Chris began his musical journey in 1955 at the age of 17 when he retrieved his first guitar from a cupboard under the stairs in the neighboring house in Ilford, Essex. The guitar, which had been damaged during the war—having bits of metal and plaster lodged in its sound hole—required a thorough shake to clean it out. Chris added metal strings to achieve a desirable twang, but this caused the neck to bend like Robin Hood’s bow, limiting his ability to press down on the strings past the fifth fret. Despite these challenges, the instrument proved suitable for skiffle music, and he quickly learned three chords and how to play loudly within a day.
After experimenting with his guitar, Chris formed his first skiffle group, "Mike Stand & The Jack Plugs," in 1955. Their inaugural performance took place in the Chislehurst Caves in Kent, where they played acoustically by candlelight amidst swirling grey dust in the damp, dark tunnels. The event featured over 20 bands performing skiffle and jazz, creating a cacophony of trumpets, trombones, bugles, violins, banjos, and drums that resonated through the cave like an echo chamber, thrilling the audience and musicians alike.
Chris’s performances expanded to youth clubs, pubs, clubs, and church halls, as skiffle gained popularity. In 1956, the release of Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" in the film Blackboard Jungle sparked the rock 'n' roll movement in the UK. Following this, an influx of American rock 'n' roll artists, including Elvis Presley, captivated the British audience.
During this period, Chris faced challenges in obtaining guitar lessons or electric instruments. He learned by listening to records of Scotty Moore and Bill Doggett, eventually attaching an electric pickup to his old acoustic guitar. He also enlisted a television technician to build an amplifier using a bare metal chassis with exposed wires, which led to several shocking experiences, including electrocution incidents that sent him crashing across the room. Despite the dangers, he and his band produced an extraordinary amount of electric energy, likening the experience to a "Musical PUNCH-UP."
In 1957, Chris was conscripted into the Army for national service, where he had his quiff cut and was deployed to Cyprus for 16 months, earning a medal for his service—not for the haircut. While there, he formed a band called the "N.S. Six" (National Service 6) and performed in a bar on Ledra Street in Nicosia, where army personnel guarded against potential terrorist attacks. The band received no monetary compensation, only meals and drinks. Chris later moved to Iserlohn, Germany, where he maintained his band until he was demobbed in December 1959.
Upon returning to the UK, Chris reassembled his band, adding a saxophonist and renaming it "UNIT 7." In January 1962, he purchased his cherished Fender Stratocaster for £163 and 10 shillings, taking three years to pay it off through hire purchase. With his newfound skills, Chris's band rose to become the fifth best in London, performing extensively throughout the UK and backing artists such as Paul Raven and Gary Glitter at prestigious venues like Two Eyes and Whisky Go Go. However, between 1964 and 1967, Chris faced setbacks when his equipment and vans were stolen three times, leading him to take a job and play semi-professionally.
In 1978, Chris founded Black Cat, which won a Best Show award at the Bristol event in 1980, leading to performances in Holland. The original lineup of Black Cat disbanded in 1983 due to the pressures of being semi-professional, requiring them to travel extensively while juggling daytime jobs, which resulted in several accidents on the road.
Despite these challenges, Chris continued to lead Black Cat with Ricky Bainbridge (saxophone and keys), who has remained with him since their first meeting in 1973. Throughout his career, Chris has backed nearly every notable rock 'n' roll star in the UK and now leads his own show titled "C'mon Everybody," a live, non-stop West End Rock 'n' Roll Show celebrating icons such as Eddie Cochran, Brenda Lee, Duane Eddy, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Connie Francis, and Buddy Holly.
Chris 'Fenderman' Black passed away on January 26, 2016.
