… a couple of Chapman updates … there's a documentary in the making (see links below), some touring going on, and a release on Ecstatic Peace upcoming … Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore had already interviewed Michael Chapman in Fretboard Magazine in 2009 … meanwhile the tracks below are off "Trainsong: Guitar Compositions 1967-2010" on Tompkins Square (TSQ2530, 2011) … "Trying times" is a requiem for Jack Rose (1971-02-16 > 2009-12-05) …
http://michaelchapman.co.uk/news.htm
http://www.weirdwolf.us/?p=435
http://www.weirdwolf.us/?p=281
http://www.weirdwolf.us/?p=133

Though "Fully Qualified Survivor" (Harvest 1970) is often regarded as Michael Chapman's masterpiece, his debut lp "Rainmaker" (Harvest 1969) is just as magnificent. "You say" is as delicate as any of Nick Drake's gems but one senses the same taste of disappointment that Tim Hardin voiced so elegantly … "No song to sing" betrays strong US folk influences but sounds very personal in the way it reeks of regret over yet another lost love. "One time thing" comes right after with the most weary, depressing lyric … but then again we'd been warned upfront by the lp's opening track - the roaring lament of "It didn't work out"! Make no mistake: "Rainmaker" darkens your days with grey gale force showers that announce a bitter winter of discontent, rather than refreshes you with a pleasant spring drizzle that makes you look forward to the annual dance around the maypole … Folk rock at its most ominous, and no madcap Harper in sight either. But what a poignant debut, Chapman's! Produced by Gus Dudgeon; organ by Norman Haines; drums by Aynsley Dunbar or Barry Morgan; bass by Rick Kemp, Danny Thompson or Alex Dmochowski; guitars by Clem Clempson & Michael Chapman. Hey and do check the 1976 remake of "It didn't work out" on "Savage Amusement" as well - e.g. via the neat little "Dogs Got More Sense - The Decca Years 1974-1977" 2cd+dvd box set (2004) on Shakedown / Secret! 2012-01 update: Light in the Attic have just reissued the album on lp (no bonus tracks) and on cd (6 bonus tracks, 3 previously unreleased - see tracklist via the Second Disc), cat. no. LITA079.

The bitter wailings of the master of regret: Michael Chapman … Since discovering Chapman's music around 1986, I've never taken those people seriously who find Leonard Cohen's music depressing. (Cohen has tremendous wit, actually.) Michael Chapman (do not confuse him with Family's Roger Chapman) has worked with Ronson, Dunbar, Buckmaster … and has recorded his best work for Harvest. After reissues by BGO, C5, Repertoire and See for Miles, the San Francisco label Light in the Attic is the latest to rerelease him. They're starting with his second album "Fully Qualified Survivor" (1970). Hopefully, "Rainmaker" (1969), "Window" (1971) and "Wrecked Again" (1971) will follow, and "Millstone Grit" (Deram 1973), "Deal Gone Down" (Deram 1974) and some of his lesser known later work (on Decca and beyond) as well. (Meanwhile, Chapman has released twenty-six solo guitar versions of tunes spanning his entire career via the "Trainsong: Guitar Compositions 1967-2010" 2cd on Tompkins Square - whose site fails to state the cat. no. or barcode of their release, sadly.)