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CHRIS RAINBOW |
Biography |
Born in Glasgow Nov. 18, 1946 as Christopher James Harley. Chris later changed his last name because, "Steve Harley was at his peak and I didn’t want any confusion. The name Rainbow was found one evening as me and some friends were watching TV and the reporter’s name flashed on the screen as ‘Christopher Rainbow’, so that was that.’
Chris was trained as a graphic artist and worked in that profession from 1964 to 1972. In 1970 he played with his first band called "Hope Street".
1975 was the year that marked his first album "Home of the Brave". "Looking Over My Shoulder" followed in 1977, and "White Trails" in 1978. A lesser known piece of solo work is the music Chris did for an EMI video release called "Body Music" in 1985.
In 1979, Chris sang "Winding Me Up" on The Alan Parsons Project album "Eve". This began a long association with Parsons, and Chris returned many times, including the 1999 "Time Machine" album.
In the early 1980's Chris, along with other APP veterans, would work with the band Camel. It began with the album "The Single Factor", and even lead to Chris touring with the band.
Another band that Chris has had considerable involvement with is the Scottish band Runrig. Runrig is a band that can't be pigeon-holed into any one category. A combination of rock and folk, they have a sound all their own. As Chris elaborates, "they really are unique as far as I know, and suffer for it too." In addition to producing a number of their albums (under his birth name of Chris Harley), he has also provided vocals, and joined them for some live dates.
Whether he goes by Chris Harley, or Chris Rainbow, there’s still a bright future ahead. He’s most recently produced a Donnie Munro album. There are plans to do more production work, and even plans for a new Chris Rainbow solo album.
For more about Chris Rainbow, see Issue Three of The Avenue.
CHRIS RAINBOW
Selected Discography
| Chris Rainbow Solo Albums | |
|---|---|
| YEAR | ALBUM |
| 1975 | Home of the Brave |
| 1978 | Looking over My Shoulder |
| 1979 | White Trails |
| 1985 | Body Music (video) |
| 2001 | The Chris Rainbow Anthology, 1974-1981 |
| Work With Other Artists | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YEAR | ARTIST | ALBUM | ||
| 1975 | Lennie McDonald | Hard Road | Percussion, Vocals | |
| 1979 | Max Middleton & Robert Ahwai | Another Sleeper | Vocals | |
| 1979 | The Alan Parsons Project | Eve | Vocals, Vocals (bckgr) | |
| 1980 | The Alan Parsons Project | The Turn of a Friendly Card | Vocals, Vocals (bckgr) | |
| 1980 | Jon Anderson | Song of Seven | Vocals, Vocals (bckgr), Choir, Chorus | |
| 1980 | Colin Townley | Townley | Synthesizer | |
| 1982 | Camel | Single Factor | Keyboards, Vocals, Vocals (bckgr) | |
| 1982 | Panorama | Can This Be Paradise | Vocals | |
| 1982 | The Alan Parsons Project | Eye in the Sky | Vocals | |
| 1983 | Jon Anderson | Animation | Vocals | |
| 1984 | Camel | Pressure Points: Live in Concert | Keyboards, Vocals | |
| 1984 | Camel | Stationary Traveller | Vocals | |
| 1984 | Culture Club | Waking Up with the House on Fire | Vocals, Vocals (bckgr) | |
| 1984 | The Alan Parsons Project | Ammonia Avenue | Vocals | |
| 1985 | The Alan Parsons Project | Vulture Culture | Vocals | |
| 1985 | Runrig | Heartland | Producer | * |
| 1986 | The Alan Parsons Project | Stereotomy | Vocals | |
| 1987 | The Alan Parsons Project | Gaudi | Vocals | |
| 1987 | Runrig | Cutter and the Clan | Vocals (bckgr), Producer | * |
| 1988 | Runrig | Once in a Lifetime | Producer | * |
| 1990 | Various / APP | Freudiana | Vocals | |
| 1993 | Runrig | Amazing Things | Producer | * |
| 1996 | Wolfstone | Half Tail | Producer | * |
| 1999 | Alan Parsons | Time Machine | Vocals, Vocals (bckgr) | |
| 2000 | Donnie Munro | On the West Side | Vocals | |
| 2000 | Donnie Munro | On the West Side | Arranger, Producer | * |
*=Credited as Chris Harley
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