Hello to you from Poland

[Chris]

Hello everyone,

I've been an ardent fan of Chris Rea since the early 80s. It was back in the "vinyl times" that I heard a song by Chris Rea on the radio, and I bought his first "Tennis" LP. Needless to say, the very next day, I went back to the shop to buy all of his available records. I lived in Munich at the time and Chris was gaining popularity in Germany.
A very few people nowadays seem to remember that the CD format had been with us only since 1984. In fact, my first-ever CD was Chris Rea's "On The Beach."
I was fascinated with Chris Rea's playing style and the type of 'soft', very melodic rocking sound. It was definitely dancing music. The kind of music only a handful of performers would play in the 80s. That's why Chris was so popular in continental Europe and not (not surprisingly to me) on the British Islands. I guess, he was considered 'too soft' for the US, but caught on quite nicely in neighboring Canada and in Australia!
I sensed some Italian flavor in his music and discovered latter on, that he indeed had some Italian and Irish background. From that moment on, I liked his music even better. His lyrics were quite transparent. He sang non-invasive songs. No hoopla nor boom boom. Chris's low and deep voice just completed the picture, so to say. One could risk saying that he always played the blues. I knew that he was under the influence of Delta Blues, from the deep American south, with a blend of other styles. Knowing the limitations every music company imposes on artists, we should be grateful to Chris that he always managed to smuggle-in his type of sound into ready-made cakes prepared for him, without his consent, in the managerial offices of all those higher-ups.
I believe that all his songs are like pictures, or pages, from his life's album. He was putting them together, for some 30 years, like a big puzzle, registering all major as well as minor events, travels, vacations, recording sessions, impressions of all kinds, combined with his profound feelings of: love, hopes, expectations, sadness, pain, griefs and disappointments in his life. One could detect, quite easily, that Chris was trying to leave a message.
My favorite songs are those performed by Chris Rea live, even though there aren't too many of them recorded and sold commercially. If they are, they are scattered around on many singles, only to be fished out like pearls. One would have to keep on buying the French, the German or the British versions of his EPs or singles to get live "Josephine", "It's All Gone" or "Sail Away", as a fourth cut on a single.
That's why I just love the "Dancing Shoes" concert from the Montreux Jazz Festival, registered on July 10, 1986, and published by a Luxembourg record company called "(the) Flashback", in 1988. I don't think it's a bootleg CD, since I've purchased it at a regular music shop in Munich.
Being myself a Pole, I'd like to point out a few Polish accents on Chris's albums. For instance, on his "Water Sign" LP and CD, there's a song titled "Candles." It was written (generally speaking) for Poland in transition, after the communist regime introduced martial law to the country, on December 13, 1981.
Here's how it came about; why Chris wrote this particular song.
Chris was in northwestern Poland in late 70s, playing a few gigs in the scope of, as he put it, "a cultural exchange." And there was this Polish guide-translator (a girl) accompanying the British musicians. Chris just casually asked her upon departing Poland whether there was anything he could do for her back in London, and (according to Chris) the girl answered laughing "yes, you just might light a candle for us." So, apparently, Chris remembered these words and wrote a song. He explained the reason why he did it, in a interview aired on Austrian TV (ORF1) in the summer of 1984.
The song "Still Beautiful" (on the CD "King of the Beach", 2000), according to one of the reviews "was inspired by Chris Rea's visit to Warsaw." He was staying overnight at a Warsaw hotel, and he wrote this beautiful love song there. It was snowing outside, "each one a dancing snowflake, a piece of memory", it was rather "cold white night", as "in the silence of your smiling face, you move to me..."
Best regards to all of Chris Rea's fans,
Chris

[Bart]

Hello everyone,

I've been an ardent fan of Chris Rea since the early 80s. It was back in the "vinyl times" that I heard a song by Chris Rea on the radio, and I bought his first "Tennis" LP. Needless to say, the very next day, I went back to the shop to buy all of his available records. Best regards to all of Chris Rea's fans,
Chris

Hello Chris;

I can understand that ! The same applied to myself. I borrowed the CD from "the road to hell" from my uncle (thanks Erik-Jan!) the day I bought my first CD player in 1991 (still using it every day!) so that I would have "something" to try out the new machine ... some days later I owned already 3 CD's (incl. Auberge, new lights).

Welcome to the forum !!

