Chalice on Manchesterbeat - the group and music scene of Manchester in the 60s

Chalice
info courtesy Neil Scott

Line-up

Neil Scott	guitar
Les Brazil	bass
George Heathcott	vocals
John Rimmer	drums
Ian Langford	drums (replaced John)
George Bunea

The group were partly Tiger Fog and partly Pink Engine, ending up in Perth, Australia because our agents in Warrington sent us to London to audition for a guy from Australia who became our manager once we arrived.

He actually wanted Mud or Paper Lace but they weren't available, so I suppose we came third!

Discography

In My World/Mr. Won’t You Help Me – Clarion K-5478 (1974 Aus)
Ebenezer/After the Goldrush - Clarion K-5626 (1974 Aus)
Everyday Saturday - Clarion (1974 Aus)
Overflow (LP) Polydor

Latest info

Chalice album http://www.zerohourrecords.com.au/current.html

Recorded in Manchester’s Strawberry studios, this was the first of three singles the band released on Clarion before a switch to Polydor.

We recorded and mixed 4 songs in 8 hours during the session at 10cc’s Strawberry Studios in Stockport. They were: In My World, the B side, Mr. Won't You Help Me, Ebenezer and There Will Come A Time which was never released.

We used a session keyboard player - a girl who played Mellotron on In My World and piano and Mellotron on There Will Come A Time.

We were all from Manchester but shortly after the session and back in Perth, we added an Aussie on guitar and keyboards and we bought our own Mellotron!

Ebenezer/After the Goldrush - Clarion K-5626 (1974 Aus)

Ebenezer was to be our second single after our first release - In my world - which was a minor local hit.

Unfortunately, the radio stations in Perth weren't too impressed with Ebenezer and chose to play After the Goldrush which did moderately well, particularly in the regional areas. I'm chuffed to be able to say I wrote both our original songs.

Sadly, George Heathcote - our frontman and lead singer - died last month. He didn't sing lead on our first three singles. Les Brazil, our bass player, did the honours on both Ebenezer and In my world as he had the high voice needed.

Everyday Saturday - Clarion (1974 Aus)

The third Clarion single was recorded in Perth and, truthfully, is awful but our greatest triumph, musically, was the rock ballet Everyday Saturday.

Unfortunately, this was never released as a record but there was a TV special on Channel 7 of a slightly shortened version. I have a copy and I am in the process of copyrighting the music and starting a publishing company for our songs - just in case! A lot of the songs were really too specific to the ballet to be commercial but there were some pearlers that I'd love to see get another chance.

Overflow (LP) Polydor

The album “Overflow” was recorded in Sydney with Jon English and Richard Lush in 2 weeks whilst gigging twice a night for the entire period!

Ian Langford joined on drums and the band moved to Melbourne and became a very good live act, though still a covers band mainly.

Our main claim to fame was our rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and playing it when Brian May and Roger Taylor were in the audience.

The band folded in 1979 but Les and I got together again in 1986 in Stealers which in many ways was Chalice 10 years on!

Memories

Just found out that George passed away. Chalice were great and I was very proud to have been apart of it if only for a short while.

Regards

John Rimmer
6/6/10

There was also a session drummer in Strawberry Studios that day. My mate John Needham - the lads didn't think I was solid enough.

However I did play the drums on the album 'Overflow'. I also sang the lead on 'After the gold rush'

Yes Les had a high voice. singing straight to. One of the best voices I've ever heard. But that top harmony?

Chalice will live on because of you Neil. God bless

John Rimmer
1/7/11

I chanced upon this website when reminiscing about 60's and 70's music with my son. I was once married to Les Brazil and was in Australia with them. They were a great bunch of guys and very talented. Their rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody was really good. It was a sad time when John Rimmer left the band (is he still in Australia?). I never really knew Ian, the replacement drummer, but George Bunea was a good addition to the band.

It was a great shock to hear of George Heathcote's death. He wasn't the best of singers, but a great frontman. May he rest in peace.

Janet Kulbat
22/8/11


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