When a farewell tour is not a farewell tour

[robstokes]

My family and I have been fans of Chris' since we first saw the video to I Don't Know What It Is But I Love It on an end-of-year pop show round-up hosted by DJ Mike Read in 1985.

Within a year or so we'd bought all of his back catalogue including many singles and since then we've bought every album and single released up to his last album and seen him performing whenever he's played in the Birmingham area.

With the news that he was doing his farewell tour, we all dutifully paid our money to go and see him thinking that was it - the last time we'd see him playing live.

Whilst we obviously very grateful and thankful that his health seems to have stabilised, three years on and there's been very little let up in his touring schedule and he's continued to release records at a reasonable rate. And now it seems he's back with Warners, is putting out another greatest hits album and touring again.

Does the phrase "farewell tour" not mean the same thing these days?

Sorry if people think this is out of order but it almost feels as if we were duped into thinking we'd never see him performing again when that doesn't seem to have been the case. I've spoken to other people who we know like Chris' music and have seen him perform live and they're also mystified about the frequency of his work given we had the farewell tour in 2006.

[elangelo]

Well, nothing to be surprised about. A farewell tour, then the reunion tour, as CR himself once said. But as for me, I don't think it was a plan. I really think he wanted to do a farewell tour and then changed his mind. I think he really wanted to take it easy and be a member of The Fireflies, but then felt he could do more. I don't get upset about this fact. The series of 'The best of's is frustrating (we have already discussed that in a huge topic), but not the farewell tour .

[TescoGirl33]

The point of the farewell tour was that it would be the last time Chris would be performing as a solo act under his own name. The next time you would see him would be as a member of his new band, which, at the time, was going to be 'The Memphis Fireflies', and he would still be singing and playing slide guitar. As we all now know, 'The Memphis Fireflies' was changed to The Delmonts/The Hofner Bluenotes. As Chris wrote in his introduction 'I wish I had been given a pound for every time I've had to reiterate that I would be back with and within a new band'. I hope this has helped to clear up any confusion.

[Mr_Blues]

The point of the farewell tour was that it would be the last time Chris would be performing as a solo act under his own name. The next time you would see him would be as a member of his new band, which, at the time, was going to be 'The Memphis Fireflies', and he would still be singing and playing slide guitar. As we all now know, 'The Memphis Fireflies' was changed to The Delmonts/The Hofner Bluenotes. As Chris wrote in his introduction 'I wish I had been given a pound for every time I've had to reiterate that I would be back with and within a new band'. I hope this has helped to clear up any confusion.

Partly true but still that previous tour was promoted under the name of Chris Rea.
I mean at least promoters did put the value to the name of Chris Rea and not the band names.

[elangelo]

Partly true but still that previous tour was promoted under the name of Chris Rea.
I mean at least promoters did put the value to the name of Chris Rea and not the band names.

That's right, so it's not really a band called HBN, it's still Chris Rea. The new album was also called "Chris Rea presents etc." It's a bit funny because even though Chris didn't have any pressure on him from Warner at that time, he still didn't feel like he could help mentioning his name on the sleeve. So, I think that it was never meant to be a really new band. It's just another case of 'changing his mind', and we should just erase and rewind. I think we've already learnt that

[Mr_Blues]

Partly true but still that previous tour was promoted under the name of Chris Rea.
I mean at least promoters did put the value to the name of Chris Rea and not the band names.

That's right, so it's not really a band called HBN, it's still Chris Rea. The new album was also called "Chris Rea presents etc." It's a bit funny because even though Chris didn't have any pressure on him from Warner at that time, he still didn't feel like he could help mentioning his name on the sleeve. So, I think that it was never meant to be a really new band. It's just another case of 'changing his mind', and we should just erase and rewind. I think we've already learnt that

Yes and everything has continued under the name of Chris Rea and so it will be in the future as well.
In case of Chris Rea I´m sure Warner won´t release any records which are under some new band name,
it will be under Chris Rea, period. And with this we come back to the fact that Chris can´t shake old hits off,
as long as he is doing music and touring under his own name there will be Josephines, Julias and Road to Hells in the setlist.

[philippe_wurtz]

And don't forget that CR was also very hill at this time...

[Jim M]

Let's face facts.Whatever the band was called unless Eric Clapton was playing with them -it's Chris Rea !
Jim

[Mr_Blues]

Let's face facts.Whatever the band was called unless Eric Clapton was playing with them -it's Chris Rea !
Jim

"That´s The Way It Goes"

[september blue]

As a longstanding CR fan of nearly 25 years I find it very frustrating that yet again us true fans are having to fork out for another best of album (we don't of course if we don't want to). At this rate there will be more of those than the real albums that we all used to crave for the release date and be the first in the queue to buy. Another 'best of' with 2 new songs, what is that all about???

