Biography of Chris Norman. Chris Norman (Chris Norman)

- Chris, your song "What Can I Do?" in Russia, jokingly, they sing “I’ll find vodka”

Yes, I know. (Smiles.)

- It seems to me that in Russia you found something more that makes you come back here again and again?

Love, warmth. People in Russia love me so much! And it’s always nice to return to where you are loved.

- Are you hooked on our love?

Yes, I got hooked on the incredible energy of the Russian public. When people react warmly to you, it's always euphoria.

Your first group was called Kindness. But it was only after you renamed it Smokie that it became popular. It turns out that kindness and show business are incompatible things?

We came up with the name "Kindness" in the late 60s. Those years passed under the motto: “Love and Peace.” "Make love Not War". And “Kindness” seemed to fit the general atmosphere. But the problem was that no one could remember this name! People said: “Oh, I remember, your group is called... Happiness.” - “No, not happiness, but kindness.” Some couldn't pronounce it properly. So we had a hard time with this name.

- And who came up with Smokey?

It was producer Mike Chapman's idea. And my voice was hoarse and smoky. Perhaps this gave him an idea.

- I think more than one generation has been wondering who Alice is? You joke that you know her...

Yes, it turns out that one of my neighbors was named Alice. I didn't know her at the time the song was created. She is 83 years old. She is already an old lady. I recorded this song and forgot. And she became popular. And then an elderly neighbor knocks on my door: “Do you know that my name is Alice?”

- She thought that you dedicated the song to her?

Yes! Funny coincidence! She lived next door and her name was Alice. By the way, at first the song was called “Who is Lucy,” but the name Alice seemed more sonorous to everyone.

- Chris, you call your duet with Suzi Quatro one of the best. What's your relationship like with Susie today?

Normal. But I haven’t seen Suzi Quatro... For 5-6 years!

- Why don’t you record another song with her? What if she shoots too?

It is very difficult to repeat such success. Then everything worked out. We met by chance at a party in Germany. Mike Chapman, who produced both me and her, said, "You guys look great together. Why don't you do a duet?" We arrived at the studio. Recorded the song in 3 days!

The recording hit the radio and became an incredible hit. And today each of us has our own schedules. She does one thing, I do another. I take part in the show, but she can't. She wants to go to Australia - I can't. It's hard to synchronize schedules. By the way, we recorded another song in the 90s, but it did not become successful. The right things happen at the right time.

The songs “Midnight Lady” and “Some Hearts Are Diamonds” were written for you by Dieter Bohlen. They became real hits! Why didn't they continue cooperation?

He asked me to perform the song "Midnight Lady" for a film in Germany. I knew nothing then about the guy who wrote and produced it - Dieter Bohlen.

- Didn’t you really know Dieter and Modern Talking? "You"re My Heart, You"re My Soul" was played on all radio stations in Europe.

No. Their hits did not reach England. I recorded the song "Midnight Lady" and it went to number one. And then everyone started talking: “We should record an album!” But I wanted to play my songs. I prefer rock and guitar. And Dieter's style is more disco. In the studio it looked like this: - Will you record this song? - No no. - And this one? - Don't want! As a result, we came to a compromise: we recorded 5 of my songs and 5 written by Dieter. When the album came out, they offered me a second one. But I said that I would work with someone else who works in my rock and roll style.

- At 65 you released the album Crossover. Is 65 some kind of Rubicon?

No, I just wanted to record songs that I like. Intersection is rather an intersection of different styles. This is my style, but the genres are different. I'm not interested in hits now. People my age don't chase hits anymore. They just enjoy what they do. Hits are for young people who need instant success.

- Three of your children created their own rock band. Don't want to produce them?

I don't mind, but the problem is that they all have different taste in music. Daughter Susan, 24, prefers Amy Winehouse's style. Michael and Steven - rock, rock metal. And it's hard to bring them together. And the group is a single whole. This is the wrong approach: “I don’t like what you’re doing, but I’ll record this if you record this with me.”

