CHARLATANS, THE - A HEAD FULL OF IDEAS

1) The Charlatans, known in the United States as The Charlatans UK, is an English rock band formed in the West Midlands in 1988 and later developed in Northwich, Cheshire. The band has released thirteen studio albums, all of which have reached the top 40 of the UK Albums Chart, including three number ones. They have achieved 22 top 40 singles and four top 10 entries, including "The Only One I Know" and "One to Another". The band was founded by bassist Martin Blunt, who recruited Rob Collins (keyboards), Jon Brookes (drums), Jon Day (guitar) and singer-guitarist Baz Ketley. Ketley was replaced by Tim Burgess, who had previously supported the band with his own group, the Electric Crayons. Early demos recorded in 1988 in Birmingham and Dudley featured Collins's Hammond organ, Blunt's bass and Brookes's drumming, reflecting a fusion of 1960s soul, R&B and garage rock influenced by Blunt's earlier band Makin' Time. The band relocated to Northwich prior to the 1990 release of their debut single "Indian Rope" on Dead Dead Good Records. One of their earliest known live performances was supporting the Stone Roses at the London School of Economics on 2 December 1988. The debut single "Indian Rope" was an indie hit, and the band subsequently signed to Beggars Banquet offshoot Situation Two. Their follow-up single "The Only One I Know" reached the UK top 10, and their debut album "Some Friendly" was released later in 1990. Jon Day left after the 1991 single "Over Rising" and was replaced by Mark Collins. The band's second album, "Between 10th and 11th" (1992), was produced by Flood and included the single "Weirdo". That year, Rob Collins served four months in prison after pleading guilty to assisting an offender. The third album, "Up To Our Hips" (1994), reached number eight on the UK Albums Chart. Their self-titled fourth album (1995) topped the chart and included the single "Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over". During the recording of their fifth album "Tellin' Stories", Rob Collins died in a traffic accident in 1996. The band continued with contributions from Martin Duffy and released the album in 1997, which featured the singles "One to Another", "North Country Boy" and "How High". After a compilation album "Melting Pot", the band signed with Universal Records. Keyboardist Tony Rogers joined for the album "Us and Us Only", which introduced a country-influenced sound. "Wonderland" (2001) included soul influences, and "Up at the Lake" was released in 2004. The ninth album, "Simpatico" (2006), produced by Jim Lowe, incorporated reggae and dub influences. The band released the singles compilation "Forever: The Singles" later that year and performed at high-profile events supporting The Who and The Rolling Stones. Their tenth studio album, "You Cross My Path" (2008), was initially released as a free download through XFM and later on CD/LP via Cooking Vinyl, accompanied by a UK tour. The eleventh album, "Who We Touch" (2010), included the single "Love Is Ending" and coincided with the twentieth anniversary of "Some Friendly". In September 2010, drummer Jon Brookes collapsed on stage and was later diagnosed with a brain tumour, temporarily replaced by Peter Salisbury for live dates. Brookes died on 13 August 2013. The band continued and released their twelfth album, "Modern Nature", on 26 January 2015, featuring contributions from temporary drummers Peter Salisbury, Stephen Morris and Gabriel Gurnsey, as well as backing singers and additional instrumentation. Their thirteenth album, "Different Days", was released on 26 May 2017. In 2021, they released "A Head Full of Ideas: The Best of Charlatans". The Charlatans have continued performing live, supporting acts including Liam Gallagher and Gerry Cinnamon in 2022. On 14 July 2025, the title track of their fourteenth album "We Are Love" was released as the lead single, with the album released on 31 October 2025. Studio albums Some Friendly (1990) Between 10th and 11th (1992) Up to Our Hips (1994) The Charlatans (1995) Tellin' Stories (1997) Us and Us Only (1999) Wonderland (2001) Up at the Lake (2004) Simpatico (2006) You Cross My Path (2008) Who We Touch (2010) Modern Nature (2015) Different Days (2017) We Are Love (2025) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) The Charlatans was an American folk rock and psychedelic rock band that were active in the San Francisco music scene during the 1960s. They are often cited as an early example of the style that became known as the San Francisco Sound. The band's music drew on jug band, country, and blues influences, and their distinctive late 19th-century clothing was influential on the emerging counter-culture of the Summer of Love. The Charlatans released a single studio album, "The Charlatans", in 1969, recorded by a lineup that included only two members of the original group. The band was formed in mid-1964 by George Hunter and Richard Olsen, with Mike Wilhelm, Mike Ferguson, and Sam Linde completing the early lineup. Linde was soon replaced by Dan Hicks on drums and vocals. The Charlatans became known for wearing late 19th-century attire, which contributed to the visual identity of the San Francisco counterculture. In June 1965, the band undertook a six-week residency at the Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City, Nevada, where Ferguson and Hunter produced a concert poster known as "The Seed", considered one of the earliest psychedelic rock posters. During this period, the band members took LSD before their performances, leading some to describe them as one of the first acid rock bands, although their sound was not fully representative of later developments in the genre. After returning to San Francisco, the Charlatans auditioned for Autumn Records but were not signed. In early 1966, they signed with Kama Sutra Records but faced difficulties with the release of their intended debut single, "Codine", due to its lyrical content. Their first officially released single, "The Shadow Knows" backed with "32-20", was issued by Kapp Records in 1966 but did not achieve commercial success. Other recordings from the Kama Sutra sessions were later released in 1996 on the album "The Amazing Charlatans". Personnel changes occurred throughout the late 1960s. Ferguson was replaced by Patrick Gogerty, Dan Hicks moved to rhythm guitar before leaving to form Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks, and Terry Wilson became the drummer. Hunter eventually left the group following tensions with other members. The Charlatans reformed without him, adding Darrell DeVore on piano and vocals, and recorded "The Charlatans" for Philips Records in 1969. The album received limited commercial attention, in part due to lineup changes and changes in musical trends. Following the release of the album, Wilson left to serve a prison sentence, and the original members reunited briefly during the summer of 1969. By the end of the year, the band had disbanded. Subsequent projects included Wilhelm joining the Flamin' Groovies, Olsen working as a producer and forming Richard Olsen & His Big Band, Hunter pursuing graphic design, and Ferguson joining the band Tongue and Groove. Documentaries and reunion performances occurred later, including "The Life and Times of the Red Dog Saloon" in 1996, a series of secret gigs at the Sweetwater club in 1997, and performances at Golden Gate Park in 2005 and 2007. The Charlatans reunited for their 50th anniversary concerts in 2015, including a return to the Red Dog Saloon. Dan Hicks died in 2016, and Mike Wilhelm died in 2019. The Charlatans are recognised for their role as one of the first underground San Francisco bands of the 1960s. Studio albums The Charlatans (1969) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.