What is wrong with releasing new material for a brand new album for us real fans to get excited about as we used to. As most will remember CR once said that writing was like an addiction, so why another compilation??? Like most of us on this site I have invested in albums, singles DVD's the old UK fanclub etc. etc.

On the farewell tour I went with another die hard fan and I said at the end after 'fool' that it was the end of an era and was deep down hoping we would see a return of the great man. I was slightly shocked that it was about a year later that the next tour was announced!! I was there and enjoyed it immensley but couldn't help but wonder if we had been conned??

Does anyone think it is about time that we are brought up to speed with the direction it is all going in?

I really hate to moan and I have thought about posting my thoughts for a long time and I may be shot down in flames but I guess I am just disappointed and I hate feeling this way about someone who has played a huge part in my life for so long.

[Mr_Blues]

As a longstanding CR fan of nearly 25 years I find it very frustrating that yet again us true fans are having to fork out for another best of album (we don't of course if we don't want to). At this rate there will be more of those than the real albums that we all used to crave for the release date and be the first in the queue to buy. Another 'best of' with 2 new songs, what is that all about???

What is wrong with releasing new material for a brand new album for us real fans to get excited about as we used to. As most will remember CR once said that writing was like an addiction, so why another compilation??? Like most of us on this site I have invested in albums, singles DVD's the old UK fanclub etc. etc.

On the farewell tour I went with another die hard fan and I said at the end after 'fool' that it was the end of an era and was deep down hoping we would see a return of the great man. I was slightly shocked that it was about a year later that the next tour was announced!! I was there and enjoyed it immensley but couldn't help but wonder if we had been conned??

Does anyone think it is about time that we are brought up to speed with the direction it is all going in?

I really hate to moan and I have thought about posting my thoughts for a long time and I may be shot down in flames but I guess I am just disappointed and I hate feeling this way about someone who has played a huge part in my life for so long.

You ain´t the only one feeling that way, so don´t worry about getting shot down in flames
My answer is to get only those two new songs, I don´t go buying same old hits for can´t remember how many times already. Pure insanity I say. And like you say, Chris has said that he is writing new material all the time, so why not cut out that new album with new material only. I can take the regular albums as well, it doesn´t have to be Earbook, boxet or double album every time ( but of course more is better, hah ).

Well, we will get the new album next year, so let´s hope it´s worth of waiting (got this fear of what Warner can do to destroy that album).

[september blue]

Thanks MB!!

I am glad that I am not the only one feeling this way and it is soothing to know that the real fans are a bit sick of Warners, but surely the artist has some say in what goes out? After all CR writes the songs and not Warners?? In actual fact on the new CR website 'On The Beach' is able to be heard and it sounds no different to the Summer '88 edition!! ...remastered? Really are we that silly!!!!!!

I have listened to the new singles and they are very good. Do you get the feeling that the blues slant is in there somewhere but he is moving back to his mainstream style that we used to see?? If he is then personally I can't wait!!

Rock on!!

SB

[Mr_Blues]

Thanks MB!!

I am glad that I am not the only one feeling this way and it is soothing to know that the real fans are a bit sick of Warners, but surely the artist has some say in what goes out? After all CR writes the songs and not Warners?? In actual fact on the new CR website 'On The Beach' is able to be heard and it sounds no different to the Summer '88 edition!! ...remastered? Really are we that silly!!!!!!

I have listened to the new singles and they are very good. Do you get the feeling that the blues slant is in there somewhere but he is moving back to his mainstream style that we used to see?? If he is then personally I can't wait!!

Rock on!!

SB

No problem SB

Yeah, Remaster or the "older version", it doesn´t change anything.
Same songs still and those we all have heard thousands of times.
It is so wrong to make people buy same songs over and over again
and two new songs doesn´t justify it....

About the new songs, so far I´ve heard "Come So Far.." online radio versions so not the full song
and from "Valentino" about 25 seconds taste and from those the first one is still the route that it should be
but Valentino seems to be going way back to La Passione and even far beyond that. "Come So Far.." is good and Valentino, not too excited about the direction where it is going, but will give few listens and judge then.
Anyhow, I don´t need CR music to be going back to mainstream as that kind of production does harm to his songs.