The Charlatans

The Charlatans are...

• Tim Burgess - vocals
• Mark Collins - guitar
• Martin Blunt - bass
• Tony Rogers - keyboards
• Jon Brooks - drums
• Jon Baker - guitar (left 1991)
• Rob Collins - keyboards (died 1996)

Like many of the most important bands of our time, The Charlatans managed to contribute key records to several of the UK's most popular alternative rock movements without succumbing to the inevitable backlash as the trends changed. Their roots were planted in the Madchester scene of the early 1990's which saw them sign to the Situation 2 label and enjoy their first taste of success with the Top 10 hit 'The Only One I Know'. Their hammond-led crossbreed of indie rock and dance immediately prompted comparisons with their contempories The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays and secured them a number one debut album with Some Friendly (1990). However, initially at least, the group were widely viewed as a less inticing prospect than their fellow acts and appeared to lack the star quality of the Ian Brown/John Squire partnership or even the overpowering, drugged-up energy of Shaun Ryder.

As baggy became passé, The Charlatans began to suffer the beginning of a long period of misfortune. As they embarked on a tour of the USA, they were legally obliged to add 'UK' to their moniker to avoid confusion with a 60's group of the same name. On their return to Britain, the band lost their guitarist Jon Baker, who was later replaced with Mark Collins, and suffered from a spate of bad reviews and general public disinterest upon the release of their second album, Between 10th And 11th (1992). On top of this, at the end of the year keyboardist Rob Collins had been arrested and was later sentenced to eight months imprisonment for accessory to armed robbery.

Despite this, the group's next effort Up To Our Hips (1994) marked a return to the Top 10 and rejuvinated their shaky relationship with the media. The band headed further into dance territory for their eponymous album the following year - a move which seemed to pay off with the public, returning them to Number One after a five year gap since their last charttopper.

Just as everything appeared to be going their way, tragedy struck in '96 when Rob Collins was killed in a car accident on his way to the recording studio. Tellin' Stories (1997), which featured much of his distinctive organ-work, became the band's most popular album as Britpop fever consumed the UK marketplace. Hit singles pulled from the album included 'How High', 'North Country Boy' and the genre-defining 'One To Another'. A singles collection, Melting Pot, brought the band to end of their run on the Beggars Banquet label and they began 1999 with a new keyboardist in Tony Rogers, and a new deal through Universal.

The first fruits of the partnership came in the form of Us And Us Only (1999), which displayed a more frenetic and experimental approach to songwriting. The darker direction echoed Tim Burgess' work outside the band with The Chemical Brothers and Primal Scream. Wonderland (2001) again gained critical plaudits and was quickly followed with a trio of compilations: a rarities set, Songs From The Other Side, a videos collection, Just Lookin' and a live set Live It Like You Love It (all 2002). Tom Edwards