We’d love to hear your thoughts and memories of the album. Please share in the comments here, or on social media – tag them with #shipwreck30.
For a taste of Shipwreck live, check out this recording of Chris and the Shipwrecked Band from New Orleans 1995:
Go to Bandcamp
It’s April 1st, but don’t be fooled… Chris does indeed have a new album out today: THE LIVES AND LOVES OF THE SERIAL HOMESICK, VOLUME 1. Watch the video for the lead track, FINI CHAGALL, below.
While the album is available as a digital download, many fans will be interested in the limited edition CD release which ships with a unique piece of art by Chris (charcoal and pencil art on paper). The CD with artwork can be ordered from Bandcamp — and note that there are copies shipping from the UK as well as the US.
Chris writes of this very personal album:
This album serves as an impressionistic view of my life in Edinburgh before I moved to the States, leaving behind what I now realize is unfinished business, unresolved aspirations, like a plant viciously ripped out by the roots and thrown away.
Following the death of my mother in 2023, I spent time wandering around the streets on my own, trying to place the melancholy, trying to steal back the essence of joy I felt in my late teens/early 20s, and it inevitably led me to write, which is the way I have always been able to answer my own questions.
There are 8 songs on this album, each rich with strong feelings of then and now, memories that may or may not be accurate, locations, events, friends and lovers. I want the listener to walk with me quietly through endless days and nights, through the streets of Edinburgh in the early 1980s, over the tenement rooftops, up the hills with cans of Red Stripe and a well stoked hash pipe. Sitting in the Wee Red Bar, Bannermans, The Gilded Balloon, or the Royal Circus. Playing endless nights of music with my beloved FINI TRIBE, dancing at the Hoochie Coochie Club.
Some of these songs are half submerged in dreams, the locations distorted, the colors heightened, the times fluid. If you knew me back then, and we were pals, you are represented, and thanks for the memories.
I no longer live there – life and its commitments have me elsewhere – but I miss it badly and have never felt at home anywhere except Edinburgh, where my soul continues to walk the New Town streets and climb the hills.
All physical copies of this album come with a unique drawing by myself. They are not copies, they are originals in charcoal and pencil of the memories that surround and thrive at the heart of this album. I sat down over a period of time and just drew, it was visceral, emotional, and a lot of fun.
A special shout out to the FINI TRIBE, stars of the song and video for FINI CHAGALL.
Album details and notes:
All songs written by CHRIS CONNELLY
Voice, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, sax, percussion, synth, bass, and harmonica by CHRIS CONNELLY
Mastered by JAMES SCOTT at Populist Recordings
Recorded at THE ROCK NOIR, September/October 2023
Front cover drawing: “Dancing at the Hooch” by Chris Connelly (charcoal and pencil on paper, 2023)
Back cover photograph of the Dean Village by GILLIAN WHISKER (with thanks)
Layout by KIMBERLY BLESSING
Dedicated to the lovers on St. Stephen’s
Video for “Fini Chagall” by KIMBERLY BLESSING. Includes footage of Fini Tribe taken by ANGUS CAMERON in the 1980s.
Available today on Bandcamp is Chris’s latest EP, SHELTA.
Of it, Chris writes:
When I started writing SHELTA, I presumed I was working on a new album, however, the number 5 kept coming up, so I stopped at 5 pieces — not necessarily 5 easy pieces, these songs come from grief, the fatigue that grief brings, and the constant reminders of our own limitations. These songs come from non-belonging, feeling like an outsider in one country and an outsider in my country of birth. These are songs that attempt to reconcile. It was a pleasure then…
The track listing is:
All songs written, played and produced by Chris Connelly at the Rock Noir, July 2023.
For those who couldn’t make it to Chris’s recent gig at the Gman Tavern, we present Fa Massa Calor – Live at Gman 2023 – a recording of selections from that evening. The set list that night included tracks from Eulogy to Christa as well as other songs from Chris’s extensive catalog.
Track listing:
Credits:
CHRIS CONNELLY – vocals, guitar, autoharp
with CAROLYN ENGLEMAN – additional keys, percussion and vocals
Recorded April 22nd 2023 at the Gman Tavern, Chicago, and mixed by Evan Peters.
