Stretch (drums)

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BANDS:

• Marvin Gaye Band
• Roger Chapman & The Shortlist [Feb 79-Dec 80]
• Tom Waits Band [1979]
• Elkie Brooks Band [1979]
• Roger Chapman & The Shortlist [Jan 81-Sep 82]
• Mainsqueeze [1983-1984]
• Bo Diddley Band [1983]

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BIOGRAPHY:

Fantastic drummer, his name is Leonard Stretching, but he´s known as Stretch. First I know about him is that he had been playing live with Marvin Gaye.

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ROGER CHAPMAN & THE SHORTLIST

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Roger Chapman was assembling a live band for promoting his brand new album Chappo. This was the superb live band, from February 1979 to March 1979, under the name Roger Chapman's Shortlist:

ROGER CHAPMAN & THE SHORTLIST #1						Feb 79-Mar 79
Roger Chapman vocals	Clem Clempson guitar	Tim Hinkley keyboards	Jerome Rimson bass	Raf Ravenscroft sax	Stretch drums	Helen Hardy backing vocals	Kathi O´Donoghue backing vocals

A killer lineup for a great artist!

More than 30 years later, a live album appeared, The loft tapes volume 1.

During March 1979, the lineup is augmented by Roger´s mate, the wonderful Bobby Tench:

ROGER CHAPMAN & THE SHORTLIST #2							Mar 79
Roger Chapman vocals	Clem Clempson guitar	Bobby Tench guitar, vocals	Tim Hinkley keyboards	Jerome Rimson bass	Raf Ravenscroft sax	Stretch drums	Helen Hardy backing vocals	Kathi O´Donoghue backing vocals

More gigs during April 1979:

ROGER CHAPMAN & THE SHORTLIST #3					Apr 79
Roger Chapman vocals	Clem Clempson guitar	Tim Hinkley keyboards	Jerome Rimson bass	Stretch drums	Helen Hardy backing vocals	Kathi O´Donoghue backing vocals

After that, Clem leaves the band.

Roger gets one of my favourite guitar players, Geoff Whitehorn, who stayed several years in Roger´s team. This lineup remained together from June 1979 to August 1979:

ROGER CHAPMAN & THE SHORTLIST #4						Jun 79-Aug 79
Roger Chapman vocals	Geoff Whitehorn guitar	Tim Hinkley keyboards	Jerome Rimson bass	Mel Collins sax	Stretch drums	Helen Hardy backing vocals	Kathi O´Donoghue backing vocals

Next step was to record a live album, Live in Hamburg includes energetic renditions of The Rolling Stones ('Let's spend the night together'), Mickey Jupp ('Short list'), and the r'n'classic ´I keep forgettin´´.

But Mel Collins leaves after the tour is over.

New recruitment is Nick Pentelow on sax. From August 79 to December 1980, this is the new, stable lineup:

ROGER CHAPMAN & THE SHORTLIST #5								Aug 79-Dec 80
Roger Chapman vocals	Geoff Whitehorn guitar	Tim Hinkley keyboards	Jerome Rimson bass	Nick Pentelow sax	Stretch drums	Helen Hardy backing vocals	Kathi O´Donoghue backing vocals	+	Micky Moody guitar - guest in April 1980

Micky Moody guested with the band during the gigs in April 1980.

Next album was Mail order magic, recorded with these musicians: Geoff Whitehorn (guitar), Jerome Rimson (bass), John Wetton (bass), Tim Hinkley (keyboards), Poli Palmer (keyboards), Les Binks (drums), John Halsey (drums), Mitch Mitchell (drums).

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TOM WAITS BAND

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This is the fantastic list of British musicians that backed Tom Waits in a TV program in 1979:

TOM WAITS BAND #?			1979
Tom Waits vocals	Clem Clempson guitar	Tim Hinkley keyboards	Mel Collins sax	Stretch drums

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ELKIE BROOKS BAND

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Around 1979, Elkie Brooks got Tim Hinkley as her musical director, thus assembling a great live band:

ELKIE BROOKS BAND #?					1979
Elkie Brooks vocals	Geoff Whitehorn guitar	Jerome Rimson bass	Tim Hinkley keyboards	Poli Palmer keyboards, vibes	Duncan Kinnell percussion	Stretch drums

As we can see, all of them played with Roger Chapman too.

