Chuck E. Weiss

Chuck E. Weiss (* 1952 in Denver , USA ) is an American songwriter , drummer and singer.

Life

Chuck E. Weiss grew up in Denver, Colorado , where his parents owned a record store. Through his parents and on visits to the local blues bar Ebbett's Field , he met Lightnin 'Hopkins , who was impressed with his drumming and took him on tour. So Weiss got the opportunity to appear with Muddy Waters , Howlin 'Wolf , Roger Miller , Dr. John and others.

In 1981 he released his debut album the Other Side of Town , with the participation of Dr. John, Rickie Lee Jones and others. It wasn't until 1999 that his next album, Extremely Cool, was released in collaboration with Tom Waits as a co-producer. Waits also sings on the last two tracks on the album. The two had already met in 1972 at Ebbett's Field , when Weiss was playing in the club's house band. Even though Waits was very successful internationally for almost three decades with his typical sound in 1999, it is difficult to judge who influenced whom more in terms of singing and composing style.

The following album, Old Souls and Wolf Tickets from 2002 , showed a wider range from Delta Blues to Zydeco and with significantly less echoes of Waits . In 2006, 23rd & Stout was released , its musical mixture of rock 'n' roll , jazz and blues Weiss himself referred to as a “discom-bop-ulated jive”.

The typically long period of time for Weiss should pass before the album Red Beans and Weiss 2014 is released. It appeared on the Independent - Label ANTI-Records , published in the meantime Tom Waits, and was designed by Waits and Johnny Depp produced.

Chuck E. Weiss was the type of Rickie Lee Jones hit Chuck E.'s in Love from their 1979 debut album from which the song says that he is in love "to the little girl singing this song" . Jones, who was dating Tom Waits at the time, said the song was fictional. At the time, all three lived in the Tropicana Motel in Los Angeles in the middle of a lively music scene with artists such as Jackson Browne , Eagles , Linda Ronstadt , Warren Zevon , Frank Zappa and others.

References to Weiss are also present on the Tom Waits albums Small Change and Nighthawks at the Diner ; Weiss also appears on the cover photo of Nighthawks… .

Weiss himself names Louis Jordan as his great role model .

Quotes

“ This little Jewish boy with the big old head is one of the best musicians in this city and in the whole country. "

- Willie Dixon

Discography

• 1981: The Other Side of Town. (Select)
• 1999: Extremely Cool. (Slow River / Rykodisc )
• 2001: Old Souls & Wolf Tickets. (Slow River / Rykodisc)
• 2007: 23rd & Stout. ( Cooking Vinyl )
• 2014: Red Beans and Weiss. (ANTI records)

Web links

• Allmusic.com