Christine Perfect Complete Blue Horizon Sessions

[michelej1]

Liner notes say it is Dickens & Jones store. I wonder did she think she would get out? Sometimes you take a no end job and end up retiring from it!

Then they quote Andy:

"On Monday 3rd 1967, I received a letter from Christine showing interest in Chicken Shack. The following day I sent a letter back asking her to join the band." On Friday 14th [hey that's supposed to be bad luck] April, Christine handed in her notice and returned back to the Midlands to become the fourth member of the Chicken Shack.

As far as the store goes and Christine hating it there, you Brits excuse me if I envision Are You Being Served in my mind, since that's what I know best.

Michele

[Gailh]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Liner notes say it is Dickens & Jones store. I wonder did she think she would get out? Sometimes you take a no end job and end up retiring from it!

Then they quote Andy:

"On Monday 3rd 1967, I received a letter from Christine showing interest in Chicken Shack. The following day I sent a letter back asking her to join the band." On Friday 14th [hey that's supposed to be bad luck] April, Christine handed in her notice and returned back to the Midlands to become the fourth member of the Chicken Shack.

As far as the store goes and Christine hating it there, you Brits excuse me if I envision Are You Being Served in my mind, since that's what I know best.

Michele

Dickens & Jones! I knew it was somebody & somebody. close but no cigar.

I imagaine that back in around 1967 it would have been a bit like "Are you being served" I wonder if she had to say "I'm free!"


Isn't it sweet that they sent letters?

Gail

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Gailh

Isn't it sweet that they sent letters?

Gail

Yes and think how long it must've gone on.

Before FM started making money, Christine probably could not afford to call her dad and brother, while on the road. So I bet she sent them many letters. Probably what she wrote to her father was one thing, while she may have gone into candid detail with her brother.

All these years later, if such letters existed, they would make a wonderful historic compilation of events. The next best thing to keeping a journal.

Michele

[Gailh]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Yes and think how long it must've gone on.

Before FM started making money, Christine probably could not afford to call her dad and brother, while on the road. So I bet she sent them many letters. Probably what she wrote to her father was one thing, while she may have gone into candid detail with her brother.

All these years later, if such letters existed, they would make a wonderful historic compilation of events. The next best thing to keeping a journal.

Michele

She wrote a "big letter" to John telling him how she felt about him when he went off to America and Chicken Shack were (I think) still in Germany. I've always wondered if he still has that letter although I think it might be a bit too personal to publish.

A collection of her letters home would make a great read but she's way too private to ever let them see the light of day.

Gail

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Gailh

I've always wondered if he still has that letter although I think it might be a bit too personal to publish.

Gail

Yeah, he keeps the letter in the drawer with all the serial numbers for his guitars, but don't tell Jules.

Michele

[macfan 57]

Originally Posted by Gailh

I think the store might have been Mappin & Webb. I've just looked them up and they are on Regent Street.

"Bunch of bitchy people". I think our Tea Lady prefers working with men

Gail

I often thought the same thing about those "bitchy people". I think she greatly preferred men, both as friends & co-workers.

[Gailh]

http://www.londontaxitour.com/london...ns-&-jones.htm

Here's a picture of said department store.

I can't see that they've got their own site but this one looks quite interesting. I do fancy the Harry Potter tour I must say.

Gail

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Gailh

http://www.londontaxitour.com/london...ns-&-jones.htm

Here's a picture of said department store.

I can't see that they've got their own site but this one looks quite interesting. I do fancy the Harry Potter tour I must say.

Gail

Oh, it's amazing that it's still there. I've been to Harrod's, but I think that's the only department store I visited when I was there.

Yes, I imagine that Dickens & Jones must be very near the entrance to Diagon Alley! Just look for the Leaky Cauldron.

Anyway, it's all kind of surreal, when you read a history, see how far it's gone back and realize that we're almost at the end of it.

It's just mindboggling to me to think that by the time Steve Winwood helped out on the 1984 album, she'd already known him almost 20 years. Egads.

Michele

[aleuzzi]

Thanks for the name, Michele! Oh my gosh, it DOES look like a Grace Bros. kind of store! Christine was a window dresser, so I imagine her job was a bit hipper than anyone in the cast of Are You Being Served?

I wonder if her duties were more closely associated with Rhoda Morgenstein from the MTM show!

[Gailh]

Didn't Mick briefly work at Liberty another London department store?

Is there a bit of retail theme going on here?

Gail

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Gailh

Didn't Mick briefly work at Liberty another London department store?

Is there a bit of retail theme going on here?

Gail

I can't imagine what kind of employee Mick must have made. I'm not surprised he was fired. Window-dressing, on the other hand, could allow Christine to show her artistic flair and might even be interesting creatively, depending on how much freedom you have. Of course, she probably wasn't allowed any.

Michele

[Gailh]

Originally Posted by michelej1

I can't imagine what kind of employee Mick must have made. I'm not surprised he was fired. Window-dressing, on the other hand, could allow Christine to show her artistic flair and might even be interesting creatively, depending on how much freedom you have. Of course, she probably wasn't allowed any.

Michele

I probably can imagine what kind of employee Mick was and it's not a pretty thought. Mind you John was a trainee tax inspector which beggars belief.

I agree that window dressing would have some interest if you were a creative sort of person but it clearly wasn't enough to keep her there.

Gail

[macfan 57]

I just got this CD in the mail this afternoon. The liner notes by Mike Vernon are very good. Mr. Vernon is obviously a bit ticked off at Christine for always trashing this album. There are also about five new live pictures(albeit small) of Chris performing that I'd never seen before. I'll play the CD tomorrow.

By the way, Vernon did give a credit to the McVie story, here on the Penguin. I hope Lis knows this CD is out there. She'd get a kick out of that!

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by macfan 57

I just got this CD in the mail this afternoon. The liner notes by Mike Vernon are very good. Mr. Vernon is obviously a bit ticked off at Christine for always trashing this album. There are also about five new live pictures(albeit small) of Chris performing that I'd never seen before. I'll play the CD tomorrow.

By the way, Vernon did give a credit to the McVie story, here on the Penguin. I hope Lis knows this CD is out there. She'd get a kick out of that!

Whatever happened to Lis... she still post?

[macfan 57]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Whatever happened to Lis... she still post?

She hasn't for a few years now.