Fully Qualified Survivor [Import]

Michael Chapman | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 12, 1997)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Repertoire
• ASIN: B000024VNM
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,375 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Fishbeard Sunset

2. Soulful Lady

3. Rabbit Hills

4. March Rain

5. Kodak Ghosts

6. Andru's Easy Rider

7. Trinkets & Things

8. Aviator

9. Naked Ladies and Electric Ragtime

10. Stranger in the Room

11. Postcards of Scarborough

Editorial Reviews

Although not as well known as his peers (Roy Harper, John Marytn, and Bert Jansch), the name Michael Chapman is an important one in the linage of English folk rock guitarists and singer/songwriters of the late 60 s/early 70 s. For those unfamiliar with Chapman s work, Roy Harper might be his closest musical cousin (and both artists were signed to EMI s seminal stoner record label Harvest also home to Kevin Ayers and Syd Barrett). Like other Harvest artists, Chapman s music contains a slightly drugged out feel, sublime guitar playing and intense lyrics. Chapman recorded 4 albums for Harvest between 1968 and 1972, of which 1970 s Fully Qualified Survivor is hands down considered the classic amongst the whole highly coveted bunch. What makes Fully Qualified Survivor such a special album (besides being a vehicle for a young Mick Ronson s mind-blowing guitar heroics) are the layers of beautiful acoustic guitars, deranged vocals, floating conga drums, and the cello of one Paul Buckmaster the same man who provided the intense strings on Elton John s dark masterpiece Mad Man Across The Water. Fully Qualified Survivor is very much an album more than a collection of songs as they seem to link together seamlessly, and in 2011 it s hard to find words to do them justice... File this record between Roy Harper s Flat Baroque and Berserk, John Martyn s Inside Out, and Bert Jansch s Jack Orion and you ll be fine. The perfect album for a blissful day and a joint. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "...Like Jewels In Your Hand...", April 5, 2011

By 

Mark Barry, Reckless Records, London (UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Fully Qualified Survivor (Audio CD)

*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE '2011' CD REISSUE ***

Seventies Rock aficionados will no doubt have read gushing reviews before telling them to invest their hard-earned wonga in 'long lost classics' - and having been burned a few times before - would view another such review with a certain amount of scepticism. But this is a 'Light In The Attic Records' release and after 60 peerless reissues of obscurities that truly deserve reappraisal - LITA have done it again. Beautiful presentation, extraordinary sound quality and songs that beggar the question - how the hell did this little gem get 'lost' in the first place?

Michael Chapman hails from Leeds in England and was 28 when he recorded his second LP "Fully Qualified Survivor" for EMI's progressive label imprint 'Harvest'. His debut album "Rainmaker" issued in July 1969 was only Harvest's 5th LP at that time and signalled the arrival of a major guitar player and Rock singer-songwriter.

"Fully Qualified Survivor" was released March 1970 on Harvest SHVL 764 in the UK and Capitol/Harvest SW-816 in the USA - and even though it actually charted in the UK at 45, it's a rare record on vinyl and UK originals can command upwards of £100. This February 2011 reissue on Light In The Records LITA 060 is a straightforward transfer of that 1970 album remastered from the 1st generation EMI tapes by NICK ROBBINS at Sound Mastering in London (46:32 minutes). The sound quality is FABULOUS - clear, warm and full of presence and fully realizes the original quality production values of GUS DUDGEON (of David Bowie and Elton John fame).

The original gatefold artwork has been retained but upgraded to a lovely 'silver' effect on the card digipak (they've also issued it on a beautiful VINYL version using the same silver effect artwork - a future collectable). The booklet is an impressive 32-pages long with liner notes by MICK HOUGHTON that feature new interviews with Chapman in 2010. Photos and archive material provided by the artist himself feature black and white snaps of him and the other musicians in the studio, on tour, reproductions of press releases and reviews and so on.