[Chris]

Thank you Bart for your kind words and for sharing similar, if not the same, feelings about Chris's music.
I've been listening to it for some 25 years and never got tired of it. So, as I already said, I heard him first on the German radio in Munich. The Germans, I must say quite frankly, have a very good taste for music and they've actually "discovered" Chris Rea. I'm positive, some of his songs helped me and others through difficult times. The most strange feeling I experienced, was the confrontation between my imagination about certain climates created by Chris's music and the real reasons why he wrote this or another song. For instance, I imagined that Chris was singing about resting on the beach (sort of wasting himself there 'all summer long'), while in fact he was only dreaming of certain places he knew, or lingering about them. And these feelings, emotions and scenes keep on coming back on many of his recordings.
The other day I wrote to you my first private e-mail. I've since received a personal account as far as the first-ever visit by Chris Rea to Poland. It was, it turned out, in the summer of 1978. The city he was born in, the Middlesbrough, signed these "partnership" agreements with the French Dunkerque, the German Oberhausen, in the Ruhrgebit and - believe it or not - Szczecin, in Poland! (formerly Stettin.) So, on either 27th or 28th August, 1978, a 100-strong cultural delegation from Middlesbrough flew directly from Teesside to Szczecin by Polish Airlines LOT. The delegation, which stayed and performed in the Szczecin region until September 1, included a brass band, a theatrical troop as well as Chris's band. Rea was small at the time, only at the threshold of his career, but knew how to better publicize himself. He had these expensive, shiny color posters splashed all over town. He played several gigs, including one at the stadium to about 2,000 audience. But apparently this particular visit engraved itself upon his memory, as he wrote a beautiful song for Poland in transition (from communism to democracy) a few years latter.
So, thank you for your offer, but I've already solved the mystery about Chris Rea in Poland, in the late 70s.
Best regards to you and other Chris Rea fans,
Chris

Hello everyone,

I've been an ardent fan of Chris Rea since the early 80s. It was back in the "vinyl times" that I heard a song by Chris Rea on the radio, and I bought his first "Tennis" LP. Needless to say, the very next day, I went back to the shop to buy all of his available records. Best regards to all of Chris Rea's fans,
Chris

Hello Chris;

I can understand that ! The same applied to myself. I borrowed the CD from "the road to hell" from my uncle (thanks Erik-Jan!) the day I bought my first CD player in 1991 (still using it every day!) so that I would have "something" to try out the new machine ... some days later I owned already 3 CD's (incl. Auberge, new lights).

Welcome to the forum !!

[leila.wilson]

Thank you Bart for your kind words and for sharing similar, if not the same, feelings about Chris's music.
I've been listening to it for some 25 years and never got tired of it. So, as I already said, I heard him first on the German radio in Munich. The Germans, I must say quite frankly, have a very good taste for music and they've actually "discovered" Chris Rea. I'm positive, some of his songs helped me and others through difficult times. The most strange feeling I experienced, was the confrontation between my imagination about certain climates created by Chris's music and the real reasons why he wrote this or another song. For instance, I imagined that Chris was singing about resting on the beach (sort of wasting himself there 'all summer long'), while in fact he was only dreaming of certain places he knew, or lingering about them. And these feelings, emotions and scenes keep on coming back on many of his recordings.
The other day I wrote to you my first private e-mail. I've since received a personal account as far as the first-ever visit by Chris Rea to Poland. It was, it turned out, in the summer of 1978. The city he was born in, the Middlesbrough, signed these "partnership" agreements with the French Dunkerque, the German Oberhausen, in the Ruhrgebit and - believe it or not - Szczecin, in Poland! (formerly Stettin.) So, on either 27th or 28th August, 1978, a 100-strong cultural delegation from Middlesbrough flew directly from Teesside to Szczecin by Polish Airlines LOT. The delegation, which stayed and performed in the Szczecin region until September 1, included a brass band, a theatrical troop as well as Chris's band. Rea was small at the time, only at the threshold of his career, but knew how to better publicize himself. He had these expensive, shiny color posters splashed all over town. He played several gigs, including one at the stadium to about 2,000 audience. But apparently this particular visit engraved itself upon his memory, as he wrote a beautiful song for Poland in transition (from communism to democracy) a few years latter.
So, thank you for your offer, but I've already solved the mystery about Chris Rea in Poland, in the late 70s.
Best regards to you and other Chris Rea fans,
Chris

Hello everyone,

I've been an ardent fan of Chris Rea since the early 80s. It was back in the "vinyl times" that I heard a song by Chris Rea on the radio, and I bought his first "Tennis" LP. Needless to say, the very next day, I went back to the shop to buy all of his available records. Best regards to all of Chris Rea's fans,
Chris

Hello Chris;

I can understand that ! The same applied to myself. I borrowed the CD from "the road to hell" from my uncle (thanks Erik-Jan!) the day I bought my first CD player in 1991 (still using it every day!) so that I would have "something" to try out the new machine ... some days later I owned already 3 CD's (incl. Auberge, new lights).

