Chas Jankel

8-6-09 Chas Jankel

7" AI NO CORRIDA / LENTA LATINA A&M UK AMS 7570

1980 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

CD CHAS JANKEL ANGEL AIR UK SJPCD 202

1980 8 TRKS (1 x bonus track) ('05 issue) Ian Dury bonus track

LP CHAS JANKEL A&M UK AMLH 68518

1980 7 TRKS

LP CHAZABLANCA A&M US SP-12503

1983 6 TRKS

7" GLAD TO KNOW YOU (EDIT) (mono) / (stereo) promo A&M US AM-2396

1981 2 TRKS no pic sleeve, promo

7" GLAD TO KNOW YOU (EDIT) / AM I HONEST WITH MYSELF... A&M UK AMS 8213

1981 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

LP LOOKING AT YOU A&M US SP-6-5050

1985 10 TRKS Ian Dury songs

7" NOVA CHAS, A A&M UK SAMP 14

1981 3 TRKS with pic sleeve, promo-only

LP QUESTIONNAIRE A&M US SP-6-4885

1981 8 TRKS Ian Dury songs

7" QUESTIONNAIRE / AI NO CORRIDA A&M JPN AMP-742

1981 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

“Chas Jankel is musically direct” is how it once read on the liner notes / inner sleeve of an old Ian Dury & The Blockheads album or 45. Indeed. As far as I know, Chas Jankel’s earliest band was called Byzantium, and they had at least one album on Warner Brothers UK (that got a US issue as well).

Chas Jankel was the “music man” behind” Dury’s masterpieces “New Boots and Panties” and “Do It Yourself” – then he left The Blockheads for a solo career. Before Mr. Dury passed away, he was re-joined by Mr. Jankel, making the wonderful “Mr. Love Pants” CD.

As far as I know, Jankel’s 2^nd solo album, “Questionnaire”, isn’t on CD, as of the summer of 2009.

This album is wonderful. Easily my favorite of his stuff. I understand that the album was originally going to be called “Chasanova” by A&M UK (his 3^rd solo album was eventually called “Chazanova”), as I have a promo 3-track EP for it. This album has excellent Ian Dury songs on it, too – I always rather regarded this album to be the proper follow-up to the Blockheads’ “Do It Yourself” album. The animated music video for the track “Questionnaire” is amazing. I wonder why this album isn’t on CD? (Not even in Japan!) I have a CD of the first Jankel solo album, courtesy Angel Air Records in England.

And I suppose Quincy Jones covered “Ai No Corrida” because of his association with A&M Records? (It was, after all, Jankel’s label at the time). And I always rather enjoyed Jankel’s production of “Turbigo 12-12” by Marie Laure Beraud – ever hear that one?