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ROGER CHAPMAN & THE SHORTLIST (again)

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In January 1981, the band is augmented with another very valuable addition, Steve Simpson, probably the musician who has stayed more years playing with Roger. Poli Palmer rejoins Roger (from their times together in Family in early 70s), and new bassist is legendary Boz Burrell.

ROGER CHAPMAN & THE SHORTLIST #6						Jan 81-1982
Roger Chapman vocals	Geoff Whitehorn guitar	Steve Simpson guitar	Tim Hinkley keyboards	Poli Palmer keyboards	Boz Burrell † bass	Nick Pentelow sax	Stretch drums

The album in 1981 is Hyenas only laugh for fun. Recorded with Geoff Whitehorn (guitar), Steve Simpson (guitar), Jerome Rimson (bass), John Wetton (bass), Tim Hinkley (keyboards), Poli Palmer (keyboards), Nick Pentelow (sax), Stretch (drums), Alan Coulter (drums).

A new double live album is released with this lineup. Called He was she was you was we was, it includes a cover of Jimi Hendrix's ´Stone free´.

They stayed together until sometime in 1982.

New lineup until September 1982:

ROGER CHAPMAN & THE SHORTLIST #7					1982-Sep 82
Roger Chapman vocals	Geoff Whitehorn guitar	Steve Simpson guitar	Poli Palmer keyboards	Boz Burrell † bass	Nick Pentelow sax	Stretch drums
						Mainsqueezeê

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MAINSQUEEZE

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Around 1983, this is the lineup for Mainsqueeze:

MAINSQUEEZE #?						1983
							êRoger Chapman & The Shortlist
John O´Leary harmonica, vocals	Victor Brox vocals, trumpet	Eric Bell guitar, vocals	Dave Moore guitar	Keith Tillman bass	Dick Heckstall-Smith † sax	Diana Wood sax	Stretch drums

Mainsqueeze played 3 tours backing rock legend Bo Diddley between 1981 and 1983. They released a live album, Hey Bo Diddley in concert with this lineup:

MAINSQUEEZE #?				1983
Bo Diddley † vocals, guitar	Eric Bell guitar, vocals	Keith Tillman bass	Dave Moore keyboards	Dick Heckstall-Smith † sax	Stretch drums

The band finally parted ways in 1984.

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AND THEN...

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Stretch also appears in some album by Rolf Harris, but I haven´t been able to know in which one.

And I don´t know anything else about Stretch. Does anybody know if he finally retired from music?

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DISCOGRAPHY: (12 albums known to me - Status: Completed)

ALBUMS AS A BAND MEMBER (7 credits)

• The Loft tapes volume 1 - Roger Chapman & The Shortlist ( - )


• Members: Roger Chapman, Clem Clempson, Helen Hardy, Tim Hinkley, Kathi O´Donoghue, Raf Ravenscroft, Jerome Rimson, Stretch
• Comments: Recorded in Chapman´s first solo tour, at Manchester University in March 1979.
• Live in Hamburg - Roger Chapman And The Shortlist (08/1979)


• Members: Roger Chapman, Mel Collins, Helen Hardy, Tim Hinkley, Kathi O´Donoghue, Jerome Rimson, Stretch, Geoff Whitehorn
• Comments: live album.
• My opinion: Fantastic! I love it from start to finish.
• Hyenas only laugh for fun - Roger Chapman (1981)


• Members: Roger Chapman, Alan Coulter, Tim Hinkley, Duncan Kinnell, Poli Palmer, Nick Pentelow, Jerome Rimson, Steve Simpson, Stretch, Geoff Whitehorn
• Guests: John Wetton
• He was she was you was we was - Roger Chapman & The Shortlist (1982)


• Members: Roger Chapman, Tim Hinkley, Poli Palmer, Nick Pentelow, Steve Simpson, Stretch, Geoff Whitehorn (RIP: Boz Burrell)
• Comments: Double live album.
• The International blues rock revue - Mainsqueeze (1983)


• Members: Eric Bell, Victor Brox, Rod Coombes, Dave Moore, John O´Leary, Stretch, Keith Tillman (RIP: Dick Heckstall-Smith)
• Comments: Recorded live at Ronnie Scott´s Club in January 1983.
• Hey Bo Diddley in concert - Bo Diddley (1986)


• Members: Eric Bell, Dave Moore, Stretch, Keith Tillman (RIP: Bo Diddley, Dick Heckstall-Smith)
• Comments: Live album.
• Moth to a flame - Roger Chapman (02/2001)