In general, I have a lot of instruments at home, my own studio. Guitars, drums, mandolins, ukuleles, even a clarinet. So the children play different instruments, they are all musical.

- Does your wife get tired of constant music at home?

Sometimes, perhaps, but he doesn’t complain. Apparently she likes it.

- This is rare for show business, but you have been married for 46 years! Do you often say to her the phrase: “I love you!”?

Of course, I don’t tell her at every step, like at the beginning of dating: “I love you, honey” every 5 minutes. But sometimes it happens. And I say these words to my children, especially when I go somewhere. But “honey, by the way, I love you” doesn’t happen every day. Although it could.

- Judging by the songs, you are a romantic.

Yes, I'm a romantic. A little. Sometimes. And how easily I can cry! During a romantic movie. Or when they show something sad on TV. When I cut onions, I hear sad music... I'm ready to cry.

- Or when the football team loses...

- This year you are celebrating 66 years.

That's it, I'm old, I'm off. Bye. (Laughs, gets up jokingly.)

- What allows you to remain as energetic and cheerful?

Humor, I think.

- Humor?

Not only. I try to be reasonable. For example, I don’t want to go to the gym, but I force myself. I understand that I need to do squats, abdominal exercises, and run. In the morning I get up and do exercises for an hour. I've noticed that when I slack off for even two days, I don't feel as flexible. I don't eat a lot, I don't drink a lot.

- And joke.

And I'm kidding. And also performances. On stage I sing and run. Then I sit in the dressing room with my tongue hanging out and say, “Jeff (that’s my guitarist), I feel like I’ve run a marathon.” It keeps me in shape. I don't want to think about age. Otherwise, you realize that you are writing the last part of your life, and it’s hard to realize. I think: “66, how terrible!”

- How well do you feel?

- Then I wish you to always feel 35! And continue to sing, make us happy and joke.

Thank you. I would like to feel like I’m 35 for another 50 years. That is, until I’m 115-116 years old.

To this day, Chris Norman remains one of the most popular figures in world rock: he gives more than a hundred concerts every year. Its genre in the encyclopedia is simply designated “Classics”. But despite worldwide recognition and a phenomenal career, when asked “what is your happiest day in your life,” Chris answers: “When I married Linda.”
It must be assumed that during his long life in pop art, the legendary Chris Norman broke many impressionable hearts. One of the most titled performers of our time, a favorite of several generations of music lovers, he gave the world many timeless hits - soulful, positive and invariably romantic.

Returning to the topic of broken hearts, one cannot help but note the following: Chris Norman has been inseparable from his first and only wife Linda for almost four decades. That blond girl from the audience with whom Chris accidentally met eyes while standing on stage in 1967 at one of the very first concerts of his band in a small Scottish town. In 1967, Chris Norman's group, which at that time was called "Essence" - "Essence" - performed in the small Scottish town of Elgin, in the Tower beer bar. Among the concert visitors, the long-haired blonde Linda McKenzie happened to be. She was not particularly interested in music, and at that time 20-year-old Linda was persuaded to go to the concert by her friend. Linda had already attracted the attention of then 17-year-old Chris Norman. The leader of the group from Bradford did not let the process take its course and met with the girl again the next day. The sympathy that was born was mutual, and thus a lifelong love was born. Linda soon left her job and traveled with Norman around England as one of the few fans of a completely unknown group.

Chris Norman is one of the most fathers in the world of show business. The couple had five children: since 1986, the whole family has lived on the Isle of Man between England and Ireland - there Chris Norman built a studio where he records himself and works with other artists. Of course, Chris sometimes leaves his island to give concerts: he actively tours with a solo program and is a welcome guest at numerous festivals. But when asked what makes him truly happy, Chris usually answers - his wife and children.

