Rick Kemp
born on 15/11/1941 in Little Hanford, Dorset, England, United Kingdom
Rick Kemp
Rick Kemp |
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Rick Kemp (born 15 November 1941 in Little Hanford, Dorset) is an English bass player, songwriter, vocalist and record producer, best known for his work with the pioneering electric folk band, Steeleye Span.
Projects
Kemp has been a member of Steeleye Span for around 25 years, having first joined the band in 1972, heralding their most commercially successful spell during the mid-1970s. He left in 1986, rejoined in 2000, and remains a member today.
In the 1960s he shot to prominence through his work with singer-songwriter Michael Chapman, and had a reputation within the music industry as a very strong rock and blues session bassist, before his transition into electric folk.
In 1971, Kemp played with King Crimson, shortly before the band recorded their album, Islands. However, he turned down the opportunity to join them on a full-time basis, and reportedly departed the band after just two weeks.[1]
Kemp has played bass on a number of Maddy Prior recordings, and was a member the Maddy Prior Band in the 1980s. The 1990 album Happy Families was officially credited to "Maddy Prior and Rick Kemp".
He also played on albums by former Steeleye Span member Tim Hart in the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1979, Kemp co-founded the record label Plant Life with Steeleye Span drummer Nigel Pegrum. The label was discontinued in 1984.
He has released four solo albums: Escape (1996), Spies (1998), Codes (2004) and Fanfare (2009). The line-up for his solo albums generally consists of a traditional Blues three-piece, with Kemp working alongside Spud Sinclair on guitar and Charlie Carruthers on drums.
Since 1997, Kemp has been the producer for the ceilidh dance band, Whapweasel. More recently he has played guitar (as opposed to bass) with them.
Musical style
Kemp's fearless, melodic bass playing is admired greatly among bassists who know of his work. He is unafraid to step outside the folk rock genre to incorporate slap techniques and the use of a fretless bass in his work.
Although Kemp usually plays a standard four string instrument, his playing frequently utilises the uppermost range of the instrument, stylistically similar to players of extended range basses. He currently plays instruments produced by Overwater.
His musical arrangements often feature busy basslines, and 'big' riffs, often with the bass doubling the lead guitar line in places. Another hallmark is the use of irregular length phrases within a conventional time signature, resulting in strong downbeats in unexpected places for musical effect.
Kemp is a keen hobbyist historian, and much of his songwriting for Steeleye Span is inspired by historical events. Examples include the song "Take My Heart" about the death of Robert the Bruce, and the song cycle about the Luddite movement that he contributed to the 2006 album Bloody Men. In recent years his lyrics have also included strong Pagan influences.
On his solo albums, his lyrics are often philosophical, dealing with the subtleties and frailties of human existence and humankind's search for meaning.
Personal life
He was the husband of Steeleye Span lead vocalist Maddy Prior, but they have since divorced.[2] He is also the father of the musician Rose Kemp and hip-hop artist 'Kemp' whose first name is Alex.
He was, or is, a member of the Carlisle Pagan Society.
Rick Kemp was a Music Tutor at Cumbria College of Art and Design in Carlisle in 1989.
He was reported to be leaving Steeleye Span in 2004 and has hinted frequently that he may retire from regular touring in the near future. Despite this, he has featured strongly on all their recent albums, and has been in the band throughout all their recent tours, with the exception of the Spring 2009 where he was replaced by Pete Zorn due to ill health. He returned for the winter tour that year, and despite suggesting during the tour that he would be retiring from music, he went on to play on several tours between 2011 and 2013 and is contributing to the latest Steeleye album.
