If the best parts of your classic British Invasion, 50s country, 60s pop, and pure rock ’n’ roll records could be transformed into a person, they might look and sound a lot like Chuck Prophet. For almost 30 years, this Bay Area songwriter has reliably delivered albums so pleasingly familiar that, had he started a few decades earlier, it’d be easy to imagine him outshining the likes of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen. Prophet (who also plays FitzGerald’s on October 26) has the charisma of an arena star, and thanks to his catchy guitar riffs, powerful choruses, and seductively casual vocal style, which could trick you into thinking he’s talking straight into your ear, his live shows always sound larger than the clubs where he plays. Other artists often cover Prophet’s songs, and many of them, including Alejandro Escovedo and Kim Richey, have turned to him as a writing partner on their albums. Prophet’s own work has only improved over the years, as evidenced by his recent run of records, from 2012’s Temple Beautiful, a tribute to the vanishing underbelly of San Francisco, till last year’s The Land That Time Forgot, which contains sharp wordplay and lovely sad songs about dead presidents and sensitive metalheads. Onstage as on his latest album, Prophet is accompanied by the harmony and duet vocals of keyboardist Stephanie Finch, his wife and long-running foil (she’s stoic, he’s energetic). Like many great troubadours before him, Prophet often writes about beautiful losers, people edged out of society by gentrification, and corrupt political regimes. But the songs on The Land That Time Forgothave a softer edge. “High as Johnny Thunders” is a testament to an unimaginable dream world where excess makes sense: “If heartbreak was a virtue, man, I’d be so virtuous,” he sings. Prophet is at a moment where his material sounds effortless and forthright. His acoustic guitar’s strings squeak as his fingers slide along the neck on “Meet Me at the Roundabout,” the most confident love song since Springsteen sang “I Wanna Marry You.” “We’ve got no obligations / No one to impress,” Prophet sings. “Go on and ask me anything / The answer will be yes.” v

Chuck Prophet Review – The Hen and ChickenYou may of not given it much thought beyond seeing John Lydon on those butter ads, but tonight gave us an answer of sorts to what happens when Punks grow old. They keep their heart emblazoned on their sleeve, they still rally against the world and a certain orange leader. Both of tonight’s acts have their roots buried deep in the (respectively) East and West coast US punk scene, at some point they strapped on an acoustic and found that they could be heard just as loudly and passionately.

Bringing full New Yawk charm was opener Jesse Malin. Now eight records deep into his solo career, his address book/guest credits reads like the who’s who of east punk and rock. He’s duetted with Springsteen, Billy Joe Armstrong, various Ramones, played everywhere from CGBGs to Madison Square garden. Tonight in a room of seated people, armed with a well used guitar and a trusted piano/guitar foil, Jesse gave us an set that stretched across his career from early tracks such as ‘Wendy’, ‘Turn up the Mains’ to new plays of tracks off his forthcoming Lucinda Williams produced album, due early next year.

Holding my hand up, this was possibly the seventh or eighth time I’ve seen Jesse, but the first in around four years. Tonight was no different, or any less captivating, from the first time I saw him support his close friend Ryan Adams.

His hour slot flew by, he told us tales of uber-vegans, and by the final track had the room on its feet, a rare case of support getting a welcome as large and warm as headliner.

Chuck Prophet sauntered on, dressed like Neil Young at the Ole Opry. His voice belied any illness, (we’re later told he had to ‘man up’) its rich and deep tone sitting somewhere between Velvets Lou Reed and a plaintive Petty. When melded with his wife and keyboard/guitarist Stephanie Finch, they harvest the same brimstone as Johnny and Rosanne Cash once did. Covering Dylan’s ‘Abandoned Love’ and took us to a place 1000’s of miles way out west from a Monday night in Southville. Prophet has over thirty years of this under his belt, and he was nothing but the unhurried, punk troubadour as he clearly started to struggle, shrugging off unwanted feedback, and growing more pale as the set went on.

He still regaled us with playing Letterman with Green on Red, and his parent’s anti climatic reaction. Or Jello Biafra on the front page of a San Fran newspaper. Then of four years spent on a barstool, before the elegant and demure Stephanie came and sat next to him. Tonight she was the secret weapon. Near Meg White quiet, but beholden of a crystalline voice, that harmonised perfectly with her husband’s and towards the end held us in rapture as Prophet slayed away full in Crazy Horse style on his guitar. Like Malin, Prophet’s set covered his long and rewarding career, including recent ‘A Bad year for Rock’n’Roll’ and ‘Doubter out of Jesus’. A quick encore of ‘You Did’ a clearly spent Prophet bade us a warm farewell.