From childhood, Norman was accustomed to traveling around the world - the parents of the future star were second-generation artists and constantly moved from place to place within the county of Yorkshire (his grandparents also performed in hospitals in England during the First World War). When Chris was 7 years old, his father gave him his first guitar, which came with a non-grown guitar. These were the times of the birth of rock and roll, and Chris, like many, was passionate about this music. Norman left school in 1965 - he had never been a particularly good student. His passion for music overshadowed everything else and led the young man away from the path of the respectable employee that his parents wanted him to be. In the late 1960s, Chris formed a band with his school friends and went to play in clubs. In 1973, after a meeting with famous producers Nikki Chinn and Kike Chapman, the group changed its name - now they are called SMOKIE, thanks to Norman's characteristic hoarse, as if smoky, voice.

From 1975 to 1982, SMOKIE released 23 singles, each of which reached high marks in the charts. Such famous compositions as “If You Think You Know How to Love Me”, “Don’t Play Your Rock “N Roll to Me”, “Oh Carol”, “Living Next Door to Alice” and many others brought them fame and the love of millions of fans. But it so happened that in 1982 SMOKIE broke up. In the same year, Chris recorded his first solo project, “Rock Away Your Teardrops.”

The long-awaited success confirmed Chris that he was on the right path, and a solo career was quite within his reach. But shortly before this, in May 1985, SMOKIE was resuscitated - first for a single charity show in aid of victims of the Bradford stadium fire, and then for further concert tours. Chris Norman had obligations to his friends in the group and continued to perform with them until September 17, 1986, when his farewell concert with SMOKIE took place in Frankfurt, after which he finally left the group. In the 1980s, German producer Dieter Bohlen (Modern Talking, Bonnie Tyler and other projects) wrote the single "Midnight Lady" for Norman, which went platinum in Europe and achieved first place in the charts. At the same time, one of Chris’s most remarkable works was released - the album “Some Hearts Are Diamonds” with the participation of Dieter Bohlen. From 1986 to 1998, Chris Norman recorded 8 albums. Since 1994, Chris Norman has been playing with the permanent "Chris Norman Band".

In February 2009, Chris's new work was released - the double album "Chris Norman. The Hits! Smokie-Solo Years". It includes the artist’s best works over the past 30 years of his career in a modern interpretation of the musician. A year after the release of the album, Chris Norman comes to Israel with a program that includes compositions from this disc. Don't miss the opportunity to hear them live on February 18th and 19th.
Tel Aviv, February 18, Thursday, 20.30, Heichal HaTarbut.
Haifa, February 19, Friday, 20.30, "Congress Center".

Chris Norman - vocals, guitar
Martina Walbeck - keyboards, vocals
Axel Kowollik - bass guitar
Geoff Carline - guitar
Dorino Goldbrunner - drums
Stephanie Forryan - guitar, vocals.

Official site

Chris Norman- popular British musician, composer, former band guitarist Smokie, now performs solo. Chris Norman(full name - Christopher Ward Norman) was born in England into a family of artists.

Since childhood, he was accustomed to frequent travel and performing on stage. At the age of seven, Chris's father gave him a guitar, and the boy became interested in rock and roll. At the age of 12, he entered the gymnasium, where he met his future bandmates Smokie. Already at 15 years old Chris Norman dropped out of school and devoted himself entirely to music. He formed a band and started playing in clubs in Bradford.

The creative path of Chris Norman/Chris Norman

Group Chris Norman Kindness successfully performed in pubs and clubs. Until 1975, the musicians were unable to find a producer and record an album. Then a new group was announced Smokie, where the vocalist was Chris Norman, guitarist - Alan Silson, drummer - Pete Spencer bassist - Terry Uttley. Smokie's songs instantly won the love of the public. Since 1978, the musicians broke their contract with the recording studio and began producing their records independently.

In the 80s, Norman began collaborating with a producer and composer Dieter Bohlen, who was the founder of the groups Modern Talking And Blue System. In 1986, Chris Norman began his solo career. He records songs based on Bohlen's words and reaches the top spots in the European charts.

Personal life of Chris Norman/Chris Norman

In 1970, Chris married Linda, whom he had met in Scotland three years earlier. They had five children: Brian, Paul, Michael, Stephen and Susan Jane. Chris Norman also has an illegitimate daughter, Sharon.

Chris Norman is one of the world's five musical fathers with many children.

Norman still lives with his wife on the Isle of Man.