Cover photo by Casey Mitchell.
All compositions by Chris Connelly except LARGO by Chris Connelly & William Rieflin.
The CD release of EULOGY TO CHRISTA is out today! Two different editions are available: the US release from Shipwrecked Industries and the UK release from Easy Action.
Both releases are double CD sets featuring the 24 track album; the UK edition comes in a card gatefold with 12-page booklet while the US edition ships in a plastic tray with a 16-page booklet.
Buy US CD on Bandcamp Buy UK CD from Easy Action
To celebrate the release of the CD version of the album, a new video has been released — this time for “UNION SQUARE WEST”, a track which celebrates NICO‘s arrival at Andy Warhol’s Factory in NYC. The video, filmed by Chris himself, imitates the Lou Reed screen test film made by Andy Warhol — two characters who also feature prominently on the album.
The music press has continued to praise EULOGY TO CHRISTA — check out these reviews and interviews:
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the album — do share below!
Today sees the release of the music video for EULOGY TO LENNY BRUCE, created by EMMA KATHAN. Check it out below or on YouTube.
“Eulogy to Lenny Bruce” written by Tim Hardin, published by Spirit Music, copyright Spirit One Music o/b/o Allen Stanton Productions.
Originally planned as a 10-song tribute featuring Chris’s versions of NICO songs, at the end of the recording, Connelly decided to write a parallel album of his own compositions spanning the life of one of the most unique, tragic and misunderstood female artists in the history of music. The result is the 24-track EULOGY TO CHRISTA: A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC & MYSTIQUE OF NICO, to be released digitally on November 11th, 2022 and in physical form on December 2nd, 2022 — in the US by Shipwrecked Industries and in the UK by Easy Action.
Working again with producer CHRIS BRUCE, EULOGY TO CHRISTA sees Chris purposefully adopting the personas of NICO, LOU REED, and JOHN CALE – even ANDY WARHOL makes a cameo! The lead single, EULOGY TO LENNY BRUCE, was premiered on Monday, September 12th and is available on many streaming services.
The album was inspired by the brilliant book, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AND YOU ARE ALONE by author JENNIFER OTTER BICKERDICKE, who contributed to the liner notes for the album. She writes, “This is a record to be played at full blast, all the way through, as a commemoration not just to Nico the person, the musician, but to art for art’s sake, for making something because it is important and needs to be done – an idea that is as rare and precious as Nico herself.”
| Disc One | Disc Two |
|---|---|
|
1: Ripcord, Ripcord 2: Via Margutta 3: The Last Mile 4: Union Square West 5: Andy, Incidentally 6: Femme Fatale 7: Eulogy to Lenny Bruce 8: Oh Jim II 9: Frozen Warnings 10: I Cannot Care for You 11: The Falconer |
12: The Black Rooms of Richelieu 13: Valley of the Kings 14: Reims 12/74 15: A Slow Jones in New York 16: 80s Beat Boys 17: Running Pure 18: Sixty Forty 19: Vegas 20: Draw From It (Like a Vampire) 21: Saeta 22: Tananore 23: Fa Massa Calor 24: Hanging Gardens of Semiramis |
Even the photos used of Nico in the album artwork have particular significance: the cover shot was taken by author ALASTAIR MACKAY from the audience at the Nite Club in Edinburgh in 1981, where a 15-year-old Chris was also in attendance. The inside photo of Nico was taken in 1982 by Chicago photography legend HOWARD GOLDBLATT.
The Nico material spans from her first Jimmy Page-composed single B-side through the Velvet Underground, to her intense and unique solo recordings up until she died. In song, Chris follows her from Berlin to New York via Paris, Ibiza, and Rome, then back through Paris, London, Edinburgh, Manchester and up to her tragic and needless death in Ibiza.
This is a labour of love, empathy, sadness, acting, and channeling along with Chris’s adoration of the dark corner of rock inhabited by the Velvets and their peers.
To celebrate the release of EULOGY TO CHRISTA, Chris will be performing tracks from the album with the help of MATT WALKER, CAROLYN ENGELMANN, and other members of SONS OF THE SILENT AGE on Thursday, November 10, 2022 at Gman Tavern in Chicago. Tickets are on sale at http://bit.ly/ChrisConnelly_1110. An online event is also in the works.
Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, and 23 written by Chris Connelly. All other tracks by Nico (Christa Päffgen) except “The Last Mile” by Oldham/Page, “Femme Fatale” by Lou Reed, “Eulogy to Lenny Bruce” by Tim Hardin, and “Vegas” by Nico/Quilichini.
Recorded at The Rock Noir July 2021 / January 2022
Mastered by James Scott at Populist Recording and Mastering
Produced by Chris Bruce
Chris Connelly: Vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, harmonium, harmonica, keyboards, bass
Chris Bruce: Additional instruments and guitar solo on Ripcord
Sleeve design by Greg Rolfes
Cover photo of Nico taken by Alastair MacKay at Edinburgh Nite Club, August 18th, 1981
Inside photo of Nico taken by Howard Goldblatt at Tuts, Chicago 1982
Tray photo of harmonium by Jonah Rubash
Earlier today, Spill Magazine premiered “Eulogy to Lenny Bruce”, the first single from Chris’s upcoming release, EULOGY TO CHRISTA: A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC & MYSTIQUE OF NICO.
Here’s what SPILL NEW MUSIC thought of the track:
Here Connelly, with his beautiful timbre and artistic candour, delivers a haunting and touching rendition of Nico’s music. Nobody performs quite like this masterful musical chameleon and here, he channels her fabulously, honouring her with depth and personability as if the tragedy explored was his own personal loss. Not surprisingly, Connelly offers impeccable delivery and smoothness, which almost nobody else could possibly get away with.
The track is now available on Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and will be coming soon to other streaming platforms.
More information on the album, including both digital and physical release formats, will be posted this week!
If you follow Chris on social media, you’ll probably have noticed mention of an album release gig scheduled for November. Yes, it’s true! Chris has a new album coming out!
Entitled EULOGY TO CHRISTA: A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC & MYSTIQUE OF NICO, the album will be released in both the US and the UK on double CD and available as a digital download. More details will be announced soon!
In the meanwhile, don’t wait to get your tickets to the album release gig, scheduled for Thursday, November 10th, 2022 at 7:30 PM at Gman Tavern. Tickets are $22 in advance, or $37.50 for a ticket and merch bundle (which includes the double CD set and a poster).
Here’s the list of tracks which Chris played on Wednesday, 22nd June 2022 while DJing on Wax Trax! Wednesday… There’s a video available to playback, though most tracks are muted.
REZILLOS – CAN’T STAND MY BABY
SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES – HONG KONG GARDEN
BUZZCOCKS – BOREDOM
VALVES – FOR ADOLPHS ONLY
RUTS – IN A RUT
HUMAN LEAGUE – BEING BOILED
TELEVISION – LITTLE JOHNNY JEWEL
IAN DURY – SEX & DRUGS & ROCK N ROLL
CAN – I WANT MORE
FINI TRIBE – I WANT MORE
METRO – CRIMINAL WORLD
ELTON MOTELLO – JET BOY/JET GIRL
BOW WOW WOW – C30 C60 C90 GO
EATER – JEEPSTER
PIL – FLOWERS OF ROMANCE
TEST DEPT – COMPULSION
CABARET VOLTAIRE – NAG NAG NAG
HYBRID KIDS – D’YA THINK I’M SEXY
FLYING LIZARDS – SUMMERTIME BLUES
SIMPLE MINDS – I TRAVEL
Y.M.O. – TECHNOPOLIS
VISITORS – COMPATIBILITY
SLITS – IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS RHYTHM
RUPIE EDWARDS – IRE FEELING
A CERTAIN RATIO – WINTER HILL
THROBBING GRISTLE – HOT ON THE HEELS OF LOVE
ATV – LIFE AFTER LIFE
X RAY SPEX – DAYGLO
NINA HAGEN – T.V. GLOTZER
ADAM & THE ANTS – DEUTCHER GIRLS
STOOGES – I GOTTA RIGHT
VELVET UNDERGROUND – WHITE LIGHT WHITE HEAT
SEX PISTOLS – NO FUN