Tonight showed that you don’t need to plug in to be powerful, impassioned and marvellously entertaining. Alone, both acts are worthy of seeing on their own. On a bill, such as tonight you had a truly memorable and special evening.

16th February 2017

In an alternate universe Chuck Prophet is playing the arenas. His anthemic songs, bravado and showmanship propelled him there. In our universe he plays The Brudenell Social Club every couple of years and builds Springsteen-length sets into acts of mesmerism. Chuck shapes the two hour show so that it builds to anthemic choruses and guitar solos toward the end before gentling down a little and sending us off into the night – it’s a very professional piece of work.

At the same time, Prophet plays with the concept of rock and roll. He invites us to criss-cross the divide between rock image and rock reality, playing small (but cool) venues with tunes that capture the big picture. Breaking the music with regular chats and tales, always with a wink that says “this is how rock and roll works, you and I know it’s a game – play along and we’ll have a great time”. And we do. Chuck makes us believe in this terrific rock and roll show and we feel honoured to get to witness it.

The new album is themed on Bobby Fuller and the set is interspersed with links to Bobby Fuller – opener, a song half-way and the closer, a song by the Bobby Fuller Four. Shot down at age 23, Fuller never reached his potential. Standout showpieces are You Did (Who Put The Bomp), a song about Willie Mays, the San Francisco baseball player and Holding On – his personal Forever Young. In-between, established favourites like Ramona and Iodine please and newer songs follow recognisable paths. Prophet sings songs about the Ford Econoline, stalwart of the band touring on a budget, baseball, crappy venues and a dozen other things that catch his eye – he seems to spend his life looking about for things that illustrate his worldview. He talks about coming here first as a solo act in 1993 and the venues he’s played, praising the Brudenell. He has a running joke about stealing Siouxsie and The Banshee’s equipment and swaps banter with the adoring front row.

Chuck seems to be really enjoying performing and gets more and more into it as he lets rip on the guitar. He clowns around, mugs and grimaces, involving all the band as he draws first one then another into play offs. Between his own personal characterful solos and his sideman with bottleneck slide, we are well-served for guitar and they build in substance and momentum as the set reaches its peak. Awash with tunes, rock, swagger and shared history, Chuck Prophet tries to ease the audience back into the real world as the set winds down and they leave, ready to proselytise again.

Please catch Chuck Prophet and The Mission Express when they come near your town.

It looks like Chuck Prophet has done it again with another spectacular album to add to his collection. With his most recent album, Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins, Prophet proves that 25 years after going solo, he continues to be one of the best singer/songwriters in the game. The album gives off a Tom Petty meets a heavy Dire Straits vibe which makes it easy to stomp your feet to the beat. Being recorded through analog, not digitally, takes you back to the times of classic rock. This album was greatly inspired by the mysterious death of Bobby Fuller and the impact he had on rock and roll and it also includes nods to David Bowie and San Francisco security guard, Alex Nieto who the world sadly lost in 2016. Prophet pays tribute to the legends we lost with ’Bad Year for Rock and Roll’, touching on how the loss has taken a toll on the world and music. Harmonica, woodwinds and his wife Stephanie Finch on back up vocals, this album packs a punch that will leave you wanting more especially with its raw sound and soft rock taste. Using curious, angry, and sincere lyrics, Prophet has created a masterpiece that will raise questions and get people thinking now and much into the future. When the CD is done, you will be wondering why we don’t have more people like Chuck Prophet in the industry.

[laughing] Straight from the get-go, I’m sitting here looking at the album cover wondering if this is a good picture “of” Chuck Prophet, or a good picture “for” Chuck Prophet … either way, it slapped a mile wide smile across my face, as did the album.

If you’ve never seen Chuck and his band live, you should, because he splinters the floorboards at small venues all across this country, rocking you back like it matters … and believe me, it does. Chuck is from a bygone era, not that he’s old fashioned, it’s just that he makes music for records, where the physical pleasure of holding something in your hand is still the be-all and end-all for those of us still spin those large pieces of plastic, and scan liner notes that we can actually read. But you didn’t come here for a musical history lesson, so let me take you where you need to be.