• Members: Roger Chapman, Mel Collins, Alan Coulter, Helen Hardy, Tim Hinkley, Kathi O´Donoghue, Nick Pentelow, Jerome Rimson, Stretch, Geoff Whitehorn (RIP: Boz Burrell)

COMPILATIONS AS A BAND MEMBER (1 credit)

• Have guitar will travel - Bo Diddley (2010)


• Members: Eric Bell, Dave Moore, Stretch, Keith Tillman (RIP: Dick Heckstall-Smith)

ALBUMS WITH BANDMATES AND FRIENDS (2 credits)

• Her father didn´t like me anyway - Raphael Ravenscroft (1979)


• Members: Raf Ravenscroft
• Guests: Vic Ash, Jeff Bannister, Geoff Britton, Jim Brown, Richard Brunton, Betsy Cook, Liam Genockey, Kuma Harada, Preston Heyman, Brian Holloway, John Huckridge, Nigel Jenkins, Bob Lamb, Julian Littman, Frank Ricotti, Maggie Ryder, Pete Solley, Stretch, Gary Taylor, Derek Watkins, Albert Wing, Steve York, Pete Zorn (RIP: Kenny Baker, Tommy Eyre, Don Lusher, Steve Waller)
• Volume One - Hinkley´s Heroes (1999)


• Members: Mel Collins, John Halsey, Tim Hinkley, Henry McCullough, Poli Palmer, Mick Ralphs, Steve Simpson, Bobby Tench (RIP: Boz Burrell, Mitch Mitchell, Mike Patto)
• Guests: Joe Cocker, Kuma Harada, Neil Hubbard, Alvin Lee, Zoot Money, Micky Moody, Chrissie Stewart, Stretch (RIP: Alan Spenner, Ian Wallace)
• Comments: Good news here! Almost 25 years later, a Hinkley's heroes album has been finally officialy released! It's called Volume one (I hope this means it will be followed by more volumes). The list of musicians appearing here is awesome. Attention to Joe Cocker appearing under the nickname Cow Chocker.

SESSIONS (2 credits)

• Side Effect - Side Effect (1975)


• Guests: Albert Aarons, Arthur Adams, George Bohanon, Oscar Brashear, Louis Johnson, Jackie Kelso, Ronnie Laws, Ray Parker, Jerry Peters, Joe Sample, Stretch
• Producer: Wayne Henderson
• Goose grease - John Gustafson (1997)


• Members: John Gustafson
• Guests: B J Cole, Jeff Daly, Tony Hymas, Henry Lowther, Mike Moran, Ann Odell, Stretch, Mark Warner (RIP: Barry De Souza, Morris Pert)
• Comments: John Gustafson, apart from the singles he released in the sixties, only has a solo album, Goose grease. But the interesting story is that he recorded it in 1976, but remained unreleased until 1997, when it has been issued on CD, remastered by old fellow Ray Fenwick.
• My opinion: It's a very interesting album, quite funky. The performances are superb, especially Mark Warner (you just have to listen to him in the track 'Cheap Astrakhan', as well as the solos on 'Boogie woogie' or 'What's your game?'). B.J. Cole is also fantastic on 'Poem about a gnome' or 'Freshness'. As I've said, the album was recorded in 1976, at Ramport Studios, London. Thanks to splendid record label Angel Air, we've been lucky to be able to listen to it.

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THANKS:

Special Thanks to:

Phillip Wayne Slaughter: for extensive info on Elkie Brooks live lineups.

Thanks to:

Albert Dufberg: for info on Mainsqueeze.

Axel Reisenhofer: for info on Mainsqueeze.

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WHAT'S NEW:

01/February/2010 - Page added to the blog.
07/November/1999 - Original page written by me (in the old site).

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RELATED MUSICIANS:

Stretch mostly worked with these musicians: (name + number of credits)
Tim Hinkley (6)
Roger Chapman (5)
Jerome Rimson (4)
Geoff Whitehorn (4)
Eric Bell (3)
Boz Burrell (3)
Mel Collins (3)
Helen Hardy (3)
Dick Heckstall-Smith (3)
Dave Moore (3)

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Page created by Miguel Terol on: 01/February/2010 - Last modified on: 08/June/2010. If you want to contribute with info, please write to: molympus1@gmail.com

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Please, note than you can check the indexes (musicians, bands, obituaries) at the top of this page.