Chris Norman (Christopher Ward Norman) was born in Redcar, North Yorkshire on October 25, 1950. The fact that he followed the music path should not raise any doubt, since not only his parents, but also his grandparents had close ties to show business. When rock and roll began to rule the world, and Chris turned seven years old, the boy received his first guitar as a gift. At that time he liked to listen to Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Buddy Holly and Lonnie Donegan, and in the early 60s the Beatles and Bob Dylan captured his feelings. The Norman family changed their place of residence several times, but in 1962 settled in Bradford, the hometown of Chris's mother. It was at the Bradford school that the guy met his future colleagues Alan Silson and Terry Uttley. Chris and Alan often played music together, and then Terry got involved in this matter. They soon formed a team, initially called "The Yen". Subsequently, the sign changed several times, as did the style of the group. Several times the band made unsuccessful attempts to release singles, and at one time worked as an accompaniment for Peter Noon (ex-Herman's Hermits).

Success came to the team in the mid-70s, when hitmakers Chinn and Chapman took over. The group began to be called "Smokie" (in particular because of Norman's "smoky" voice), and under this name the whole world recognized it. The heyday of "Smoks" came in the late 70s, and in 1978 Chris tried to work on the side for the first time, performing the hit song "Stumblin' In" with Suzy Cuatro. At the beginning of the next decade, a creative crisis emerged in the team, and Chris retired with Pete Spencer in the studio, working on songs for other artists like Kevin Keegan. During this time, Norman also collaborated with Agnetha Fältskog (ex-Abba), Donovan, Cynthia Lennon and the Heavy Metal Kids, and also wrote the anthem " This Time" for the England national football team.

Chris released his first long play shortly before the breakup of "Smokie", and perhaps that is why the work looked not like a solo album, but like another group album. Norman was inspired to truly pursue his own career when he met Dieter Bohlen, who wrote the song “Midnight Lady” for him. The composition immediately became a European hit, and in Germany it stayed at the top of the charts for six weeks. The album “Some Hearts Are Diamonds” was recorded with the same Bolen, but Norman made the third full-length with producer Pip Williams (“Sweet”, “Moody Blues”). This work, as well as the subsequent “Break The Ice”, performed with the participation of Spencer and Silson, was already closer to the work of “Smokie”, although it sinned with excessive enthusiasm for synthesizers. In 1991, Chris entered into a collaboration with Tony Carey (the disc "The Interchange"), and the next year he paid tribute to his early passions with the album "The Growing Years" (including again meeting in a duet with Suzy Cuatro in the song "I Need Your Love"). By this time, Norman was already the owner of a recording studio, and a little later he founded his own label, Dice Music.

In 1994, unexpectedly for himself, the musician received the “International Video Star Of The Year” award for the videos “Jealous Heart” and “The Growing Years”. At the same time, he interrupted his long-term seclusion and conducted his first world tour in six years. If the 1993 record “Jealous Heart” had only a few new things, then “The Album” was a full-fledged fresh product, and a couple of tracks were presented to Norman by the newly emerging Chapman. Mike gave Chris one more song (“If I Get Lucky”) for the “Reflections” disc, but the musician, who had just escaped the tutelage of “Polydor,” composed the main material for this album himself.

It must be said that the work of that period was not in demand either at home, where Britpop dominated, or in grunge America, but Norman still had many fans in Russia and Germany (where he had a strong fan club). In the late 90s, Chris began collaborating with the German dance composer and producer David Brandes, because of which his creations again acquired an electronic dance character, and one of the three full-lengths made with him (“Full Circle”) was dedicated to reworkings from the repertoire "Smokie" Only in 2003 did Norman leave David's tutelage, releasing a disc whose title ("Handmade") contained a clear hint at the absence of any synthesizers. The musician's career took off again, and in 2004 he became the winner of the German television project "Comeback Show", and his song "Amazing" from the album "Break Away" found itself in the top ten. The artist's longtime fans received another unexpected gift in 2005 in the form of the DVD "An Acoustic Evening With Chris Norman".

