Christopher Henry Difford(born 4 November 1954)[1]is an English musician. He is a founding member and songwriter of therockgroupSqueeze.
Chris Difford | |
|---|---|
 Difford in September 2013 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Christopher Henry Difford |
| Born | 4 November 1954 Greenwich,London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, record producer, singer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Website | chrisdifford.com |
Early life
editDifford was born inGreenwich,London, on 4 November 1954, the youngest of three sons. His mother, Isabel (née Hamilton) was from Northern Ireland and met Difford's father Sidney Lewis Difford (1919–2001) while he was stationed in Belfast duringWorld War II.[2]
Music career
editDifford has written lyrics for over 50 years, most notably in partnership withGlenn Tilbrook.The two were primary members inSqueezeandDifford & Tilbrook.According to Difford, he stole 50p from his mother's purse to put a card in a local sweetshop window advertising for a guitarist to join his band, although he did not have one at the time. Tilbrook was the only person who responded to the advert and they met for the first time shortly afterwards.[3]Some of their best-known songs are "Tempted","Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)","Black Coffee in Bed","Cool for Cats","Up the Junction"and"Annie Get Your Gun".
After the break-up of Squeeze in 1983, Difford continued writing songs for artists such asJools Holland,[4]Helen Shapiro,Billy BremnerandElvis Costello.He has also written lyrics for music by Jools Holland,Elton John,[5]Wet Wet Wet,[6]Marti Pellowand others. He was involved with Tilbrook and John Turner in the creation of a musical,Labelled with Love,which was created using the songs of Squeeze.[7]The 1983 musical performed inDeptfordwas short-lived. In 1984, the pair released the albumDifford and Tilbrookand had a minor hit in the UK with "Love's Crashing Waves" which reached 57 in theUK Singles Chart.[8]In 1985, Squeeze reunited, having hits in the US with the albumBabylon and On,plus the singles "Hourglass"and"853-5937".Difford left the group in 1999 launching a solo career in 2003 with his albumI Didn't Get Where I Am.[9]Difford was also manager ofBryan Ferry[10]andThe Strypes.Squeeze reunited again in 2007, and Difford maintained a concurrent solo career alongside his work with the band.
In March 2010, Difford curatedSongs in the Key of London,an evening of music dedicated to the capital at theBarbican Centre,London.[11]
In 2017, Difford published his autobiography,Some Fantastic Place: My Life In and Out of Squeeze.
Since 2014, Difford has been running the annual Chris Difford Songwriting Retreat, under the auspices of the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation,[12]providing an opportunity for artists to collaborate with one another to write new songs and create new friendships in a relaxed setting in the English countryside.[13]
In August 2021, Difford launched a podcast series,I Never Thought It Would Happen,with the charityHelp Musicians,a charity he is an ambassador for, speaking to guests includingSting,Robbie WilliamsandKT Tunstallabout the highs and lows of life in music.[14]
Personal life
editDifford was raised in Greenwich. He lived in New York with his first wife and their two children. He then lived inRye, Sussex,with the mother of his two youngest children. Currently, he lives just outsideBrighton,Sussex, with his wife, Louise, whom he married in April 2013.[15]
Solo discography
edit- I Didn't Get Where I Am,2003
- South East Side Story,2007
- The Last Temptation of Chris,2008
- Cashmere if You Can,2011, (SMMC Media SMMC1)
- Fancy Pants(with Boo Hewerdine), 2016 (Obvious Productions)
- Let's Be Combe Avenue(Demos 1972), 2017 (Edsel Records – EDSL 0017)
- Chris To... The Mill,2017 (Compilation)
- Pants,2018
References
edit- ^"Chris Difford".Discogs.com.Retrieved26 October2023.
- ^Difford, Chris (31 August 2017).Some Fantastic Place: My Life In and Out of Squeeze.Hachette UK.ISBN9781474605694.Retrieved12 February2024.
- ^Presenters:Clive Anderson(8 November 2014)."Mick Fleetwood, Matt Berry, Imtiaz Dharker, Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford, GoGo Penguin".Loose Ends.20:50 minutes in.BBC.BBC Radio Four.
- ^Koda, Cub.Jools Holland's Big Band Rhythm & Blues– Jools HollandatAllMusic.Retrieved 25 November 2011.
- ^"Elton John – The Duets Collection".Discogs.com.Retrieved19 September2013.
- ^"Wet Wet Wet – The Little Picture".Discogs.com.Retrieved19 September2013.
- ^"The Duke".Thedukedeptford.com.Archived fromthe originalon 21 September 2013.Retrieved19 September2013.
- ^"Difford and Tilbrook – UK Charts".Officialcharts.com.Retrieved19 September2013.
- ^"Chris Difford".AllMusic.Retrieved19 September2013.
- ^Duerden, Nick (20 February 2008)."Chris Difford: It's a bit of a Squeeze".The Independent.Retrieved20 September2013.
- ^Green, Thomas H (10 March 2010)."Songs in the Key of London at the Barbican, review".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved19 September2013.
- ^"The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation".Tbhef.org.Retrieved26 October2023.
- ^"Chris Difford Songwriting Retreat".Tbhef.org.Retrieved26 October2023.
- ^"I Never Thought It Would Happen".Spotify.Retrieved13 February2024.
- ^"Magic Summer Live: An interview with Chris Difford".Essentialsurrey.co.uk.8 July 2013. Archived from the original on 20 August 2013.Retrieved20 September2013.
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