Each time Chuck Prophet releases an album I think that it’s been far too long since his last one, and here, with a bold title like Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins, if he doesn’t pull out all of the stops, he’s gonna go down in flames. But don’t fear, the man is going to roll you over. Oddly enough, the album is so energetic that the lyrics, or the meaning of the lyrics can easily be lost as you spin across the room, because there are some serious visions that are laid down between the grooves. Beginning with the album’s title, we are reminded that the cause of Bobby Fuller’s death at age 23 has remained a mystery for 50 years. The singer and guitarist who led the Bobby Fuller Four to a Top 10 hit with “I Fought the Law,” and was found dead of asphyxiation in the front seat of his mother’s car on July 18, 1966. The debate still rages whether the rising star committed suicide, died accidentally or was murdered … with the song twisting into a reaction to the deaths of so many young people being shot by cops [which you’ll miss entirely unless you’re listening]. Of course that brings in “Bad Year For Rock And Roll,” which was partly inspired by the death of David Bowie, and so many others last year, not to mention “In The Mausoleum” a song dedicated to Alan Vega.

All of this, along with a couple of other tracks make this a deeply political album, though one laced with so much rock and roll, that it all comes across as some sort of joyous celebration for the lives of those caught in the crosshairs of the reaper. But all of that is simply Chuck Prophet being a musical San Francisco journalist. He does swing back, rolling out “Coming Out In Code,” which for all the world creates a West Coast translation of the old Velvet Underground number, “Waitin’ For My Man.” Even with his darker moments, the album is delightful, inventive, satirical, blasphemous, and exactly what America needs right here and right now … complete with dueling guitars and relentless musicians swapping chords in the full light of the sun. - Jenell Kesler

So how was Chuck Prophet, how was the show, how were his band The Mission Express? Well sonically they were blindingly good, delivering a two hour set of muscular bluesy Americana leavened with delightful harmonies and outstanding guitar work all built on a funky rhythmic groove. The material was excellent, Prophet & Co have an enviable back catalogue to draw from, packed with some of the finest songs laid to wax over the past few decades. Prophet was the consummate front man, an easy demeanour, wicked spiky sense of humour and the band were totally at ease with one another – locked in the pocket and enjoying the set. But visually? That’s another matter because the Tunnels (busy as always) was rammed to the rafters and presumably there had been a discount for tall folk as the lofty demographic was well represented and every one of the lanky buggers was packed in at the front. So visuals were limited but there was a hell of an atmosphere throughout the room: a rambunctious crowd exchanged banter with the band, sang along – whether prompted or not – and spurred the band on during both new material and old favourites.

The band opened the set with the title track from the latest long player Bobby Fuller Died for Your Sins and although the tune is still pretty fresh it was greeted like an old favourite by the crowd. (Trivia Corner: anyone able to connect Prophet to the Clash via Bobby Fuller? Answer at the end of the review). The nod to rock history continued with a lively cover of Chuck Berry’s Ramona Say Yes delivered with swing and sass whilst Lonely Desolation completed the opening triple whammy. Prophet then addressed the crowd formally, acknowledging his pleasure at being back in town, “…Bristol’s a guitar town…” and claimed to have seen the Blue Aeroplanes play a show with more guitar players on stage than the crowd before him, not beyond the realms of probability eh? Getting serious he then prefaced the next tune with a reference to the preponderance of celebrity deaths in 2016 and recent changes in the political landscape, suggesting that the world was losing its fundamental sense of decency particularly amongst those at the top. Although from the new LP, Bad Year for Rock n Roll has fast become a crowd pleasing anthem and the crowd drowned out the band during the chorus and lifted a blistering rendition into an early-set tour de force.

The set then seemed to rush by, Temple Beautiful an engagingly raucous call and response; Alex Nieto a moving, stirring description of (yet another) shameful American death – beautifully illustrating Prophet’s ability to craft contemporary protest songs; Barely Exist introduced with a tale of a recent German show at which Prophet was asked “We tore down our wall, why do you want to start building walls?”, said tale generating ironic cheers. There was considerable skill on display with the selection of songs too – Jesus Was a Social Drinker and Ford Econoline (apparently the second best thing to come out of Detroit – after The Stooges) both introduced levity amongst the more serious topics giving the show lyrical light and shade.

You Did (Bomp Shooby Dooby Bomp) was introduced as the “…the heaviest thing you’ve ever heard…” (clearly the words of a man unfamiliar with the Temples Festival, RIP), however, the tune did indeed bring the heaviness as its riff ate up the room whilst the crowd once again took the vocals from the off. As they also did with Summertime Thing, which somehow managed to conjure up balmy evenings and languid sun drenched days despite the grey dampness the other side of the venue doors. Although the focus of the show, Prophet and his songs were beautifully served by the Mission Express: Stephanie Finch supplied sympathetic backing vox with delightful organ, piano & synth throughout but shone on In the Mausoleum (for Alan Vega), a booming reverb drenched tribute to another fallen hero. The rhythm section (Kevin White, bass guitar and Vicente Rodriguez drums, vocals) were the bedrock for the songs – White maintaining the tempo with metronomic precision, locked into the groove with Rodriguez as they offered a danceable counterpoint to the weight of the guitars. James DePrato traded lead & rhythm with Prophet throughout the night, both more than capable lead players and their duelling encompassed the melodic interplay of Lizzy with the heft of Skynyrd in their prime.