The return to roots was confirmed by the next studio album, "Million Miles". Although the disc contained such diverse songs as the ballad "Million Miles To Nowhere", the ear-catching little thing "Heart & Soul" and the typical rockish "Alles Klar", Chris wrote all the compositions himself, produced everything himself and released it on his label "Charm Records" ". The next album, “Coming Home,” was essentially a clone of “Million Miles” (with a redone track list), but already in 2007, Norman prepared a new program, “Close Up,” which was distinguished by its penchant for acoustics and string arrangements. Next, the artist looked back into the past and re-recorded old hits from both the “Smokie” period and from his solo career for the double “The Hits! From His Smokie And Solo Years”, and then imagined himself as a time traveler and covered the favorite songs of other artists. Having thus ended the “lyrical digression,” Chris returned in 2013 with his charged signature “Smokovsky” sound and the album “There And Back” full of hits.

Chris Norman comes from a two-generation artistic family, so it is not surprising that he later chose music as his life's work.

His grandparents toured England with concerts during the First World War, and their daughter Pat (Chris's mother), after graduating from school, joined the dance troupe. Pip Norman (Chris's father) was a member of the dance-comedy group “The Four Jokers”, which traveled all over Europe in the 30-40s and even had a performance in the British “Royal Variety Performance”.

Chris Norman (Christopher Ward Norman) was born on October 25, 1950 in the English city of Redcar, North Yorkshire. His parents did not insist on his son’s stage career, but when he was only 3 years old, he himself decided to go on stage in the finale of the performance with their participation.

When Chris was 7 years old, he was given his first guitar. His early idols were Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Buddy Holly and Lonnie Donegan. Later, the beat groups of the 60s, especially The Beatles, and folk singer Bob Dylan had a huge influence on him.

At the age of 12, Chris began studying at St. Bede's Grammar School in Bradford, where he met Terry Uttley and Alan Silson, his future Smokie colleagues. Chris and Alan spent all their free time together, learning new songs on guitars. Subsequently, Terry joined them, and then a friend who played drums, Ron Kelly. So they created their first group. The name of the group constantly changed - The Yen, Long Side Down, The Sphynx and Essence and so on, until finally it settled on The Elizabethans.

In 1968, the boys became a professional group and continued to gain experience, performing at various venues across the country and participating in many radio shows, including Radio 1 Roadshows. Two years later, in 1970, the musicians signed a contract to release several singles with RCA and DECCA under their new name Kindness.

At that time, the group played in various musical styles, satisfying the public's demands for current hits, but at the same time gravitating towards their favorite Small Faces, Free and Beatles. At one time, Kindness even served as the accompanying band for ex-Herman's Hermits vocalist Peter Noon and toured England with him.

In 1973, Ron Kelly left the band and drummer Pete Spencer was hired to replace him. Thus, the canonical composition of the future Smokie was formed: Chris Norman (vocals, rhythm guitar), Alan Silson (vocals, lead guitar), Terry Uttley (vocals, bass guitar), Pete Spencer (drums).

By 1974, the skill of the group’s musicians had grown noticeably; it had acquired original features - “trademark” vocal harmonies and the characteristic timbre of the voice of lead vocalist Chris Norman, which distinguished them from the variety of musical groups of that time. Stylistically, the group played guitar rock, reminiscent of a mixture of Crosby, Stills & Nash and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

The group's manager, Bill Hurley, ensured that they were noticed and taken under their wing by the famous Nikki Chinn and Mike Chapman, who then made up one of the best composing and producing teams in show business. The group once again changed its name - this time to Smokey (later changed to Smokie) and in 1975 on the RAK Records label they released the single “Pass It Around”, and then their debut album with the same name.

In July of the same year, a single was released that became the group's first international hit - “If you think you know how to love me” (3rd place in Britain). Other hits followed - “Living next door to Alice”, “I’ll meet you at Midnight”, “Lay back in the arms of Someone”, etc. Plus a very successful duet between Chris Norman and Suzi Quatro - “Stumblin’ In” - which gave Chris the opportunity to get his first taste of success outside the group. Album sales were also on the rise, with some of the most successful efforts including 'Changing All The Time', 'Midnight Cafe', 'Bright Lights and Back Alleys' and 'The Montreux Album'. During these years, Smokie performed to sold-out audiences throughout Europe and even had a successful tour of Australia.