Welcome to the forum !!

Hello Chris,
Thank you for all these interesting facts about Chris and Poland, and welcome to the forum. Hope to hear more from you soon ...Leila

[Chris]

Thank you Leila for you post. I have to be careful, you know, because I'm kind of "talkative" person. I'll try not to be boring.
Best regards to you Leila and to everyone on this forum,
Chris

[Bart]

I have to be careful, you know, because I'm kind of "talkative" person. I'll try not to be boring.

Hello Chris. No problem at all !! The more "talkative", the better - specially when it is about new unknown information about Chris (at least in my opnion!) !! For me it is not boring at al !

[leila.wilson]

Thank you Leila for you post. I have to be careful, you know, because I'm kind of "talkative" person. I'll try not to be boring.
Best regards to you Leila and to everyone on this forum,
Chris

No problem Chris I have quite a reputation for talking too, and I am not the only one around this friendly forum, so jump in and tell us all about yourself, and all the things you love about Chris and his music. Looking forward to hearing from you.

[Tony Van S]

Hi,

I'm based in Poland, nr. Torun, but British by background and settled here for good!!
I'm also from the NE of England like Chris but not quite so far North - Leeds, where Mark Knopfler cut his student teeth !
It's Fascinating story about Chris coming over here in Aug 1978; Chris must be gaining in popularity over here judging by airplay time, as with artists like Van Morrison who don't do stadium type gigs (except festival, Glastonbury and the like), you would need a major sponsor to step in to enable someone like Chris to cross over.
I'm aware of Chris' massive popularity in Germany - living in Bremen in 1990-91, he filled the local arena venue with ease, and could probably have played there several times if his schedule allowed.

Best Regards,
Tony

Thank you Bart for your kind words and for sharing similar, if not the same, feelings about Chris's music.
I've been listening to it for some 25 years and never got tired of it. So, as I already said, I heard him first on the German radio in Munich. The Germans, I must say quite frankly, have a very good taste for music and they've actually "discovered" Chris Rea. I'm positive, some of his songs helped me and others through difficult times. The most strange feeling I experienced, was the confrontation between my imagination about certain climates created by Chris's music and the real reasons why he wrote this or another song. For instance, I imagined that Chris was singing about resting on the beach (sort of wasting himself there 'all summer long'), while in fact he was only dreaming of certain places he knew, or lingering about them. And these feelings, emotions and scenes keep on coming back on many of his recordings.
The other day I wrote to you my first private e-mail. I've since received a personal account as far as the first-ever visit by Chris Rea to Poland. It was, it turned out, in the summer of 1978. The city he was born in, the Middlesbrough, signed these "partnership" agreements with the French Dunkerque, the German Oberhausen, in the Ruhrgebit and - believe it or not - Szczecin, in Poland! (formerly Stettin.) So, on either 27th or 28th August, 1978, a 100-strong cultural delegation from Middlesbrough flew directly from Teesside to Szczecin by Polish Airlines LOT. The delegation, which stayed and performed in the Szczecin region until September 1, included a brass band, a theatrical troop as well as Chris's band. Rea was small at the time, only at the threshold of his career, but knew how to better publicize himself. He had these expensive, shiny color posters splashed all over town. He played several gigs, including one at the stadium to about 2,000 audience. But apparently this particular visit engraved itself upon his memory, as he wrote a beautiful song for Poland in transition (from communism to democracy) a few years latter.
So, thank you for your offer, but I've already solved the mystery about Chris Rea in Poland, in the late 70s.
Best regards to you and other Chris Rea fans,
Chris

Hello everyone,

I've been an ardent fan of Chris Rea since the early 80s. It was back in the "vinyl times" that I heard a song by Chris Rea on the radio, and I bought his first "Tennis" LP. Needless to say, the very next day, I went back to the shop to buy all of his available records. Best regards to all of Chris Rea's fans,
Chris

Hello Chris;

I can understand that ! The same applied to myself. I borrowed the CD from "the road to hell" from my uncle (thanks Erik-Jan!) the day I bought my first CD player in 1991 (still using it every day!) so that I would have "something" to try out the new machine ... some days later I owned already 3 CD's (incl. Auberge, new lights).