There was more amusement with the introduction to We Got Up and Played, as Hull got a slagging when Prophet endeavoured to find a comparison for a town as boring as Cleveland, birthplace of the song. That song pretty much summed up the whole ethos of the Mission Express, describing life as a working band a galaxy away from the stadium filling super groups. Cohen’s Iodine was the final tribute to a much missed icon, with Finch leaving the keys for the co-vocal on a lovely, moving cover. After closing the set with a massive Willie Mays is Up at Bat the crowd were howling for more before the band had left the stage, ensuring the encore was never in doubt. Once again Bobby Fuller was with us in spirit with a pounding cover of Let Her Dance before the final tune You And Me Baby (Holding On) ended the set with yet more guitar weaving as Prophet and DePrato went toe-to-toe (or rather headstock-to-headstock) one final time. Tonight reminded us once again that there are dozens of talented artists to be seen in decent venues for less than a price of a Beyoncé beanie, and that two hours of quality songs, & banter delivered by time served musicians can lift the spirts as we all find ways to cope with a world that seems more like a Spitting Image episode than ever before.

Trivia corner answer: The Clash recorded Bobby Fuller’s I Fought the Law and meanwhile Prophet has on several occasion performed their masterpiece London Calling in its entirety live.

“I Fought the Law” was the only major hit for the Bobby Fuller Four, reaching the top ten in early 1966. By July, Bobby Fuller had died under mysterious circumstances. In Bobby Fuller Died for Your Sins, Chuck Prophet does not attempt to solve the mystery. He does, however, keep alive the spirit of the man who perhaps fought the law and lost, exploring the themes of celebrity, death, and disillusion.

As the title song opens the album, we are introduced to the man who inspired the music. With references to El Paso, police shootings, and thoughts of being anywhere when “that song” comes on the radio, Chuck opens up the discourse (“I hear the record crackle; the needle skips and jumps…”). Moving forward to today, we are reminded of those we lost in 2016, beginning when “the thin white duke took a final bow” giving us “one more star in the heavens now.” Yes, it’s been a “Bad Year for Rock and Roll,” leaving us wondering when it’s all going to end.

Endings and beginnings intertwine and hope blends with disillusion (“Open Up Your Heart” and “We Got Up and Played”) but life goes on, sometimes with a smile. The bouncy T-Rex sound of “If I was Connie Britton” paints a portrait where “everything would go my way.”

Prophet’s Ray Davies-like vocals merge with the blistering chops of the Mission Express to create a rousing, thought-provoking melange of the highs and lows of society, all brought to a blistering end in “Alex Nieto” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYyyZHnR7d8), a tribute to a Bay area security guard killed by local police officers. Though “Alex Nieto was a pacifist, a 49ers fan” who “never made it home again,” Chuck Prophet opens the gates, takes it home, and plows through a place of reckoning

–Gene Knapp

If it comes down to one man to save rock and roll, my money’s on Chuck Prophet. His most recent run of albums harkens back to the purest form of the genre, with feet in both 60s garage and 70s riff-rock. His most recent LP, Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins, also looks at the legends we’ve lost, and on a wider scale, our troubling surroundings. It’s a statement from an artist who’s finding a new stride to hit 30 some odd years into his career.

Photo; The Key@XPN-WXPN

‘Bad Year For Rock And Roll’ was Chuck Prophet’s tribute to the many musicians who died last year. This show was a perfect demonstration of why rock and roll needs people like Prophet. Leading his tight and talented band for over two hours Prophet mixed high energy rock and roll with songs that both provoked deep thoughts and amused.

Amid the power Prophet showed humour, including a keen understanding of British customs (stiff upper lip and cricket), all done with immense charm and his slightly squinty smile. He came across as a nice guy and is a highly accomplished performer who formed a close tie with his audience. He may have been around for a bit but he made clear his appreciation of people coming out on a damp Tuesday night. Chuck, it was no hardship, your show just confirms why we love music. If you’d had a bad day at the office, regardless of which day of the week, a Chuck Prophet show will restore your faith in all that really matters.

The music was tremendous but what struck me most was the way Prophet connected with his audience. The venue was ideal, smallish and almost full with an appreciative audience who bonded immediately with Prophet. Such a two way mutual respect was a feature throughout; it was like turning up to see a mate’s band who was doing well but they hadn’t forgotten their old friends.