In total, from 1975 to 1982, Smokie recorded 24 singles that became big hits and 9 albums (not counting collections). By 1983, there was a lull in the group’s activities; the musicians went about their own business, occasionally participating in various projects. Chris Norman, along with his friend and Smokie bandmate Pete Spencer, focused on working in the studio and writing songs for other artists, including hits for Kevin Keegan and the England national football team. Together with Alan and Terry, he recorded backing vocals on albums by such artists as Agnetha Fältskog, Donovan, Heavy Metal Kids and others. As for solo work, Chris Norman’s single “Love is a battlefield” was released in the same year, and in 1984 the single “My girl and me” was released.

In 1985, Smokie reunited for a benefit concert in response to the fire at the football stadium in their hometown of Bradford. After this, the musicians decided to continue working together, went on tour and even recorded a single in Australia. Meanwhile, Chris Norman, feeling dissatisfied with working in the group, increasingly gravitates towards solo work - in 1986, his single “Midnight Lady”, written and produced by Dieter Bohlen for the television series “Tatort”, reached 1st place in the German charts and remained on top for 6 weeks. Chris held his last concerts with Smokie and finally left the group in the fall of 1986, offering his friend Alan Barton as a soloist instead.

1986 was a breakthrough year for Chris Norman, a return to great success. He is again becoming very popular in Europe, he is again a frequent guest on European music television and radio broadcasts. At the end of the year, Chris received the “Golden Europe” prize in the “Comeback of the Year” nomination from the German television company SWF. On the wave of success, the musician assembles his first accompanying band - the Chris Norman Band - and in 1987-88 he conducts his first solo European tours with them.

Over the next years, Chris recorded several more hit singles and full-length albums. In early 1995, he received a prize in the “Video Artist of the Year” nomination from the American music channel CMT for video clips for the songs “Jealous heart”, “Red Hot Screaming Love” and “The growing years”. And a year earlier, having recruited a new line-up for his group and interrupting a 6-year pause, Chris resumed his active concert activities, which continue successfully to this day.

A new round of success came for Chris in 2004. He took part in the “Comeback Show” - a song competition on the German TV channel Pro7 - and became its winner, which contributed to renewed interest in the musician and his work. The subsequent single “Amazing” and the album “Break Away” hit the top of the German charts. Chris received a prize from Radio Regenbogen as “Best Male Voice of the Year”, as well as his personal “star” on the Walk of Fame in Vienna (Austria). The following year, 2005, the artist's first official double DVD was released, which included recordings of an acoustic performance by Chris Norman & Band in front of a small audience and a concert in Vienna in front of 50 thousand spectators at the Donauinselfest festival. The disc reached number 5 in the German charts. In 2009, Chris Norman received a Golden Disc award in Denmark for sales of his album “The Hits! From His Smokie and Solo Years.”

Today, Chris's solo career includes more than two dozen albums; he has no plans to retire and releases another album every 1.5-2 years. At the same time, he tours quite a lot - both in Western and Eastern Europe, as well as in Russia, Australia, America and other parts of the world.

Despite his commitment to his “signature” style, guitar rock, creatively Chris is always in search of something new. He can equally successfully perform both rock and pop songs and classical repertoire, such as the Latin hymn “Panis Angelicus” presented on the album “Christmas together” (1997). He also successfully tried himself as a soul singer on the album of German guitarist Ziggy Schwarz, released in the summer of 2007. And at the end of the same year, his own acoustic album “Close Up” was released, which was followed by a large and successful tour of Europe with a completely new acoustic program, in which Chris was accompanied on stage by a piano and a string quartet.

Chris Norman is regularly involved in charity work, and since 2006 has been the official ambassador of the Children's Hospice of Central Germany.

The singer’s latest album, entitled “Crossover,” was released in September 2015.