Welcome to the forum !!

[Tony Van S]

REplying to my own message - Van was over here in 2001 for TPSA Festival in Warsaw.

Tony

[Chris]

Thank you for taking interest in reading my posts, Tony.
I'm Polish by birth, I live now in the suburbs of Warsaw, therefore I've returned home.
But this, obviously, doesn't have anything to do with Chris Rea. Except, that this world, as we probably all realize, is kind of small and many of us are being endlessly tossed about it.
Chris Rea told his story behind the "Candles" song, in an interview on Austrian TV, in the summer of 1984. I saw this program on ORF2, or perhaps was it on ORF1? Well, it doesn't really matter. In those days they didn't have that many TV programs, therefore the probability of me erring is much smaller. Chris said that he "was in Poland in late 70s", but he only recalled this girl-translator for whom he actually wrote this song. I know that it could have been just a symbolic figure, a person he was addressing himself to (as to someone to whom one could dedicate a few words to), but he said that he was "deeply moved by the brutal force used against the entire society which wanted to brake away from communism." So, he showed solidarity with us as he very well understood the real reasons behind the introduction of "the state of war" (the marshal law) to Poland, on December 13, 1981. And further more: he put it very nicely into words; into "Candles" lyrics.
As I said in one of my other posts, Chris wrote another song, which was not directly related to Poland, but came into being in Warsaw! In one of the reviews I read that "he was inspired by his stay at a Warsaw hotel", in December 1999. He came to record a studio interview as well as mini-recital, and wrote ("conceived it") this song "Still Beautiful" (which is definitely a love song.) You can find it on his "King of the Beach" CD (2000.)
What really surprises me though, is that nobody seems to remember about these beautiful Chris's gestures towards Poles and not a single Polish journalist had since ever asked him about it. At least I never heard anyone speak on the matter nor mentioning it in any article by all these so-called "music experts" in Poland. And this really makes me both: sad and angry at times. It's as if nobody is aware of these historical facts. I mean, his first-ever visit to Szczecin region, the "Candles" song as well as another one "inspired by his stay in Warsaw."
Chris was in Poland several times. Once, he took along his daughter Josephine. On another TV-sponsored occasion he flew in with his brother who played the drums, and a few trusted musicians. All in all, he visited our country (by my count) at least seven (7) times. He sang at the televised Sopot Festival, performed four times in Warsaw and played once in Katowice's "Spodek" (the Saucer) concert arena, known under that Polish name for it's resemblance to a 'flying saucer.'

And to make story a little bit shorter, I'm personally surprised that Chris Rea is not doing very well (musically) in the US. I've made an extra effort to find out whether his recordings were available in the United States. On my visits there I always go to record stores and ask about Chris Rea. The general answer is: yes, his CDs are there but he isn't that popular amongst Americans. Too bad for them.
Best regards to all,
Chris

REplying to my own message - Van was over here in 2001 for TPSA Festival in Warsaw.

Tony

[Guest]

Hi Chris,

Your knowledge about Chris' visits to Poland is infinitely greater than my own, and obviously I stand corrected.
What you say about "being endlessly tossed about" by the world is also quite true, although, speaking for myself, many turns of life and fate which brought me here. My first 2nd language is French, then it's German, Polish is 4th, but now much more important than the first two !! It is a small world indeed !
Chris Rea strikes me as very intellectual in his approach to life and music in general, and I'm not surprised that this arch individualist was struck by the Poles' desire for Freedom in early 80's and after, given as you say his first visit to Poland was Aug 1978. On the other hand Chris Rea, has had, so far, a more Europe-based career than Van Morrison and others. I wonder if Chris is very popular in Australia ? I know Van is.
I was thinking about this last night, why is Chris not so popular in the States ? Why were Queen massive in Brazil and not so big in the States ? Why is Georgie B (our home name for George Benson) huge in UK, Holland, Germany, most of Africa, States etc. but not so popular in Poland ? Sometimes there are no logical reasons for popularity or lack of it. Chris Rea became popular in Germany very quickly indeed once his records were given airplay, to do this he had to make it in the UK first. In the States it's different, there are several State-side artists who have a similar appeal to Chris Rea's, some of the people who in Europe buy Chris' music (in term sof their background)purchase home-grown music in the States - it's a much more insular country.

