.
DH: Are you still in touch?
CH:Oh yeah, he supported us not too long ago, at the Tap’N’Tin in Chatham, twice he’s been there, he does an acoustic set before us, then gets a pint of Guinness and sits down to enjoy our set!
DH: You have lots of dates scheduled, are you playing any festivals this year?
CH: Umm, yeah dunno which ones! Playing at Glastonbury in 2005 was a real great gig. It was very special, there was about 35,000 who had trekked across the muddy fields to see us, which was a real buzz.
DH: Do you check out other bands while you are there?
CH: We don’t check out other bands no, we do our gig and buzz off!!
DH: You were once a session musician, did you always feel like you wanted to come forward rather than being in the background?
CH: Going back to very early days, when I was in a skiffle group, I remember it vividly, best night of my life ever. We played Over the Top in Lewisham, had a fun night, then a bloke plonked a ten shilling note in my hand. Surprised, I was like what’s this? He said ‘its for the music!’ I thought this is the life for me now, I had no aspiration for fame, but from that day on I wanted to make music for living. I didn’t like getting up or going to bed so it was ideal!
DH: The last few years has seen bands starting to be proud of using their real accents - Glasvegas, Arctic Monkeys, Rascals - why do you think it’s important?
CH: Well its important wherever u come from to write songs about things you know about, in your own accent, it’s as simple as that for me. Be honest!
DH: Tell us about other stuff you’ve got going on?
CH: While me and Dave do the theatre tours, Chas Hodges Band runs alongside. Dave gave up his involvement in writing 5 years ago, we are still gigging as you know, but I steamed on with recording. It’s similar to Chas and Dave, some of the stuff i collaborate, but because I write Chas and Dave it’s very similar. It’s had a couple good write ups, been well received, which is really good!
DH: We notice you are doing all the press appointments too...
CH: Yea I don’t mind, I quite enjoy talking to different people. I’m enjoying it more as I get older too!
DH: Telstar, The Joe Meek biopic finally hits the cinemas today. Ralf Little portrays a young you and you also have a cameo role in the film alongside a star-studded cast including Kevin Spacey, Carl Barat, and Nigel Harman. Tell us about the project.
CH: Me wife plays Joe Meek’s mum, we didn’t work together on the set, you are called in one day, you do your bit and they slot it in wherever it needs to be!
DH: Has Ralf Little done you proud?
CH: He done great. When he did his first scene he rang me up,’ Oi Chas i think i got the accent right’, I said lets meet up for a chat. We had pie and mash, and by time he had finished his last bit of pie he had the accent down!
DH: Can you reveal where to get the best pies?
CH: At Broadway Markets, Hoxton Market, F. Cookes,the best!
DH: Was ‘Rabbit’ based on one particular chatty women, or just women in general?
CH: The wife was a bit of an inspiration - she wont mind me saying that!
DH: How do you go about writing?
CH: Observations of a lot of things, my new album I’m taking from other people situations mostly, I sort of change it around a little bit so it sounds like its coming form me, but its form real people. One of the songs is written form a story I heard on the radio, I changed it round to suit myself. Once you get into writing mode, which I continually am at the minute, a tune might come to you, or a phrase, you write it down. I often get my ideas together when everyone goes to bed, get books out, find phrases, work through ideas that you found that day at night time.
DH: Despite your longevity and the amount of top selling music you’ve put out you may not hold the status/respect of other bands due to the humour factor of your songs. Why do you think that is?
CH: t’s a funny old thing, that happens throughout, in music and acting as well. I remember Jack Lemmon, a great actor, he said, you get Oscars for serious parts but not for humorous parts, but humorous is harder, being funny on film, you can look a fool, it’s far harder. To write a funny song is even harder, I alway find musicians get it more than real people - they see it better and quicker. They know what goes into writing it, so just understand.
DH: There are various myths surrounding you, for instance that you wrote the Only Fools and Horses Theme. What’s the funniest myth you’ve heard about yourself?
CH: There’s a story that it aint the real Dave, how that come about? Hmm all mixed up stories. Apparently the real Dave died, and we got a new Dave in. From some detective work......There was an American Sam and Dave, that Dave died some 10 years ago. Also Bill Bailey was on Buzzcocks and said he was in Lewisham pub and outside there was a poster of a Chas and Dave tribute, called Daz and Shave.
DH: Tell us about your relatinoship with America?
CH: We got a good fan base all over america, with Cleveland International, all the records are sold online, we went over there, went to Milwaukee, and did a record signing a big record shop. The guy at the record shop said they been playing our stuff a lot on the radio stations, then we got told me were the biggest sellers, beating the likes of Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson! We might do some more stuff over there and be the biggest sellers again!
DH: So have you got any great Jerry Lee Lewis stories?
CH: I was lucky enough to see him as a kid in 1958 - I was playing the guitar, but wanted to play the piano. Going on the road with him in 1963, I learned by just watching him although he did show me a few bits! The greatest thing was that I was with him a good part of the year that he was in his best form - piano, performance, live show, I was lucky enough to learn from him before the all the sex and drugs took hold, he was a great inspiration. He actually quoted me as his favourite bass player saying he knew I’d make it once I took up the keyboard! Quite an honour!
DH: We hear you’re a big Spurs fan?
CH: I don’t know really. Lots of people think I’m a fanatic. I was born round the corner and grew up being a fan. To be honest I don’t know who’s in the team these days. I do like to know they doing alright though .We don’t do any spurs songs on stage and there won’t be another one made!
DH: What current bands/artists are you into?
CH: Oh, you’ll have to give me a second. I’m a little out of touch. I like Lily Allen and Arctic Monkeys though!
DH: Do you get to watch gigs at all?
CH: No, usually on my nights off I get together with my old mates from years ago, play in pubs and have a s skiffle session.
DH: Lastly,how has your relationship with Dave changed over the years?
It hasn’t changed at all, we knew each other for 7-8 years,we were mates in different bands, then we formed together. We are like brothers in may ways. We get on great, for instance Dave decided he didn’t want to be involved in songwriting, fair enough, so I carried on with the writing, we are always very amicable!
Then our time’s up and with a ‘nice talkin to ya darling’ and’ have a good day’ he’s off.... what a gent!!
Posted Fri, June 26, 2009