In a way Prophet teases his audience. Power chords build up to some ferocious exchanges between him and guitarist James DePrato. These then came to a sharp halt, giving way to quite humorous, almost delicate, stories wryly delivered with a smile and twinkle in the eye. All part of the service.

Prophet combined good coverage of his latest (13th solo) release and some old faves. Highlights of the new record were title track and opener, ‘Bobby Fuller Died for Your Sins’ and ‘Alex Nieto’, about a pacifist who found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Both examples of hard rocking Chuck, a softer tone for a potentially delicate subject, ‘Jesus Was a Social Drinker’ was the best example of his keen sense of humour.

From the back catalogue, rockers were ‘Ford Econoline’ and ‘You Did (Bomp Shooby Dooby Bomp)’, the latter introduced as not one for those with a weak heart. He was right. ‘Summertime Things’ combined a measured acoustic opening before a switch back to electric lifted the rafters once again. With such an ability to express so wide a range of emotions Prophet writes his own material, but a good writer never forgets others. There were two standout covers; another Chuck’s ‘Ramona Say Yes’ and Leonard Cohen’s ‘Iodine’.

You could say the show got too frantic at times but Prophet never lost control. Even when switching between mics he knew what he was doing and brought the pace out of the red zone just in time. His band, The Mission Express, were with him every turn of the way, each having an opportunity to shine individually as well as contribute to the tight sound they made together. They are Stephanie Finch (Mrs Prophet, on keys), Kevin White (bass), Vicente Rodriguez (drums) and James DePrato whose guitar playing both acted as a foil for Prophet as well as shining in his own right.

Chuck finished with his strong American credentials, ‘Willie Mays Is Up At Bat’ following ‘Wish Me Luck’ that would have floored a lesser artist. An encore of ‘Let Her Dance’ and ‘You And Me Baby (Holding On) wrapped up a most uplifting evening of a heart worn rocking on the sleeve.

On the way out I overheard a couple of people comparing him to Tom Petty, both in looks and style. That had occurred to me but this is truly an artist with his own stamp of originality. If you can’t see him live, get the new album.

Review: Chuck Prophet at The Tunnels

By The Bristol Post | Posted: October 15, 2014

Comments (0)

★★★★★

By Keith Clark

IN the 20 years Chuck Prophet has been coming to the UK he has often brought with him very well-known singers to open his shows. So it was not really surprising that the Bristol venue was already packed by the time Jonah Tolchin, his touring companion on this year’s tour, took to the stage.

Sadly Tolchin, who hails from New Jersey, was a tad disappointing. He has a big voice and his guitar playing was equally powerful, but vocally he often strayed from the notes and his playing was a little repetitive.

By the time Chuck Prophet and his regular band The Mission Express took to the stage the venue was full and ready to rock. He has a new album in the shops, Night Surfer, and we got plenty of new numbers that showed that Chuck Prophet has lost none of his ability to write extremely well-crafted narrative songs often with cascades of surreal imagery set to hook-laden melodies that stay in your head for hours.

Countrified Inner City was as riff heavy as a Rolling Stones song while there were echoes of The Beatles in the powerful Wish Me Luck.

Ford Econoline was about the most raunchy sounding homage to a van you are ever likely to hear, Tell Me Anything was incredibly catchy and for Guilty As A Saint he got the stage lights turned right down for what he described as “a sensitive song.”

But the night was dominated by classic Prophet from right across his long career. Songs like Just To See Your Smile, The Left Hand and The Right Hand, Castro Halloween, the quite surreal I Bow Down And Pray To Every Woman I See and the lengthy encore song You Did were greeted with loud cheers.

Temple Beautiful and Willy Mays Is Up To Bat, about a notable baseball star, turned into sing-alongs with the audience responding with loud enthusiasm. The extended version of Summertime Thing with Prophet trading his amazingly inventive guitar solos with fellow guitarist James DePrato was simply stunning. But then it was a stunning performance by an artist and a band that ne

Temple Beautiful and Willy Mays Is Up To Bat, about a notable baseball star, turned into sing-alongs with the audience responding with loud enthusiasm. The extended version of Summertime Thing with Prophet trading his amazingly inventive guitar solos with fellow guitarist James DePrato was simply stunning. But then it was a stunning performance by an artist and a band that that never fail to excite.

Read more: http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Review/story-23169729-detail/story.html#ixzz3HfiMreiF

Follow us: @BristolPost on Twitter | bristolpost on Facebook