In Poland there are probably, only 2 Music journalists who know a lot about say, Van Morrison. Very often it's about the personal taste of the journalist concerned.In UK, Andy Kershaw loves Van the Man, John Peel, God rest his Soul, was very sceptical to say the least. To give Chris Rea the publicity he deserves in Poland, you'd need a high powered writer / DJ to spend some time and energy in highlighting what Chris has done. Must finish now, my youngest daughter, Julia wants to do some painting (on kitchen table) !!
Best Regards,
Tony

Thank you for taking interest in reading my posts, Tony.
I'm Polish by birth, I live now in the suburbs of Warsaw, therefore I've returned home.
But this, obviously, doesn't have anything to do with Chris Rea. Except, that this world, as we probably all realize, is kind of small and many of us are being endlessly tossed about it.
Chris Rea told his story behind the "Candles" song, in an interview on Austrian TV, in the summer of 1984. I saw this program on ORF2, or perhaps was it on ORF1? Well, it doesn't really matter. In those days they didn't have that many TV programs, therefore the probability of me erring is much smaller. Chris said that he "was in Poland in late 70s", but he only recalled this girl-translator for whom he actually wrote this song. I know that it could have been just a symbolic figure, a person he was addressing himself to (as to someone to whom one could dedicate a few words to), but he said that he was "deeply moved by the brutal force used against the entire society which wanted to brake away from communism." So, he showed solidarity with us as he very well understood the real reasons behind the introduction of "the state of war" (the marshal law) to Poland, on December 13, 1981. And further more: he put it very nicely into words; into "Candles" lyrics.
As I said in one of my other posts, Chris wrote another song, which was not directly related to Poland, but came into being in Warsaw! In one of the reviews I read that "he was inspired by his stay at a Warsaw hotel", in December 1999. He came to record a studio interview as well as mini-recital, and wrote ("conceived it") this song "Still Beautiful" (which is definitely a love song.) You can find it on his "King of the Beach" CD (2000.)
What really surprises me though, is that nobody seems to remember about these beautiful Chris's gestures towards Poles and not a single Polish journalist had since ever asked him about it. At least I never heard anyone speak on the matter nor mentioning it in any article by all these so-called "music experts" in Poland. And this really makes me both: sad and angry at times. It's as if nobody is aware of these historical facts. I mean, his first-ever visit to Szczecin region, the "Candles" song as well as another one "inspired by his stay in Warsaw."
Chris was in Poland several times. Once, he took along his daughter Josephine. On another TV-sponsored occasion he flew in with his brother who played the drums, and a few trusted musicians. All in all, he visited our country (by my count) at least seven (7) times. He sang at the televised Sopot Festival, performed four times in Warsaw and played once in Katowice's "Spodek" (the Saucer) concert arena, known under that Polish name for it's resemblance to a 'flying saucer.'

And to make story a little bit shorter, I'm personally surprised that Chris Rea is not doing very well (musically) in the US. I've made an extra effort to find out whether his recordings were available in the United States. On my visits there I always go to record stores and ask about Chris Rea. The general answer is: yes, his CDs are there but he isn't that popular amongst Americans. Too bad for them.
Best regards to all,
Chris

REplying to my own message - Van was over here in 2001 for TPSA Festival in Warsaw.

Tony

[Chris]