References
- [Rick Kemp at All Music Guide King Crimson biography]
- Rose Kemp interview
Steeleye Span | |
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Maddy Prior Peter Knight Rick Kemp Liam Genockey Ken Nicol Tim Hart Bob Johnson Nigel Pegrum Ashley Hutchings Martin Carthy Tim Harries Terry Woods Gay Woods John Kirkpatrick Chris Staines Terl Bryant Michael Gregory Mark Williamson | |
Studio albums | Hark! The Village Wait (1970) Please to See the King (1971) Ten Man Mop, or Mr. Reservoir Butler Rides Again (1972) Below the Salt (1972) Parcel of Rogues (1973) Now We Are Six (1974) Commoner's Crown (1975) All Around My Hat (1975) Rocket Cottage (1976) Storm Force Ten (1977) Sails of Silver (1980) Back in Line (1986) Tempted and Tried (1989) Time (1996) Horkstow Grange (1998) Bedlam Born (2000) They Called Her Babylon (2004) Winter (2004) Bloody Men (2006) |
Live albums | Live at Last (1978) Tonight's the Night...Live (1992) The Collection: Steeleye Span in Concert (1994) The Journey (1999) Folk Rock Pioneers in Concert (2006) |
Singles | "Rave On/ Reels/ Female Drummer" (1971) "Jigs and Reels" (1972) "John Barleycorn / Bride's Favourite/Tansey's Fancy" (1972) "Gaudete / The Holly and The Ivy" (1972) "The Mooncoin Jig" (1974) "New York Girls/ Two Magicians" (1975) "All Around My Hat/ Black Jack Davy" (1975) "Rave On/ False Knight On The Road" (1976) "Hard Times of England/ Cadgwith Anthem" (1976) "London/ Sligo Maid" (1976) "Fighting For Strangers/ The Mooncoin Jig" (1976) "The Boar's Head Carol/ Gaudete / Some Rival" (1977) "Rag Doll/ Saucy Sailor" (1978) "Sails of Silver/ Senior Service" (1980) "Gone To America/ Let Her Go Down" (1981) "Somewhere In London/ Lanercost" (1985) "Padstow / First House in Connaught/ Sailor's Bonnet" (1989) "Following Me/ Two Butchers" (1989) "The Fox/ Jack Hall" (1990) |
Compilation | Present--The Very Best of Steeleye Span (2002) |
DVDs | Classic Rock Legends (2002) A Twentieth Anniversary Celebration (2003) The 35th Anniversary World Tour 2004 (2005) |
King Crimson |
Robert Fripp | Adrian Belew | Tony Levin | Pat Mastelotto
Former members | Guest musicians |
Original studio albums |
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In the Court of the Crimson King | In the Wake of Poseidon | Lizard | Islands | Larks' Tongues in Aspic | Starless and Bible Black | Red | Discipline | Beat | Three of a Perfect Pair | THRAK | The ConstruKction of Light | The Power to Believe |
Other records |
Cat Food/Groon | Atlantic Sampler | The Night Watch/The Great Deceiver | Epitaph/21st Century Schizoid Man | Matte Kudasai | Elephant Talk | Thela Hun Ginjeet | Heartbeat | Three of a Perfect Pair/Man With an Open Heart | Sleepless | VROOOM | Dinosaur | People | Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream | Level Five | Happy With What You Have to Be Happy With |
Live albums |
Earthbound | USA | The Great Deceiver | B'Boom: Live in Argentina | THRaKaTTaK | Epitaph | The Night Watch | Absent Lovers: Live in Montreal | Cirkus: The Young Persons' Guide to King Crimson Live | Live in Mexico City | The ProjeKcts | The Deception of the Thrush: A Beginners' Guide to ProjeKcts | The Beginners' Guide to the King Crimson Collectors' Club | Heavy ConstruKction | VROOOM VROOOM | Ladies of the Road | EleKtrik: Live in Japan | The Power To Believe Tour Box |
Compilations |
A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson | The Compact King Crimson | Heartbeat: The Abbreviated King Crimson | Frame by Frame: The Essential King Crimson | Sleepless: The Concise King Crimson | The 21st Century Guide to King Crimson - Volume One - 1969-1974 | The 21st Century Guide to King Crimson - Vol. 2 - 1981-2003 |
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