It opens with the epic "Aviator" - a nine and half-minute long acoustic song that has touches of Tim Buckley and Nick Drake in its languid pace. The cello is by Paul Buckmaster and the Violin by Johnny Van Derek. But - and this is a matter of taste - you're met with his nasally drone of a voice which you will either embrace or loath. It all sounds a bit effected now, but if you give it time, there's rewards later. Chapman was also a very accomplished guitar player (Bert Jansch, Stefan Grossman and John Renbourn jump to mind) and there follows the first of the album's three acoustic-instrumentals "Naked Ladies & Electric Ragtime". With his foot tapping in the background, it's a very pretty ditty and it also emphasises the superlative NICK ROBBINS remaster. The sheer musicality of "Postcards From Scarborough" is shocking - and the strings added by Dudgeon are lovely. "Fishbeard Sunset" is the second instrumental and is a 40-second introduction to a great song - "Soulful Lady". It also heralds a major playing talent - MICK RONSON on Guitar. He crops up again on "Kodak Ghosts" and his contributions are so exciting - rocking like a madman - loose and inspired ("The Man Who Sold The World", "Ziggy" and "Hunky Dory" with Bowie lay ahead).

Side 2 is far better than Side 1 in my book - giving a run of truly superb tunes. "Rabbit Hills" is my favourite on here - a beautifully realised acoustic song with warm words and a haunting melody that still sounds sweet four decades on (lyrics above). "March Rain" with its Cello, Strings and Acoustic guitar arrangement could be Nick Drake circa "Bryter Layter" - so impressive. Mick Ronson adds lovely electric guitar licks to the treated Chapman acoustic guitars on the mid-tempo "Kodak Ghosts". The fantastically bluesy "Andru's Easy Rider" starts out with him on Piano but then goes into this huge John Fahey 12-string slide-guitar blues-boogie that you wish would overstay its mere two-minute duration. It segues into a funky Tabla and Guitar album finisher called "Trinkets & Rings" which features his trademark nonchalant vocals and electric guitar licks in the background. It's impressive stuff, it really is...

To sum up - like his fellow Harvest Label mate Roy Harper (and nearest musical comparison), Chapman remains a bit of an unknown even in deep rock circles (Keef Hartley, Bryn Haworth, Mick Greenwood, Judee Sill, Karen Dalton and Fred Neil are others). But you have to say that this is a smart reissue on the part of 'Light In The Attic Records' in a long line of them (Lou Bond, Kris Kristofferson (reviewed) and Rodriguez come to mind) and I'm glad I took a chance on it. I've subsequently bought the 2006 remaster of his "Millstone Grit" album from 1973 on Deram and it's a cracker too.

At the age of 70, it probably seems slightly 'odd' to Michael Chapman now to be the subject of adoration and rediscovery for Folk/Rock he penned some 41-years ago - but better late than never.

A top job done boys and a major reissue for 2011.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fully qualified masterpiece, June 11, 1999

By 

S. GODFREY "Stuart" (Risca, South Wales) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: FULLY QUALIFIED SURVIVOR CD FRENCH C FIVE 1990 (Audio CD)

Unquestionably Chapman's finest hour; in "Fully Qualified Survivor" he reached a peak of brilliant musicianship and starkly harrowing imagery. Evocative lyrics,vocals which grip you by the throat, guitar style ranging from nimble to beefy and restrained string arrangements make this a sadly overlooked British contemporary folk classic on a par with Nick Drake's "Bryter Layter". Highly recommended - worth getting for "Kodak Ghosts" and the title track alone.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incomprehensively Slipped Through The Cracks, April 9, 2003

By 

Stephen Foster (Seattle, WA United States, via Scotland) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fully Qualified Survivor (Audio CD)

You would think that by the 1970's the music industry would be fairly efficient, in the sense that every spectacularly-talented musician could be heard by everyone who would recognise his/her talent for what it was.

Not so, and Michael Chapman is the proof. Oh sure, his voice is a little styled, when the fashion at the time was for "completely natural" voices like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor et al. News for you, kiddies: Michael Chapman was just a tiny little bit more styled than those paragons of naturalness.

Also incomprehensible is how his unique guitar work slipped under the radar: he owns an entire branch of the Tree Of What Can Be Done With The Guitar, and it is all on display on this album. There isn't a dud track anywhere, but the 4-song sequence that starts with "Rabbit Hills," is a 15-minute arc of pure guitar/vocal beauty.

And when he decides to rock, he rocks. Bringing in Mick Ronson was a touch of genius, because most of the album is quiet, but then the two of them go at it...

Definitely one of the top ten albums of the 1970's. Just a mystery that it is so unknown.