Hi Tony,

To be honest, I didn't expect so quick an answer. I already realized that I might have been overplaying the "Polish accents in Chris Rea's biography", but I felt it would be nice to publicize and share them with (at least) some of his fans. There are some aspects about Chris, which could help better understand his music. For instance, the fact that he is half-Italian, and that his first language was Italian. He spoke about it quite openly a few years ago, in an interview with the leading Polish daily "Rzeczpospolita." He was happy that his daughter Josephine went to Bologna (or was is Modena?) to study at the university. Chris admitted that he cried when it occurred to him that life took a whole circle. He was learning English and his daughter went back to his first language. Perhaps you've read this interview too? He mentioned that there is a little bit of Italy in everything he does. He said (in the same interview) that he loved Italian food, espresso and Italian racing cars, and when you listen very carefully to some of his nostalgic songs, very melodic, you will discover that is sounds very much "Italian."
So, I believe that all artists who have some ethnic background will always do better that homegrown musicians.
Freddie Queen was born in Zanzibar! Van Morrison is Irish and just couldn't compose any more music in America. He had to have these Celtic feelings and surroundings - back. As he once said "I just had to return to my roots."
Chris Rea, when he grew up, was like a sponge, he absorbed and kept for himself phrases, single notes and feelings (moods, if you will), until they matured in him. All this came into fruition, only when he was an adult. These melodies and sounds were and still are in his mind and blood. He just shapes them into songs. Many of them are rewritten or otherwise changed. But he does it so skillfully and nicely that nobody (I presume) holds it against him. Some of the best places to record or write his music, he found outside of Britain. In France, Germany, Switzerland Spain or on the Turks and Coicos Islands.

Answers to questions regarding his background one can find in Chris Rea's early songs. These I call "autobiographical" songs. I think, for instance, that he wanted to return to Middlebrough, but his father talked him out of it. When he went back to visit he was bitter about the reception he received. That's why, in his song "It's All Gone" (CD "On the Beach", 1986), he explains why he was convinced by his father, Camillo, an Italian emigrant, to "sail away." Because "there's nothing for you here now" And so, Chris says "I sail away."

You might take a look at my other posts dedicated to "Blue Guitars." I don't want to repeat myself, although we all tend to do this every once in a while....

A friend in Australia (from Perth) wrote to me that Chris Rea is quite popular there, too.

I hope your daughter didn't do much damage to your kitchen table?
When we visited my brother-in-law in New Jersey (USA), his five year old grandchild, Enrique, kept on painting the entire kitchen walls, up to four feet high, with crayons! My brother-in-law just said: "don't worry about it Chris, we will wash the walls and paint them over with acrylic paint!"

Take care,
Chris

[Guest]

Hi Krzysiek,

Kitchen table is not unscathed, but will survive. Acrylic paint would cover it nicely, but I'd have to sand it down first to bare wood.

Freddie Mercury was indeed born on Zanzibar; more crucially he was brought up as a Zoroastrian by his devoted parents; in much of Freddie's adult life you could see rebellion against the highly developed ethical code he would have to have followed as a child. Main thing is this helped his creativity.
Van Morrison is Northern Irish, from an "Orange" Protestant family, hence the work ethic we still see today. He moved to the States due to the opportunity to work there; certainly in the early 1980's Van felt the "cry for home" , but in 1983 he was dumped by Warners who were not satisfied with his album sales against the cost of recording his albums, and Van eventually after a search joined Polydor UK, where he remains (1 album spell with Blue Note). Maybe the decision also reflected the fact that his daughter Shana Morrison (from brief marriage to Janet Planet in early 1970's) was more grown up and needed him less; anyway as with Chris and Josephine the 2 are said to be extremely close.
(I'm now listening to Josephine)

I'm not sure I really agree that "All artists who have some ethnic background will always do better than homegrown musicians". Peter Gabriel, David Gilmour etc. have a very undiluted Eng. background, on the other hand Eric Clapton is half-Canadian in terms of his blood line, but really his influences were in very early life all London (long story this one, I'll relate it another time), one of Clapton's strongest recent tracks "Look into My Father's Eyes" is about the process of discovering who his father really was (Clapton was brought by his Grandmother !).
It's very difficult actually to adjudicate on this issue.

Yes, Chris Rea is half-Italian and this is crucial, but the other half is also very crucial as it's the mix which makes him so creative. I knew that his first language was italian, thanks for filling me in about his daughter studying in Bologna. On the other hand his wife is UK Eng; do you know how they met ???

Take care,
Tony

Hi Tony,

To be honest, I didn't expect so quick an answer. I already realized that I might have been overplaying the "Polish accents in Chris Rea's biography", but I felt it would be nice to publicize and share them with (at least) some of his fans. There are some aspects about Chris, which could help better understand his music. For instance, the fact that he is half-Italian, and that his first language was Italian. He spoke about it quite openly a few years ago, in an interview with the leading Polish daily "Rzeczpospolita." He was happy that his daughter Josephine went to Bologna (or was is Modena?) to study at the university. Chris admitted that he cried when it occurred to him that life took a whole circle. He was learning English and his daughter went back to his first language. Perhaps you've read this interview too? He mentioned that there is a little bit of Italy in everything he does. He said (in the same interview) that he loved Italian food, espresso and Italian racing cars, and when you listen very carefully to some of his nostalgic songs, very melodic, you will discover that is sounds very much "Italian."
So, I believe that all artists who have some ethnic background will always do better that homegrown musicians.
Freddie Queen was born in Zanzibar! Van Morrison is Irish and just couldn't compose any more music in America. He had to have these Celtic feelings and surroundings - back. As he once said "I just had to return to my roots."
Chris Rea, when he grew up, was like a sponge, he absorbed and kept for himself phrases, single notes and feelings (moods, if you will), until they matured in him. All this came into fruition, only when he was an adult. These melodies and sounds were and still are in his mind and blood. He just shapes them into songs. Many of them are rewritten or otherwise changed. But he does it so skillfully and nicely that nobody (I presume) holds it against him. Some of the best places to record or write his music, he found outside of Britain. In France, Germany, Switzerland Spain or on the Turks and Coicos Islands.

Answers to questions regarding his background one can find in Chris Rea's early songs. These I call "autobiographical" songs. I think, for instance, that he wanted to return to Middlebrough, but his father talked him out of it. When he went back to visit he was bitter about the reception he received. That's why, in his song "It's All Gone" (CD "On the Beach", 1986), he explains why he was convinced by his father, Camillo, an Italian emigrant, to "sail away." Because "there's nothing for you here now" And so, Chris says "I sail away."

You might take a look at my other posts dedicated to "Blue Guitars." I don't want to repeat myself, although we all tend to do this every once in a while....

A friend in Australia (from Perth) wrote to me that Chris Rea is quite popular there, too.

I hope your daughter didn't do much damage to your kitchen table?
When we visited my brother-in-law in New Jersey (USA), his five year old grandchild, Enrique, kept on painting the entire kitchen walls, up to four feet high, with crayons! My brother-in-law just said: "don't worry about it Chris, we will wash the walls and paint them over with acrylic paint!"

Take care,
Chris

[Chris]

How are you doing Tony?

I'm glad the emergency situation at home was quickly brought under control.

Well yes, you are right, my statement about "ethnic background" wasn't very politically correct, I guess. In fact I also know many all-English (British born or American) singers and song writers who are doing just great. I shouldn't say that. I'm sorry. Anyway.

Come to think of Eric Clapton, I tend to go back, to the roots of certain style, or a trend in music. That's why I prefer listening to JJ Cale instead of Eric. Don't get me wrong, Clapton is excellent, but he takes from others. From JJ Cale, the "Cocaine" or "After Midnight." He still is our "Mr Slowhand." But who can bit the simplicity of melody, rhythm and lyrics by JJ Cale? And I'm old enough to remember him teaming up with Leon Russell in late 60s and early 70s.
After said that I would like to return to Chris Rea, just to answer your questions. Also, Bart, the administrator of this forum, just might kick us out for discussing other performers and not Chris Rea?
Chris, being unlike most of his fellow Middelsbrough'ians, a Roman Catholic, went to specific high school: the Stainsby. That's why he keeps on referring in several of his songs, to his high school years. He admits that he met his love (future wife) at Stainsby, as well as calling the girls from Stainsby "easily scared away girls", which would run away etc. Well, it's all on "Shamrock Diaries" CD (1985.)
This is one of his crucial CDs as he just returned from a successful concert tour in Ireland. Chris was ready to give up but his wife, Joan, asked him to take the chance and go on that tour. It proved to be his breaking point success. And there is something even more important. It seems to me that Chris wouldn't succeed without the steady support from his wife (a high school sweetheart, ever since he was 16!)
Chris admitted it in several interviews. She stayed by him all the time. That's why once he said that he had only three women in his life: his wife and two daughters. But this isn't true. Chris was very much attached to his mother for whom he wrote a song "September Blue." (CD "Dancing With Strangers", 1987.)

The reason why there aren't too many good music journalists and DJs in this country, is rather simple. Until early 90s there were no records available; there were no regular (normal) record stores in Poland, either. Occasionally someone sent from abroad or brought with him a LP or a single by Beatles, the Rolling Stones, but general population was fed only the officially approved music by the state-own radio. The Rolling Stones concert in late 60s, at the "Palace of Culture and Science" is being reminiscent until these days....

Well, it's past midnight and time to bed.
Goodnight,
Chris